The Western Flint Bottle Association Meeting; Hemingray in attendance

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The Western Flint Bottle Association held a called meeting at the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, a few days ago. The organization includes eighteen of the twenty-three firms manufacturing flint glass bottles west of the Alleghenies, of whom ten were represented at the meeting by representatives direct, and the other eight by proxies held by them. Those present were connected with the following firms: J. T. & A. Hamilton, W. H. Hamilton & Co.; Tibby Brothers, Thos. Wightman & Co., and William McCully & Co., all of Pittsburgh; Bellaire Bottle Co.; Wm. Eliot Smith, Alton; The Great Western Glass Works and J. K. Cummings, St. Louis; Hemingray Glass Co., Covington, Ky.; and the North Wheeling Glass Co., of Wheeling, W. Va. The business of the meeting was to the point of controlling production. The manufacturers say that the production of bottles has so increased in recent years that prices have fallen below a point where any profit can be realized. They, therefore, desire to formulate some plan similar to that of the nail makers and firms in other branches of manufacture, whereby when the market is overful, production ceases until there is a new demand. The five companies not in the associaton are of too recent establishment to have shown whether they will succeed or not, and for that reason have not become members of this pool. No action was taken in the matter referred to beyond the appointment of a committee instructed to formulate a plan for the accomplishment of the end desired, which will report at another meeting in Cincinnati, to be called by the executive committee early in November. A committee was also appointed to confer with the freight classiication committee of railroad companies with a view to having their goods placed lower on the rate lists. It is claimed that the bottle makers are required to pay at the same rate by bulk for freight as is charged for table glassware, although the value of their goods is not one-tenth as great. Besides these matters and the designation of some members for the preparation of papers upon technical questions, to be read at the next meeting, no business was transacted. Mr. Jospeh Hamilton, of Pittsburgh, ispresident of the association, and Mr. F. J. Park, of Wheeling, secretary.