Hemingray Glass Company - Muncie, Indiana

MR. GAUDING'S NEWSY REPORT.

Matters at Summitville, Muncie, and

Other Indiana Points.

SUMMITVILLE, IND., May 15. - Six shops have been working at the Central works up to the present time but Supt. Charles Morrison expects to add four fruit jar shops this week. The furnace and both tanks are being operated, the latter on colored pressed ware. Prism lights, as well as the usual lines of tableware, are being manufactured this season. Prospects for a steady run until the end of the blast appear to be bright.

Manager R. H. Thomas is making an excellent grade of flint glass for prisms which makes them above the average as far as quality is concerned. Kraft Booth, formerly of the Kammerer, Fostoria, O., is at the head of the mold making department. Any good fruit jar blowers desiring a position are requested to communicate with the management at once.

The American Flint bottle works is operating with the full force and the usual high grade flasks are being lost a few weeks ago on account of gas shortage but Supt. Morrison has arranged with a local company and now has a good supply. The office work here is looked after by R. W. Hunter, a very energetic and capable young man. Mr. Morrison was called away on executive work during our visit.

We expect to give our readers an article in the near future on the results that have been achieved since the factory was first put in operation.

With the exception of four or five weeks at the beginning of the fire, places have been well filled at the Crystal window works, President T. G. Barry stating that they had averaged about 11 shops during the entire season. A fair sized stock is reported. Fred Thornburg is factory manager here and Herbert Martin is preceptor. Charles Ruffing, who is at the head of the cutting department, will spend his vacation at Del Ray, Mich., as usual. No improvements are contemplated at the Crystal.

The McBeth-Evans chimney plant at Elwood is doing fine and Supt. T. F. Harnack anticipates a good run up to the last of June. Both tanks in the "French house" have been running all season without being repaired and the shops working in this department have only lost one turn in the last two months. These shops are working on boulevards. Supt. Harnack was in Marion on business the fore part of this week.

The McKee flint works, Anderson, has been handicapped lately on account of scarcity of small help and fuel supply and it is said Alex P. McKee is talking of locating elsewhere.

President John Denny and Secretary L. C. Getsinger, of the new association, have been in the gas belt several days. We understand they requested all the members of their organization to cease work on May 11, and we have heard of but few factories outside of straight out co-operative plants that are still operating. Rumors of all kinds have been flying thick and fast during the past ten days, and it is almost impossible to say what will be done at window houses this week. Some of the men say they will stop a couple of days and then resume, but the chances are that nearly all the houses that shut down on Saturday last will remain closed until the beginning of the next blast.

Supt. L. K. Thornburg, of the American's Gas City plant, says they have produced more glass this season than last and that they have averaged something like 35 places working during the fire. The tank has been doing better this year than ever, and the quality of glass produced has been above the average made here. There is a larger amount of stock on hand than at the end of last blast. Like the big works at Hartford City, this plant has been drawn on pretty hard when new factories start, but still the management has succeeded in keeping the works going in very nice shape. Marshall Springer is the efficient preceptor at this place.

C. G. Milligan, the popular superintendent at Factory No. 10 (Maring-Hart's), Muncie, reports having averaged between 38 and 40 places working during the past season. No time had been lost during the blast on account of gas shortage and the tank has been running in excellent shape. During the past two weeks vacant places have been rather plentiful but this condition obtained in nearly all the window houses visited by us lately many of the men having left for their homes since May 1. There is a larger amount of glass on hand here than at the end of last season. Shipments have been lively lately. The usual repairs will be made during the shut down. W. D. Davis is still at the head of the factory department and John W. Tobin, of Mitchell, Mo., is chief preceptor.

At Factory No. 11, 42 places were filled until the first of May, with the exception of several weeks at the beginning of the fire when there were quite a number of vacant places. E. J. Lewis, who was formerly at the general office of the American, has been in charge here since last June. He informs us that they have averaged about 37 places at work during the season of 1900-01. A pretty large stock is being carried but it has been reduced some lately on account of lighter production this month and heavier shipments than common. The back end wall of the tank gave way a few weeks ago but by careful management the break was repaired and only four blowings were lost as a result. The tank will be thoroughly overhauled and repaired during the summer and everything put in good shape for next season. Thomas E. Unks, who worked at Arnold, Pa., a number of years, has been in charge of the factory department since the beginning of the blast.

Ball Bros. are working about all the shops that they can provide help for. The advent of spring has made the boy question a serious matter with many glass manufacturers. The boys at Hemingray's went on a strike last week, and the plant has been off a week in consequence. The Boldt glass works is operating about as usual.

Supts. C. G. Milligan and E. J. Lewis expect to take in the Pan-American as soon as their duties will allow them to take a short vacation. The latter will also visit Cleveland (N. Y.) friends and relatives this summer.

Frank Green, chief preceptor at Factory No. 11 (Over's) was working at Streator, Ill., but came back to his old stamping grounds after a few weeks in the western city. He will summer at Ottawa, Ill.

Phil Spaniol, the well known gatherer at No. 11, will lead one of Muncie's charming young ladies, Miss Bertha Kleinnecht, to the altar this week. They will spend their honeymoon in Baltimore and the East. Phil's many friends will join us in extending hearty congratulations.

Thos. Bryant and son, Frank, of Findlay, O., were at Over's this season. They left for the Buckeye State this week. - Harry Hards, the veteran worker at Maring-Hart's and candidate for delegate to the general assembly, will also spend the hot months in Findlay and vicinity.

Wm. Peacock, of the Over's flattening department, will summer at Wilmington, Del., as usual. - Fred Povey, accompanied by his wife and family, will take in the Expo, after which they will visit Norristown (Pa.) relatives. - Eara Cole, of Gas City, who has been gathering at Muncie, and Samuel Lashley, the veteran blower, are also booked for Buffalo.

Geo. Reiff says his blower, Geo. W. Hart, is making a great record as a farmer, and that his specialties are blue cabbage and evergreen corn. Reiff, Charley Sheridan, and L. T. Reid form the Only Three Fishing Club. They will camp out near Ottawa, Ill.

George N. Helsley, the progressive pot maker at Burk's, Marion, hasn't lost a pot in drying in the last two years, a record that speaks well for this careful workmanship. He is also turning out some excellent flattening stones this fire.

Carl Lightfoot, of Gas City, will camp with his family near St. Joe, Mich., during the stop. - Guy Hays usually summers in the same locality. - Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Deulin will take in the Expo and also tour the lake country in July. Mr. Deulin was blowing the second place at Gas City.

Leon Sturboise, who is making the big work at Burk's, Marion, will be himself to his farm near White Cloud, Mich., shortly. - Wm. Roberts and Geo. McAllister are well known veterans blowing at Burk's. They have been there a number of years. - Wm. Denton, of Fairmount, is at Burk's this fire. He will rusticate at Hamilton, Ind. - J. H. Herman has charge of the blacksmith shop at Burk's.

Mike Killoran, of Gas City, will yank out several thousand strings of fish in the vicinity of La Salle, Ill., this summer.

George and Wm. Reynolds were still work together on the big place at the Maring-Hart works. Andrew Dixon and the Houze boys, Leon and John, were also swinging out rollers there. Dolph Johnson still sees that the pipes are properly repaired. Other workers at Hart's were Frank Purcell, Chas. Sterbeck, John Dehon, John Wery, Lef Headley, Jules La Franc, F. J. Laduron, and L. Doolittle.

Chas. Austin, the Heaver brothers, Joseph and Frank, Toppy Mantz, Geo. Laustorfer, Chas. Plank, and Prof. A. J. Stieglitz, of Elwood, are organizing a minstrel company and will give a performance at the Elwood Pleasure Club's cozy quarters in the near future. The features of the show will be A. and Bunny's great disappearing act and a break-neck song and dance by Gabe Stieglitz and Geo. Libler. Harry Lotz has been engaged for the occasion. He will render a couple of his famous selections, assisted by Henry Lehr and the full brass band and orchestra. The affair will be very exclusive, as only those having invitations will be admitted. Rehearsals are being held twice a week, and everything points to a highly creditable performance.

C. W. Chamberlain, who was gathering at Summitville this fire, returned to is home at Findlay (O.) this week.

Jas. Wilcoxen, of the Central, was elected to represent L. U. No. 116 at Atlantic City and Barney McCallister is L. U. No. 118's representative.

John McGrath, who was injured in a runaway accident at Summitville about six weeks ago, is improving rapidly and will probably be able to work by next week. Mr. McGrath is president of L. U. 118. He is a prominent former Zanesville (O.) boy.

Wm. Shortie and W. F. Salzman were holding the big place at the Crystal. Other workers we met there are A. Winters, H. Carey, E. W. Bankard, F. Shane, W. Nicklaus, and W. S. Flanagan. The latter will summer on the farm at Elizabeth, Ind.

H. C. Hahlss, Jos. Brain, Wm. McNoll, J. Kaufman, the Shafer brothers and W. McGill are still at the Central.

H. Bates, of Maumee, O.; Carl Engstrom, of Georgetown, Ind.; J. Muhleman, Jos. Thelbert, Jas Dolon, J. Benolt, A. Bournique, latter of Tarentum, Pa., and J. J. Von Miller were at the American, Gas City, this season. - H. W. GAUDING.