The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-07
GROWING SCARCITY OF GLASS
Demand for the Article Is becoming
Greater Than TIN, upply.

Demand for the Article Is BecomIng
| Greater Than ths upply.
From the Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph.
Foreign window glass has been almost
! completely shut out of the United States.
| The latest report shows a rapid falling of
| in imported glass and during the last few
months imports have been lower than
ever before in the history OF the trade.
| All the glass needed in this country will
be manufactured at home, as prices and
wages across the water are at the lowest
notch, while the workers are considering
the advisability of demanding an ad-
vance in wages. Editor Frank NJ Gessner
of the National Glass Budget, who is
well posted on the condition of the glass
trade, says:
THE Belgian manufacturers seem to
have about given up the idea that the
United States are a dependency of that
little kingdom so far as window glass is
concerned. Our markets do not even af-
ford good fighting ground for them under
present conditions. Wages abroad are
about as low as they can be reduced, for
even now such organization as exists in
Belgium is preparing to demand higher
wages at the first favorable opportunity.
Owing to the large curtailment resulting
from the strike last April and May there
has been sufficient Transatlantic demand
to fairly absorb the product until within
a very reasonable period.
"A very slight increase in exports to
the United States is noted during Septem-
Der, when there was an uncertainty about
American factories starting up, and i'm
porters placed increased orders in the be-
lief that late resumption would seriously
curtail available stock The very full re-
sumption of American factories and the
organized condition of our manufacturers,
the wise and liberal policy which has
been adopted in their dealings with the
distributing trade, the ready acceptance
of changed conditions by the jobbers and
the promptness with which they have
placed their orders, together with the
firmness of manufacturers and the salts
factory condition Of jobbers, has about
convinced Belgian manufacturers that
they have little profit to seek in this
country in the future. The 81 tank fur
naces in operation in Belgium are turn
ing out more glass than can be marketed
now that the American market absorbs
so little of their product and for the first
time in the past quarter of a century they
are called upon to cope with the problem
of oVerproduction.
"At a recent meeting the matter was
fully discussed and il was decided to re-
duce production after Jan. / proportional
to the capacity of the firms operating
The matter of arranging details was left
to a committee of five, and 1t is believed
that production will be reduced full one
third for several months I'm the new year.
This is the most convincing proof that
American window glass manufacturers
have about fought their most formidable
foreign rivals to a standstill and 1t is
hoped that they will make full use of
their opportunities and not only supply
the entire demand, but take prompt
measures in their organized capacity to
bring the average quality up to the high
standard established and admirably
maintained by the leading tank manufac-
turers of the country.
Enough glass to satisfy the demand
and of uniform high quality, must be
made the watchword of both the Pitts
burg and western manufacturers, and un-
less prices are foolishly advanced to such
a point as to again stimulate imports we
ought to be able in a very few years to
establish our industrial indie
pendence."
The demand for window glass still |
keeps up and is in excess of the immedi- |
ate supply. This is largely attributed to
orders stimulated by discounts offered |
buyers and members of the Jobbers' as |
by the organized manufacture |
ers and on account of building activity. |
The regular demand, however, is very |
arge.