Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-30
NO AMERICANS NEED APPLY.
Niedringhaus Will Import Foreigners to
Make His American Tin.

Make His American Tin.
New York Times Special.
ST. Louis, July AZ. G.. Niedringhaus,
of tin plate notoriety, was in much better
humor when called upon to-day than he
has been since the strike ut his rolling mill
was begun. lie had read in the Republic
here, the Times report from Washington
concerning the decision of Commissioner
Owens, under which he can import alien
labor, and expressed surprise at its pub
LEGATION, evidently thinking the matter a
secret.
81 was very much surprised to see that
article in the newspapers and do not know
how the Times could have got it, +" began
Mr.. Niedringhaus. at is not exactly cor
rect. however. In the first place, did not
write Commissioner Owens letter at all.
] telegraphed him. Furthermore, | did
not ask whether | could import labor; |
knew | could do that. The law passed in
1888 is very plain on that subject, and
knew that under it | could import labor.
What ! did ask Commissioner Owens in
my telegram was whether it would be
necessary to go through any form in I'M
porting labor, and if So what il was. He
telegraphed back that il would not and
that he would write me particulars. am
now waiting to receive his letter.
DO You expect to import Welshmen or
Germans TO work in your tin plate mills?"
II shall probably engage Welshmen,
Englishmen and Germans. do not think
shall coniine myself to any one partic-
ular class of laborers.n
How many men do you expect to bring
over2"
THAT cannot tell just yet, but from
what can learn there will be few thou
sand all told come to this country. The
Tin Plate Manufacturers Association in
this country has - members, and i have
seen il stated in newspapers that thousands
of workmen would come here to work in
the various mills to be operated All the
members of the association are not going
only the rough goods.o
How many men will you employ at
your mil?"
"Well if you include the rolling of the
iron from the pig, which is really part of
the industry, we will probably have 800 or
400 men, and probably as high us 500. In
the iron department, however, we will not
need foreign labor, as American workmen
can do that part of the job. 1t is only in
the tin plate work proper that we will
need foreigners, as the workmen of this
country do not understand that branch of
the business, 1t being new industry. 1t
is necessary for us to secure skilled labor
at the outset, and we can only do so by
importing workmcn. Americans can learn
it afterward, and we expect to employ
American-born workmen whenever we
can. We feel il our duty to do so. The
foreigners are needed to instruct our work
men, however, in the business. Nearly
all the mills in Wales are shut down, and
the workmen on the other side will be glad
10 come to this country, as they get nearly
| 100 per cent better pay here, and in some
instances even more than that"
I'm what particular branches of the
tin-plate work are skilled laborers neces-
sary?"
"They are needed in several depart
ments, as the industry is a new one In this
country. On that one roller we now have
at the works we employ Americans, and il
is American boys who make the tin-plate
| we now turn OUT