A Review of Manufacturing Establishments in Muncie, Indiana

MUNCIE

MAJESTICALLY MOVING FORWARD

IN POPULATION AND PROSPERITY.

ONE DAY

Among the Spindles and the

Looms, the Lathe, the Furnaces,

Fires, and Factories of

INDUSTRIAL MUNCIE.

Some of the Manufacturing

Establishments Visited.

Best of Feeling and Fine Prospects for

the Year's Business.

Notes and Details.

A proper degree of modesty is as commendable upon the part of a city as it is with a lady or gentleman. There are cases, rare it is true, but nevertheless cases where a person does not fully appreciate his given importance and ability. This is to his hurt and disadvantage. The same may be said with truthfulness of a city. The citizens, majority of them, may not fully know and appreciate the advantages and importance of their city and that is to the hurt of the city.

Muncie has been particularly modest as to her growth and prosperity, and the Times believes for the reason that not one-half the citizens know and appreciate how much prosperity they are enjoying, nor the importance of the city as a manufacturing and industrial point.

The growth of Muncie in an industrial way has been so gradual, observed until you begin to foot up the amount paid to laboring men and skilled mechanics for the muscle and skill they employ in making this one of the leading manufacturing cities in Indiana.

Passing along the crowded streets on a pleasant evening, on Sunday, or some holiday, the remark is often made that there are a great many strangers in town, followed as often with the question, "Where do all these strangers come from?" A Times representative can state from personal knowledge that in about nine cases out of ten, the persons referred to, although in one sense strangers, are citizens of the city and can be found at work in some of the great manufacturing establishments that lie in and around the city.

One day to visit the factories is but to get a very imperfect idea of their extent and importance, as one day could be profitably spent at almost any one of them and an interesting descriptive article written, but time and space are to be considered, and the Times delegate occupied one day in visiting some of the leading manufacturing establishments of the city and it is believed our readers will be interested and surprised to know how much business is being done in the city.

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THE HEMINGRAY GLASS COMPANY

Is another factory whose proprietors could see the great advantage to be derived in locating in the gas belt and was early in the field. The Hemingray Glass Works, of Covington, is known the world over, and the factory here was an outgrowth of and has now pretty well absorbed the parent branch at Covington. It is not al all improbable that the entire plant will be moved to Muncie in the near future. This firm manufactures miscellaneous glassware — globes, lanterns, bottles, flasks, fruit cans, and various other articles too numerous to mention. They have twelve hundred different patterns, most of them in use. They operate 185 hands and the pay roll foots up {dollar: $4,080] per month. Many of their employees are boys, but some of the men are the highest grade of skilled mechanics. Quite a number of the force came with the Messrs. Hemingrays from Covington, where they had been working for years. They have bought property here and are much pleased with Muncie. Being good citizens Muncie is certainly glad that they are contented and happy in their new homes. Mr. Ralph Hemingray remarked that two weeks ago the prospect was not favorable for an active market, but that within that time business had increased and they had orders that would require two months steady work to fill, with new one coming in every day. The bulk of their trade is in the South, although they have filled orders from Portland, Mane, New York, and Los Angeles, California. Ralph Hemingray is manager and his brother, Robert superintendent of the works. They began work August 12th, after a stop of six weeks.

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CONCLUSION.

In this sort review of some of Muncie's leading industries we have made no effort to deal in flowers and fancies, but stubborn facts. The people of this city as much as any others, desire to know something of Muncie's importance. The factories we now have, with the growth and extensions they are making, and others that will eventually and shortly follow, will make this city one of great importance. Those that will certainly be added in a short time will swell the population greatly.

"As the first study of mankind is man," so the first study of every citizen of a city should be his city and its people, and in this brief review, what we have said has been said with that end in view. Muncie has doubled in population in three years and certainly trebled in wealth and industries. The future will be what our people themselves choose to make it.