Article on Hobbs Brockunier mentions Hemingray's glass furnace and National Glass Works

THE GLASS TRADE.

Some Hyaline Facts Connected With the

History of Our Western Glass-Making —

The Present Boom Among the

Glass Manufacturers — How it Came

About, and How Long It is Likely to

Continue.

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ENQUIRER.

WHEELING, W. VA., September 10, 1879.

A VITREOUS CITY.

Your Correspondent finds himself again in this staid little city, and as everybody in it seems to be stirred up over the recent re­vival in manufacturing interests the current discussion suggests examination into the history, situation and prospects of the manufacturers of this section. Wheeling is a glass town, as well as a nail city, and its vitreous characteristics are scarcely lees prominent and noticeable than its driving and clinching peculiarities. It controls the trade in glass, "table and bar goods,” by reason of having the two largest and best manufactories of these articles, and taken in connection with the other glass furnaces which its enterprise, capital, and example have lighted in its neighbor towns of Bellaire and Bridgeport, just over the river, it furnishes no inconsiderable proportion of the crystal which lets in the sun and shades the artificial light for civilized homes in every section of the world.

As far back as 1830, nearly half a century ago, Wheeling began to boil sand and soda ash together. By 1835, she had attained con­siderable reputation for her glass product. There were at least two considerable establish­ments in the city for the manufacture of table and bottle ware at that time, and in that year the Sweeneys began the erection of a flint-glass factory, which afterward became celebrated for the worth and beauty of its ware. Your correspondent has seen within the past few days one of a famous pair of cut vases turned out by this establishment and intended for display at the Crystal Palace Exhibition, which were then, as they are now, wonders of mechanical art. One of these monster crystals, standing five feet and one inch in height, and holding twenty-one gallons, did duty as a punch-bowl in the hospitable residence of Thomas Sweeney, one of the brothers, at the opening of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, nearly a quarter century ago, and this or its companion-piece still stands upon the grave of Michael Sweeney, another of the firm, in the beautiful Greenwood Cemetery near town — a fitting monument to keep alive the old glass-makers memory. A third vase, scarcely less magnificent in its proportions and perfect in its workmanship, was presented by the firm to silver-tongued Harry Clay, when the Kentucky statesman as at the zenith of his power and popularity, and doubtless served as a receptacle for "potations pottle deep" on the occasion of its presentation.

There are other interesting reminiscences connected with the early history of glass­ making in this city, which I should like to give you, but I started out to write of the present mainly, and, while "it may please us hereafter to remember these things," they are only remotely connected with the situation of to-day.

THE SOUTH WHEELING GLASS-WORKS.

Commencing with the largest of the present glass-works of this city and vicinity, and in­tending to take them up in the order of their establishment, I visited to-day the South Wheeling Glass-works, now owned and controlled by J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier & Co. and possibly the largest, as it is among the best known, of the table-glass manufactories of the country. Like most of the other large glass concerns of the neighborhood, this establishment had its origin in small beginnings. Some time about 1840 Mr. J. L. Hobbs, who still figures as one of the company in the firm title, and is a hale, jolly old gentleman, mellowed by eighty summers, came out from Massachusetts and, taking hold of a small concern already in existence, in company with one associate, and under the firm name of Hobbs & Barnes, gradually built it up to something like its present proportions. With the lapse of time younger men were admitted, and the firm now consists of J. H. Hobbs, a son of the original proprietor, and C. W. Brockunier, the business men of the concern, and J. L. Hobbs and Wm. Leighton, jun. The latter, besides being the practical glass-maker of the concern, is a poet, as his "Harold," "Court of King Edwin" and the philosophical poem titled "Change" will testify; but he is none the worse artisan for his imaginative flights, although his associates, when the metal was once off-color, united in an agreement that there was "too d— n much poetry in the glass." The factory, it is claimed, is the largest in the United States. It includes three large furnaces, works up about sixty tons of glass weekly, employs 350 hands, most of them skilled laborers, has the largest cutting-shop in the country, and last year did a business of over $300,000. Among the furnaces is one of the new gas and smoke consumers, holding fourteen pots, and known as “Gill’s Improvement," which is attracting general attention now among the glass manufacturers. As It was only fired on Friday last, I can give you no description of its work, but its construction embodies the best features of the Siemen and Boetius furnaces, and it is said to infringe on neither. For a brief description of its construction I may say that it includes two gas generators at the bottom, built within the circle of the furnace stack, the gas and smoke from which being mixed with atmospheric air are fired at the “eye" of the furnace and burn with intense heat. The only difference between it and the Nicholson patent, one of which I believe is in use at Hemingway's [sic] Hemingray's, of Covington, Ky., is that in the latter the gas generators are outside the circle of the furnace stack.

Of the variety and extent of the product of the South Wheeling Works l can only speak generally. A catalogue of it would exhaust my limits. I have called it a tableware factory because the larger part of its manufacture is intended for table use, but its patents reach from glass chandeliers to glass coffins and monuments, and are sufficient to light the way into the world as well as to provide for a decent exit from it.

From conversation with its managers and others I gather that the present situation of its trade is satisfactory and its future encouraging. Prices give a reasonable margin and are stiff. Demand exceeds supply. The occupation or its travelers, like that of Othello, is gone fur the present; there are more orders in than can be filled. Wages are about 10 per cent, lower than last year, and the operatives make satisfactory amounts under the present activity.

CENTRAL GLASS-WORKS.

The Central Glass-works, located in East Wheeling, are but little less extensive than those of South Wheeling, and in some respects are even more complete. Their success illustrates the benefit of the co-operative plan, properly applied, in so remarkable degree that I digress to refer to it briefly

Sixteen years ago eight glass-blowers, viz.: John Oesterling, Wm. K. Elson, Theodore Schultz, Andrew Baggs, Peter Castle, James Leasure, John Henderson and Roy Combs, united their scanty means, and with about $2,000 capital began business for themselves in a little glass-house in Center Wheeling, Their progress at first was slow, but they kept the main part of their earnings in the business, made first-class goods, exercised careful business management, developed first-class executive ability in one of their number, Mr. Oesterling, and finally made enough money to purchase a large pork-packing establishment on the site of present works and transform it into a commodious and convenient glass factory. From that time their success for several years was something wonderful. Shares of stock of the par value of $200 were sold for $1,400. Dividends in some years amounted to 63 per cent. Of the operatives who held on all secured a competency, and many of them a fortune. All of them now living are still successful business men. Oesterling is still President of the Company he founded and Leasure is manager of its works. Elsor [sic] Elson is the manager of the Belmont Glass-works at Bellaire, and Baggs of the Labelle at Bridgeport, Ohio. Castle has enough to do to look after his investments, and Henderson at last accounts was doing well in Pittsburg.

With this digression, and returning to a description of the present condition and prospects of the Company, I may add that its present capital is $275,000, that it employs 320 hands, that it makes up to fifty-five tons of glass weekly, and that its last years sales aggregated upward of $260,000. Like the establishments before described, its line of manufactures is too varied for a minute account. If it tends in any special direction, it is toward what are known as bar goods, and its ware is not excelled by any other American manufacturers. Its export trade is considerable, and its goods go largely to Germany, South America, Cuba, & c.

Concerning this establishment and the South Wheeling Glass-works, I have written up this work with no desire to advertise it or to make invidious comparison with that of others, but simply to show how two houses, making but a comparatively small proportion of the pressed and cut glassware manufactured in this country, are yet able to control its market by turning out the best work of the kind.

As to this present condition and future prospects of the trade, the Central people hold similar views to those heretofore expressed.

OVER THE RIVER.

Crossing the river, I called upon the Bellaire and Bridgeport and Martin's Ferry glass manufacturers this morning, and found most of them more than satisfied with the situation. Mr. Andrew Boggs [sic] Baggs, Manager of the Labelle Works in Bridgeport, or rather in its suburb of Kirkwood, says his Company have more orders than they can fill. They have one large ten-pot furnace, and are talking of putting in another either of the Gill and Nicholson pattern. They are making a small line of fine pressed and blown table goods, & c., including a good many little knick-knacks, which make their sample-rooms very attractive. Their trade is profitable and desirable, their business last year amounting to $130,000 on a capital stock of $40,000.

At the Bellaire Goblet Works the Secretary of the Company, Mr. Gorby, informed me that the Company had leased the establishment known as the Ohio Glass Works, in lower Bellaire, in addition to running their own factory, and they were now turning out 7,500 dozen goblets weekly, without being able to supply their demand. Their work, which is all "stem-ware'’ and includes 125 different pat­terns, is finding its way to South America, Australia, Germany and Cuba, and its export as well as its home trade is constantly in­creasing. I have not space to insert all the figures with which Mr. Gorby furnished me, but they make up a very satisfactory total.

At the National Glass Works below the Roedifer [sic] Rodefer Brothers are turning out lime and lead chimneys, lamp-globes and flint flasks to the utmost extent of a large ten-pot furnace, and were considerably behind in their orders. They work 130 men and boys on a pay-roll of $1,200 a week, and last year did a business of $118,000.

The Buckeye Glass Company at Martin's Ferry, which now own the old Excelsior Works, is running two furnaces on chimneys and lantern globes, and seems likely to re­trieve the ill-fortunes of its predecessor.

WINDOW AND GREEN GLASS.

The Bellaire Window Glass-works are turning out 1,000 fifty-foot packages weekly, and is unable to supply its custom [sic] customers. Mr. Sanders, its Secretary, in­formed me that while at this season there are usually 200,000 boxes in the West, at this season there are probably not over 25,000 boxes in that district at this writing. His concern will run nine months this year under the agreement with the National Association of Window-Glass Manufacturers, and, to use his own words, prices and demand are likely to continue satisfactory. The Wheeling Window-glass Works has been converted into a bottle factory, and its business is steadily growing.

SUMMARY.

Recapitulating, I find that the glass interests of this section are on a decidedly encouraging condition. It is true that this is the usual busy season for manufacturers, but there is a marked increase nevertheless in orders and a decided stiffening in prices. While the margin in all cases is not so satisfactory yet as could be desired, there is a fair prospect of an advance, and the orders the orders already taken are sufficient to insure steady and full runs for some time to come. The labor question seems to be satisfactorily settled for the present, and as most of the operators of this section are identified with their factories, by reason of having purchased residences and acquired property near them, it is not as likely that serious disagreements will arise as though the labor was unanchored in its character. Manufactured stocks are low, raw material presents no indication of an advance, prices are encouraging, and manufacturers are buoyant and confident. If the situation has not reached the dimensions of a "boom," that can be relied on as permanent and not set down as evanescent, it purely presents a good many of the satisfactory symptoms of that desirable ailment.

                                                                                                                                         L. A. N.