, 1923-02-22

In view of the fact that there are
said to be large eastern glass factor
les which ship silica sand, lime rock,
sodium sulphate, etc, from points as
far distant as 800 miles, Rawlins can
point with pride to the large de-
posits of silica sand recently dis
covered within a few miles of the
city. This sand, as was stated re-
Gently in the columns of The Re-
publican, has been analised and has
been found to contain all the proper
ties necessary for successful manu-
facture of glass. The samples sub
jected to chemical analysis contains
9S.5 per cent silica; O.97 per cent
aluminium oxide and but O.23 per
cent iron oxide. 1t is the high con
tent of silica and the unusually low
content of iron oxide which makes
the local sand particularly valuable
to the manufacturer of glass.
Three other features of the local
situation should not be owe looked
by the glass manufacturer desiring
a suitable location.
In the first place this city a
boast of a great supply of the highest
quality lime stone. This stone is
necessary for the manufacture Df
glass and the fact that It may be
obtained within a mile is Of great
Importance.
Rawlins is also in the heart of
the great Wyoming coal fields and
furthermore can offer the prospective
investor an almost inexhaustable
supply of natural gas. This item
alone is of great importance.
Last but by no means least is the
fact that this city is on N of the
best trans-continental railroads OF
the country. thus offering a glass
factory easy access to the markets
of the west. Transportation play
an important part in the success %
any factory and. altho high grad
silica sand has been found in otheI
sections of the state. lack of ade
quate transportation for the glas,
has prevented the manufacture
from taking advantage of the raw
material.
Now what would a glass factor!
mean to Rawlins?
Should n glass factory be started
In this city II is probable that 4
would open on a small scale ant
would increase In size as the bust
ness warranted. From the infor
nation at hand II would seem that q
tw~enty-four blower plant would b,
the minimum. A plant of this size
would manufacture window glass
and possibly other articles. But
600 900 cubic feet OF gas would b,
required n day. II window glass
alone was manufacturer the daily
output of this size factory would be
In the neighborhood OF 10000 square
feet. Each day there would be re.
CURED from IL 10 Is tons OF silica
sand from five to six ons OF lime
and from three and n half TO four
and n half IONS of sodium ~sulphate.
The labor required would consist
OF twenty four blowers. twenty-four
ratherers. twenty four snappers. six
flatteners and forty unskilled en-
ployees. making n total of one hun
dred and twenty men.
a past number of the Scientific
American Monthly" In telling of the
American Glass Industry states that
the first need for glass In America
came from the demand for glass
beads from early settlers in Virginia
and other colonies. The beads were
needed for purposes OF barter with
the Indians and II was to meet this
supply that Italian glass workers
were brought TO the lev world. The
article In The Scientific American
Monthly gives the following story OF
the early days of the American glass
industry:
The story OF glass making in this
country dates back TO the beginning
Of the 18th century. and the records
show that the English colonists erect
cd n plant Mt jamestown, Virginia,
along about 1909. Those pioneers
prahahIxy ranrnvnal th.uNN.tg,a tsNfb
the blowing of bottles. Twelve years
later. n group OF Italian craftsmen
were induced to sail for Virginia.
and their cunning was devoted to
the fabrication OF beads so much de-
sired IA n bnrtcring medium IN the
settlers dealings with tho Indians.
Gradually. tho manufacture OF glass
OF divers sorts wns taken up by
other OF tho American colonies. and.
ma might be expected. interest for
tho most part was conferred In pro-
viding bottles and window glass.
needed alike by rich and poor.
For decades glass making In this
country was confined to the settle
ments along the Atlantic coast.
whore was TO DO found sand In plenty
lime from oyster shells. potash from
wood ashes. and an abundance OF
fuel In the prevalent stands OF alb
original timber. II was not until
1896 that coal was used to develop
tho necessary fusing or melting heat
and tho first plant marking this de-
parturc was built at Pittsburg. Gen.
orally speaking. the matter of fuel
has since become ono OF the prin-
clpal factors IN determining where