The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-12
GheQntelIigeuifel!',:r.
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soulh Wheellng Glass WoIks..

1877 our Old EmplOys.l I'D. ~ cos
In our review of the glass interests Of
Wheeling we have so far confined our.
selves 10 those which have sprung up In
our midst during the last ten years. The
works Of which we write this morning
sre the oldest living institution in tho city
and In their line Of manufacture the old
eat West oil the Alleghenies. They are at
present conducted by Messrs. Hobbs,
Brockunier & Co. THEY are located in
South Wheeling and were established
more than thirty years ago by Messrs.
Hobbs & Barnes, names familiar as house.
hold words in every market in the United
States. The operation OF these works has
in all these years been strictly confined
10 the production OF wares Of the, finest
quality and most elaborate workmanship.
Only the most skillful workmen have
been employed, many Of them brought
directly from the best establishments in
Europe. These In turn became the in.
sructors Of native workmen, thus con.
SANITY educating class Of superior oper.
stives. In this way tho South Wheeling
works have contributed largely to the
successful establishment Of most oil the
glass factories in this vicinity. The
variety Of their productions IS sim.
ply infinite. Plain ware from the
largest bowl or salver down to the
tiuiest wine or cordial glass; bub-
bic tumblers thin as paper, light as gossa.
mer, and competing in dellcacy with the
products OF France and Germany. Until
very recently 1t was thought impossible
10 manufacture them In this country.
Messrs. Hobbs, Brockunier 6 Co. are the
only manufacturers in the United States
Of the peculiar kind Of porcelain, known
for its close resemblance to the finest
Chinaware. Thisporcelain Is made from
that wonderful product OF the far North,
the ice stone Of the Esquimaux, or the
Kyolite Of modern geology. To the
visitor the most interesting portion oil this
vast establishment Is It's extensive cutting
shops, where one becomes almost bewil.
dered IN contemplating the never ending
variety oil shapes and patterns into which
The glass Is cut; and where the engraving
wheel works out tho most delicate patterns
fruits, flowers, lanciful tracerY, beautiful
letters and monograms, which have made
these goods rival the best york Of eastern
factories and scarcely excelled by the
finest imported ware. Yet theseiproprie-
tors arc never satisfied. Ever onward Is
their motto TIL they are superior at home
and abroad. ~ . i'TH 37iai 'lssti2
Their buildings now cover q space four
hundred feet square. There are three large
furnaces, -two oil ten and one Of nine
pots. Intheir heating furnaces they have
adopted the use Of Benzine as fuel on
account Of lis freedom from, sulphur,
which Is apt to cloud the glass or give II
milky appearance. One Of the most
notable changes in the manufacture Of
glassware originated in this factory, and
resulted from the chemical experiments
Of Mr. William Leighton, by which lime
glass was substituted for lead glass In the
production Of the first quality Of goods
thereby greatly lesSening the cost. Among
many improvements peculiar TO- them
selves we observed very simple but
etteCtual method of securing the connec.
ton between lamp bowls and the foot
stocks when the latter are Of different
natsfialttom the former, asin lGmpWith
white porcelain or metal stocks, This
Improvement viii bring this class oflamps
Into higher favor. 50 yI.s-as . a arh
Messrs, Hobbs, Brockunier s Co., EN-.
ploy about three hundred persons, and
their annual product Of goods amounts to
three hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars. /