Proposition to Rehabilitate California Glass Insulator factory to make glass coffins

Manufacture of Glass Coffins

NOT that we need 'em, at any rate for local consumption, but wouldn't it be great if Long Beach should become the home of a plant producing about 1500 glass coffins every week?"

The author of that rather startling query made this morning to a Press man in the presence of Justice S. H. Underwood as a most dependable witness is none other than L. P. Steepleton, secretary of the Merchants' & Manufacturers' association. If the au­thor had been any other than this sane, conservative, consistent, enthusiastic booster for the substantial welfare and material up­growth of the fastest-growing city on the continent he might have had some difficulty in getting anybody to take his suggestion seriously; but Secretary Steepleton is not given to wild flights.

"It's on the dead square," continued Steepleton. "Into my of­fice yesterday bounded a man of evident business acumen and back­ing who says there is a promising field here for just such a venture. He avers that the burial casket of the future will be made of glass, possessing every advantage over any sort of wood or metal. For the product, at 1500 per week in number, there is now a demand that would increase as actual manufacture might exploit the merits of the product, this man tells me.

"The Long Beach inner harbor district plant of the California Glass Insulator company was employing sixty-five men at a month­ly pay roll of $4000. The present proposition is to rehabilitate and slightly remodel that plant, at comparatively small cost, for the glass coffin innovation. It may win out; you never can tell."