The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-28
Portland Glass Works.

Portland Glass Orks.
The Portland Glass Works, of which men,
ton has been made in our paper several times
before, is now in the full tide Of successful OPP
Grafton, and cannot fail to be source ofproft
to the stockholders and add much to the bust
ness prosperity Of the city. The capital stock
of the company is 100000 and is all owned
in this city. An act of incorporation will be
applied for at the coming session Of the Leg
stature, and readily obtained, when the COM
pany will be legally organized. This establish
ment is located in the western part Of the city,
near the Boston depot. The buildings are
erected on new made land, the lot embracing
an area of about three acres. This lot ex-
tends out into the channel, so that at the
wharf, which is built at the terminus, there is
sufficient water to render il accessible for any
ordinary sized vessel.
Four buildings have already been erected,
two Of brick and two of wood. The main
building is 80 by 120 feet and four sto-
ries in height, another is 10 feet square and
two stories high; the wooden buildings are of
smaller size. 1t is the intention Of the CON-
pany to add to the buildings as the business
may demand, and we have no doubt it will
eventually be one of the most important bust
ness enterprises in our city.
The basement story of the main building is
occupied as a packing-room,b lacksmith's shop,
and for grinding clay and crushing quartz, as
well as for storing the different articles that
enter into the composition of the glass. The
engine is of Messrs. Winslow x Sons mann
featuring, and is about 20 horse power. The
wheel that brushes the quartz is Of about
three tons weight and the bed about the same.
The clay that is ground is used for making
crucibles, some Of which weigh 1900 lbs., and
large number are constantly required.
On the second floor is the counting room,
sample room, where will be exhibited all the
variety of articles manufactured at this estab
lishment, the annealing oven, which is divided
into two compartments, each 80 feet In length.
The iron pans on which are placed the glass
ware, of which there are about fifty, are
linked together and run ON a track similar to
train of cars. They pass through the oven
and are discharged at the other end, where
the ware is inspected and the imperfect thrown
out to be melted over again.
On the third floor the moulds are manuiac-
tured, of which there is a very large variety.
The manufacture Of these moulds requires
much skill In order to secure perfection in the
ware. On the same floor is the cementing
room, where lamps are fitted = ard large
room is occupied for building crucibles. This
room requires an even temperature as the
clay has to he worked with the bare feet. In
the fourth story is a room occupied for cut
ting glass and engraving. II was supposed
that none other than French workman could
engrave glass well, but we saw some work
done at that establishment that will compare
fayorably with any imported work we have
ever seen. Railroad corporations and others
may have lanterns made here and suitably en-
graved. A portion oil the fourth story is oc-
cupied for storing manufactured ware.
The basement of the smaller brick building
is occupied for storing coal, about IL tons
day being required for the furnace. The room
above the basement is occupied as furnace
room, which Is commodious and well lighted.
The furnace is built of friedrich and is large
and substantial piece Of masonry. 1t con-
tains eight crucbles, each capable Of holding
from 1000 to 1900 pounds Of glass. The glass
is here melted and prepared to be put into
almost any shape. There are two smaller fur
naces in the same room. We saw workmen
making tumblers with an improved press, and
were turning them out at the rate of two
thousand day. They were also making lamps
and lamp chimnies and various other kinds OF
ware amounting in all to about 5000 pieces a
day.
This establishment is under the Supernten-
! dence OF L. Eggerton, Esq, whose life has
been devoted TO the business, Sld whose
every thought is to perfect the enterprise and
advance the interest of the Company. He
| has been of the opinion that glass could be
made of materials found in Maine, and re-
solved to try the experiment. We saw some
of the glass and could discover no defect in
| it. A piece of the ware made entirely by Nj.
Eggerton may be seen at the store Of 0. l..
Sanborn & Co. The company have been for
tunate in securing the services OF a man OF
such large experience and devotion to the
success of the enterprise.
This is the first attempt to establish such a
mandatory in this state and 1t cannot fail Of
success. There Is every advantage OF loca-
ton, capital, skill and enterprise, the main
elements OF success, here that can be found
elsewhere. We are indebted to J. B. Brown,
Esq, more than to any other man for introdu-
cling this branch OF business as well as others
that are adding much to the material pros
perity of our city. We hazard nothing In
saying that the ware manufactured at this es.
Enlistment is not surpassed by any in the
country. We saw several pieces of white
ware that would be mistaken for the best o.
imported. A ready sale Is found for every
thing manufactured with large ordess that they
are not at present able to oil on account Of thu