HOUSING FOREIGN LABOR AT THE AMERICAN
ROLLING MILL COMPANY'S PLANTS
MIDDLETOWN, OHIO.
Discussed by M. E. Da nford, Asst. General Supt.
-0-
Middletown, Ohio, is a city of about 17,000 inhabitants and with a
large number of varied industries.
These industries, with the exception
of our own plants, have been located here for a great many years and
employ very few foreigners.
The American Rolling Mill Co. brought the
foreigner to Middletown, and the housing problem for thiss class of people
is one of adaptation rather than of complete new construction.
Our hous-
ing question has dealt only with the foreigner, and it has not been nec-
essary for us to deal directly with the problem for our American labor.
It was necessary to find a place for the Hungarian and the Slav to
live, and to do it in such a manner so as to cause the least antagoni sm
from the surrounding neighborhood, for the plant is located well within
Accordingly, a large tract of land in
an improved section of the town.
immediate proximity to the mill was purchased, upon which were several
moderate sized houses.
Additional houses and cottages were erected.
This settlement, nunbering now about thirty-seven houses, comprises our
model colony.
The houses consist of from four to six roome each, and are
The majority of
uni er the care of the Safety and Sanitary Department.
them were built before a modern sewer system was installed in the town,
They are supplied
and consequently they are not provided with bath rooms.
with running water and either outside or inside sanitary toilets are pro-
vided; in some cases an individual one for each house, in others a com-
munity closet is furnished to accommodate three or four houses.
