[Newspaper]
Publication: The Long Beach Daily Telegram
Long Beach, CA, United States
vol. 15, no. 102, p. 12 Part II, col. 1-4
Glass Plant Latest
Addition to Industrial
World of Long Beach
The latest acquisition to the manufacturing world of Long Beach, is one that this city should well feel proud of, the California Glass Insulator company is the new enterprise to locate its plant here, and is just now assuming a scene of busy activity. There are various reasons this city should feel proud of securing this concern, one, that it is the only business of its kind not only on the Pacific coast, but west of the Rockies, which without doubt will afford the city much advertising from this source, another is that this city was chosen over many rival cities, mainly because of its many natural advantages as a manufacturing location, affording them a point convenient to raw material, and with essentials of climate, labor and transportation. This company is located in the rapidly growing harbor district, about one-third of a mile from the harbor front, and occupying an area of 10 acres of ground for their plant. They will engage in the manufacture of blown and pressed glassware. However, at first it is the intention of the company to devote their whole energies to the making of insulators and bottles of all kinds with the exception of prescription ware.
Insulators will be shipped to markets as far south as New Orleans, east to Kansas City and north as far away as Alaska, British Columbia and Canada, also to Mexico, Philippines and Japan, where the demand is great for glass insulators. The bottle products will be sold only locally in Caifornia [sic] California. No city offers a more advantageous shipping point for export, than Long Beach The plant is equipped with the very latest improved machinery in the manufacture of glassware, and the company is its own patentee of its machinery, all the machinery used being patented by Mr. Robert P Frist, the general manager. The latest methods are being used which is quite an improvement over the old way of Blow Pipe or Off Hand blowing of glass, which is eliminate entirely. The company also maintains a large machine shop and now manufactures its own machinery, such as molds, patterns, etc. Their machinery is so arranged as to allow them to change very quickly from pressing to blowing glass. The company's power energy is entirely electricity and their furnace heat is furnished by California oil, of which a large quantity is used. The company’s charter is a very liberal one, and allows them to manufacture all kinds of glassware and glass working machinery. It is the intention of the company to later develop into the manufacture of glassware machinery as well as glassware manufacture.
It may not be generally known by many people of Long Beach, that this glass factory is one of only three within the United States, manufacturing insulators, the other two are located on the Eastern coast, so it can readily be seen what a large sum can be saved the western buyers of this product on the freight alone. As an example of the advantages of California climate over the other Eastern factories, we will mention here most important facts, which is no small wonder, that a concern of this kind has not located here long ago.
Eastern glass factories invariably close from July to September, inclusive, on account of the heat of the furnaces being great and combined with the heat and humidity of the Eastern summer, makes closing imperative. By this means one quarter of the year is lost. In the even climate of this coast this factory will be able to work the entire year. Again in the making of glassware breakage forms a large item of loss. Much of this is caused, with the Eastern factories, by the extreme cold while the glass is piled in the storage. This will be avoided here. The expense of buildings for shelter from the cold as well as drying plants for the various raw materials would also be avoided, as nature in this climate will take care of this. It will be seen from this that the climatic conditions here are of immense advantage, and coupled with the high grade of sand to be used, which is only a few miles distant, it will be seen readily how ideal this place is for the glass business. There is no doubt that the company has flattering opportunities for success in their field. The officers of the California Glass Insulator company are all practical men and are: Arthur G. Munn, president; John G. Orth, vice president; Robert P. Frist, general manager; John Norris, treasurer; and Stanley S. Stonaker, secretary. A force of fifty men is being used at first and increased as the business expands.