The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-08-07
PITTsBURaH's GLASS INDUSTRY.

FROM w0rkl0n. PlttsDurgh'S industries
by Mr.. George Ii. Thurston, We extract
the following:
The fame of Pittsburgh glass In the near
future seems likely to surpass Its reputation
In the past as greatly as its beauty, clear.
ness and brilliancy under lie production
with gas fuel with Its finish and quality
heretofore. For period Of nearly 100
years the manufacture of glass has been a
noted industry of Pittsburgh, and today
the third generation of glass makers are
busy increasing the reputation of Pitts
burgh glass, and educating fourth gener-
alton In the art. Ninety years ago this es-
sential to dwelling houses was first made
In this vicinage, the celebrated Albert Gal.
latin establishing factory for its produc.
ton at Geneva, on the Monongshela river,
in 1897. 1t has always been accepted, how
ever, that this factory was built in 1887.
In 1875 there was small window glass
factory of eight pots established or the
west side of the Monongahela river, known
as Scotts,' which made three boxes at a
blowing, using wood as fuel. The window
glass hOnse of General 'Hara Is generally
cited as the pioneer in Pittsburgh glass
works, but 1t was not In the process of con
structiOn until the summer of 1871 In
1910 bottles and window glass were made
in three factories to the value of $4,000
Today there are ID window glass firms
operating 20 factories with 2S6 pots and
employing 1873 hands. The wages of the
men are about 81 $4,000. The area of
ground occupied by the works is 4S acres
and the value of the grounds, buildings
and machinery in the plant is over $1,000. |
900.
There are also IA firms making table. |
ware. They operate 81 factories with $40
pots and employ an average of 5000 men,
whose annual average wages will be about |
) Pa, 900. The area Of ground occupied |
is % acres, and the value of the ground |
and plants is $l,5S0,000
Seven firms make glass Chimneys. They |
operate IL factories of l34 pots and employ |
| ,4G5 hands whose wages will average
S6OO,OOO. Among them is the factory of |
Thomas Evans Il Co., which is the largest
chimney factory In the world. The chin
ney factories occupy seven acres of ground
the value of which, together with the
plants, Is half million dollars. They
turn out an average of 10000 600 lamp
chimneys year. besides a large quantity
Of candy jars, retlectors, lantern globes, etc.
The total value of their product Is about
81, 100000.
There are also four flint vial and bottle
or druggist glass manufacturers, having
10 factories, 1O4 pots, and employing about
500 hands, whose wages will average
$4,000. The works occupy eight acres,
and tho capital invested is 100000
The making of green and black bottles
for beer and other liquids, fruit jars and
similar articles Is what Is technically
known In the trade as green glass works
In this branch there are firms operating
II factories with 80 pots They employ
about $50 hands, whose wages average
1865 900. The capital invested is about
100000.
Stained and tinted glass for windows has
been made in Pittsburgh since 1852, when
when its manufacture was esta blished by
William Nelson. There are today three
for the production of this
article, and the progress has been greater
n the workmanship than in the product
although that has increased nearly 1000
Der cent About 100000 of work is
urned oHt year. The three establish
nehts employ about 50 men, whose wages
lverage about $4,000 year. There are
wo manufactures of glass signs and drug.
5ist's ware. They employ IS hands, and
product to the value of $15,-
100, paying out wages to about $4,000.