National Association of Wholesalers in Crockery and Glassware

WHOLESALERS IN CONFERENCE.

PITTSBURGH, January 28.

THE executive committee and such other members of the National Association of Wholesalers in Crockery and Glassware as found it convenient to be here, met at the Monongahela House on Wednesday last, January 23, and were in session there until late on Friday evening. The primary object of the meeting was to afford the wholesalers an opportunity for discussing with the glass and pottery manufacturers questions affecting their mutual interests, in view of the annual convention of the former, which will be held in New York next week.

The following members of the association were present: E. H. Pitkin, president, and Chas. S. Dennis, secretary and treasurer, Chicago; Louis Hollweg, Indianapolis; Geo. W. Kinney, Cleveland; Morris McDonald, Minneapolis; B. C. Herrick, Mansfield, O.; C. A. Shoup, St. Joseph, Mo.; F. H. Young, of the Missouri Glass Co., St. Louis; Rowland D. Allen, Philadelphia; F. H. Pfeiffer, Peoria, Ill.; Geo. B. Jones, of Abram French Co., and Frank S. Williams, of Jones, McDuffee & Stratton, Boston; Moses Strause, Chas. Rosenheim & Co., Louisville, Ky.; C. H. Little, of Bruce & Co., Dubuque, Ia.; J. C. James, Kansas City, Mo.; A. S. Laurence, Cedar Rapids, Ia.; J. S. Reynoldson, of Wemott, Howard & Co., St. Paul; John Friedel, Wheeling; W. F. Ellison, of Geo. F. Basett & Co., New York; and Oliver H. Perkins, Des Moines, Ia.

The associated glass manufacturers co-operating with the wholesalers, to which body eleven new firms were admitted on Thursday, had present representatives from the following concerns: Bryce, Higbee & Co., Dithridge & Co., Thos. Evans Co., Hogan, Evans & Co.; limited, Geo. A. Macbeth Co., Phoenix Glass Co., Rochester Tumbler Co., Unites States Glass Co., McKee Bros., and Bryce Bros., all of this city; Co-operative Flint Glass Co., Beaver Falls; Tarentum Glass Co., Tarentum, Pa.; Greensburg Glass Co., Greensburg, Pa.; Geo. Duncan's Sons & Co., Washington, Pa.; Peerless Lead Glass Works, Ellwood City, Pa.; Thompson Glass Co., Uniontown, Pa.; Riverside Glass Works, Wellsburg, W. Va.; Fostoria Glass Co., Moundsville, W. Va.; Huntington Glass Co., Huntington, W. Va.; Gill Bros. & Co., Steubenville, O.; West Virginia Glass Co. and Buckeye Glass Co., Martin's Ferry, O.; Seneca Glass Co., Fostoria, O.; Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Co., Findlay, O.; Canton Glass Co., Marion, Ind.; Lippincott Glass Co., Alexandria, Ind.; Ohio Flint Glass Co., Cumberland, Md.; and Hemingray Glass Co., Covington, Ky. Geo. W. Blair, of Dithridge & Co., is chairman of the executive committee of the associated glass manufacturers, and James Hogan, of Hogan, Evans & Co., secretary. The other members are R. J. Beatty, of the United States Glass Co.; C. J. Bockius, of the Canton Glass Co.; and Percy Richmond, of the Rochester Tumbler Co.

Numerous conferences were held by committees of the manufacturers and wholesalers. The latter were very urgent throughout in impressing upon the manufacturers the salient point of their contention; that a manufacturer has no more right to sell to a retailer at the same price as to a wholesaler than a wholesaler has to sell to a consumer at the same rate as to a retailer. The oft-discussed package question was not raised at all, nor was a proposition made to establish three classes to whom manufacturers might sell under varying conditions, as erroneously stated in some of the papers. The glass manufacturers held a final meeting on Friday, but adjourned until Thursday next, when they will perfect their organization and dispose of the unfinished business.

The committee of Wholesalers on Friday also conferred with a committee from the United States Association of white-granite and semi-porcelain manufacturers composed of the following: John N. Taylor, W. W. Harker, John W. Vodrey, J. M. McClave, Chas. W. Franzheim, J. A. Campbell, and Daniel Willets.

The United States Association of C. C., rockingham, and yellow ware manufacturers were represented by James H. Goodwin, B. C. Simms, W. L. Smith, J. E. Jeffords, Chas. W. Franzheim, and Daniel Willets.

At the various meetings between the representatives of the Wholesalers and the glass, white granite, C. C., and rockingham manufacturers, though all matters concerning their business relations were fully discussed, no definite action was taken on any question, but all propositions were referred back to the respective Associations for further discussion and consideration. All the manufacturers and wholesalers present at the meeting expressed themselves highly gratified with the general disposition shown on both sides to put the business on a basis which would insure a reasonable profit and comfort in transacting it.

Mr. Chas. S. Dennis left for New York on Saturday evening to make arrangements for the meeting of the wholesalers, which will be held at the Holland House, commencing on Feb. 6. The attendance at this meeting promises to be very large, as hardly any wholesaler has given a proxy, nearly all wishing to attend in person. A number of dealers not hitherto affiliated with the Association have signified their intention of being present and adding their names to the membership. The Southern houses are taking a greater interest in the organization, and representatives from New Orleans, Nashville, Texas, and other Southern points have promised their attendance. The Wholesalers' Association now has a total membership of 150 prominent firms extending in point of location from Portland, Me., in the East to Portland, Ore., in the extreme West, and from Minneapolis in the North to New Orleans a the Gulf of Mexico.

Mr. E. H. Pitkin left for New York on Friday evening, and will stay there until after the convention. Other wholesalers remain here yet on business, but there will be a general movement toward the East next week.