Glass Industry, Muncie, Indiana

BREEZY BUDGET OF GLASS NEWS

FROM INDIANA'S MAGIC CITY.

The General Situation at Muncie as Seen by

the Commoner and Glassworker's Efficient

Local Correspondent — Excellent Run

Reported at the Chas. Boldt Glass Co.'s Plant.

Only One Tank in Operation at Ball Bros.

Immense Establishment — Big Sum Expended

for Improvements — No. 2 Factory Will Go

in Blast Early Next Month — Hemingray's

Will Start One Furnace Within the Next

Two Weeks.

GENERAL NEWS OF THE GLASS TRADE.

Muncie, Ind., May 16. — The glass business in this city is rather dull compared with the same period during the past half-dozen years, although the Boldt Glass Co.'s plant, which was put in operation Aug. 1 because of a dispensation granted on account of a conflagration which destroyed the blowing department in the early summer, is doing exceptionally well and the management experience very little difficulty in keeping the production up to the standard.

At Ball Bros. only one tank is being operated, while the other six are lying idle awaiting the completion of extensive improvements which this company have been making during the summer stop. It is said that these improvements will cost more than $150,000. To those who have not seen the vast change made at this plant the above figure no doubt will be regarded as hyperbolical, but a glance at the works will convince even the most skeptical that a good-sized fortune has already been spent in transforming the place into an up-to-date plant.

Scores of mechanics belonging to the building trades have been hard at work here all summer and the management express confidence in their ability to get the No. 2 factory started early in October, rumors to the contrary notwithstanding.

At the Hemingray Glass Co.'s plant, which was closed in the early spring, the management expect to start one furnace within a fortnight, according to reports emanating from authoritative sources.

President Rowe and Secretary Clarke, of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union, attended meetings held by Local Unions 2 and 23 last Sunday and delivered telling addresses which were greatly appreciated by the full membership in attendance at both meetings.

The annual convention of the Indiana Federation of Labor will be held in this city Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week. Among the glass trade delegates so far reported are noted the names of Martin Lollo and Harry P. Hoag, the well known bottle blowers, of Terre Haute; Wm. Goetz, Wm. McFadden, and John Mocklar, of Branch No. 12, this city; John F. Tobin and M. J. Clarke, of Local Union No. 2; John Dodd and Harry Neurman of Local Union No. 23. McFadden and Clarke are also among the delegates chosen by Muncie Trades Council.

The condition of James McFadden, the popular flint worker of this city, whose serious illness was noted in a previous letter, has not improved, but his friends still cling to the hope that he will ultimately recover.

Joseph Wilbur is rapidly recovering and will be able to again don the harness by the time the factory starts.

More than a score of local flints, fearing that Muncie factories would not start until mid-winter, have accepted good places at the Libby Glass Co.'s plant, Toledo, O. — Observer.