The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-08-31
WHAT STROUDSBURG HAS TO SAY OF
NEW ". H. GIBBS CUT GLASS FACTORY

an important Stroudsburg industry
is from the Monroe Record, one of the
cleverest papers of its kind in this
state:
The new factory of William II.
Gibbs q Co., Incorporated, manufac-
turers of cut glass, located on Scott
street, this place, the plant built by
public subscription, is in operation
and it already presents very lively
scene, although it is not any way
near in full running order. The
shafting was tried out on Saturday
and on Monday the frames, as the
cutting machines are called, were
placed in operation. There are about
20 hands employed at the factory at
this time, all from this town with
the exception of six experienced men
brought here from Hawley, where the
plant was formerly located. This in
itself is a demonstration of the local
value of the vactory.
A Record man called there and was
very pleasantly received by Mr..
Gibbs, who, although head over heels
at work, found time to talk to the
newspaper man of the plans of the
company and the progress already
made at the plant. He was delighted
with the factory erected by means of
the money subscribed by the progress
sive, patriotic business men and 9TH
ers of the borough. And well he
could be for brighter, more attrac-
tive place for men and women to
in could not we'll be imagined.
The factory is not nearly ready for
business, but the company has or
ders on hand and it is anxious to get
the local people in shape to turn out
the products and consequently no un-
necessary time was lost in getting in
operation. The majority of the en-
ployes at present are boys, who are
learning the art of glasscutting,
which has proven so profitable wher-
ever the industry is located.
That they were enjoying the work
and it is very interesting, was best
evidenced by the pleased expressions
on their faces. They certainly did
look happy. They seemed to take
the interest of a veteran in the work
and MIR. Gibbs was loud in his praise
of the work they were doing for the
short time they had been engaged at
it. He declared that they would
make expert workmen if they stuck
to the work and tried. He has ex-
perienced men training them in the
art and they are taking the greatest
of pains with their young pupils.
There was no unnecessary noise
or commotion about the place; every
one seemed to be very deeply inter-
ested in the work at hand. The merry
tinkle of the glass as it was run over
the steel or stone or emory wheels
as the case might be was as music to
the ears of the operatives and to the
visitors, who are very proud of the
fact that the factory is located here
and in operation.
There are now IS frames located
on the second floor of the building,
but this will be increased to Sc in the
course of another week or so. There
are, as stated, 20 employees engaged
at the work, but it is the hope of
the manufacturers to increase this
number to $50 when everything is in
1ull running order. This will afford
some idea of the magnitude of the
youngest industry of the borough.
When it is taken into consideration
that when the industry was first To-
Gated in HOnesdale in 1884, about -
men were at work and today there
are fully 500 engaged at the indus
try there, the start in Stroudsburg
is in every way beyond that of
Honesdale in point of numbers.
While there is no assurance that this
will prove to be anywhere near the
outcome, still there is no reason why
the success of Honesdale should not
be duplicated here, if numbers at the
inception count for anything.
The glass used in the cutting is
known as lead blanks" the only
kind of glass that will stand the cut
ting and polishing. This is procured
from various places, Honesdale, Ro-
chester and so on. 1t is carefully
marked out at first and then given
to the operators. 1t is cut roughly
either by steel, sand and water or by
emory or stone and next the sand is
removed from the creases. The fin
isher takes a hand at the work and
in turn it goes to the polisher, which
work is done by a buffing wheel of
felt, and the washing and parafining
follows in turn. Following a care
full inspection, it is dipped in acid and
is ready for the shipping clerk. 1t is
plain to be seen that much work is
necessary to turn out each piece OF
cut glass, every one going through
this same operation. The value OF
the product depends entirely on the
amount of time that is consumed in
the cutting and finishing One piece
may take an hour and a half or two
or four or five hours. 1t all depends
upon the pattern and the amount OF
labor required to put it on the
market.
Speaking of the industry, which af
fords pleasant and very lucrative EN-
ployment, member of the firm stat
ed that from the very start the cal
ap,it.y bnularo oafd fhaf tho