Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-11
MISSING A MARKET.
An Extensive Champagne Bottle
Trade Open to Manufacturers
BY USING THE RIGHT MATERIALS.
Englishmen Will Buy Breweries if They
Can Earn Fair Profit.
FLINT GLASS HOUSES STARTING TODAY

1t seems that with all the pride Pittsburg
takes IN its manufactures, there is still a
point or two in some branches she has yet
to learn from the more experienced workers
OF the Old World. One of these is in the
manufacture of wine bottles, especially
champagne bottles, which, it appears, can
not be made in this country of sufficient
quality to meet the requirements of the
growers.
The champagne produced on the Pacific
slope is annually increasing in volume, In
proportion to its improving quality, and a
large trade there awaits the manufacturer
who discovers the art of turning out bottles
of such material as will not affect the quail
ties of the wine. That this point in their
manufacture has not yet been reached is
proven by the fact that OF the millions OF
bottles of champagne annually bottled on
the slope, not one is filled in TASKS of native
manufacture; secondhand French bottles,
gathered from every end of the country.
being exclusively used. The element of
cost is not factor In the matter, because by
the time the French bottles are collected,
secured and prepared for their new con-
tents, they stand the grower in about as
much, if not more, than native bottles
would.
WHERE THE TROUBLE LIES.
These points were developed yesterday, in
conversation with Mr.. Eugene j. Cantin, of
California, who represents Arpad Harasz-
thy, the largest champagne grower on the
slope. Mr.. Cantin says that the reason ma
tive bottles are not used for champagne is
because the wine is affected by certain chem
ical properties in the glass from which the
French article is free. Native bottles have
been tried, but in every instance it
has been found that the delicate flavor
of the wine was affected by certain
constituents Of the glass. His firm depended
solely tor supply of champagne bottles on
what French bottles they could collect over
the country. They required to be subjected
to an expensive cleansing process, before
being used, and he thought that native bot
ties could be produced at q cheaper rate; if
otherwise they could be made to suit the re-
quirements. The French bottles were made
of such material as did not yield any trace
of its composition to effect the delicacy of
the wine, and ne thought that if manufact-
urers would try to make such bottles they
WOulu very materially lucTedSe LuelI LTaue.
As an example of the number of bottles
used in this branch OF the trade Mr. Cantin
said that his firm always had !, 1000, 900 un-
dergoing the process OF fermentation at one
time, and that during the two years re-
quired about 100000 bottles were lost
through breaking. The breaking was
caused by the heavy pressure which the
bottles were obliged to sustain at this
period, running from a pressure of 110
pounds to the square inch, when fermenta-
tion began, to 80 pounds pressure at the end
of couple of weeks.
THE LOSS BY BREAKAGE.
During this period the loss from breakage
averaged per cent, and anyone entering
the cellars was obliged to wear q mask, ow-
ing to the flying particles of glass. Speak
ing about champagne glasses, he said that
manufacturers should see that the glasses
were grooved, ribbed or brought to point
on the inside. Glasses so finished afforded
u point of assemblage tor the gases which
produced the fzzing properties of the wine.
Of the 35, 900, 900 gallons of wine annually
consumed in the United States, California
produced q, 200, 900; 5000, 900 only were inn
ported, and the other II, 900, 900 gallons were
made in Ohio and other States, and of such
ingredients as he could not well describe.
He said there was not much champagne
used in Pittsburg. The area under wine
vines in California was 200, 900 acres. and
the amount of capital invested in the busi-
ness about S65, OOO, 900 or $75, 900, 900.