The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-11-28
A GREAT INDUSTRY.
Glass Making In Wheelipg-A Review
Of the Leading Works.


We present 10 our readers q review of
the business done by two of our principle
glass manufactures. both OF them run
ming on full time, and who report that
business is as brisk as possible, but prices
are ruling very low. There are mum.
Der of other glass works in the immediate
vicinity, but these are taken as examples
as they are the largest and best known.
THE SOUTH WHEELING GLASS WORKS.
These works are the property OF
Hobbs, Brockunier & Co.. and are ssld 10
be the largest in the world without any
exception. They have three furnaces of
twenty nine pots, but the pots are much
larger than is generally the case, their
capacity being $500 each. In the
furnace room are some two hundred men
and boys who work in turns OF SIX hours.
A specially is made Of fine goods. con-
sisting of opal table sets, molssses jars,
lamps, &c. Mr.. VIM. Leighton mem
Der of the firm and the same gentleman
whose two books of poetry have added
80 much honor to Wheeling and to HIM
self, accompanied the writer and gave
the necessary data. In response to an
inquiry as to the reason OF the strike In
Pittsburgh, against the "pstent crlmper"
he said that as his company made no
lamp chimneys it was not effected.
The men rebel because so many CHM
neys are made with it, that the price Is
lowered and less number of hands en-
ployed. This is the only factory in the
valley that manufactures white glass.
The cutting room presented q lively ap-
pearance, over thirty men being ~ work.
We next entered the engraving depart
ment, where some exquisite specimens OF
work, monograms, floral designs, &c,
were shown, initial tumblers and goolets
being a speciality. A very neat molasses
can, with glass drip, is made here IN vast
numbers, and five patents have been
taken out on it. The wrapping depart
ment is run almost entirely by CIR and
women, and this in Connection with the
packing room, is capable of preparing Tor
shipment at least hundred tons of goods
per week. In the lamp department
women were fastening on the ht-
tings in immense quantities. Some
sixty or seventy styles are made
and 10000 week is small sale.
TWENTY-FIVE hands were working IN this
room. From the second story OF the factory
a tramwsy runs into ware house on the
other side of the railroad, the building
being 100 feet by 60. Some beautiful
patterns of chandeliers and iced ware
were TO be seen in the sample room, the
former varying in price from 81 to 81.
The molds are made by the company
for sll its work and twenty. five men are
kept busy in this branch. The fine
white sand which Is used comes from
Pennsylvania and is the best In the
world.
Just in the rear of the factory is
large coal bank and the facilities for
working are very convenient and answer
any demand that can be made upon
them.
Pots for melting glass, and which, as
we have said, have capacity OF 3,5OO
pounds, are made in the ground floor, OF
German clay. 1t takes about year and
half for pot to dry sufficiently TO be
used, and thus q large number have to
be kept on hand. The shipping facilities
of the house are very good, and cars can
be loaded from the factory or warehouse
on short notice and in still shorter Pc
Rod. The business of the firms will
average from S350,000 10 100000 and
the total number of hands is three hun
dred and fifty.
THE CENTRAL GLASS WORKS.
This company have superb factory
and warehouse at the western extremity
of Fourteenth street. They, like the
South Wheeling company make q spec
ialty OF fine goods. Bar furniture, beer
mugs, holding from half gallon to q
thimbe full, champagne glasses and
lamps are made in great variety and
numbers. Among the samples were
some relics of the blue glass mania in the
shape of lamps, tumblers, &c, Of beau
tiful deep blue. The store-house is
fine brick building, with q tin root
two hundred and eighty feet by
slxty-six, and is two stories hig h
Here thousands OF barrels and boxes can
be seen, and & number of girls, some OF
whom were very pretty, were wrapping
and packing various varieties OF work.
At least five hundred dozen lamps can
be packed here daily, while the number
manufactured in the same space OF time
Is about $500 dozen. Three furnaces
are run, each OF ten pots, and this COM
pany can say what few in the country
can. They have not lost day this year
except the Fourth of July. One furnace
is now being repaired, as 1t was burnt
out, but it will be again IL operation by
Saturday. Two hundred and sixty men.
are used in the turnace.room alone.
The company will shortly build u wire
suspension bridge from their coal bunk
on the other side of Wheeling creek to
the factory and will run their coal cars
on it. 1t will be 1000 feet long and will
cost $4,000. Mr.. w. Hildebrand, of
New York. and one of the principle
architects of the Brooklyn and New
York bridge has furnished the plans,
and Mr. Lawson, ofthe Wheeling suspen-
sion bridge will build II. In the engrav-
ing department some wonderfully life
like figures of deer and other animals
were exhibited. In the cutting room are
thirty.fve hands. A great stock
of soda is carried by this
house, at present it amounts to $500
This soda is refined and re-ground before
it is used. and thus mskes the glass
much finer than that of Pittsburgh. The
total number OF hands is three hundred
and sixty and the semi-monthly pay
roll amounts to $4,000. The yearly bust.
ness is over 100000. Mr.. L. ?. Scott,
of this firm, gave US the information
above, and in his company the works
were visited.
living Owing.