Cambridge History from News Articles

by Charles Upton
Issue No. 238 - February 1993

HANDICAPPED BY LACK OF BOYS
The Daily Jeffersonian. Cambridge, Ohio
October 11, 1910.

President A, J. Bennett of the Cambridge and Byesville Plants, stated Monday afternoon that both plants were badly handicapped by the lack of boys.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Glass company had had a number of men scouting in the cities and country trying to secure boys to work in the factories, the present force is hardly two-thirds as large as necessary. At the Cambridge plant alone the payroll for boys working there is $500 less than formerly paid, owing to the smaller number now working there. Recently a number of boys came from West Virginia to work in the local plant but they remained only a short time. The boys now working in the glass plants not only receive good wages for boys, but they have an opportunity to learn one of the best paying trades in the country.

"The trouble with the boys now," said President Bennett, "is that they do not want to work. A great many of them would rather go around with a pipe in their mouth, wearing clothes that have not been paid for, than to go to work and earn an honest living and make something out of themselves. They don't look to the future. They will work a short time to get money for their present needs, perhaps, and then stop working to loaf around. The lack of boys in the glass plants is getting to be a serious proposition."

IS BURNED BY RED HOT GLASS
The Daily Jeffersonian. Cambridge, Ohio
January 10, 1911.

David Rice, an employee of the Cambridge Glass Plant, was the victim of a serious accident Monday afternoon, when he was struck on the left side of the face with a red hot snag which had been thrown by a boy working at the same place.

Mr. Rice went to the office of Dr. A. R. Cain, where the injury was dressed. The red hot glass on striking him, spread over the entire left side of his face, burning the flesh in a painful manner.

POTTERY AND GLASS MEN TO MEET IN PGH
A. J. Bennett, of This City, will be Toastmaster at Annual Banquet, January 21.
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, 0hio
Friday, Jan. 10, 1913.

Pittsburgh, Pa., Jan. 10. The annual meeting of the Western Glass & Pottery Association, which is composed of pottery and glass manufacturers, salesmen and others identified with these two trades, will be held at the Fort Pitt hotel, this city, the evening of January 21. Pottery and glass manufacturers salesmen of the Wheeling, Morgantown, East Liverpool and Steubenville districts are connected with this organization.

At this meeting, officers for the new year will be elected.

The annual banquet of the association will be held in the spacious English room at the Fort Pitt Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pa., next Tuesday. Mr. Arthur J. Bennett, president of the Cambridge Glass Co., Cambridge, 0. will be toastmaster. The list of speakers includes Hon. W. D. B. Alney, M. C., Fourteenth Pennsylvania district; Hon. A. J, Barchfield, M. C., Thirty-second Pennsylvania district; Charles H. Garlick, "0ur Ladies" Mrs. Enoch Rauh, Edgar M. Wagner, Rev. Charles L. E. Cartwright.

This is the first banquet given by the association to which the ladies have been invited and as a result this change in the affair gives promise of being one of the most elaborate ever arranged by the Fort Pitt Hotel management.

C. R. McILYAR ACCEPTS PLACE AT BYESVILLE
Former Mill Head Will be Factory Overseer at the Glass Plant There.
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Thursday, April 10 1913.

A news item stolen from the columns of our efficient Byesville correspondent for a more prominent place is as follows:

C. R. McIlyar, of Cambridge, has accepted a position as factory overseer at the Byesville glass plant. While Mr. McIlyar has had but very little experience in the glass trade his extensive experience as superintendent of the Guernsey works leaves him well equipped to manage workmen. The duties of the office will be the looking after company interests in all departments, improving present facilities and originating ideas whereby the same work may be handled at a smaller cost. The new overseer will also have general charge of the work. Mr. McIlyar remarks that the change in work from sheet iron to glassware is a considerable one.

The appointment will be of as much interest to the people of Cambridge, where Mr. McIlyar has spent his life, as to those of Byesville, as a capable and energetic business man, with an excellent record in his former work, his success in his new position is well assured.

It is hoped here that new duties may not compel him to relinquish the active part he has recently taken in Cambridge affairs.

WORKING DOUBLE TURN
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Thursday, April 24, 1913.

The Byesville glass factory has placed at work four additional shops, the men being secured from Tiffin, Ohio. The factory is working full time, double shift.

GLASS PLANT AFFECTED
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Tuesday. May 6, 1913.

The glass plant was almost caused to shut down yesterday on account of a shortage of red lead used in the glass.

A sufficient amount was ordered some time ago, but owing to a delay in freight, the plant was entirely out. The lead has been running short for several days, but all pots of glass were worked out Monday - A consignment arrived in Byesville Monday afternoon and was immediately rushed to the factory.

It will be a matter of probably 48 hours before the pots just starting can be worked.

MUDDY SHOWER IN GLASS CO OFFICE
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Thursday May 15. 1913

Yesterday was warm and employees in the paymaster's office of the Cambridge Glass Company were hard at work with coats off and shirt sleeves rolled up, when suddenly a pipe, used to conduct water for fire emergency use, started a leak. Mud, dirty water and rust, spurred over the diligent workers, soiling shirts and collars, to say nothing of papers and documents on the desks. All made a break for the door and crammed through. After a minute of unceasing flow, the water was shut off. The employees returned to work when they could get the mud and water out of their eyes and off their clothing.

GLASS WORKERS HOLD MEETING
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Saturday June 28, 1913.

A meeting of the Glass House Employees Union No. 14340, the 260 members of which have been out on a strike for two days was held in the Modern Woodman's hall this afternoon for the purpose of appointing a Committee to meet with President of the Cambridge Glass Company, A. J. Bennett, tonight, and endeavor to effect an agreement.

The meeting was presided over by the president, Miss Loretta Touvell. Call Watt, organizer from Pittsburgh, was present.

The local employees are on strike in sympathy with the Byesville employees, who belong to the same union.

GLASS HOUSE BOYS STRIKE
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Wednesday June 23, 1913.

The first turn at the glass plant was off Tuesday night on account of trouble among the boys. It was said that one of the boys was intoxicated Tuesday afternoon and had been discharged. This youngster seems to have been prominent in the boys union and he immediately called a strike and enlisted the sympathies of the boys who refused to work but at 12 o'clock when it was time for the after shift all the boys went back to their places and work resumed in full.

WORKMAN DIES AT GLASS PLANT FROM APOPLEXY
Henry Storm Was Stricken Last Evening While Standing at Window After Work.
The Daily Guernsey Times, Cambridge, Ohio
Wednesday June 18, 1913.

While standing at a window at the Cambridge Glass works after completing his work Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock, Henry Storm fell dead.

Dr. A. G. Ringer was called and made a quick run to the plant in his automobile, but the man was dead when he arrived. Apoplexy is assigned as the cause of death.

Mr. Storm was born in Germany 60 years ago. He came to America when a young man and had been employed by the Cambridge Glass company since the erection of the plant in this city. He was considered one of the best workmen in the plant.

Coroner T. H. Rowles was called. After viewing the body it was removed to the home in Bennett Avenue near the plant.

The deceased is survived by his wife, one daughter, Miss Anna, at home, Henry Storm, Jr., of this city, one son who resides in Philadelphia and two sons living in New Jersey.

The arrangements for the funeral will nor be made until the arrival of the sons from the east.

CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO. AT CAPACITY OPERATION
DAY AND NIGHT SHIFTS WORKING FIRST TIME SINCE '37
The Daily Jeffersonian, Cambridge, Ohio
Saturday evening, November 30, 1940

Capacity operations have been reached by the Cambridge Glass Co., which is now the city's leading industry, and prospects are they will continue into the new year, it was announced Saturday by Wilbur Orme, president of the company.

"We are working day and night shifts with three furnaces in operation for the first time since 1937," Mr. Orme said, "and at present we are employing 657 persons. It is impossible to look too far into the future under present conditions, but our prospects for continuing peak operations the first part of the new year appear very good."

All Departments Humming

The plant of the Cambridge Glass Co. is humming with activity. In the later part of October the company started its second shift and orders for products have steadily been received. Three furnaces were operated by the company in 1937 between three and four months when there was a recurrence of the slump in orders.

Imports Curtailed

"There is only one thing responsible for the increased business and that is the forced cutting off of imports of glassware from foreign countries affected by the war", Mr. Orme said. "These include Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Poland. It is conclusive evidence that the glass industry will thrive when foreign products are not dumped onto the market in this country. Since the war in Europe spread and the countries involved could not ship their glassware into the United States, our business has steadily increased and employment has been boosted.

Demand General

The demand for glassware is general, orders coming from all sections of the country; and includes cuttings, etchings and decorations as well as plain ware. Buying of glass products on a much higher scale began in July which is usually the slackest season of the year and the quantities being ordered are much larger than has been experienced for a number of years. Buyers are also showing. concern over when deliveries will be made, which is also indicative of the stimulated demand for glassware produced in the United States.

Shortage Of Merchandise

"There is apparently a shortage of merchandise in the country," Mr. Orme said, "and it does not apply to any particular section of the country. The situation proves that the glass industry would prosper if our markets were protected against the products of foreign countries."

Plans for business in the new year will he formulated by the Cambridge Glass Co., at the annual meeting of its sales staff with officers of the company.