The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-09
GLASS MAKING
AT BUFFALO
TO BE REPRESENTED AT PAN.
AMERICAN SHOW.
The Exhibit Will Be Historical in
Showing the Different Stages Of the
Industry and the Various Changes
in Method Which Have Taken
Place Since the Earlier Days.



1901 pots. This Importance has de-
veloped by slow stages and many cost
ly experiments. Every department of
manufacture is represented In this
long list from the plate store front to
the tinest and most delicate trinket
In American countries. practical con-
siderations come first, the utilitarian
qualities in any lire OF manufacture
properly receiving the greatest atten-
tion. Artistic and decorative features
follow as time and education create
able in the first production of glass
in America.
Such useful articles as black bottles,
tumblers and other common table ware
were made in Virginia more than a
hundred years ago. These were fol-
lowed closely by the manufacture Of
7x9 window glass and lines Of novel;
ties, many of which have since become
necessary staples.
Glass and glassware at the Pam
American exposition will be represent
ed historically, carefully illustrated
with view Of showing its develop
ment along industrial lines from the
first crude and clumsy productions to
the finest cut glass table ware, deli
cate fabrics and highly tempered
musical glasses. Many interesting pro-
cesses will be shown and many ar
tlcles made on the grounds.
AN ANCIENT ART
Glassware is so common, the gen.
eral public hardly stops to consider
how 1t is made or where 1t comes
from, and the importance to the coun-
try Of a business which employs so
many men and circulates such volumes
Of money, is little considered.
The art of glass making is very old,
so old that it was known in Egypt in
Joseph's time, three thousand five hun
dred years ago. 1t has grown in i'm
portance, volume and variety with
each succeeding century until it has
become one of the staple articles Of
manufacture in every civilized coun-
try. Like all extensive lines of manu-
facture, the business is divided into
specialties. Factories are constructed
for the manufacture of one specific
article in which nothing else is made.
A plate glass factory is a large affair,
covering perhaps twenty acres. Every
thing about the plant is designed and
arranged with a view of facilitating
the manufacture of plate glass with
out regard to any other branch of the
business. The process is extremely
simple and the machinery ponderous
and expensive: SO much so that at
least half million dollars appears to
he absolutely necessary to operate a
plate glass factory successfully.
COMPONENT PARTS.
White sand. soda ash. charcoal and
arsenic compose the ingredients.
though the exact proportions is a
guarded secret, varying somewhat in
each factory. When weighed and
mixed. a certain amountabout five
bushels-is placed in a pot, the pot
lowered into a furnace where it re-
mains for ten or twelve hours before
it is melted and sufficiently homogen-
eous. 1t is then carried to an iron
table upon which it is poured and
rolled out flat, the thickness being de-
termined by strips of iron at the sides
OF the table. 1t is then wheeled into
an annealing oven where it is allowed
TO remain for a day or two, the heat
being gradually lowered. When cool,
it is trimmed, ground and polished af-
ter which 1t is cut to size and carried
to the stock room.
The manufacture of glass mosaics
mas been maintained by the Italian
government for several centuries. The
Individual artistic character of the
workmen enter into this industry to q
greater degree than In any other dec
oratlVe art, in fact, the term fine arts
would easily include this production.
IN the. first place the study of color
Is exceedingly important. The mater
ials or glass are mixed with various
coloring materials, which are chiefly
metallic oxides, in a manner to form
opaque colored enamels. The glass
made In this manner is pressed into
slabs which are cut into very small
cubes or rectangular pieces. Shades
and colors to the number of 10000
are made in this manner which are
GRADED carefully classified and regis
tered.
ART GLASS.
With these colored tints the picture
Is built up, being composed or conied
as the artist decides, the decision in
most cases being determined by the
ability and character OF the artisan
For copying. work of one of the
hne old Italian masters is usuallv
chosen. The art is handed down in
Families from father to son, the artis
TIC value Of the work depending, Of
course. upon individual ability.
The picture is compiled by inserting
pieces OF cubes Of colored glass one by
one In setting of cement which dries
TO extreme hardness. Each piece ia
lifted by being ground at a lathe TO
the exact shape required by the par
ucular tint or color which II is de-
stined to represent in the picture. The
process is extremely slow and when
completed In the rough, the surface is
ground to true surface and care
fully polished.
Another process which has been but
little used for century or more con-
sised OF building complete picture
on each surface OF the finished glass
The process consisted of building up
on each side of a centre web, by means
OF colored glass fibres which were
htted together with the utmost exact
ness and cemented by fusion into a
solid mass. This was afterwards sur
faced by hand. The process probably
comprised the most intricata ap1