The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
CALLERS" OF THE GLASS BLOWERS.
A Messenger Whose Duty Is to Summon the
BloMpipe Men to Work.

PITTsBuRa. Pa. Aug. 1S-Besdes prldlnR
himself on being n member OF the strongest
labor organization OF the world. one that has
not had real genuine strike for many years.
the window glassworker boasts OF leading q
most irregular life. IrreGularity OF life in this
case. however. does not mean dissipation. for
the maker OF window glass is generally
| a sober. industrious fellow. but in no other
trade are the hours for going to
sleep and going to work so variable
as they are in the window glass industry
The glass in the pot must be in Just the
right condition before the worker will take up
his blowpipe and start in on his days work.
and such are the exigencies OF window glass
melting that he must be ready at all hours Of
the day and night to obey the voice OF the
caller" and jump out OF bed.
The caller" was an important adjunct to the
window glass factory. and although the intro
duction OF the tank furnace has deprived many
callers OF their occupations. many are still con-
nectsd with the old-fashioned pot furnaces
that have not yet gone out Of existence. A
certain quality OF voice Ia a prime requisite for
q successful caller. Its tones are supposed to
penetrate the ear OF a sleeping window
glass worker and to spare the auricular nerves
OF the folk who live next door and want to get
up at a reasonable hour Of the morning. The
caller. who generally attends to the duties OF
q Waterman. too. waits about the factory until
the master teaser." sort OF boss coal-heaver
who supsrintends the placing OF the batch"
in the pots and watches II as the heat Of the
furnaces turns 1t into molten glass. tells him
to call the men. Knowing whore every blower
and gatherer lives the caller starts out on
his rounds In daytime his duties are
soon fulfilled. but should IL be night he
brings his voice into play. The belatod
vandarar 00inp homa mr. n oold w ipfar'a inhf
sees a mufied-up figure standing underneath
a window. with face upturned and hands form
ing q speaking trumpet. and hears a weird
low toned. yet penetrating call.
WHO'D 10000. Whoo-oo oo-oop." sings
/ the caller. Pausing for a moment he resumes
his awakening cry. until n tap on the inside Of
the window pane apprises him that his man Is
awake. Two o'clock "-or. whatever the hour
may be. Thine to go to work." he announces.
in the same tone OF voice. passing on to tho
next house on his list.
| occasional window-Rlass blower will get
| drunk. and the caller. knowing his man. Is
| usually careful. One blower was noted for his
| custom Of trying to break the callers head
| with water pitcher; another. instead OF tap
| ping the window pane. frequently took some
| sort OF a missile to bed with him and threw IL
through the window. It took some time to
wake this man. as the caller spread his hands
over his face to preserve 1t from flying glass
| instead Of using them as q speaking tru mpet.
| 1t is related in window glass legends that one
cold. windy night several years ago. the blowers
and gatherers at factory on the South Side
| trooped to work four hours before the melt
was ready. rubbing their sleepy eyes and won
derinR what new kind OF batch" 1t was that
had become good glass hours before the usual
time They swore whom they found the glass
| would not be ready for four hours. and cursed
the caller for a drunken liar when he denied
was appealed to and he tsstitied that the caller
| had not b cen out OF the factory for two hours
| The men themselves soon admitted that the
| callers innocence seemed clear. when on com
pairing notes they found that while
| all had heard the callers "wloo- 90 oor."
| none OF them had heard him
| announce the time OF night. While they were
| discussing the vengeance they would like to
| wreak on the practical joker, who had got them
| out OF bed there came blast Of wind that
| shook the factory and the mournful "whoo-oo-
oop" In the Callers voice was heard loud and
lit was the wind" the crowd shouted. as Il
turned to go back to bed. Before going the
| men took the caller and there. with his face
upturned and his hands forming a sDeaking
! trumpet, they forced him to learn his call in
another key, differing from the pitch OF the
tune the wind sang.