New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-06
LACEMAKERS COMING HERE.
A SCOTCH FIRM SETTLES IN COLUMBIA.
PENN.
THE M'KINLEY BILL CLOSED THE AMENCAN
MARKET. AND THEY HAD TO MOVE OR 60
OUT OF Bus1SEss-PRoBABIL1rY THAT
OTHERS WILL FOLLOW IF pREsI-
DENT HARRISON is REFLECTED.


OTHERS WILL FOLLOW IF PREsI'
DENT HARRISON is REFLECTED
Columbia. Penn. Sept. Specal).-Amons tne
clouds Of fatty contradictory arguments anu
which are raised for and against the pohcy oi ~
lection In campaign discussions, 1t Is Away
70 get hold of a solid unquestoned. uncompro"'s's
fact The business history OF the borough OF CoiuD
in the county of Lancaster State OF pennsylvania io'
the wear 1892 offers series Of facts which prove inc
truth OF several OF the main contentious Vi '.e -,
publican advocates OF Protection. lhat iao' - WV
establishment In the borough, by SCOTCH h''"' y.
large factory for the manufacture OF lace CURTAINS,
proprietors having been compelled I'd h'o'o "
business to this country under the stress OF inc
ditions imposed by the Mckinley tariff III " pe INV
noblest work Of man to make two blades OF grass "
grow where one has grown before, 1t is equaiiy I"
patent Of nobility to make two factores r''Ao '''.
hum where one has ratified and hummed Dciore M"
this Is only the advance guard, the Scotcnmeh esS
II their venture proves success. ana Presdeht ia"
rison is reelected their Will i
low and there will be rush for lacemakers that VIII
transfer the centre Of the lacecurtain mahui"o'o
this country. The facts are these
The firm of Cleand Campbell & Co., OF NO. ~
Montrosc-st Glasgow having their factory NJ Dar'ei'
I'm Ayrshire, Is Of the Scotch lacemaKihg hrnS
which have sprung up in that locality since TIE u''o
union troubles blasted and scattered the ncemahihg
industries OF Nottingham. The latter place vas the
lacemaking centre OF Great Britain, having lVo
factories IN the old days. Ninety five per cent OF the
ncc output of Ccland, Campbell & Co. was taken up
by the American market, under the old nrif OK Az
per cent ad valorem. The Mckinley bill rnised tha'
duty 10 60 per cent There already two or three
lace-curaln factories struggling along IN PhaheIpna
and Scranton. The American importers had loaded up
with goods Just prior to the date on which the NC
Kiney bill became law, to avoid the higher rate OF
,xyr thn
American market and the result was that tho demand
for Mcssrs Clcland Campbell & Co.'s goods in America
stopped abruptly. With 50 per cent Of their market
closed hardly worth while 10 run for the benefit
OF the remaining per cent. The alternative was
presented OF going out OF business or OF moving to the
United states and getting under the protecting shadow
OF the Mckinley tariff. The firm chose the latter course
Mr. Campbell the junior partner. came to this
country and investigated a number Of Sites lie
came into communication with Messrs. c. c. Kauf
man. = 5. Detweer and J. W. Yokum, leading and
entcrprising citizens, who are active In promoting
the prosperity OF the little town OF Columbia on the
banks OF the susquehanna, and an arrangement was
soon made A site was selected between the river
bank and the tracks Of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
II was decided to trustees and mortgaged at 5 per
cent. and tcn-year bonds secured by the mortgage
were taken by the townspeople. Cleland. Camp
bell & Co.. now become the Columbia Lace Company.
are TO occupy the premises at rent sufficient to pay
the Interest on the mortgage. taxes and repairs and
have the privilege Of buying at Il stated figure
About $4,000 was expended on the land ana bulid-
lngs. Two brick buildings. each two stories high.
and n boiler house put up giving altogether
about $4,000 square feet OF floor space.
The scotchmen have brought over their lacemak-
ing machinery because as yet It Is not made In this
country. but all the bleaching machinery and the
boilers and engines are OF American make The
bui have twelve sets OF
machinery and as one set turn out about 1000
pairs curtains In week. the capacity OF the estab
llshment Will be about 10000 pairs OF curtains
week. These retail at from 81 TO $40 pair. When
running full time the mill will employ about 800
men and girls number Of workmen have come
over to act teachers and 10 break In the green
hands as much skin and experience is required Mt
every step In the handling Of the delicate fabric
The mills run on double shifts from a. to mid
night
Mr.. Celand. the senior partner, talked freely TO
n Tribune correspondent. ave had to come said
he. ave knocked out completely by the rails
Ing OF the duty. America IS the greatest consumer
OF lace curtains In the world There are more people
here than In any other country who can afford to
have lace curtains In their houses. so, when the
American market closed to us there was nothing
for us TO do but get inside Of the tariff fence. II
President Harrison Is elected. as l most earnestly
hope he will be. there Will be lots OF other concerns
In our line OF business who viii move over also.
We arr loaded down with orders for months ahead.
and the outlook is good for most prosperous bust
ness In spite OF the high wages must pay. But
I can't help feeling that we must make our biggest
profits in the first two years for by that time there
viii b. a score OF other factories coming over here
and prices Will be cut all 10 pieces.
As 10 wages, will have to pay more than double
what We did In scotland. The men who tend the ma
chimes We paid over there "a shings a week-about
sG I'm your money. Here We must pay them els
week The same proportion runs through the whole
scale As TO the cost Of living. II IS not much greater
here than In scotland with the exception OF rents But
even that difference IL not great rs II seems, because
the accommodations here are 50 Infinitely superior |
Their. families 1--we In two rooms, kitchen and bed
room Here We nre building row of houses for our |
worlmen with four rooms ench. Where the men paid |
70 month rent there they Will pay ~ here. but
the quarters are three times comfortable. The |
prices OF food are about the same In both countries.
Clothes are q little higher. but that Is compensated for
BIS the fact that they don't need heavy clothes here.
Some Of my men bought lot Of clothes before they
ramc over md now find them so heavy they can't
wear them here. III fact. they laid in stock OF
hing down 10 pipes and Matches on the suppo,ton
that prices were so much higher here and they
find In many that they could get better things
for their money In this country. In short. they can
live here on the money they earned In the od country
md save the difference between wages there and here
We are all delighted with America and have
rcvcd the kndcSt welcome here. For myself. haven't
been homc.ck n day. Now that am II resident OF the
United states | am firm believer IN Republican
principles and the policy OF Protection. In the lace
business It's the only thing that protects you from the
competition OF the old countries. II IL
The duty there wouldn't be n bobbln turning IN this
country. | presume tho same holds good In other In