The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21

twisted and seamless bottles, such as
have heretofore been imported from
Europe. The foreign wine and beer
bottle sells all the way from 81 IS to IS
per gross. With the recent extensive ad-
ditions to our plant we are now able to
I'LL all orders at the same figures.
The dealers hitherto have certainly
shown preference for the foreign article,
but since we have proved our ability to
duplicate the latter they have promised
US large orders as soon as they dispose OF
the present foreign stock on hand. You
may derive some idea of the importance
of this industry TO the people of San Fran
cisco when [ state that we pay out every
year in wages $125. 900. Had we better
protection that. amount would be consid-
erably increased, because whereas the
present demand only justifes US i'll work
ing during The day we would then put on
three eight hour shifts and continue both
day and night,
The Improvements we have introduced
In the shape OF continuous tank furnaces
enable US to do this without any diff
Guilty. The present Wilson bill enables
competition to become very severe. We
would be perfectly satisfied with the res
toranon of the Mckinley rate, though,
unfortunately. have seen no intimation
that any such restoration will be effected.
Foreign competition is chiefly felt in
the line of bottles and window-glass and
not to such an extent IN tableware. l feel
confident that with return to the Nc
kinIey figures we can manufacture every
variety of bottle at the same price as the
imported article. We now employ from
forty to forty five glass showers, and with
the extension of our market so as to in
clude the manufacture OF the entire local
consumption we could employ at least
eighty"
E. Abramson of the Abramson-Heu-
nisch Company, bottle importers of Main
street, said that the question was essen
TALLY one of business. I'VE only import
what we need" he remarked, land do not
pr"pose to go beyond the limit. We fully
recognize the advantage OF keeping as
much money in circulation as possible,
and so far as that sentiment is concerned
the producer and consumer go hand in
hand. The wine-dealers here are accus-
toned TO use a certain kind of dark green
bottle for red wines which are not manu-
featured in San Francisco. When it is
made here they will be quite ready to use
it-price and quality being the same, of
course.
The wine, liquor and mineral water
houses, as well as the brewers, unani-
mously favor home production An evil
dence OF this is afforded by the fact that
since the trade learned that bottles OF GER
tain kinds N every respect equal to the
corresponding foreign article were being
manu- actured here importatlons fell rs
per cent IL value. Hitherto the average
annual value of imported bottles, duty
paid, sold in San Francisco has been about
$1,000
we have inst received an order from
our traveller IN Sacramento for 100 gross
OF beer bottles. This order was accom-
panied by an imported sample AMI tie
wish was expressed that the order should
De nIied here. Seeing that the improved
local facilities enable US to comply with
that request we snail certainly do So We
also feel assured that Oregon will ere long
falI right IN line and I'LL It's orders here. -
Charles E. Bowen, vice president and
manager OF the Wetmore-Bowen Com
pany, deprecated any suggestion OF preiu
d!ce on the part of the winemen of San
francisco and California. Until re-
Gently" he said, foreign bottles have had
a market simply because they were less ex-
pensive than those of local manufacture.
All attempts hitherto made TO meet this
competition have failed on account of the
excessive cost, though the glass blowers
ana other workmen here are as skiIlful
ana experienced as any in the world.
One explanation of our inability To
proa wine bottle Of the same fineness
as the foreign bottle is that certain hind
OF sand and soda ash cannot be lound IN
oalifornla, and must be imported, Now.
however, these Ingredients are being i'm.
ported as ballast in cargo, at very low