Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-12
THE China COMPANY
MAKES A FRANK STATEMENT TO THE
PUBLIC.
The Contrac. Labor Matter Rsviswsd-lhs Pas;
Operations, Plans and Future Of the CON-
pany-Ths Plant Operated at Loss.
Stockholders TO be Asked to
Wind Up the Company.

"--e e-N
Below the readers of the REGISTER
will find q statement from the Ohio VAL
ley China Company, in response to the
charges made against it in the Trades
Assembly, last Sunday. of violation Of
the migration laws.
The statement sets forth the position
of the Company in this matter, and In
addition recites the hopes OF those FORM
ing the Company; its operation at serl-
Gus loss; the Willingness OF the stock
holders and Directors TO stand this loss
for reasonable time, 10 the end that
new and paving industry might event
ually be located here; the attacks upon
the corporation, and the determination
of the Directors, as stated In Yesterdays
REGISTER, to submit TO the stockholders
the question Of winding up the affairs
OF the corporation.
The statement is as follows:
To the Editor OF tbs RsJtstsT:
SIR:-Recent publications which have
appeared in the newspapers OF reports
OF meetings and proceedings OF the Ohio
Valley Trades and Labor Assembly, as
well as interviews with individuals,
hare been OF such character as TO place
the Ohio Valley China Company in a
false light before the public. While it
is not desirable to enter into q news
pap or controversy, justice requires that
enough shond be said from the stand
point OF the Company 10 correct some at
least OF the false impressions which
have been made.
The Ohio Valley China Company I'M
dertook to make use Of the valuable
plant in North Wheeling which had
been erected by Its predecessor, use
which would give and which has given
employment TO large number OF per-
sons in that part OF the town, where
employment has ofllate been scarce, and
which has In this manner contributed
| to the support OF no small number OF
the people OF the community.
A NEw.INDUsTRY.
The ware which the Company desired
to make was Of kind which had not
been previously made ip this country.
and nowhere In this country could expe-
rienced aborers be found with whom ii
would have been practicable 10 begin or
continue the manufacture OF this ware.
Under these circumstances IL was neces-
sary, in order that the project Night be
carried on, to obtain enough workmen
from abroad to enable the Company
safely TO proceed with the manufac-
ture. At no time was there
any desire or eport on the
part OF the Company to obtain cheap
labor. AT no time did the Company de-
sire TO oppose the cheap labor Of Europe
to the better paid labor OF this country.
Neither has the Company obtained its
labor cheaply, but on the contrary 1t has
paid liberal wages for all the work
which has been done for 1t.
ALL DONE OPENLY.
When the necessity for going abroad,
| after the peculiar experience needed,
| became apparent, the matter was not
conducted secretly nor with any effort
to evade the laws. On the contrary the
! whole subject was laid before the Off
GERS OF the government whose duty 1t
was to look after the enforcement OF the
laws which had been made upon that
subject, and these officers, after more
than one investigation, have acquitted
the Company OF any breach Of these
Laws.
The charges that the Company has
acted unfairly with the men who came
here at its instance are altogether I'M
Just Some of these men were, 1t is
! true, discharged. but they were dis
| charged because of their drunkenness
and incompetence. Those OF the men
who proved themselves competent and
faithful have kept their positions, and,
so far as is known, have been satisfied
with them and still are satisfied.
OPERATED AT A Loss.
In the effort to introduce and organ
izs what was practically new industry
ia this country, the Company has been
operating not only without profit, but at
an actual and serious loss. Labor has
been furnished and wages have been
| paid and the community has thus been
| benefited, but that has been done at the
expense OF the Company and its stock
holders. When this project was under
| taken the Company foresaw that In all
| likelihood II would be compelled TO run
at a loss for considerable time. Its
! e1pectation in this regard has been re-
allied, and 1t would have been willing
| TO have sustained this loss. LatterlY,
as the difficulties incident TO the start
| ing OF q new industry were gradually
| overcome, the loss has been growing
less by degrees, and the Company began
10 hope that IL was at last reaching
place where II would be able TO conduct
its business At a profit. Throughout
these efforts OF It's own, however, 1t has
| been
| FOLLOWED BY PERSISTENT ANNOYANCE
on the part Of persons connected more or
! less directly with labor organizations.
! These annoyances have been very great
| and very many, as glance through the
newspapers OF the past two or three
wears will show. 1t seems TO the Com
pany as though IL were the desire OF
some people that 1t should be com pelled
| TO give up It's endeavor to put Its manu-
featuring business upon 4 sound basis
and that IL should close down its works.
! How far such a result would meet the
| approval OF the community generally,
which Is deeply interested Ia the sue
cess OF every manufacturing establish
msnt within its limits, may be left for
| others TO say. While, however, the
Company might have been will
ling TO sustain considerable
loss, its Directors are not willing
TO continue their efforts In the face not
| only OF large pecuniary loss, but also
| OF the continued annoyances and inter-
| ferences TO which the Company has