Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-11

TION INFORMALLY DISCUSSED.
MANY PRESENT IN FAVOR OF
A NEW COMPANY WITH A VIEW
OF SELECTING ANOTHER SITE.
ANOTHER MEETING MAY BE
CALLED.
In response to call there was a
meeting OF the South Side
business men at Mozart hall,
last evening, for the purpose OF
considering the proposition of pur-
chasing and re-opening the old Hobbs
glass house. There was an informal,
yet liberal, discussion of the matter,
and while many of the merchants pres
ent were inclined to disapprove of the
proposed new Hobbs Glass Company,
they seemed to favor the forming of
new company with view of selecting
a more advantageous site for a glass
house.
Senator N. B. Scott, who is at the
head OF the movement, was present,
and in stating the object of the meet
ing, said among other things, that each
person subscribing to the enterprise
might expect to receive dividends reg
ularly, but that 1T would be impossible
to declare dividends until two or two
and a half years after the plant had
been started. He also stated that he
had in view two men who are very we'll
acquainted with the glass business,
either one of whom as manager of the
new factory would no doubt be accept
able to all parties concerned. After
Ncalling attention to the fact that more
capital would be required as the bust
ness increased, ne remarked that the
United States Glass Company had
promised to make satisfactory de-
duction from the price asked, as sew
eral car loads of machinery were taken
away from the plant after the option
had been given. At the conclusion or
his remarks Senator Scott was called
away to attend another meeting, ana
later the various phases of the glass
business were thoroughly discussed.
Mr. NJ J. .O'Neil, into whose hands
the solicitation Of subscriptions to the
enterprise was placed, said that he had
interviewed quite number of the
business men on the South Side ana
had received from about twenty-five
Of 1G-a. init nj
amounting to about $4,000, and was OF
the opinion that there were about one
hundred merchants in the lower emf
of the city who would be willing 10
subscribe if they thought the enter
prise would meet with success.
1t was generally thought by the mer-
chants present that the price, $4,000,
asked by the company is too steep, and
that the purchase of the plant would
be poor investment. 1t was said that
portions of the machinery had been
taken away from the factory at various
times since it's idlenass and that two
furnaces were the only things OF very
much value remaining. 1t was also
held that the plant was badly located,
it being on the hillside and there being
no switches According to the state
meats of those well informed in the
business it would require a suhscrip-
ton Of about 100000 to carry the pro-
ject through with success.
A suggestion that Efforts be made to
organize a new company for the pur-
pose Of securing another site for new
glass house was made and met with
considerable approval.
Reference was made to the West
wood property in the Eighth ward as
a desirable site for new glass rae
tory. The property consists of six
lots, each 100x50 feet and five Of the
lots front on McColloch street between
Forty-frst and Forty-third 1t was
considered very available as a site for
the proposed factory for the reason
that it is on the B. & O. road, and
there is plenty of room in the vicinity
for switches. 1t was said that Mr.
!Westwood offered to any parties desir-
ing to erect new factory, the use OF
his property for the period of ten
years free of charge, with the excep-
ton of the taxes, and that at the ex-
piration of that period will agree to
sell it.
Before adjournment it was intimated
that another meeting would likely be
held in the near future to consider the
ACCESSIBILITY of a new glass company
and the South Side merchants are
urged to treat the proposition with
careful consideration in the meantime.
While the proposition received very lit
tie encouragement last evening it is
hoped that it will be carried through
or will lead to the selection of site
for new factory. There were pres
ent at the meeting about twenty mer-
chants, mostly from the South Side.
The old Hobbs glass house, before
it was closed down, had steady run
and at times employed as many as six
hundred men and boys. 1t has been
idle for the past six or seven years.
1t has been suggested that Mike
Owens, of Toledo, Ohio, formerly of
this city, who is familiar with the
Gins" and ''outs' Of a glass factory be