The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-19


only a step from the southern
boundary OF the city, in the borough
or Moosic, Is now to be found one of
the busiest hives of industry of which
the Iackawanna valley can boast.
Scrantonians can fully appreciate 1t
when 1t Is said that the dreams of the
enthusiastic but unfortunately too
theoretical J. w. Bonita have been re-
alized. "A glass plant Of the most mod
ern equipment, immense in it's propor-
tlons and fitted to turn out a product
OF the most varied description Is what
mas grown up on what might be called
the ruins of the Bonita enterprise.
The Scranton Glass Manufacturing
company is the agent responsible for
this metamorphoss 1t is composed OF
number of prominent capitalists from
various parts of Pennsylvania, and is
officered by ex-senator NJ. Il. McDon-
aid, president: John Il. Edwards, Sec
retary: w. F. Elkin, treasurer, and
Thomas M. Flower, general manager
Bonita, it will be remembered. con-
structed large steel building to en-
close the immense 900 machine he
invented for making decorative plate
glass In panels as large as 14x20 feet.
He lacked practicability and backing
and the enterprise failed. The new
company bought up the plant and pat
ents, put in apparatus for making
staple articles and proceeded to oper-
ate with the plate glass making as it's
lateral, rather than primary. purpose.
OPENED EsTERDAY.
For two months past the company
has been remodeling and adding to the
plant, and yesterday II opened up full
blast with $50 hands, sixty OF them ex-
pert glassblowers.
The main building OF the plant is
16Ox174 feet, and the property repre-
sents an outlay of 100000. II is located
on a sixteen-acrc tract, the eastern
and western boundaries Of which are
the Delaware, LackawannA and West
ern and Delaware and Hudson rail-
roads. The former company has a
switch extending into the works, and
the latter Is to build one In the near
future.
General Manager Flower, whose
father grandfather and great-grand-
father were all glass manufacturers,
and who has been connected, in an
official capacity, with some of the
largest glass concerns in the country,
says that this plant Is the most mod
ern in the United States. When the
plans in mind are carried out II will
also be one of the largest. Its tank
has a capacity of ninety tons.
The plans contemplate large addi-
tion for the purpose of extensive manu-
featuring of glass pipes. General Man
ager Flowers patented process for
making glass pipe Is the only one
Known that Is an absolute success.
Bonta's, 1t will be remembered, was
found impracticable. For two hundred
years glassmakers have been trying to
devise some scheme by which glass
pipe could be made a commercial pos
sibility. Mr.. Flower has hit upon a
successful plan. He has invented a
core which will permit Of pipe being
successfully moulded. and has discov-
cred by extensive experimenting, the
proper kind Of mixture to compose
the material of the pipe.
STRONGER THAN IRON.
A section of pipe. four feet long. six
inches in diameter, and seven -eights
OF an inch in thickness has been. by
way of test. thrown from a second
story window to hard pavement
without suffering a scratch. 1t is
claimed for it that it is stronger than
cast-iron and, as 1t does not corrode.
is much more desirable. 1t can be
tapped" more readily than an iron
pipe and holds thread just as well, II
not better.
The making of plate glass for decor
ative purposes Is carried on in some
few factories, but the machinery now
in use Is crude, as compared with
Bonita invention, and will not be able
to compete with it. The Bonita ma
chine will do one hundred per cent.
more work in given time than the
best or the other contrivances, with
an immeasurably less per cent. of
breakage and at half the cost. Event
ually the plate and pipe business will,
II is expected. monopolize the resources
or the plant. At present glass bottles
only are being turned out. The orders
ON hand are keeping the works going
at their full capacity night and day.
The new industry is a great boon to
the village of Moosic. Glassblowers
earn from So tn so a day, and as rule
they are the kind of men who should
be welcomed to any town. Already
more than one hundred boys have been
taken from the breakers and furnished
employment which not only pays them
better, but puts them In the way of
learning a trade which In five years
will enable them to earn in day what
they now have to work two weeks for.
Plans are already drawn for a plant
to be located alongside the glass works,
at which graphite products, such as
mineral paint, crucibles and lubricat-
ing oils are to be manufactured. Prac-
tically the same parties who are at the
head of the glass works are projecting
the graphite factory. The material is
secured from mine in Arizona con-
trolled by company of which ex-
Senator Mcdonald is the head.
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