St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-06
GLASS Is BECOMING SCARCE.
American Manufacturers Not Able to
Supply the Home Demand.

American Manufacturers Not Able to
Supply the Home Demand. :
Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph.
Foreign window glass has been al
most completely shut out Of the United
States The latest reports show 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 thisu country will be manu-
featured at home,aas prices and wages
across the water are at the lowest
notch, while the workers are consider
Ing the advisability of demanding an
advance in wages. Editor Frank M.
Gessner. of the National Glass Budg-
ct, 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 dependency of that
little kingdom so far as window glass
Is concerned. Our markets do not even
aHord good fighting ground for them,
under present conditions Wages
ABROAD are about as low as they can
De reduced, for even now such organi-
zat1on as exists in Belgium is prepar-
ing to demand higher wages at the
hrst favorable opportunity. Owing to
the large curtailment resulting from
the strike last April and May there
mas been sufficient transatlantic de
mand to fairly absorb the product un-
I'll within a very reasonable period.
very slight increase in exports
70 the United States is noted during
september. when there was an uncer-
E.
starting up, and importers placed in
creased orders in the belief that late
resumption would seriously curtail
available stock The very full resump-
tlon OF American factories and the or
gained condition of our manufacturers,
the wise and liberal policy which has
been adopted in their dealings with
the distributing trade, the ready &C
ceptance Of changed conditions by the
jobbers and the promptness with which
they have placed their orders, together
with the firmness of manufacturers and
the satisfactory condition of jobbers,
has about convinced Belgian manufact-
urers that they have little profit to
seek in this country in the future The
thfrty-one tank furnaces in operation In
Belgium are turning out more glass
than can be marketed, now that the
American market absorbs so little Of
in the past quarter of a century they
are called upon to cope with the prob
lem Of overproduction.
AT recent meeting the matter was fully
discussed, and 1t was decided to reduce pro-
duction after Jan. 1, proportoned to the ca
pacity Of the firms operating. The matter of
arranging details was left to a committee of
five, and it is believed that production will
be reduced fully one-third for several months
in the new year. This the most convincing
proof that American window glass manufac-
turers have about fought their most formid-
able foreign rivals to standstll, and it is
hoped they will make full use of their oppor-
tunities. and not only supply the entire de-
mand, but take prompt measures in their or
ganlzed capacity to bring the average quail
ity up to the high standard established and
admirably maintained by the leading tank
manufacturers of the country. ,'ssf.-
Enough glass to satisfy the demand and
OF uniform high quality, must be made the
Watchword of both the Pittsburg and West
ern manufacturers and unless prices are
Ioonshly advanced to such a point as to
again stimulate imports, we ought to be able
In very few years, to completely establish
our industrial independence.
Inc demand for window glass still keeps
up and is In excess Of the immediate supply
Th1s is largely attributable to orders stimu-
iated by discounts offered large buyers and
members OF the Jobbers' association by the
organized manufacturers, and on account of
building activity. The regular demand how
ever, is very large
Advices from Belgium are that an agree
ment has been reached among manufacturers
which will curtail production during Decem-
per, each OF thirty-one firms operating tank
furnaces having agreed to close their fac
tories oIarily in order to prevent over
production.