The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-11-17
Gle 1ltellfQstteles.
'I',cr. Nos. - ma - fouricen1h sireci,
THE AMERICAN GLASS TRADE.
rfosress In Manufacture nn,i Exports ! o
Other Lands,

olnCr Hhnus.
New York Tribune. .a
Few people outside OF tho tnde arc
aware that tho United States have been OK.
porting glass goods 10 South America,
CUBA and Australia III competition with
foreign manufacturers. Tho export trade
IN this line OF goods Is still, however, In It's
infancy. In speaking OF this subject 10 n
Tribune reporter Il leading exporter re-.
Gently said: NEARLY eight years ago re-.
representatives. from q dozen leading houses
were sent abroad TO find Il market for the
IaFge surplus stock Of glass goods which
l'au accumulated during aperiod Of bust.
ness depression. They visited Mexico,
South America, Cuba and Australia, and
succeeded In disposiny Of largo quantities
OF these goods. The prices obtained were
In many instances below actual cost, but
ut that time manufacturers were willing 10
Unload their stock ata slight discount
The toothoId thus obtained i'll the forciyn
markets has been retained since then.
win the return OF prosperous times prices
advanced, and with them there was slight
decline III the amount Of goods exported.
more legitimate"
What Is your besl markets.
u think Havana Is about the best At
present. Cubans use about 10 per cent
more glassware in proportion to their pop
niation than we TO here. South America Is
also good market. There are some pecu.
llafltlts about our trade will, the latter
country which arc interesting. The market
doesn't change down there rs 1t docs al.
almost everywhere else. The people want
tile same patterns, both in form and size,
year after year. II Is very difficult to in.
troduce anything new. They are satisfied
WIN what their fathers used. 1t doesn't
matter how many Improvements YOU make
both as to quality mud style, they still cling
10 Their old notions in regard to tho fitness
OF things. It isu common thing for vessels
coming north with c;,rgoes OF coffee and
dyestulls to load with glassware for the re-.
turn trip. They buy the cheap grades for
about s. barrel and realize fair prollt
from tho sale on their arrival ut Rio
Janeiro."
DO you think that you can produce as
tine goods here asthey can in England and
Frlnce?"
"les, do. Bat the main difficulty lies
III ttlc iact lllnt We cannot manufacture uCl
glass as cheaply as they can in those coun-
ines, where labor may DO bought for Il
mere song. Therefore tile American man,i-
iacIurer has no Involvement to encourage
him TO produce high grade OF goods
am very sure our market would speedily
absorb glassware of this character il lis
cost could be kept down us low us the i'm.
ported article. The old idea that NIL fine
goods must be manufactured abroad is fast
dying out. All pressed ware, tumblers,
ifnlt dishes, tea sets, etc, are made from
the lime glass. Our exports are almost en-.
tirely confined to this class. This seems 10
he the ouly lino Of goods in which VIC can
successfully compete with foreign manu-
lacitlrers. We make the most oil our sales
through commission merchants. They
send Us their orders aud We fill them for
any part OF The world. Frequently Ii few
houses abroad control the exclusive right
TO certain patterns Of glassware. We make
contracts with manufacturers for large
orders osgoods ofu given design. Wcare
Obliged to carry large stock OF these
goods in order to be ready to meet any de-
mand made upon us. Last year the ex-
port trade OF glassware amounted to about
Si"O,0UO.n