The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-05
WALKS AND TALKS.
The LaBelle Glass Works

tue u6nulaCtoly emp'oyiuS Seou "ofh
men, using good material and turning
out articles Of superior quality, will sue
coed in drawing an immense trade
This has been fully exempli6ed in the
history Of the La Belle Glass Company.
Two or three years ago a few practical
glass makers organized the company.
They had no great amount Of money,
but they bad what was as good, if not
better, a perfect knowledge Of their art
and an invincible determination to sue
coed. In short time the ware made
BY the La Belle Glass Company was
heard of here and there in the large
markets Of the country. 1t became
noted for its excellent quality, clesrness,
and the workmsnlike manner in which
it was finished. Shortly it was enquired
for by dealers, and now it is to be found
in every market from Nova Scotia to
California, and enjoysa high reputation
in them all.
Shortly it was found that the factory
at the corner OF First and German
streets, in this city, was too small to
supply the demand. To keep pace
with it their works must be enlarged
and location that would offer the best
facilities for receiving the materials out
of which glass is made as well as for
shipping the manufactured articles, and
one that should offer the needed coal
facilities, must be selected. The desired
location was offered by few live citi-
zens of Bridgeport Ohio, and the work
of erecting a new building was COM
menced Immediately.
Yesterday we paid visit to the new
factory, which is near the bank of the
Back river, short distance below the
Bridgeport depot. 1t consists OF a series
Of buildings, having altogether river
frontage OF ITO feet. The main build
ing, or glass works proper, is square,
being seventy feet long by seventy wide.
In the centre is the furnace for melting
the glass. This has capacity for ten
pots OF the following dimensions: As
inches long on bottom; Al inches wide;
Is inches metal highth, or height to
opening for taking out the melted glass;
Sc inches long in middle and extreme
height so inches. Each pot will hold
5000 pounds of metal. These pots are
very monsters in appearance and are,
we think the largest used in this neigh
borhood. The stack is &c feet high %
feet in diameter at the base, and 9 feet
at top. Around the stack is hung one
of Sweeneys. McCluney Il Co.'S patent
air cooling apparatus, by means Of
which the glass is cooled by having a
current Of cold air thrown on it, and on
the presses, insuring faster and better
work than by the old plan. 1t wac
built by G. W. johnson, Of this city.
The arch is the old fashioned pot arch,
which all glass makers agree in pro-
nouncing the best ever used. 1t is built
on the the main cave walls of the fur
mace, and is thereby rendered more
solid, convenient and complete.
Next south OF the main building is the
mould and cutting shop and the lear
room, SO by 100 feet long containing
three lears SO feet long. Next south
of this again is the straw room and
wareroom 60 by so feet. To the north
of the main building is the mixing
room 25 by so feet where the materials
for making glass are mixed.
All the above are in the second story.
At the northwest corner of the building
and on the ground floor is the sand
room, and arrangements are being made
by which the sand will be shot from
the railroad cars right into the room
without the necessity of rshauling. At
the northwest corner 10 the clay room.
On the southwest side, and extending
through the building from east to west,
is the pot room, 70 by 30 feet, the largest
and most perfect in the country Next
to this is the clay mill, engine room,
blacksmith and carpenter shops, all
models of completeness; and next
south Of them the packing room 80 by
50 feet. Besides all these rooms on the
ground floor there is q shed 100 by 81
feet for storage.
Among the new features We must
mention the arrangement by which the
huge pots are taken from the pot room
by q crane and chain pully and placed
in position, thus making the labor OF
pot setting" much lighter and pleas
anter. The roof Of the main building,
too, is a novelty in its way. By a pc
culiar arrangement Of iron stay rods
and wooden braces one-half Of the
principal rafters are dispensed with, and
the roof is made lighter and stauncher.
The idea Of the roof il BY Charles
Hamilton, and We don't wonder at his
being proud of it.
The main building is Of brick and
hss two sixteen feet high stories, andis q
model Of convenience, siriness and light
and is most sreditable to the skill OF