McLaughlin Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

By J. M. Price

Well, the holidays are on us and I hope Santa Claus is good to all of you. In this letter I will try to give you a little history of the Technical Glass Co. This company was formed by one of our members, Will Anderson, along about 1919, and first operated at 29th street and Compton avenue. Some years later, having outgrown their quarters there, they built a new plant at their present location on 48th street between Alameda and Santa Fe avenue. They have two continuous tanks and three day tanks, making a general line of punch and stem and pressed ware, and a machine on which they make knobs. This company seems to have weathered the tough times and at present has more shops working than ever before. The company has always operated a union plant. A few years ago the plant was almost destroyed by fire in the furnace room. But inside of three weeks they were again making glass under the able management of Will Anderson. This company has moved forward. Mr. Anderson is general manager and his brother, Arnie Anderson, is the factory manager. By the way, Arnie wants to be remembered to the men working in Port Jervis and Philadelphia, as he used to work there.

This company has its own mould shop and cutting shop. Mike Moran is foreman of the cutting shop. The cutters are: Frank Herrington, Williamstown, W. Va.; Chas. Keller, Tiffin, Ohio; Norman Davis, native son, and A. Voight, from all over. In the mould shop, just look what we find. That upstanding efficient young man as foreman, Albert Vogel. (By the way, Al, do you know where the corner of Gage and Santa Fe avenue is?); Will Roessler, Duke Bauchamp and C. C. Kerr are the boys who turn the old iron into moulds and do a right good job of it. Now for the furnace room. Take the press and we see that smiling Irishman, Mart Conroy, and the one and only Tom (Happy) O'Connell; Ab Barkis, who just returned from a trip east; Chas. Wilson, C. Zimmer, Tom Kearns, Geo. Littleton, Chas. Campbell, Mart Henderson, Pat Higgins, Bert Anderson, J. Kramer, Toger Anderson, Nels Conradson, and Zig Glassen. In the blown ware department: Jim Shulick, Joe Sweeney, Chappy Humphrey, Brown, John Anderson, Claud Peterson, John Schwartz, Gus Conradson, Franzen, Sven Harlson, Art Erickson, Chas. Anderson, Morris Liddell, Cambridge, Ohio, and points east; Frank Aberhamson, Bert Kraft (who has been working in the factory at the San Diego exposition until it closed, is at the Technical running a caster place shop and turning out some very fine ware).

I am afraid Toledo has lost another citizen, and that's that.

If I have missed anyone, come up to the meeting hall and see me. Will give you all a little history of the other factories as I go along.

All factories working good, so it looks like turkey on the table.

Ralph Brown, our able president and executive officer, from now on should beknown as the flying executive, having made a round trip to 'Frisco via the air. Don't be so modest, Ralph, and give me the news first hand.

Gus Erickson was off work with an injured leg. O. K. now. He informs me his wife is on her way out here to join him.

Happy days are here again.

In closing let me call to your attention, brothers, that on the corner of Florence and Santa Fe avenue an old time Flint is operating a first class thirst parlor and cafe. He is one of the old timers of Jeannette, Pa. Here is a good place to go, for he has lots of room to store the ware that every glassworker likes to make on Saturday afternoon when he gets a couple of big scoops under his belt. The name is Jack Trainor, Jr., the place Florence and Santa Fe avenue, Jack's Tavern. Give the old timer a call. You won't regret it.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.