The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-16
THE GLASS TRADE.
THE CONDITION AND PROSPECTS
otTAI, Important Branch of HAuuas,ur. ia TIL,
s,etIOa--SptiuE Trade Dali and Backward,
and Lee, than 40 Average Tear Il.
ptetsd-TOo Many GlIIs Houses

Next to the iron industry, the most i'm.
portant industry to Wheeling and the towns
OF the vicinity Is the manufacture Of glass,
and the condition OF that business Is Of vital
importance to the prosperity Of the COM
munity. Itisnow time for the spring trade
to have opened up In the glass works OF this
vicinity sufficiently TO indicate the prospects
for business In that line this year. Inter
views with the manufacturers OF wheeling,
Bellaire, Bridgeport and Martins Ferry in-
dictate that business Is dull with them. IOa
certain degree this Is no doubt attributable
TO special causes. but manufacturers make
no attempt TO disguise the fact that the
promise for the opening year Is gloomy.
At TIE SOUTH WHEELING GLASS WORKS.
Mr.. Hobbs, Of the firm OF Hobbs, Brocku-
nier j. Co., projectors OF the South wheeling
Glass WORMS, reports that business at this
works Is much below the average condition
for this seasod. The Spring trade Is not near
what IL was expected to be, and he Is
satisfied that the volume OF business this
year will be small, falllngR great deal below
that OF last year, which was considerably
ABOVE the average, IL not the best year the
factory ever experienced. Something Oh tue
present dullneSS he attributes 10 the recent
floods In the Ohio and Mississippi, and 10 the
extent that II was caused by these 1t may be
expected 10 be only temporary. But there
are permanent causes which bid fair 70 In
tuence the volume OF trade unfAvorably, the
principal one Of which Is the undenia6le
over production Of glass ware Just now. The
export trade does not amount 10 much OF an
item now with this firm. They continue,
however, TO get out new and attractive spe-
cialties In glass, and have Just finished an
elegant new table set, the pieces In which are
square, q shape now becoming very popular.
This firm puts new line OF table ware on the
market each spring. They report no espe'
cially new features In their trade. Their
largest furnace Is idle, and the other two In
use.
Attire CENTRAL.
There Is no Disgusting the fact" said Mr..
Scott, Secretary OF the Central Glass Works;
that trade has been almost nprecedentedly
dull for the three months Of this year, but we
expect tolerably fair spring trade later"
at this works all three furnaces are in ope'
ration. The export trade In beer mugs, which
was dull for q season, and which Is specially
with the Central, has been better in the past
month than for some time before. A new
and beautiful line OF table ware, with Hat
sides, Is now being completed, and large
trade has been done In an ornamental egg
dish known rs the Easter disb the lid OF
which represents Q finely worked hen cover
ing the eggs. Mr.. Scott gave It as his opinion
that the extraordinary activity In building
glass house for year or two past In this yici.
nity was having It's effect. The glass men
have "killed the goose that laid the golden
egg.n The company continue however, 70
"peg away" In the old style, and rely on the
cuperstion OF trade To "let them out"
Al the North Wheeling Glass Works, which
makes bottles and Jars exclusively, trade Is
less affected by the prevailing dulness.
OVER THE RIVER.
A visit to the Beatty Glass Works, at steu-
benyille, found the entire establishment in
full operation. These works turn out up
wards OF 5000 tumblers per day, and the
ware is shipped to all parts OF the world. In
reply TO interorgations, the reporter was IN,
formed that the trade was equal to that oil
last sea.on, and that orders were coming In
as usual without any indication OF depres-
sion in the business.
The Acme Flint Glass Works, also OF Steu.
benyille, owned by the Gill Bros. & Co., and
devoted to the manufacture OF lamp chin.
neys, Is In full blast, with all the orders pos
sible 10 fill. They report trade good, with no
indication OF falling oil OF orders thi: sea-
son. The works are turning out over 2,b wv
lamp chimneys per week.
Bellaire glass manufacturers have nothing
new to report The men on the road are
not very much encouraged. The factories
are all running, and therefore the city itself
does not feel any Inconvenience from the
depression.
The Bellaire Window Glass Company
Is running all departments right along
but all the glass is going into the warehouses.
There has been nothing new since January
first. Said the Secretary: There's nothing
new; wish there was" The Union window
Glass Works has nothing new 10 report.
The Belmont has absolutely nothing OF
general glassware.
The Goblet Works Is doing nothing new.
Rodefer Bros, OF the old National Works,
manufacturing all sorts OF general wares
and clamp chimneys, report all dull and
quiet m
The lantern factories are like the other
Notwithstanding goods.
None OF the BelIaire firms apparently have
the blues, however.
MARTINS FERRY AND BRIDGEPORT.
At the Buckeye glass works, Martina
Ferry, trade was reported fair, without special
feature OF interest. Their new factory is re.
ceiying the finishing touches, and will be
ready to begin operations about April l,
When this goes on the capacity OF the works
will be more than doubled. They now run
two l0.pot furnaces, and the new Gill furnace
OF l5.pot capacity, will melt fully as much II
not more glass than 10 being melted now.
At the Union glass works fair trade was
reported, with good prospect ahead. Bust,
ness Is duller than is usual at this time oil
year, and orders are small. The Union's
specially Is pure lead blown ware, aud they
make an extra fine quality OF glass. Their
sample room contains a very fine display oil
elegant glassware, to which they are con
staritly adding new and tasty patterns. The
works are In full operation.
Trade at the LaBelle glass works, Bridge
port, has been rather dull so far this year
There have been plenty OF small orders, but
few large ones, comprising general lines oil
ware. Buyers are ordering very sparingly,
and trade Is not what 1t ought TO be at this
time OF year. There Is tendency toward
lower prices In certain quarters, and this has
led to fears that general reduction Is i'm
minent, and iobhers are ordering with eau
ton. Altogether the volume Of trade 90 far
has not been up to the general average, but nc
predictions are made for the future.
The Nail City glass works, at Bridgeport,
whose speciality Is fruit jars and beer bottles,
report trade very brisk aud orders plenty.
This Is their busy season, and they have been
getting . big trade.
APlucky Manager.