104
The painters were engaged in decorating the outside of this building with such a variety of colours that their former efforts on the frame houses were thrown quite into the shade.
Water has been diverted from the To-ho-bira river and led in a small canal down the centre of the main street, a portion of this water is taken to supply the large timber floats and the mill; these are situated on the North side of the town.
The mill is driven by a large turbine of 68 H.P. and contains machinery capable of turning out 10,000 feet of lumber and 40,000 shingles per day besides quartering, morticing, &c. There is also a one pair corn mill complete; near the mill is a portable steam engine employed to drive a circular saw. The principal wood used is the yodo or tondo (white fir) and the Yezo matsu (pine) but large quantities of hard wood logs were in the floats. The yodo or tondo grows on the adjacent hills.
Near the mill are long ranges of Government godowns and also many residences of officials.
On the South side near the Capitol is a pretty two-storied villa built in a semi-European style, this is intended for a Court of Justice.
It is stated that the present population of Satsporo is about 3,000 besides which there are many small villages scattered over the plain. The settlers are very clannish; there are “Sendai” villages, “Nambu” villages, &c.
The Satsporo market seems well supplied with fish, venison and vegetables. The shops are very poor; a large Yoshiwara exists at the East end of the town.
The Government model Farm has proved that the soil is highly productive, the climate favorable, and that Japanese hemp and cereals of fine quality can be grown in large quantities.
It is a pleayent change from Satsporo, with its army of officials to Ishi-kari town with its thriving, hard working population. Ishi-kari contains 374 houses and 1682 of population. It possesses a Hospital and owns 33 horses, 18 mares, one sea going junk, 72 launches and 83 sam-
