Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-06-11

|
/ ONE OF THE FORCE
hera1ded broadcast all over the country
as being convincing evidence and over
whelming proof of the ability of Amer
lean man facturers to produce tin plate
on practical and remunerative basis
with a little protection.
While the same veil of secrecy was
not thrown around the local estab-
| lishment, and while the plant of
Mr.. Niedringhaus was not guarded with
the same jealous wstchfulness, the out
come of the investigation was substan-
TALLY the same as that obtained by the
| Evening Post.
This investigation was entered upon
| by the Republic in all fairness and with
the determination to report exactly
what it found and to give an accurate,
| uncolored account of affairs as at present
existing.
The discoveries were, in brief, that
| Mr.. Niedringhaus is operating kind of
! kindergarten tin plate factory in which
he employs few boys and one or two
| men; that he is turning out just about
enough tin plate to supply the current
republican conventions; and that when
| the proposed enlargement of his plant
| occurs, the total output, even with the
| increased facilities, will barely enable
him to supply the numerous conven-
| lions to be held during the approach
| ing presidential campaign with sam
pies of homemade tin plate.''
The factory is simply a dolls house,
a playthlng, which can be operated at
trihing cost for a couple of years, and
then abandoned as quickly as possible
| after it has served its purpose. The
best posted manufacturers here main
tain that Mr. Niedringhaus cannot
| profitably make tin plate, even under
the present tariff, and that the only
| direct and visible effect of the tariff
was to advance the prices of tinware to
! consumers.
Some idea of the magnificent little
| ness of the great Niedringhaus tin
plate factory may be obtained when
it is stated that Mr.. Niedringhaus owns
some three blocks Of ground in North
ST. Louis, and that the tin plate fac
| tory which the republican papers
point to with SO much pride occupies
! just about Skis feet of this immense
| tract
A VISIT TO THE WORKS.
In pursuing the statements made by
| alleged tin works of the ST. Louis
Stamping Company, a Republic re-
porter visited the works of the COM
pany at Main and Destrehan streets
| The present works cover two blocks of
ground and with the exception of the
newly established tin works are de-
voted to rollingmil purposes. Aided
by an employe, the reporter finally
located the tin works in about the
center of the area occupied by the
buildings of the company. A low,
RAM bling frame structure, but one
story high, and appearing to be one of
the Oldest in the group, was pointed
out as the home Of what is ''destined,'
by the aid of the Mckinley tariff, to
| become one of the greatest industries
of the United States.
| Brawny workmen were to be seen
rushing to and fro within the hive of
industry, while huge stacks of sheet
iron were being transported from an
adjacent rolling mill INTO this building
| over a hand railroad. The reporter
entered, but found no evidence of a new
| industry. The scenes were simply
those OF the ordinary rolling mill. His
workman guide explained that the tin
works were on the other side, and here
he was hurriedly conducted. This is
| what he found: The tin works consisted
of a lean-to of hasty construction at
| tached to the east side of the old build
| ing. 1t was not over Is feet in width,
SO feet in length and 10 feet in height
| at its highest point. This structure
was divided into three rooms. In the
first was man of about 20 years and a
boy of about half that age. Scattered
about in piles knee high throughout
| this small room was sheet iron 2Ox3O
inches in size. The man was busily
engaged in rubbing with a rag piece
of this sheet iron.
| This is what is known as the black
Sheet" said the guide, picking up one
of these sheets. after it is picked
twice = that is. put in bath of
sulphuric acid-it is then cold rolled
and becomes known as white sheet
See. you can tell the difference between
the two" picking up a sheet of each
kind. The roughness to be seen on the
surface of the ''black sheet" had disap-
peared from the more finished metal.
Now we will go into the dipping
room, where they are making these
white sheets into TIM
THE INNER SANCTUARY.
The reporter and his companion then
entered the next room, which is practi-
cally. to all intents and purposes, the tin
works of the st. Louis Stamping Com
pany. In a room about 15x2O in size he
found three men and two boys at work.
In the northwest corner was the dip
ping outfit, inclOsed in brick, like a
furnace. The area of the dipping