Muncie, Ind.; Some old timers say the plant never looked so good

local news

                                                                                    Deadline for Local News 10th of Month.

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MUNCIE, INDIANA — Don Everhart . . .

Hello, Flints. This is Owens-Illinois in Muncie, Indiana, Local Union 50. Work in the shop is the same as last month but I believe work in other parts of the plant is picking up for I see a lot of new faces. Our "A" tank has been down for the past thirty days for a partial rebuild and a general face-lining and it sure looks better all the way around. Some of the old-timers say they have never seen the plant look so good. 1 think the anxieties are finally going to catch up with the anticipations. I would say this is long overdue for I have never worked where the employees have had a better attitude than they have here.

This past month we have had four men on vacation. Thurman Evans went down to Jamestown, Tennessee to see his folks for a week, but will not take another week off until after his father butchers. Ralph Shea is off this week vacationing in Florida. I took a week off to be with my brother, Jim, and wife, Dorothy, and children, Kim, Chris and Ginny, from California, and Local Union 139. I hope it's not another seven years before we visit again.

Walter Houk of this shop was operated on the other morning for appendicitis. We all hope he is back with us in a few weeks and feeling fine. Two years ago this month Walter had a broken hand. June is a bad month for him.

Ray Kirby from Quality Control and George Gregory who operates one of the machines on "B" tank took their vacations up in Minnesota fishing. I hear they caught several northern and wall-eye pike and got their limit in bottle bass every day, so I guess they had a good time, too.

Kirby Johnson of this shop is in California visiting his son and from his card, I would gather he and his wife are having a good time.

We have had a change of apprentice on nights in the shop this month. Our new apprentice is Harold Tharp, the great fisherman, but we have yet to see any of his fish. He likes to catch them, but he won't eat them and because he don't eat them neither do we. When I say we, I mean my fellow second-shifters, Lyle Buckner and Charles Wall.

Recently I was talking to Cleo Huddleston who also is a member of Local Union 50, but now works for Western Electric in Indianapolis, making and repairing plastic molds for telephones. Cleo informed me that Lyle Johnson, Nelson Sutherland, Sam Jeffers and Harry Moyer also work for the company and like it fine. All these men worked for Ball Brothers Company at one time, but quit for other jobs. 1 appreciate hearing from these men and also appreciate Lyle Johnson's offer. Keep it open for me, old friend.

I also hear Bob Needler is now working for Guide Lamp. He also was a recent employee of Ball Brothers. Bob and Hershel Phillips of the batch house belong to the same fraternity over at Gaston. Good luck, boys. This is all for this month, so buy U. S. A.

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