Members of the Society of Glass Technology visit Muncie and Hemingray

PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-EIGHTH MEETING.

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The Society's Visit to America.

THE party of members of the Society which left Liverpool on board the Furness-Withy liner "Fort Victoria" on August 14th was comprised of Messrs. Edward Allan, H. H. Asquith and Mrs. Asquith, W. Atack, H. A. Bateson, C. W. Burtles, W. Butterworth, jun., H. Noel Clark and Mrs. Clark, A. Dodds, F. Drake, Sven Fogelberg, A. L. Foster, C. T. Garbutt, G. P. Gass and Miss Gass, A. S. Giles, H. Gregg, R. Hodgson, H. S. Jessop, A. R. Jessop, Wm. Lament, W. B. Mitchell, G. P. Ogale, W. J. Rees, W. C. Snowdon, T. C. Sutcliffe, C. E. Towers, Prof. W. E. S. Turner, B. D. Varshnei, Duncan Webb, jun., and J. Woolford.

Mr. and Mrs. Julian Osler joined the party in Pittsburgh.

The party landed at Boston on Monday, August 23rd, and travelled by boat the same night to New York, where they were met and welcomed by Mr. Jules Dierckx, Mr. Wm. Noble, and other friends, acting on behalf of a New York Committee, of which Mr. C. H. Tiebout was chairman.

This committee most royally entertained the visitors to dinner on the roof garden of the Hotel Waldorf-Astona and at a subsequent performance at the New York Hippodrome, in addition to taking them for a motor tour to see New York. Visits were paid on the morning of August 25th to the works of Messrs. Westinghouse Electric Lamp Co. under the guidance of Dr. A. Brann, to the Automatic Mould Cutting Machinery Co. with Mr. Jules Dierckx, and to a variety of other places.

Mr. Herman Kimble was responsible for arranging for the transit of the visitors from New York to Vineland. En route to this place they were met and welcomed by Mr. Herbert Walls, who had taken a prominent part in all the arrangements for entertainment and visitation at Vinelaud and neighbourhood. In Vineland the members of the party were guests at lunch of Messrs. Kimble Glass Co. on Thursday, August 26th, and were entertained to a most delightful banquet in the evening of the same day by the City Chamber of Commerce in Vineland, the President, Capt. Hood, opening the proceedings, the Toastmaster being Judge Tuller. The speakers at the banquet were Mr. Frank Channon, Dr. W. E. S. Turner, Messrs. Ralph Barber, J. Woolford, H. B. Sayford, Reuben Hodgson, Dr. Tillotson, G. P. Ogale, Capt. A. S. Giles, C. E. Towers, and Herbert Walls.

Visits were paid in Vineland to Messrs. Kinible Glass Co. and the Minotola works of the Cumberland Glass Co., Messrs. Vineland Flint Glass Co., and the Vineland Scientific Glass Co., whilst individual members of the party paid a series of visits to other works in the neighbourhood.

On Thursday, August 27th, the party proceeded to Philadelphia, and after a few hours' stay journeyed by night to Pittsburgh, the arrangements for transit having been made by Dr. A. Brann.

The party had had the very good fortune to meet Dr. E. W. Tillotson in New York, he being deputed by the American Ceramic Society to act as official guide throughout the visit. Not only did Dr. Tillotson's untiring efforts relieve the party of responsibility for their further journeys, but his modest and cheerful personality endeared him to every member.

The party was met at Pittsburgh by Mr. H. L. Dixon and other friends and escorted to the Hotel Schenley. It was found on arrival that arrangements had been made for temporary membership for each member of the party at the University Club, the Pittsburgh Athletic Association Club, the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce Club, the Duquesne Club, and the Americus Republican Club.

During the course of the Saturday a visit of inspection was made to the Mellon Institute, whilst in the afternoon the whole of the party attended a baseball match.

The main items in the stay at Pittsburgh and of the visits to other centres may be summarised as follows: —

August 29th. — A motor-car trip of upwards of 60 miles to see the neighbourhood of Pittsburgh.

August 30th. — Visits to the McKee Glass Co., Jeannette, the Jeannette Works of the American Window Glass Co., and the Jeannette Glass Novelty Co.

August 31st. — Visits to the Hazel-Atlas Glass Co. at Washington, Pa., and the Findlay Clay Pot Co., the Allegheny Plate Glass Co. at Glassmere, and the Atlantic Bottle Co.

September 1st. — Visits to the Laclede-Christy Clay Products Co. at Rochester in the morning, and to the Phœnix Glass Co., Monaca, in the afternoon. The members were guests to lunch at the Welcome Club, Rochester, of the H. C. Fry Glass Co., Mr. W. J. Rees proposing a toast to the hosts at Rochester who so kindly welcomed the visitors. In the evening the members were the guests of Mr. H. L. Dixon at the Americus Republican Club, Pittsburgh. Mr. H. Dixon, jun., proposed the toast of the visitors, and Dr. Turner and Mr. J. Woolford replied.

At 7.0 p.m. a Smoker was held under the chairmanship of Mr. W. M. Clark in the hall of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, and a lecture was given by Mr. Chapman, of the Chapman Producer Co., on "The Development of the Modern Gas Producer," and a paper was read by Mr. J. F. Denk on "Low Grade Gas."

Mr. H. L. Dixon, Mr. Rees, and Dr. Turner took part in the discussion of the lecture. A cinematograph display concluded the proceedings.

September 2nd. — Visits to the Heinz Pickle Factory, where the party was entertained to lunch, and in the afternoon to the United States Glass Co., the D. O. Cuuningham Glass Co., and the Willetts Glass House Refractories Co. at Pittsburgh. At night the two Societies held a joint session under the chairmanship of Dr. S. R. Scholes for the reading and discussion of the following papers: —

Dr. A. Silverman, "Similarity between Vitreous and Aqueous Solutions"; "Microscopic Illumination."

Dr. E. L. Hettinger, "Development of Transparent Coloured Glasses in America within Recent Years."

Dr. J. C. Hostetter and Dr. H. S. Roberts, "Notes on the Dissociation of Ferric Oxide dissolved in Glass and its Relation to the Colour of Iron-bearing Glasses."

W. J. Rees, "Provisional Specification for Refractory Materials."

Dr. C. J. Peddle, "The Nomenclature of Glass."

Dr. W. E. S. Turner, (1) "The Necessity for the Revision of the Physical Data of Glass obtained by the Workers of the Jena School"; (2) "Some Notable Effects of Alumina on Glass."

Dr. S. R. Scholes, "The Function of Arsenic in Glass Making."

September 3rd. — In the morning visits were paid to the W. J. Miller Machine Co., Swissvale, Pa., and the Pittsburgh Lamp, Brass, and Glass Co.

The party were guests at a lunch given by the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

During the afternoon further visits were paid to works, namely, Messrs. J. T. and A. Hamilton and Pittsburgh Clay Pot Co.

At night the Glass Division of the American Ceramic Society gave an official banquet to the visitors at the William Penn Hotel, Dr. S. R. Scholes presiding, and Mr. H. L. Dixon being Toastmaster. Mr. John S. Herron (President of Council, City of Pittsburgh) and Dr. Samuel B. McCormick (Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh) spoke on behalf of the hosts, and Dr. Turner and Mr Julian Osler replied for the guests.

September 4th. — A visit was paid to the Sharpsburg bottle works of the H. J. Heinz Co. At night Mr. H. L. Dixon entertained the male members of the party to dinner at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association.

September 5th. — A dinner was given by Mr. G. P. Gass to the ladies of Pittsburgh who had made the stay so pleasant for the lady members of the party. Several of the prominent men amongst the hosts and amongst the visitors were also present.

September 6th. — In the morning the visitors watched the various processions and celebrations attendant on Labour Day, and some attended a baseball match in Pittsburgh. At the close of the afternoon a reluctant farewell was said to Pittsburgh and many friends there. The main party left by special cars for Fairmont.

Two or three other members had made arrangements for special visits, and now set out on their own travels or joined the party at a later stage.

September 7th. — At Fairmont the visitors were received by Dr. R. R. Shiveley, who had made all arrangements for the stay. Visits were paid to the Monongah Glass Co., the Owens Bottle Co., and the Willetts Glasshouse Refractories Co. A very pleasant time socially was also spent at Fairmont.

September 8th. — In the morning the party left Fairmont for Clarksburg, where they visited the Travis Glass Co. and the Clarksburg Glass Co. Three members of the party also had the pleasure of meeting the American Ambassador to England at the Clarksburg Rotary Club.

September 9th. — Owing to train delay, the visitors arrived rather late at Charleston, and the visits to the Libbey-Owens Sheet Glass Co. and the Owens Bottle Co. in Charleston had to be hurried. This was much regretted, especially in view of the preparations for a great welcome made by the local committee. The party left for Columbus later in the morning.

September 10th. — At Columbus a visit was paid to the Federal Glass Co., after which the party left for Toledo.

September 11th. — The arrangements at Toledo had been made by Mr. H. Hess, and, in addition to the visits to works, the facilities for golf and the entertainment provided made the stay over Saturday and Sunday very enjoyable. Visits were paid on the Saturday to the following works:— The Modern Glass Co., the Buckeye Clay Pot Co,, the Libbey Glass Manufacturing Co., and the Owens Bottle Co.

September 12th. — In the evening of Sunday, September 12th, the party left for Muucie, Indiana.

September 13th. — All excellent programme had been arranged by Mr. C. O. Grafton, of Messrs. Gill Clay Pot Co. Visits were paid to the following works in Muncie:— The Gill Clay Pot Co., Ball Bros. Co., and the Hemingray Glass Co.

In the evening the party left for Buffalo via Cleveland, Ohio.

September 15th. — The party left Buffalo on a visit to the Corning Glass Works and the Steuben Glass Works. At Corning, during an interval in the programme, the opportunity was taken of presenting to Dr. E. Ward Tillotson a little gift, not only as a memento of a very special occasion, but also in recognition both of his untiring efforts to make the visit a success and of his own personal worth, which had endeared him to every member. The gift was one of English glass table-ware. Capt. Giles made the presentation speech.

In the evening the party returned to Buffalo.

September 16th. — The party spent the day, or part of the day, at Niagara Falls, and afterwards separated. Some continued a tour right across Canada and America; others were spending one, two, or more additional weeks in Canada or the United States. Others, in turn, made their way in small groups to Montreal. The visits to works in Canada, namely, to the various factories of the Dominion Glass Co. and to the Consumers' Glass Co. in Montreal, were largely unorganised, and were made by members at their own convenience. Much kindness was shown to the visitors by representatives of both these firms.

Two members of the party, Messrs. C. Burtles and Duncan Webb, left Montreal for home very suddenly on Wednesday, September 15th, the former being summoned by cable owing to the death of Alderman Burtles.

The main party, reduced to eleven in number, sailed home from Montreal by the "Metagama" on September 18th. The second party of eight left Montreal on September 25th by the "Corsican." Both parties had rather rough weather, but enjoyed themselves greatly nevertheless. On the "Metagama" the Secretary was greatly honoured one night at a complimentary dinner given by the other members of the party, the menu being: — Miixed Cullet; Ruby and White Flint; Pot Ladings and Alkali; Floating Agitator; Firebrick well fired with Natural Gas and Batch; Dragadings and Wet Saltcake; Manganese, Selenium, and Uranium; Cold Air Douche à la Dr. Turner; Sum'at to Sup à la Gregg; Allan Waters.

Other members of the party made their way home by various routes, Messrs. Ogale and Varshnei, however, remaining behind, having taken up connections with glass firms in the United States.

A very happy sequel to the visit took place on Wednesday, December 8th, when a Reunion was held at the King's Head Hotel, Sheffield. Dr. and Mrs. Turner were present as guests at the dinner, presided over by Mr. A. Dodds, and were overwhelmed with surprise at the magnificent gift of notes, to the value of £175, from the members of the party which went to America. Mr. G. S. Duncan, the Assistant Secretary, was also given a present of £10. Many kind things were said all round, not spoken lightly but fully meant, our American friends were recalled and toasted, men and women, and throughout there prevailed a spirit of goodwill which ought to be a tower of strength, during the lean times, to the friendships made during a memorable tour.

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