The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-16
CARPENTER OF THE ORIENT.
His SKIN IN Using tho BoAO-H0w the Ffli'
pine Has Adopted Foreign TOsls.
From tie Roilrodd Gazette.

FROM H0 H0ttYOOO G0&Ctbes
Throughout the Oriental countries gen
erAlly the superiority OF the carpenter In the
skilled labor class h marked and the rule has
held good In the Philippines. certainly until very
recently. The untutored Filipino carpenter
knows but one tool, the bolo. It Ia simply q
knife with q bladea about is inches long. Sinchcs
wide and one-eiRhth Of an inch thick. single
edged. Il serves a. a plane. Ratchet. chhsel
and hammer. and with ii the native carpenter.
left to himself. will build an entire house.
not Of the naaiVs variety merely. but in 40
oordance with the design characteristic Of
foreign houses in the Philippines. which are
frequently quite elaborate In construction and
finish.
The Filipino carpenter has been compelled
20 adopt the nail first among modern auxil-
iaries Of the trade. and. unless otherwise
provided, the blunt back Of his bolo. one
eighth Of an inch wide. is made to serve a. q
hammer face with much better success than
would b. supposed. In his original cult the
nail plays no part and all attachme nts between
members OF a structure are made with bamboo
strips or rattan. Nearly all the native houses.
and many foreign. are even now built in this
way. and apparently the only serious defect
~ compared with mailing Ia the time consumed
in the construction. The native carpenter
has much din ulty in mastering the operation
OF foreign tools at first. and IL 10 necessary
always to guard against q return to his be-
loved bolS.
It is rarely more din1cult. and 70 generally
lees so, to teach an absolute novice, II he be
of the same natural intelligence. the use OF
modern tools Of carpentry than an artisan
welded TO the use OF the bolo. This probably
accounts for the rapidity with which other
craftsmen. such as mGchinists, masons, &C.,
have overcome the early lead OF the carpen-
tiers. They were Handicapped by predi-
lection Of any binding sort unless We except
earth and rock excavation.
The native method OF rock excavation is tc
build q Gre to heat the rock. hen cold water
IL thrown on and the cracked stone removed,
when the process Is repeated. This process,
as Il does not imply practice In the use Of a
certain tool, is readily discarded by the native
for the drilling and blasting method. They
quickly learn the use Of mining hammer and
bar drill and the best Of the natives will gel
out as much as the average white workman.
On earth excavation there IL reluctance IN
adopting one Of the white mans tools, his
shovel. chiefly because OF Injurious effect or
the soles Of bare brown feet.
As q mAchlnist the native shows decided
aptitude, but falls In steadlness as q genera
rule. Otherwise he displays. as do also the
carpenter and the mason. the deep rooted
fault OF wa~stefulness Of materials. So Kreai
is this fault now that the saving TO the employer
in cheap wages as compared with those pale
TO white workmen is oftentimes swallowed
up in waste Of materials. This ls but another
manifestation Of immaturity which may per
haps be rectihed wholly or In large part b.
suitable manual training at an early age.