The Western Flint Bottle Association Meeting; Hemingray in attendance

THE Western Flint Bottle Association held their semi-annual meeting at Willard's Hotel, Washington, D. C., on Friday, Jaunary 20. Mr. Alexander Hamilton, of the firm of W. H. Hamilton & Co., Pittsburgh, presiding. Mr. F. J. Park, of the North Wheeling Glass Co., was secretary. There was a large attendance of members on hand and the proceedings were conducted with the utmost unanimity and harmony. An election was held for officers for the ensuing year and the following gentlemen were chosen. President, Joseph S. Hamilton, of W. H. Hamilton & Co., Pittsburgh; vice-president, Thomas Wightman, of Thomas Wightman & Co., Pittsburgh; secretary and treasurer, Fred J. Park, of the North Wheeling Glass Co., Wheeling, W. Va.. At a previous meeting of the Association a commitee was appointed to arrange a scheme by which a beneficial association of flint bottle manufacturers might be organized. The plan was intended to include features akin to those of the Western Window Glass Manufacturers' Beneficial Association, though differing from the latter in such things as the disimilarity of the trades might suggest. As the committee have not yet concluded their labors, the exact particulars of the plan cannot be given, and the matter was referred back to them to complete the details. It may be said, however, that, as every other plan, and many have been tried, has failed to bring the whole body of flint bottle manufacturers into accord for the common benefit, and as it was considered useless to the last degree to go on as they have been doing, the members of the Association decided to adopt a plan of organization into which all can enter, and which will prove so palpably to be for the enhancement of the common welfare that no one will refuse to join it. There are now a number of manufacturers outside of the Association, who, for some occult reasons, think it to their advantage to boast of their non-membership, and who claim a quasi independence on that account, as of belonging to the organization would unfavorably affect their freedom of action. The existence of this minority has always exercised a malefic influence on the general well-being of the industry and it is to be hoped that all members of this important branch of the flint glass trade will readily see their way to joining the new organization, the utility and benefits of which must be readily appreciated by all. The flint bottle trade now covers now covers an extensive field and embraces a greater number of wares than ever before, and it is evident that it is the foremost duty of the manufacturers as a body not to fritter away the advantages they possess by mutual discussions, but by combining together to secure the utmost benefits the circumstances admit of, which can only be done by each individual exercising his earnest exertions toward the progress and prosperity of all, by which means he assures his own. The plan of each man working selfishly for his own welfare alone may bring occasional and temporary gains, but working all together is the only plan that insures permanent prosperity. No change was made in the price list and discounts and terms remain as before. The usual wage committee was selected and another to look after everything connected with freight charges. A committee on the tariff's was also appointed. The increase in the price of sand for glass making has been felt considerably by manufacturers and it was decided to appoint a committee, empowered to purchase a site and erect a sand preparing works in some locality where suitable material might be found, so that they could prepare their own sandin the future. Letters were read from several absent members, expressing their symapthy with the objects of the meeting , and their intention of co-operating in whatever policy it thought propoer to adopt. There are now twenty-five firms making flint bottles and prescription ware, West of the Allegheny mountains, of which the following seventeen belong to the Western Flint Bottle Association: Thomas Wightman & Co., works at Parker City, Armstring county; Agnew & Co., works at Hulton; J. T. & A. Hamilton, W. H. Hamilton & Co., and the Wormser Glass Co.; all of Pittsburgh; the Butler Glass Co., Butler, Pa.; Tibby Bros., Sharpsburg, Pa.; the Leasdale Glass Co., Leasdale, Pa.; the Bellaire Bottle Co., Bellaire, Ohio; the North Wheeling Glass Co., North Wheeling, W. Va.; the Kerns-Gorsuch Glass Co., Zanesville, Ohio; the Hemingray Glass Co., Covington, Ky.; the Ottawa Bottle & Flint Glass Co., Ottawa, Ill.; William Eliot Smith, Alton, Ill.; the Great Western Glass Works, near Kansas City, Mo.; and the St. Louis Glass Works, J. K. Cummings, proprietor, St. Louis, Mo. The following eight firms do not belong to the association at this date" C. L. Flaccus, Tarentum, Pa.; the Gallatin Glass Co., Sharpsburg, Pa.; the New Brighton Glass Co., New Brighton, Pa.; the Lazear Glass Co., Lazearville, W. Va.; the Summer Glass Co., Stuebenville, Ohio; F. Seitz, Marion, Ind.; and the Chicago Glas Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill. The next meeting will be held subject to the call of the president of the Association, and Pittsburgh will in all probability be the place of the meeting.