The sun., 1895-03-18
NEW AMERICAN INDUSTRY.
NAVY OF HOLLANDS DTINOND
CUTTERS ARRITING HERE.

Preparation bv Amsterdam firms for start
Ing a50 Machines In Broosiyn-The
Dutchmen brown tac Wkir of the
whecIs In Their Isusy Shops with Song.
Three reports In TuE SrX Of yesterday from
as many cities bore Curiously on ono Of tho
queerost works of tho Wison-GGrman tariff
act--the transplanting to America OF II part Of
the diamond cutting industry, rooted for many
decades in Amsterdam and Antwerp.
Against tho protests and warnings of almost
the entire diamond trade tho last Congress in
creased the import duty OH cut diamonds from
10 TO % per cent. aud put o pcr rent. duty on
rough diamonds, former : - tho free list. Tho
intention was TO increase the revenue, although
the diamond men asserted strongly that be-
cause of tho increased temptation TO smuggling,
the income from diamonds would decrease.
Certainly three in charge of the bill did not ex-
pcct to establish a new industry In this country.
yet that Is what they practically did.
Two years ago forty live diamond cutters were
known to bo in the United States. and they wcro
principally employed in reCutting old stones.
To-day there are probably $50 cutters here.
mostly employed in cutting rough There is
room for more, and they are coming by every
steamer Over 700 will probably be here by
summer.
The three reports referred to came from Lon
don, W aSnlngtOn. ana NeW Ork. Inc IOnuOn
cable announced the sailing from Liverpool on
Saturday Of 100 diamond cutters on tho Majcs
tic. From this city came the information that
immigration Commissioner Seuner had been
warned by a Brooklyn association Of the expect
ed arrival of ninety cutters and their families,
the men alleged to be under contract to work in
q new Brooklyn shop.
The Washington despatch announced the de-
cison of the Treasury Department. in test
case previously brought, that diamond cutting
is not new industry in this country and there
fore that workmen in that trade cannot be i'm
ported under contract. This decision closed tho
last door to an easy procurement OF workmen
since oil must be brought from abroad.
The firms whose supposed Operations
caused the complaint from Brooklyn. are those
OF Jacques KryE and Wouters Bros. JACQUES
Kryn is the largest cutter of diamonds in
Europe, and one OF tho wcalthicst men in the
business. Wouters Bros are not far behind
him in trade importance and wealth. These
houses. despite the recent decision OF the Board
Of Appraisers on u tcchnicality that, under the
Wilson German law all diamonds are free,
have recently leased largo building on the
corner of Third street and Seventh ave-
nue., Brooklyn, and have installed therein
| more diamond cutting wheels than their
| combined shops in Amsterdam contain.
| They have erected $50 machines. The largest
| number Of wheels previously in operation in any
one shop in this country was eighty. To further
give an idea of the importance OF the now enter
| prise it is stated that these firms few weeks
ago purchased in London rough diamonds tothe
expect to cut here. The American representa-.
tives are Mr.. Judels, partner Of Jacques Kryn.
and one of the WOuters brothers. 1t is said that
! II sufficient workmen can be obtained here this
| combination will operate two: three. or four
enough % 10 for b thousand % mun is to be had in the
building. despite tho fact thst in 8 diamond
e o pvndoWs Sack Of one row Of
| chimes and workmen there is not enough light
thing not previously attempted here IT is re-
ported among the diamond workers workers in this
for the new shop. Another factor IN the
lion, mTs,r on.,os is the neT s
Fox Bro. Snsp for shop
viii probably have to pass through Eli Ellis l-land.
when the windows OF their shops are opened
next summer. will amaze the nearby residents
and the whole time i. beIuiied with song. one
tune following another in rapid succession.
len n3w when pproafthng one Of the Larger
concerted voices. This before the whr of the
machinery is audible. The men are !psty, and
liz nSpdrsd" are Sung. in Dateh @ Of course
belts are hidden by the choruses. Singing at
work is an untemiliar action in Northern cities
|
| labor give throat to throbbing songs, there is a
pulsinK beat in the tunes which helps the men
appears in the tunes OF the Dutch diamond cut
tiers. There is no mnscula effort In their work,
| and any tune suits the wh!rr Of the wheels re-
volying three thousand times Il minute.
| The rough diamonds when they reach tho
s.ns sshIp a%a GTyne aIo ps1An n
river diggings they are !ikely TO be rounded by
| many degrees Of hardness, and the expense Of
cutting them increases proportionately with
| take two days to cut. The first process OF manu-
facture is the cleaving, done by the superin;;
rough stone up into several pieces each avail:
| able for cutting. and must be experty and
fi hs Speraon 1 fs G1 as &
tlnguished from "poishing." on wheels by
leather f 'H gloves. % and work over brass cups into
| which fall the chips OF the two diamonds they
nGon asossr The tw9 S.9nes .9ss are
taken off. each being used to cut the other The
| object is TO roughly mould them and to leave no
snarp projections TO cut into the steel wheels OF
When the stone reaches tho polsher he marks
stain of copper from copper n cent. These cents
last but II snort time under ,hc wear Of frequent
seier Who mbeds dei The stone in " ball % Of " soft oft
metal, the coppered face exposed for cutting.
"donp" The metal has to 10 quite hot when
s.ones are tet ip it ard the setter unGoncernedly
mpulds IL win ms pare Nhstrt, iic hisp is Rccus-
| toned to having his unprotected hand in the
/ blue lame OF a gas buraer"nd apparently minds
| IL not the least OGe setter serves from four to
| six pO.ishcrs, ana under the Dutch system Is
| paid by them.
Securely set in the "doup" the stone is placed
| face down Ou horizontal steel wheel, rapidly
revolved and supplied with oil and diamond
| dust. The wheels revove 1000 times a minute;
when their turning can be seen they arc going
too slow. Water will not stay on their surfaces.
The stono and "doup" are held against the
wheel by an iron eon,rlvance called tong"
| whlcn rests ON tne bench and projects n Jaw
over the wheel. In this jaw tho wire handle OF
the ''doup" issecured and when the stone is
on the wheel the law is weighted with biz
| chunks of lead. The "tOngS" are prevented
from slipping with tho wheel by pins in the
bench. 1he whole arrangement tong"
| "doup." and stone-can be rcndiiy lifted from
place for observation or shifted in position
| Usually four "tongs" with their corresponding:
| doups and stones are on the wheel ut once, aIId
| all the diamonds are frequently examipuG.
| Tho first cutting Is OF the table or Hat upper
surface. Next come four q III" eight slanllnG