Stockholders meeting of Lyndeboro Glass Company, description of factory

LYNDEBORO' GLASS COMPANY. The annual meeting of this company at the glass works in South Lyndeboro' was fully attended. About sixty stockholders, ladies and other visitors went from this city in a fine special car provided by Mr. Agent Page. From East Wilton two big team-waggons and a multitude of lesser vehicles, carried the company two and a half miles to the works.

The meeting was called to order by the President, who gave some little account of the difficulties that had attended the reopening of the furnace. Hon. E. B. Patch, the Treasurer, made his report, showing the debts of the company to be about $8000 and its available assets $16,000. Mr. Schaffer, the superintendent, was called on for his opinion, and replied that with suitable material, he considered the works good for a net profit of $2000 per month, and that he would agree to take his salary from what he could turn in above that sum. The following directors were chosen from the ensuing year: John A. Goodwin, Josiah Gates, Alden B. Buttrick, Addison Putnam and Daniel Holt of Lowell; Harvey Whiting of East Wilton, and Rufus Chamberlain of South Lyndeboro'.

The company were then invited to a bountiful and excellent collation in the Packing House, the tables being gracefully attended by the ladies of Lyndeboro', to whom a vote of thanks was passed on motion of Mr. Sargent of Lowell.

The factory had been neatly decorated by the workmen, and was, of course, the centre of interest. Thirteen blowers were actively engaged in producing from the glowing furnace a variety of bottles, flasks, fruit-jars, &c. The carboy blowing by Starkey drew a constant crowd around him. Large piles of ware of all kinds in the yard before the factory, testified to the extent and the excellence of the work on previous days.

The process of mixing the material for melting was explained by the officers. The furnace contains six clay melting pots, weighing about 600 pounds each and costing $30 apiece. Each of these is filled every night with the following mixture: - 600 lbs. powdered silex (pure quartz), 210 lbs. soda, 168 lbs. shell lime, 30 lbs. T. I. salt. Coloring matter is added when wanted. This is melted by an intense heat through the night and the next day is blown into ware. The capacity of the furnace is from 32 to 35 gross of quart fruit-jars or bottles. The works employ about 40 men and boys, and a small steam engine. From 32 to 35 cords of wood are used daily; the wood for the night melting being kiln dried. The stockholders expressed entire satisfaction with the condition of things, and the other visitors seemed much pleased with the operations and with their excursion.