Porcelain Electric Goods, Story on Electrical Porcelain of Trenton, New Jersey

Porcelain Electrical Goods.

Trenton's diversity of manufacture finds another illustration in the development to considerable proportions of an industry that is comparatively new in all parts of the country. It is only a few years ago that Frederick A. Duggan began the manufacture of porcelain goods for use in connection with the putting up of electrical wires says the Sunday Advertiser.

Mr. Duggan was one of the pioneers in this business in the United States, and was certainly the first man in Trenton to engage in the manufacture of this line of goods. Since he started there have, however, been others to follow, and to-day there are a half-dozen or more Trenton establishments whose business is devoted to the manufacture of what is known to the trade as electric porcelain goods. The latest concern to embark in this business is the Union Electric Porcelain Company, of which Duncan Mackenzie & Sons are the proprietors. This latter firm have just erected a kiln on their property at Hamilton avenue and Clark street, and in connection with the kiln will use for manufacturing purposes a building 40 by 80 feet immediately on the corner of Hamilton avenue and Clark street, which for some time past has been used as a storehouse in connection with their foundry business.

It is not the intention of the Mackenzies to give any less attention than formerly to their foundry business, and they have made arrangements to put the practical part of the new business under the direction of Michael Sewell, who was for years superintendent at Joseph Mayer's Arsenal pottery.

The manufacture of porcelain goods for use in connection with the putting up of electric light and telephone wires has been steadily increasing for the past dozen years and bids fair to continue in the same direction. It is recognized by many as a branch of the pottery business, but it is nevertheless a distinct industry, although the same materials are used and many of the same methods are employed. The porcelain goods, however, are really a vitrified china. They are made in a thousand and one designs and it is impossible to find a building in which electric light or telephone wires are strung where porcelain goods have not been used in fastening the wires to the walls or extending them from one point to another. One cannot even turn on an electric light without using a key that is, nine times out of ten, made out of porcelain.

The use of these porcelain goods is even being adopted in preference to glass for insulators in fastening telegraph wires to poles. The glass is said to be cheaper at first cost, but the porcelain insulators are said to wear better and last longer, and, therefore, to give better satisfaction.

The Imperial Porcelain Works, which is the one started by Mr. Duggan, the present owner, is located on Mulberry street and continues to be the leading establishment of the kind in the city, if not in the country. The Imperial works have five kilns and give employment to something like 100 men.

The next largest concern is probably the Hamilton Porcelain Co., which is operated by the Brian Pottery Co. Then there is the Electrical Porcelain Co, with its works on Monmouth street, near State; the Star Porcelain Co., on Seward avenue, started about a year ago by Dr. Britton and Dr. Mackenzie; the American Porcelain Works, on Philemon street, as well as one or two other concerns in which the making of electrical porcelain goods is only a side issue. The Star concern has just bought land for an addition to their plant.