Manufacturer Notes: Olean Glass CompanyOlean is also hone of the Olean Glass Company, employing between one to two hundred, in making of flint glass, bottles and jars.Until sale to the Thatcher Manufacturing Company, Mr. Franchot was for several years president of the Olean Glass Company. Doty, William J.; The Historic Annals of Southwestern New York. (New York, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1940) _______________________________________________________________________________________ Frank Leverne, youngest son of Ebenezer Bartlett, was born in Alleghany county, New York, December 25, 1858. He was educated in public schools and grew up on the farm.....He is president of the Olean Glass Company;.... Cutter, William Richard; Genealogy And Family History of Central New York (Baltimore, Clearfield Company, 1912) _______________________________________________________________________________________ 1. During 1896 the Olean Glass Company began operations at a new plant in Port Allegany with the purpose of manufacturing glass bottles. The company located in Port Allegany because of a newly discovered vast supply of natural gas, good glass rock in the vicinity, & the availability of two railroads for easy shipping. The original plant burned in 1903 and was rebuilt even larger than before. The plant was in operation until 1912 and was sold at bankruptcy sale in 1913. source: Glass in Port Allegany Charles H. Catlin reprinted 1991 www.smethporthistory.org/port.allegany/glass.factories/olean.glass/olean.glass.htm _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass Works was located on Buffalo Street near Thirteenth Street and begun operations in 1883 by S.W. Pancoast. It was sold to H. S. Davis in 1886 but once again upon the return of Mr. Pancoast and his family from Ohio, Pancoast made plans to reopen the glass works. The glass works were badly scorched by fire in September 1894, and once again in January of 1896 the main building destroyed by fire. In the year 1899 they employed 172 hands. Once again in 1905 the glass works suffered a fire losing two large buildings. In 1913 a fire hit the plant again. www.northoleanhistory.com/earlyindustryin.html _______________________________________________________________________________________ In 1933 Thatcher purchased the plant of Peerless Glass Company of Long Island City, New York, and in 1935 it acquired all of the capital stock of Olean Glass Company. www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/chrono.html?company=thatcher_glass_manufacturing_company_inc _______________________________________________________________________________________ To The Citizens of Olean Having been appointed to canvass this town in behalf of the Olean Glass Works, the undersigned wishes to state briefly the object to which the funds which may be raised in this way will be devoted in order that all may be understood beforehand. The company referred to is made up of men who are not capitalists, but industrious, practical workingmen who have investigated the resources and advantages of your city and are leaving situations of trust and profit and come to Olean for the purpose of establishing a glass manufactory which will be a credit both to themselves and to the town and afford them an honest livelihood. They have already received valuable encouragement from the Board of Trade of this place and have their sanctions in making this canvass. They now come to you and ask you to subscribe such amounts as you feel able and willing to give toward this object. Various subscription papers have been circulated in Olean for purposes not yet accomplished. Some of them are likely to come to nothing but the Olean Glass Works will not ask you to pay the amount of your subscription until the work is well under way. Then whatever you may feel disposed to donate will not be squandered, but laid out judiciously and economically toward the actual construct of building and equipment thereof. This will be entered upon immediately and the public may be assured that no further funds will be asked for this purpose. It is believed that this enterprise is but the entering wedge which will result in the building up in Olean of a manufacturing interest which will prove permanent in its character and when the oil business has become a thing of the past, when the last barrel of oil has reached its destination, and when the last iron tank has rusted to its foundation--the glass business, if properly managed, should add thousands to your inhabitants and infuse new life into every avenue of business. Already negotiations are pending with parties in neighboring cities which will doubtless prove successful. The members of this organization have sufficient faith to warrant them in investigating all they have in the enterprise, and respectfully ask your assistance to place this new industry on a solid basis, assuring you of fidelity on their part. W. B. McCARTNEY The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 10, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Glass Works. The arrangements for establishing glass works in Olean are favorably progressing. The Poughkeepsie glass blowers are packing up bag and baggage, and expect to arrive here with their families by July 19th. Immediately thereafter the work of constructing the works on the site selected near Thirteenth street and the railroad, will be proceeded with. The more the sand is examined, the more apparent becomes its superiority. It is doubtful if there is in the United States today, a deposit of glass sand to compare with the Olean article, as to purity and quality. There is no reason why the time should not come, and that very quickly, when the glass works of Olean shall employ ten thousand people. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 10, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ THE OLEAN GLASS WORKS AFTER MUCH BLOWING REAL BLOWING IS COMMENCED. The First Week's Work all that Could Be Expected-Glass Making in Good Earnest. The genial George Winters sat behind his forty dollar Maud S. yesterday and calmly looked down upon our pencil pusher, as he scornfully said, in reply to some playful badgering: "Can we make glass down at our shop? Can a duck swim? Can a Democrat drink whiskey? Just get into my plush covered phaeton behind Jay-Eye-See and come see for your self. Make glass? Why my dear deluded friend, since Monday we have been working faithfully in the interests of the Democratic party, having in that time turned out several hundred gross of good old pint whiskey bottles." Winters is nothing if not a joker, and when a good pious Republican (like George) gets short of joking timber he always makes some reference to the Democratic party and demijohns. It pleases the Republicans and don't hurt the Democrats, so why object to the harmless pastime. The Olean glass works is quite a pretentious looking building, one hundred and fifty feet long, eighty feet wide and twenty feet high, located on Buffalo street, near the track of the Olean and Salamanca Railroad. The first glass was made in it last Monday, and the test proved highly satisfactory, though like all new institutions, it will take some little time before everything runs as it should. "We have demonstrated, however," said Mr. Winters, "even by our work the past week that we have a first-class sand, a factory that we can crush and melt it in, and men competent to make it into saleable ware. I am well pleased, whether any one else is or not." As you enter the building, a scene of great activity and interest, greets the eye. In the center of the room is a furnace full of molten glass, and at various openings a man, or perhaps several men, with long blowing tubes, thrust one end into the fiery mass, and with two or three skillful turns gather enough on the end to make a bottle. This handler of the pipe blows through it into the mould; the shapeless lump of glass cleaves to the sides, and assumes whatever form the mould gives it, it less time than we can write. Every blower is provided with a helper. The bottle is next taken to the "glory hole," another small furnace intensely heated, where the neck is quickly attached, and another boy carries it to the annealing oven, where it is given a chance to bake for three days. This baking is done to soften it. It is then ready for market. The most ordinary form into which glass is made is bottles, and the Olean glass works commenced on them while perfecting their appliances. Of course, they will be able to increase the variety of goods made in a short time. In fact they already have several large contracts for patent medicine bottles, pop bottles, fruit jars, etc. The glass sand or stone is first passed through a powerful crusher which dissolves it into fine sand. With a proper mixture of soda ash, line, and salt, the "stuff" is put into the melting furnace and subject and subject to a most powerful and intense heat of from two to three thousand degrees. The melting is done mostly at night, so that the glass may be ready for the blowers. Natural gas is used for fuel. The room in which the work is done is made very high, with ventilators in the roof to let the heat escape. The whole process is, to those unaccustomed to it, very novel and interesting, and we hope, when the works are thoroughly settled down to business, to give our readers a detailed description of the process. The Olean Glass Company is incorporated with a capital stock of $25,000. Geo. L Winters is President, and owns one-third stock. The balance is held by the practical glass blowers, A. Fralinger, Vice President, Chas. Dolloway, Treasurer, William Bryant, Secretary, S. W. Pancoast, Superintendent, and David Pancoast, who came here from Poughkeepsie. These men are all steady, industrious gentleman, with families, who have moved to Olean, and have the utmost faith in the future of the place as a great glass center. They are indeed a valuable acquisition to the town. The company have thus-far spent, in this plant about $10,000. At present about twenty-five men and boys at work. This number will be speedily increased to fifty, and at no far distant day, to one hundred. It is only justice to Mr. Winters to say that except for his energetic labors, and financial aid, the glass works would probably never have been here, and we hope he and his fellow stockholders may realize all they anticipated. Mr. Winters took hold of the scheme on a comparative uncertainty, when others stood by with their hands in their pockets. Olean has too many of these sitters-around and lookers-on, who are always in favor of every new enterprise, if somebody else will do the work and put in the money. They want a sure thing at about twenty per cent interested. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) October 9, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --The Glass Blowers of the United States have one of the closest and most successful Unions of any of the trade organizations. By their rules, every glass blower in the country must stop working July first, and keep quiet for two months. So completely is this role enforced, that scarcely a glass factory runs during these two months. In accordance with this custom, the fires in the Olean glass works were put out Tuesday, and will not be lighted again until September first. In the meantime many improvements will be made in the works preparatory to the fall campaign. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 8, 1884 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --Wm. Bryant and Chas. Faatz have rented the Olean Glass Works, and will run it the coming year under the name of the Union Glass Works. The stockholders had resolved to close the establishment up, as it is understood that the institution has lost money constantly since it was started. Mr. Bryant, however, believes that it can be run profitably, and he and his partner, a gentleman from Scranton, will undertake it for a year, anyway, and we hope they will meet with success. It seems a pity that Olean's glass industry, which promised so brilliantly at first, should be given up as a failure when there seems to be a fair chance to make it successful. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) September 2, 1884 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean's glass works appears to be suffering from mismanagement, owing, no doubt, to the experience of the leaders. It is effectively settled that an excellent quality of glass can be manufactured here, and with the advantages of natural gas and an inexhaustible supply of sand rock this country can complete with any manufacturory. The present failure is due although to the experience of the managers. The glass business here is suffering like all new enterprises usually do. It is believed, however, that the success of this new industry here is only a question of time. Evening Observer (Dunkirk, New York) September 22, 1884 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --The Union glass works has been compelled to make an assignment, the assignee being their late book-keeper, Mr. Brown. The company was doing business on a small capital, and the dull times made it impossible for them to meet their obligations. The Olean Glass Co., which is still financially solid, and while not manufacturing any goods, has a quantity of their old stock yet on hand to dispose of. The assets of the assigned company are $800 and the liabilities about $1,800. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) February 17, 1885 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --Mr. Emerson informs us that the Olean glass works are not dead--only sleeping. There is some talk of reviving the industry, as there are still many who believe glass can be successfully and profitably manufactured in Olean. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 2, 1885 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Contract for Making Bottles The Olean glass works, which have been in operation since Sept. 1st, have turned out samples of colored glass of which it is proposed to manufacture bottles for P. H. Shumway for use in bottling the Sizerville water. 400 gross of bottles will be manufactured there for Mr. Shumway, if the quality is satisfactory. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) September 15, 1887 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --Mr. Pancoast, of the Olean glass works, has presented the HERALD with a sample bottle manufactured there, which has stood the test of 60 pounds and driving ten-penny nails. He has a contract to manufacture 56,600 such bottles for P. H. Shumway. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) October 6, 1887 _______________________________________________________________________________________ A Prosperous Industry. The Olean Glass Co. to-day closed a contract with the Dr. Craig Ozone Medicine Co., of Rochester, N. Y., for a large order of their kidney cure bottles. The glass works, under the management of Mr. S. W. Pancoast, shows flattering prospects of being one of Olean's leading industries. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) January 26, 1888 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --The Olean Glass Works are very busy at present getting out an order of Sizerville ware. The company has furnished a large amount of bottles for that trade, during the last year with the best satisfaction. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) May 3, 1888 _______________________________________________________________________________________ ECHOES of the PAST SEPTEMBER 7, 1888 The Oleans Glass Works started work again. Fifteen employees made glass oil cans. Olean Evening Times September 7, 1928 _______________________________________________________________________________________ S. W. Pancoast of the Olean Glass works received a large order this week from Theodore H. Goeb, proprietor of the southern bottling works of Galveston, Texas, for a number of bottles. Mr. Goeb has examined samples from various parts of this country and concluded that the best specimen was made in this City. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) August 15, 1889 _______________________________________________________________________________________ BLOWING BOTTLES An Operation With Which a Great Many People are not Familiar. A HERALD reporter happened to be in the vicinity of the Olean glass works an evening or two since could not withstand the temptation to drop in and watch for a few moments the process of blowing bottles. It was after dark and the bright fires in the furnaces threw a fitful glare over the large and dusky room occasionally lighting up in a weird manner the faces of the workman as they dodged to and fro at their work. As the reporter gazed at the curious scene the thought struck him that perhaps a short description of the process might be read with interest. The process begins with the gatherer. His blowpipe is a tube of wrought iron five or six feet long and of lighter weight than the pipe used in blowing window glass. He dips the end of his pipe into the molten contents of the boot, and brings out a mass of red-hot plastic glass. If the bottles to be blown are small one gathering suffices, but for larger wares two or even three gatherings may be necessary to get the requisite supply of material on the end of the blowpipe. When the gathering is done properly this lump of red hot glass is a perfectly homogeneous mass. Its subsequent fortunes rest with the blower. He takes the blowpipe from the gather, and, resting the plastic glass against a marveling table or stone or iron, he gives the pipe a few adroit rotations thus fashioning the glass into an even cylindrical shape. By further rolling it along the edge of the table he forms the smaller prolongation of glass which is afterwards to become the neck of the bottle. Lifting the still red hot glass from the table, he blows through the pipe, forming a small bubble of air in the interior of the mass of glass. This is afterwards extended until it becomes the inwardness of the bottle. The party fashioned bit of glassware is now introduced into the mould which one of the "shop" boys has already opened to receive it. For convenience in working, the mould is placed on a somewhat lower level than that on which the blower stands. It is made of cast iron, and is commonly formed in two pieces. One of these is stationary, while the other opens outward, its motion being controlled by a foot lever. When the blower places his incomplete bottle, still attached to the blowpipe, into the mold, he closes the mold with his foot, and blows through the pipe until the plastic glass is everywhere forced against the sides of the mould, and has impressed upon it the form of its prison. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) December 26, 1889 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The recent stevedore strike in England has caused the Olean glass works to shut down for the present, as they are unable to procure soda ash for use in the making of Glass. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) April 3, 1890 _______________________________________________________________________________________ T. H. Pancoast returned Thursday from a business trip to New York, Philadelphia, and other eastern cities in the interest of the Olean glass works.s (sic) The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 31, 1890 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean glass works, which have been shut down during the hot summer months, will start up again September 1 at double the former capacity. The company will employ between ten and fifteen blowers and fifteen or twenty other hands. Extensive improvements have been made in the works during the vacation, and largely increased facilities added. The company have sufficient orders ahead to keep the works busy night and day until Christmas. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) August 28, 1890 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Operations Commenced. The Oleans glass works started Monday morning with two furnaces and five additional men. This is about double the capacity of the last year and business to the amount of about $150 a day is being done. A large amount of orders are on hand and Messrs. Pancoast Sons are pleased at the outlook for the coming year. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) September 4, 1890 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean glass works are now running with a force of thirty-one employees. Their wages range from $3 per week for boys to $6 per day for expert workman. Their pay roll amounts to about $300 weekly. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) October 16, 1890 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass Works have shut down for the season. They will greatly enlarge the works, and have a much larger output the coming season. They will employ also a large number of hands. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 9, 1891 _______________________________________________________________________________________ THE OLEAN GLASS FACTORY. Some Interesting Figures on Last Year's Business-Prospects. Since the Olean glass factory shut down the last of June for the summer vacation the company has been engaged in making some extensive repairs. The furnaces are being remodeled so as to increase the capacity about one-third. A large warehouse for the storage of soda in bulk will be built and the W. N. Y. & P. railroad will put in a private switch for the company, their increasing business necessitating better shipping facilities. Last year the glass works gave employment to forty-five to sixty will be employed. The factory makes nothing but green and amber bottles, but these are made in all styles and sizes, and their quality guarantees their sale everywhere. In fact the Olean glass works have acquired an enviable reputation for the excellence of their product. Book-keeper J. L. Clyde, who is somewhat of a statistical crank, furnishes the following interesting figures concerning the factory's output last year: The total number of bottles made was 2,327,280, in the manufacture of which were used sixty-five car loads of material-sand, soda, lime and broken glass. Mr. Clyde has figured out that if last year's output of bottles were placed side by side they would make a row 149 miles long or over twice as far as from here to Buffalo. The best day's blowing by one man last year was 1296 bottles in nine hours or one gross per hour. The shipments last year ranged from Chicago, Illinois, to Boston, Mass., and from Enosburg Falls, Vermont, to Roanoke, Virginia. One order was for 1810 gross of bottles for Dr. Kendell, proprietor of the large patent medicine laboratory at Enosburg Falls, N. Y. Shipments to one party in Philadelphia amounted to 4100 gross. Twelve hundred gross of shoe and stove polish bottles were shipped to Buffalo. Several car loads of ammonia bottles were shipped to eastern cities. Forty of the shipments made during the year were car lots. The rest were small lots. The prospects are that the factory will do an even larger business next year, beginning September 1, than in any previous year. The Olean glass factory is one of the most thriving industrial institutions of the city, and its success is a matter of interest to every citizen. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) July 30, 1891 _______________________________________________________________________________________ THE GLASS WORKS S. W. Pancoast & Son's glass works on North Buffalo street were never busier than now. They are running at full capacity, are doing considerable night work, and are way behind on orders. Sixteen blowers and thirty-five other hands are employed. The blowers are paid from $115 to $165 dollars per month, and the wages of the other hands range from $3 to $12 per week. The works manufacture all kinds of bottles, which are sold in car lots to wholesalers in New York and Boston. Their product has a reputation for superexcellence and is in demand ahead of all others. There are two large furnaces in the works, and Messrs. Pancoast contemplates putting in another to increase the capacity. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) October 22, 1891 _______________________________________________________________________________________ THE OLEAN GLASS WORKS WHAT S. W. PANCOAST & SONS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED As noted in the HERALD at the time the Olean glass factory on Buffalo street started up September 1, after the annual summer shut down, at a greatly increased capacity. During the summer enlargements and improvements have been made that have placed the factory among the foremost of Olean's industries and a brief history of the plant may not be devoid of interest. The factory was built in 1883 by a stock company composed of five eastern glass blowers and some local capitalists. S. W. Pancoast, of Millville, N. J., who had nearly forty years experience as a glass manufacturer and had successfully managed several factories, was instituted as manager, and during the first three months of the company's existence the stockholders's (sic) doubled the money they had invested. They did not consider this making money rapidly enough, however, and the company was reorganized, more local capitalists being taken in and another manager substituted for Mr. Pancoast. The works were operated at a loss until June of 1884 when they were shut down. In the fall of 1884 the manager organized the Union Glass Company and another attempts (sic) was made to operate the plan (sic). It proved as disastrous as the former attempt, however, and after a few months the effort to establish the industry on a paying basis was abandoned. The factory stood idle until May of 1887, when S. W. Pancoast and his two sons, Harry and Vernon, undertook to operate it. They had a cash capital of $600, and the former stockholders in the concern regarded their action as foolhardy. The Pancoasts were all practical glass workers, however, and were content with small beginnings, economy, hard work and small profits at first. They started the shop with one blower and began the manufacture of glass oil cans. In the fall of the same year they put on another blower and commenced the manufacture of a general line of bottles, employing eight workmen. The following spring their business had increased to an extent that warranted them in increasing their force by the addition of two more blowers and six more helpers. The factory underwent some enlargements and improvements in 1888, and in the spring of 1889 the force of blowers was increased to six. The plant now began to be too small for the force of workmen employed, and during the summer shut-down of 1890 a new furnace was built, the ovens were enlarged and other improvements made to meet the demands of the constantly increasing business. In the fall of that year the works started up with thirteen blowers and seventeen other workmen. Last year this force was increased to sixteen blowers and about thirty-five other men. This was as large a force as the factory could accommodate with existing facilities. Gas was being used for fuel and there was not sufficient of it to operate a large plant. The company therefore began to talk last spring of seeking a new location for the plant where more gas at cheaper rates could be procured. Later, however, satisfactory arrangements for a sufficient supply of fuel were made with the Keystone Gas company, and it was decided to remain in Olean. Accordingly during the past summer the plant was again enlarged in preparation for this season's operations. Both furnaces were rebuilt and increased to about double their former capacity, three annealing ovens were built, the three old ones enlarged, a new two-story packing house was built, the sand warehouse and the mixing room were enlarged and a new stock warehouse 20 by 100 feet in size is now being erected. The works started up September 1 with twenty-one blowers and about thirty other workmen. This force was increased the first of this week to 26 blowers and about thirty-five other hands, and in a few days more, when the improvements are completed, thirty blowers and forty other workmen will be given employment. The improvements each year have been made by the Pancoasts themselves, who have devoted the profits of the business to that end. They have personally attended to the greater part of the work and are active laborers in the plant every day alonside (sic) their employees. They thoroughly understand their business and they employ none but the best workmen. Their blowers work by the piece and earn from $5 to $8 per day. The wages of the other workmen range from $1.50 to $2 per day according to the nature of their work, and a small army of boys are employed whose wages range from 50 cents to $1.50 per day. The boys who are industrious and anxious to learn are given a chance to work their way up in the business. Three of the blowers at present employed are Olean boys who began at the bottom round. Old and experienced glass workers employed at the factory say it is now one of the best equipped and most handily arranged shops they have ever worked in. The company claims to be able to make glass in competition with any company in the United States. They manufacture a general line of bottles, but their specialty is high-pressure goods, such as soda water, ginger ale and mineral spring water bottles. They report business as good, and the assertion seems to be demonstated (sic) by the fact that that they have run full time each year since they began business. The works have started up promptly each year on September 1 and run until July 1 of the following year, while other and larger factories have been obliged to lie idle ... part of the time owing to a scarcity of orders. The only time lost by the Olean factory since Pancoast and Sons took charge of it was last year when two hours were lost on account of a mistake in mixing a batch of glass. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) September 6, 1892 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass factory had to close to day on account of the short supply of gas which is causing them much inconvenience. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) January 20, 1893 _______________________________________________________________________________________ THE OLEAN GLASS WORKS They Have Been Greatly Enlarged and Improved Lately. The Olean Glass factory on Buffalo street has undergone a great many changes and a number of additions have been built during the past few months, so much that the capacity has been more than doubled. The concern now has what might be termed three separate factories. They are as follows? Factory number 1, have six blowing-ring tank and works fourteen blowers and twenty other hands. In this factory they manufacture high pressure ware in green glass such as mineral water, beer and soda water bottles. Factory No. 2, has a four-blowing-ring tank and has room for twelve blowers and fifteen other hands. It operates amber ware in wine and ginger ale bottles, flasks, and druggists' wares. Both factories Nos. 1 and 2 are located in the old building. Factory No 3 is located in the new building and has an immense eight ring-tank with room for twenty-four blowers and thirty other hands. It is run on all kinds of druggists' glass bottles in green and of a superfine quality. Factory No. 3 is gotten up and operated on the latest improved methods, including one of the best equipped and largest lehrs in use. This lehr is a great improvement on the old process of annealing glass ware. It is on a continuous plan (sic), loaded near the furnace and carried through a tunnel, over sixty feet long, with afferent apoartments (sic) of different temperatures. The ware is carried through this lehr or tunnel, on a sort of railroad with the motive power of a lever. When the ware has reached the end of the lehr it is perfectly annealed. It is then taken from the lever and packed ready for shipment. In this manner the glass is packed for shipment the same day it is moulded. The furnace in factory No. 3 is the result of fifteen years study by S. W. Pancoast, the senior member of the firm. It is considered by all the workmen, who have seen it, to be the best and much superior to anything of the kind they have ever seen. In connection with their new buildings they have a spacious appartment (sic) in which they manufacture all their boxes for shipping purposes. This department alone employs a large number of hands. They use for packing purposes hay which they buy in Michigan. They claim it is much superior to that which they buy here and they also can buy it at a much lower figure. The extensive improvements they have been making will reach a cost of nearly $10,000. In a few days the firm expects to put on about ten more blowers, when they will have working steady about fifty blowers and in all about one hundred hands. The firm average a shipment of two cars a day the year around and that in itself in equivalent to a great deal of labor. This company is gaining a reputation for making a quality of glass that is getting to be a leader in the glass market. Among the reasons given for its superior grade is that the material used in its manufacture is all of the best. The soda ash used comes from Norwich, England, and the lime is the celebrated Toledo white lime which is used by manufacturers making cut glass ware and other ware of the finest quality. While this company use only the best material obtainable, and while the first cost is slightly above the average, the manufacturing facilities are such, with the proximity of raw material in stone which is found in great plenty on the hills near by, that the cost is kept down from what it would otherwise be, and in fact, gives a glass way above the average while the cost is considered low. The produce of this concern finds a quick sale. It is handled mostly by jobbers in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and other cities. Their trade extends over the entire country. It is a decidedly creditable concern for Olean and though starting a few years ago merely as an infant, it has grown to be one of the largest manufacturing enterprises in this section of the country. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) March 10, 1893 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean glass works will be forced to close down a furnace unless boys can be secured to attend the blowers. This is first class fishing weather. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) May 18, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean's Loss OLEAN, Sept. 8.--Fire early this morning destroyed the packing houses and sheds of the Olean glass work, owned by Pancoast & Sons. The loss is $30,000. Insurance small. The works were to have been started today after an all summer shut down. Hornellsville Weekly Tribune (Hornellsville, New York) September 14, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass company made its first shipment yesterday since the disastrous fire at the works about September first. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) October 5, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --While drilling a well for water at their factory, the Olean Glass Co. struck oil at a depth of 40 feet. The well yields about a barrel a day. It will be drilled deeper and torpedoed. Singularly enough, though Olean has long been a great storage point for the Standard Oil Company and owes its name and existence to the fluid, it has never before boasted a producing well.--Jamestown News. The Evening Democrat (Warren, Pennsylvania) October 29, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass Company started their third furnace this morning with a good sized force which will be increased. The company recently secured a large order for bottles from the South Carolina state dispensary committee, The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) November 13, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Incorporated x-2 Stock Company The Olean Glass company has been incorporated into a stock concern under the state laws. The capital of the company is $50,000. Officers for the ensuing years have been chosen as follows: President. W. S. Pancoast; vice-president. V. W. Pancoast: secretary, J. L. Clyde; treasurer, T. H. Pancoast. The alteration in the firm will probably bring about an enlargement of the works and other improvements as soon as possible. New blowers are being constantly added to the force. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) December 7, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ December 19, 1894, Samuel W. Pancoast and others to the Olean Glass company, Olean city, $32,500. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) December 25, 1894 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The only big fire during the year was the one which partially destroyed the Olean Glass Company's factory on Buffalo street in the early morning of September 8. Several ware houses filled with stock were burned, entailing a loss estimated at $30,000, with an insurance of less than $9,000. The stock had all been manufactured to order and was awaiting shipment. It was a severe blow to S. W. Pancoast and sons, the owners of the plant, but with characteristic energy they set to work to recoup their losses, and they now have the factory running at its former capacity, employing nearly fifty blowers and about 125 other workman. The Olean Democrat (Olean, New York) January 1, 1895 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean's glass factory started up Monday morning. Twenty-four men were put to work. The factory will run day and night to fill its orders. Hornellsville Weekly Tribune (Hornellsville, New York) September 13, 1895 _______________________________________________________________________________________ This Day In Olean's History TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. Friday, Sept. 7th, 1898 The Olean Glass Works opened for for (sic) the winter with 15 hands employed. Olean Evening Times September 6, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Well Struck on the Milo Lyman and Company Territory One of the Largest in the Field. ............ The Lyman well just opened is one of the best yet struck. It is said the Olean Glass company has made a big offer for it, for use of their window glass plant to be established at Roulette. ................ Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) February 3, 1902 _______________________________________________________________________________________ --The Schwarzenbach Brewing Co., of Galeton, recently placed an order with the Olean Glass Co. for 1,000 gross of bottles. The order will fill five good sized box cars. The Wellsboro Gazette (Wellsboro, Pennsylvania) October 1, 1903 _______________________________________________________________________________________ ECHOES of the PAST Sept. 8, 1904 The Olean Glass company reelected all the officers and N. V. V. Franchot was added to the board of directors. Olean Evening Times September 8, 1924 _______________________________________________________________________________________ A Farwell Party--The machine men of the Olean Glass Co. gave a farewell party to Otto Crannell and Joseph Harvey Saturday night........Mr. Harvey and Mr. Harvey left on the 10:15 train Sunday morning for Hazelhurst, Pa, where they will be employed in the glass works. Olean Evening Times April 5, 1909 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Glass Workers Transferred--The glass workers of the Port Allegany branch of the Olean Glass Co. are being transferred to the local plant. The Port Allegany plant will be shut down for the present at least, owing to the lack of gas in the village. The Port Allegany men to be located here number between thirty and forty. Olean Evening Times February 11, 1910 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Both the blowing and machine departments at the Olean Glass Co.'s works, Olean, N. Y., are operating steadily. The season thus far has been excellent for both men and the company. The Newark Advocate (Newark, Ohio) May 13, 1911 _______________________________________________________________________________________ INCREASED WORK IN OLEAN GLASS WORKS Orders piling in upon Olean Glass Co. so Fast that It Has Difficulty in Filling Them The back end of the tank at the Olean Glass Company fell in Monday morning. The company immediately began repairs and the work of repair was completed last night. The fire was renewed last night, so that the employees lost very little time because of the accident. The Olean Glass Company anticipates putting fire in the other tanks and starting work with two extra machines. Two machines from the lower tanks will be taken to the upper plant and added to equipment there. Orders are piling in upon the company so fast that difficulty is found in filling them. Olean Evening Times April 3, 1912 _______________________________________________________________________________________ IN OLD YORK STATE Trade Report Covering Present Conditions in Next G. B. B. A. Convention City The Glassworker, organ of the glass trade, in a review of the present conditions of that industry in Olean says: At the Lean Glass co.'s works in the blowing department, as stated in my previous report, everything is moving along in good shape and all the shops are doing nicely. In the machine department the shops started to work last week and it looks now as if everything is in good shape for the balance of the season. This company also started the other department with four more machines, night and day shifts, which gives employment for 16 gathers and pressers, making 38 men in all in this department. It is reported that all shops are doing fine. At the Acme Glass Co.'s plant they now have at work in the small factory 10 shops as follows:.................... The officials of the company are rushing work on the big furnace and are doing all they can to have it ready to make glass by May 15. The writer is in hopes that they will be ready by that time so the men will be able to go to work again. .......... Olean Evening Times April 23, 1912 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass factory will close tonight at midnight for a month. Olean Evening Times July 31, 1912 _______________________________________________________________________________________ DELEGATES POUR INTO CITY Vanguard of Great International Convention of Glassworkers have Already Come to Town Coming of Convention Serves to Emphasize the Growth of the Glass Manufacturing Business in This City and its Importance as a Center of the Industry --Important Questions to Come Up in This Convention .................. Olean as a Glass Center The importance of the glass industry in Olean is shown by the fact that this city should have been chosen by the international organization as it meeting place this year. Few of the citizens of the city fully realize what a great factor the glass industry really is in the industrial life of the community. For the benefit of the uninformed it might be stated that the first glass factory was founded in Olean in 1882 by the late S. W. Pancoast and that it has been running ever since that time having been incorporated in 1894 under the name of the Olean Glass Company. The company now employs about 175 hands and their payroll varies for $110,000 to $115,000 a year. Although it is difficult to estimate with any great degree of accuracy the actual output in number of bottles, it is probably not less than 25,000,000 annually, counting all sizes and including both hand and machine blown. The officers of the company are F. L. Bartlett, president; N. V. V. Franchot, vice-president; J. L. Clyde, secretary and treasurer. The last named is in active management of the plant. The directors include the officers and F. E. Collins and Allen B. Williams. It is interesting to note in this connection that Mr. Pancoast, the founder of the factory, came to Rock City in the early eighties and started an experimental tank, using the sand and quartz which form the great masses of the Olean conglomerate that give Rock City its name. He later returned to Binghamton with samples of his output and the people of that city were so pleased that with no difficulty at all capital was secured for the organization of a company and the plant was built and placed in charge of Mr. Pancoast at Olean. Mr. Pancoast was the first man who ever used natural gas for the manufacture of glass and the first practical plant using this fuel was the one which he established in Olean. Olean's younger glass factory, the Acme, employees in the neighborhood of 200 men and has a payroll of close to $125,000 a year. Every working day two carloads of bottles are shipped, mostly of the larger sizes. The factory runs ten months a year. The new factory was started in 1895 and has had a prosperous business from its foundation. Its officers are J. E. Farrell, president, M. A. Brunner, vice president; A. J. Cullather, treasurer; and Joseph Sharp, secretary. The directorate includes besides the officers mentioned Joseph M. Tomes and J. J. and P. J. Spindler. ........................... Olean Evening Times August 3, 1912 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean Glass Factory Opens For New Blast Tomorrow The Olean Glass company will open for the fall blast tomorrow. There will be one furnace with five machines to begin with, and the remaining two furnaces will be started as soon as they can be repaired, probably within a fortnight. The factory has a goodly number of orders ahead. Olean Evening Times August 29, 1912 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass Company this morning started its furnace for the manufacture of hand blown ware. This puts the entire plant in operation and means the employment of regularly 18 additional blowers. Owing to the fact that there were not enough boys 12 of the men could not go to work this morning. Twenty-five more boys could be used to advantage at the factory and it is hoped that by tomorrow morning that many will have reported for work. Olean Evening Times October 10, 1912 _______________________________________________________________________________________ OLEAN GLASS CO. A CREDITOR Bankrupt Firm in New York Owes Company Several Thousand Dollars (Special to Olean Times) New York, Jan. 16.--A claim was filed here today by the Olean Glass Company of Olean, N. Y. against the Hydrox Chemical Company, which is going through bankruptcy proceedings here. The claim shows that the bankrupt firm owes the Olean company several thousand dollars. The Hydrox company was capitalized at $50,000 and had put on the market the product known as peroxide of hydrogen. Olean Evening Times January 16, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Olean Glass Company will open their plant tomorrow after two weeks' shut down to repair the damage done by the flood. The Acme Glass company reopened their plant yesterday. Olean Evening Times April 8, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Hand Workers To Go Back to Work Monday The Olean Glass company, which shut down at the time of the high water, when their entire plant was flooded and the fires in the furnaces out, have got the plant into working order again. Two of the machine furnaces are already running and it was stated that this morning by one of the officials of the company that the hand-blown furnace will be ready to operate on Monday next. The company and employees are both somewhat inconvenienced by the shut down which came in the very midst of the busy season and there will be general satisfaction at the news that the factory will again be running full force within a short time. Olean Evening Times April 11, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ GLASS PLANT WILL PUT ON 90 MORE MEN Olean Glass Company to Abandon Factory at Port Allegany-- Bring Blowers Here Hand Blown Flint Ware Will be Manufactured in Remodeled Furnace at Buffalo Street Factory Announcement has been made by the Olean Glass company, that the glass plant at Port Allegany operated by the company is to be abandoned on July 31st on account of a scarcity of natural gas at that point and that the 30 glass blowers employed there will be added to the force of the Olean Plant on Buffalo street. This will mean an increase of 90 employees at the local factory. One of the furnaces at the Olean plant will be remodeled to accommodate the new blowers and the same class of ware will be manufactured here as is now being turned out at the Port Allegany, that is hand-blown tank flint. The Port Allegany plant has not been as long established as the Olean plant and has always been regarded as a branch enterprise by the company. With the decrease of natural gas in that section the cost of fuel would render the continued operations of the plant inadvisable and it will be an economic gain for the company to consolidate the two factories in Olean, where they have their private plant for the manufacture of gas from coal and where their main offices and sales departments are located. The Increase of the force at the Olean factory will be most welcome and will mean much to the city. The thirty glass blowers are all skilled workmen and draw good wages, while also giving employment to twice their own number of helpers. Although the Olean factory was the first one where natural gas was ever used commercially for the manufacture of gas (sic) ware, it was found some years ago to be too costly a fuel at the rapidly increasing rates to prove economical and the manufactured gas was substituted for it. Olean Evening Times May 13, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ OLEAN GLASS PLANT SOLD Acme Glass Company Taken Over and Will Operate Plant A deal has been closed whereby the Acme Glass company of this city, have purchased the factory of the Olean Glass company located on Buffalo street near the intersection of Thirteenth. Possession will be given where the fires are resumed in the fall of this year and the factory will be operated by the Acme company in connection with their plant in North Olean. The former owners of the Olean Glass company have reserved the space to store their stock, already made up, and also the rights of selling and shipping this stock until it is entirely disposed of. The fires in the Olean Glass plant will probably go out about the middle of this month. In a conversation with J. E. Farrell, president of the Acme plant this morning, he stated that the company had made no plans as yet in regard to enlarging or remodeling the newly acquired property. Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) July 11, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ ACME CO. HAS BOUGHT OUT OLEAN GLASS TWO PLANTS with Combined Payroll of Over $23,000 a Month Will be Operated Under Single Management Possession Will not be Given Until After Fires are Drawn--Firms Will Turn Out Over 45,000,000 Bottles Annually The Acme Glass company has purchased the plant, good will and business of the Olean Glass company, and hereafter the glass industry in Olean will be under a single management. The deal was closed yesterday afternoon but the Acme Glass company will not take possession of the Olean plant until the fires are drawn for the summer shutdown and perhaps not until the factory is ready to open next fall. The two factories will continue to operate as before and the sale of the Olean factory does not mean any decrease in output. The Olean Glass company retains possession of its branch plant at Port Allegany, but this too will either be sold or perhaps closed. It was the original intention of the Olean Glass company to move the branch to Olean this fall, but the sale of the local plant has probably frustrated that part of the program. The consideration involved in the sale of the plant has not been made public but from the magnitude of the business and the importance of the interests involved, it is safe to say that it is one of the largest deals pulled off in the recent history o f the city. The Olean Glass company is one of the city's pioneer industries, it was founded in the early 80's by the late S. W. Pancoast, who was the first man to use natural gas for the commercial production of glass. It has always been a bottle manufacturing plant and has never branched out into the manufacture of plate or window glass. The first buildings were built in 1883 and the business had a remarkable growth since that time. The capitalization of the company is $100,000. The present company was incorporated in 1894. F. L. Bartlett is the president of the corporation; N. V. V. Franchot, vice president; J. L. Clyde, secretary and treasurer, and the active manger of the business. The Board of Directors includes, in addition to the officers above named, Allen B. Williams and F. E. Collins. The average number of men and boys employed at the plant is 175 throughout the season, which varies throughout the season, which varies from 10 to eleven months each year. Of these many are highly skilled and highly paid blowers and machine men. Three tanks of six rings each are in almost constant operation. There are eighteen blowers employed on the handblown ware and 38 Pressers and gatherers, or machinemen. The payroll each month averages about $12,000. Staggering Figures There are a few people in the city who will not be staggered by the figures showing the number of bottles turned out by the plant each year. Last year--the plant probably ran only about 3-4 of its maximum capacity--6,359,099 pounds of glass was worked up into 22,098,012 bottles, or more than enough to make a line of bottles entirely around the earth at the equator placing one bottle every six feet. The plan of using natural glass was abandoned some years ago and now the glass company manufactures its own gas direct from coal. The amount produced varies of course with the amount of glass to be melted each day and although the gas is not metered, some idea of the amount may be gathered from the fact that the factory uses in its manufacture of gas on an average of 22 tons of coal a day. The Acme Glass company, although its history dates back only to 1895, also occupies an important place in the industrial development of the City. Capitalized at only $50,000, it employs about 220 men and boys and 270 when running to capacity and operating its two tanks, one a five ring and the other a nine ring. Its capacity is practically 16,000,000 bottles a year. It makes chiefly bottles of the larger sizes. Its payroll is $11,000 each month exclusive of the salaries of the office workers, which total about $8,000 annually. The president of the Acme Glass company is J. A. Farrell and the directorate includes the vice-president, M. A. Brunner; the secretary J. A. Sharp; the treasurer, A. J. Cullather, Joseph Tomes and Spindler brothers, all of whom are Olean men. The combination of the two plants will probably result in some economy in operation and a material reduction in the cost of production. President Farrell said this morning that their plans for the future business were definitely made, but assures the reporter that the Olean plant would be continued and run heretofore. The combined capacity of the two plants will be upwards of 45,000,000 bottles annually, or more than sufficient to girdle the earth at the equator if they were placed only a yard apart. The payroll will exceed $23,000 each month. Olean Evening Times July 11, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ $10,000 FOR PLANT But Olean Glass Blowers Say Inducements Were Not Strong Enough Allegany, N. Y., August 1.--About twenty of Olean's glass blowers who have been thrown out of work by the closing down of a glass plant in Port Allegany, N. Y., last night appeared before about 20 of the business men of this village in the council room of the town hall. The glass men have been looking for a suitable location to start a glass plant, provided sufficient inducements were forthcoming from the town or village, which received the proposition most favorably. The business men of Alleghany had heard of the move on the part of the glassblowers and asked them to come to Allegany. At the meeting last evening the village offered the men the equivalent of $10,000, and giving them 24 hours to consider the matter. W. S. Dodson, who acted as spokesman at last evening's meeting, stated today that the glass blowers did not consider the inducement strong enough to warrant the forming of a company in Alleghany and that the offer will be declined. Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) August 1, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ OLEAN BLOWERS BUY PT. ALLEGANY GLASS FACTORY Deal Closed This Morning Will Install New Gas Plant A deal was closed this morning whereby several former employees of the Olean Glass company purchased from F. L. Bartlett, the Olean Glass company's plant at Port Allegany. The consideration is private. Among those who were present when the deal was closed this morning were W. S. Dodson, former foreman of the Olean glass plant; R. W. Wilson, John Burley, William Mathias, William Harvey, Joseph Harvey, and Otto Cornell. The plant is a mammoth one and when running full blast will employ fully 125 men and boys. The plant contains two furnaces with 10 and 6 rings respectively, Possession will be given Thursday but the plant will probably not be opened until the middle of September. It was stated this morning that the plant would undoubtedly run a full force of men and boys. On account of a great many of the glass blowers being on vacation and therefore out of the city, organization of the company will not be made until their return. The plant has always been a paying investment but was compelled to shut down on account of lack of natural gas. To overcome this difficulty, however the new owners will immediately commence the erection of their own gas plant which will assure them of enough gas to keep their plant running without a shutdown. The plant manufacturers bottles only and will run both machines and blowers. Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) August 1, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ E. E. EVANS is In Charge of Olean Glass The Acme Glass company, which last summer purchased the plant of the Olean Glass company on Buffalo Street, have decided to open the factory next week. The newly purchased works will be placed in charge of Elmer E. Evans, a skilled glass worker, who has had years of experience at the craft and who is member of the executive board of the Glass 'Bottle Blowers' Association of America. The amber tank will be the first one to be put in commission. This is a seven ring tank and will employ 21 blowers to start and after the tanks get well under way there will be additional men employed bringing the number working on the amber up to about 30. In addition to these there are of course, a large number of boys and unskilled workmen and helpers. The five machines in the machine factory are being repaired and a little later this shop will start up employing not less than 20 skilled and as many more unskilled laborers. The Acme Glass plant at North Olean is already running and is turning out bottles in large quantities. Olean Evening Times October 7, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ OLEAN GLASS CO. TO CLOSE PLANT Tanks Exhausted and Orders for Season Filled The Olean Glass Co. will closed it's plant on Saturday night according to an announcement made this afternoon. The reason for the shut down is that the amber tank from which the company have been making their stock this season has been exhausted and the greater share of the orders of the company filled. The Acme Glass company, who own and have been operating the Olean Glass plant, are shutting down the Olean plant because of the cost of operation, as well as the fact that the amber tank has been exhausted. It was stated today that the Acme plant has several orders for amber bottles and will start an amber tank at the Acme works. Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) February 18, 1914 _______________________________________________________________________________________ VERNON W. PANCOAST DIED AT MOTHER'S HOME SATURDAY Death Was the Result of Injury Received Three Years Ago PROMINENT IN BUSINESS HERE ..............His death was the result of an injury received over three years ago in DuBois, Pa...watching a celebration in the city...chimney...toppled...Several bricks struck him one causing a fractured skull. .............. Vernon Whipple Pancoast was born in Hamilton, Canada, in 1869. He came to Olean in 1882. He became a junior partner in the glass manufacturing business of S. W. Pancoast and Sons founded by his father in May, 1886. This concern was latter merged into the Olean Glass Company, of which Vernon W. Pancoast was made vice president of the company's Port Allegany plant. .............. Mr. Pancoast sold his interest in the Olean Glass Company in 1900. He went to Alden, N. Y., where he established the New York Glass Works of which he was the proprietor. He disposed of this plant three years ago after meeting with his fatal accident. ......... Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) August 9, 1915 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Real Estate Transfers Olean Glass Co. to Acme Glass Co. $1. Olean Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) November 22, 1915 _______________________________________________________________________________________ SMALL FIRE SUNDAY .....corner of Buffalo and Thirteenth streets. The cause of the fire in the old Olean Glass company's building which is now out of use. Of late tramps have been making the place their rendes-vous....... Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) December 26, 1916 _______________________________________________________________________________________ VOLUNTEER GARDENERS PLAN ORGANIZATION AND GARDENER LECTURE Another drawing for vacant lot gardens was held................ Among the recent contributions of land are plots by John E. Farrell, president of the Acme Glass company on the Olean Glass company site, Buffalo street, the Bolley site, Franklin street and an acre on the Keener sub-division........... Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) May 5, 1917 _______________________________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL NOTICES. NOTICE-O. H. Whetson Co., now in its new Hide Store located on Buffalo St. in Olean Glass Co.'s old plant. Wanted 100,000 deacon skins. Olean Evening Times May 16, 1919 _______________________________________________________________________________________ FORMER OLEAN GLASS FACTORY SITE IS SOLD Jaekle Brothers Buys Buffalo Street Property; Will Conduct Coal Business A deal was closed yesterday, whereby the site formerly occupied by the Olean Glass factory and owned by the Acme Glass company was purchased by Jaekle Brothers' livery. The old site of the Olean Glass factory is located on Buffalo street and was purchased some years ago by the Acme Glass company of Jackson street. It is understood Jaekle Brothers intend to conduct a coal business at their newly acquired property. Olean Evening Herald (Olean, New York) June 16, 1925 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Jaekle Brothers Purchase Site Of Former Olean Glass Company On Buffalo Street From Acme Glass Co. ...................... Previous to being acquired by the Acme Company, the property which consists of six and one half acres of land and a number of buildings, housed the Olean Glass Company for many years. At one time the Olean Glass Company employed 250 men in the manufacture of hand machine blown bottles. The company was organized in 1883 and 1894 under the laws of New York state with a capital of $100,000. Jaekle Brothers, it is said, plan on developing the tract to recover oil, which it is believed lies in large quantities a few feet under the surface....... .................. Olean Evening Times June 16, 1925 _______________________________________________________________________________________ EASTERN GLASS TAKES OVER ACME Purchases Capital Stock Of Olean Glass Industry The Eastern Glass Company of New York City on Tuesday completed the final Arrangements whereby the company purchased the entire capital stock of the Acme Glass company of Olean, the plant of which is located in North Olean. Samuel Kostin and Samuel Glickstein, sole owners of the Eastern Glass company, are now sole owners of the local concern. Mr. Kostin was elected president of the local company at a meeting of directors held on Tuesday. Enlargements and additions to the Olean company are expected to be made by the new owners after the annual shutdown of the plant about the first of July, Mr. Kostin announced today. The changes which are contemplated for the coming summer season will enlarge the capacity by approximately twenty-five per cent, it is estimated. Within the next several years, Mr. Kostin says, the addition of a new tank and machinery in the local manufacturing plant will have increased the capacity to three times that of the old plant. No changes in the personnel of Acme company plant will be made by the new owners, a fact which they emphasize. W. D. Snell, Jr., who has been in Olean for some time in the interests of the Eastern Glass company, will be general manger of the Acme concern. This appointment, however, will be the only change made in the working force. The new president of the company (?) that the business policy in relation to purchase of Olean products used in the Acme plant will be continued by his company. "raw materials, supplies, insurance and all commodities which may be needed for the plant will as far as possible be secured here, he stated. Announcement of the consideration for which the transfer of the property to the Eastern Glass company was not made by the new owners. It was many times the original capitalization of the company, it is reliably stated, and old stockholders in the company realized a large profit on the transaction. Olean Evening Times May 5, 1926 _______________________________________________________________________________________ RECEIVERS HAVE TAKEN CHARGE OF OLEAN GLASS WORKS Olean, April 9--Future of the Acme Glass company here now rests with three Olean men, who have been appointed receivers, Bonds of the receivers, Frederick W. Kruse, former justice of the appellate division, supreme court; E. W. Fitzgerald, secretary of the Olean Chamber of Commerce and W. D. Snell, manager of the local plant of the Acme company, have been filed in the federal court in Buffalo. The receivers now are in full possession of the affairs of the concern. Dunkirk Evening Observer (Dunkirk, New York) April 9, 1929 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Local Interests Act To Reorganize Acme Glass company Operations will Continue By Olean Glass Company, Inc. Local interests which acquired the assets of the Acme Glass Company at the receivers sale held here on September 6, have filed certificates of incorporation with the Secretary of State at Albany, N. Y., is was learned today. The new Concern, the Olean Glass company, Inc. has been formed for the purpose of taking over the assets of the Acme Company and will continue the business formerly carried on under the name of the Acme Glass Company. From information received today it is understood that the ownership of the enterprise will continue to be entirely local and the new company will be adequately financed by large interests, thus leaving an important local industry in operation which employs approximately 150 men. It is also understood that W. B. Snell is to be general manager of the new company. Joseph B. McCormaick, long associated with the glass industry in Olean, will also hold an important executive position. All legal matters in connection with the reorganization of the company were handled by the law firm of Franchot, James & Warren of Buffalo and New York City. C. Pascal Franchot, member of the firm, is a son of N. V. V. Franchot of Olean, and a graduate of the Olean High School. Olean Evening Times September 27, 1929 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Authorities Arrest Pair For Glass Company Fraud Heads Of Former Olean Plant Face Grand Larceny Counts. Samuel Kostin and Samuel Glickstein, New York City, officers of the Acme Glass Company which was recently reorganized under the name of the Olean Glass Company, were arrested last week for grand larceny, it was learned today. Kostin and Glickstein are being held in connection with a contract which they made as owners of the defunct company. Kostin was released on $15,000 bail, it was learned. The pair are specifically charged with having defrauded a Brooklyn bottling house, Glickstein & Terner, of $50,000. The pair are alleged to have discounted notes received in payment for future orders in Philadelphia. Following their disappearance, the company went into the hands of receivers here and was reorganized. Operations under the new management followed the receivership without necessitating the suspension of factory operations. Police said Kostin and Glickstein went to Europe before they were indicted. They are alleged to have returned recently. Olean Evening Times March 3, 1930 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean Glass Soon To Put Men To Work Plant No. 1 Now Being Heated Preparatory To Operations First indications of Spring unemployment relief were seen today in an announcement that Plant No. 1 of the Olean Glass Company units is about to resume operations. Rather than a seasonable relief, however, the announcement includes the statement that employment will be given to about 125 men bringing the total number of Olean Glass Company employees to about 350. Willis B. Snell, Jr., general manager of the Olean Glass Company, stated that the plant, located at Franklin and Johnson Streets is being fired today. Mr. Snell predicted that at the end of ten days the glass will have reached a workable temperature and actual operations will begin. "A steadily increasing business makes this step necessary as with the beginning this month the company had more than 50,000 gross of unfilled orders on its books," Mr. Snell declared. When the New York City owners of the Acme Glass Company were alleged to have disappeared slightly more than a year ago, receivers were appointed for the company by Judge John R. Hazel, Buffalo. The company's new plant was kept in operations for five months when the Olean property of the company was sold by the receivers to local interests and Mr. Snell was made general manager. Since that time the company has been owned and managed entirely by local people under the corporate name of the Olean Glass Company. Notwithstanding the experience in which the former owners are said to involved the Acme Glass Company, the new management has been able to reestablish cordial relations with leading consumers of its wares and a steadily increasing business has been secured. The operation of Plant No. 1 not only will assist in taking care of this business but it will provide for the annual repairs which have to be made without entailing a complete shutdown. Olean Evening Times March 31, 1930 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Entertained At Farewell Party The employees of the Olean Glass Company tendered a farewell party at the Eagles Club rooms, Sunday, in honor of W. B. Snell, Jr, who has accepted a position at Washington, Pa. After a brief address by Joseph Costanza, secretary of Local No. 44, Glass Blowers Association, Mr. Snell was presented with a watch and chain, fountain pen and pencil set as gifts of remembrance of his employees. Mr. Snell and family left Tuesday evening for Washington to make their future home. Mr. Snell until recently was general manager of the Olean Glass Company, Inc. Olean Evening Times July 23, 1930 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean Glass company Will Continue Under New general Manager Buffalo Public Utilities Executive Replace Willis B. Snell, Jr. At Head of Local Industry Definie (sic) assurance that the Olean Glass Company will continue operations were given today by J. H. Meyers, vice president and general manager. Mr. Meyers, Buffalo Public Utilities executive and efficiency expert, joined the local organization Tuesday morning following the resignation of Willis B. Snell Jr, who had been general manager of the company since its inception. In speaking of the situation which now confronts the owners and operators of the Olean Glass Company, Mr. Meyers declared that a comprehensive investigation of all affairs pertaining to the company has been made. Organizations and men of national repute have been employed to make the survey, he indicated, with the result that they believe it possible to place the company on a sound basis. Considerable readjustment in operation methods and supervision are to be made, Mr. Meyers indicated. N. V. V. Franchot and W. A. Dusenbury, principle figures behind the Olean Glass company, were quoted by Mr. Meyers as being vitally interested in keeping the plant in operation. That interest, he pointed out, is amplified by the present industrial and business depressions which is prevalent throughout the United States. In concluding his explanation of the situation, Mr. Meyers repeated that the officials of the Olean Glass Company have come to a decision to definitely continue operations. Olean Evening Times July 24, 1930 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Acme Glass Men To Get Back Wages Court Rules $16,000 Shall Be paid By Receiver Workers of the former Acme Glass Company, will receive money due them as wages from the assets of the defunct company by a ruling of the Supreme Court, it was learned today. Frederick W. Kruse, former chief Justice of the Appellate Division, receiver for the Acme Company, has been ordered to pay the workers affected amounts totaling $16,000, the court ruling that the workers money was due them as wages and was to be preferred. Justice Kruse will start paying all men affected by the ruling here Wednesday. A considerable amount of the money involved in payment is believed to be amounts held from men's wages by Acme Company officials to be invested as part payment in stock of the former Acme concern. Olean Evening Times November 25, 1930 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Former Olean Man Made Manager of Olean Glass Plant W. D. Dugan Is Put In Charge Of Local Organization Now A former Olean man, Walkerman D. Duncan, has been appointed general manager of the Olean Glass Company plant, it was announced today by J. H. Meyers, vice president of the firm, who has been managing the plant since reorganization was affective July 22, 1930. Mr. Dugan has been associated with the Brockway Glass Company, Brockway Pa, as secretary and financial advisor and comes to Olean with a thorough understanding of the glass business. Under the reorganization plan, Mr. Meyers will continue as vice president of the firm, but will assume new duties at Buffalo. Franklin D. Pollock, who has been acting as general sales and assistant to Mr. Meyers will return to New York as sales representative. Mr. Meyers stated that the company, which is now operating the plant here at full capacity, is planning to expend approximately $100,000 in improvements. Two new lehrs and automatic stackers will be installed, it was said, and other minor improvements made in an effort to make the plant one of the most modernly equipped and laid out of its kind. Rumors that the plant was contemplating a shut down were spiked by Mr. Meyers as untrue. "We have no intention of shutting down," he said, "recent layoffs of men were merely to correct an over-manned condition." Olean Evening Times May 16, 1931 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Near Goal In Drive For Funds Approximately $7,000 Needed in Community Chest Campaign. Approximately $7,000 is yet needed to attain the enrollment goal of $30,000 for the annual Community Chest budget..... ................. "The notable feature of the campaign are the great increases in subscriptions from the employees of various city departments. Those from Vacuum Oil are the highest on record. The Olean Glass Company employees' subscriptions are within about $20.00 of those of last year with about fifty less men. The workers of the Olean Tile Plant subscribed one hundred per cent and a total of eighteen per cent in excess of any former year. ........................ Olean Evening Times June 3, 1931 _______________________________________________________________________________________ R. J. CULLATHER DIES WHILE IN TRENTON FOR FUNERAL OF SON'S WIFE Olean, Oct. 2.--R. J. Cullather, 955 North Union street, old and widely known resident of Olean, died....... Mr. Cullather was one of the founders of the Acme Glass Company, now the Olean Glass company, and assisted in directing its affairs until it was sold to the new company a few years ago....... Salamanca Republican Press (Salamanca, New York) October 2, 1933 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean Glass Company Loses R. R. Rate Case Washington, Sept. 22 (AP).--The Interstate Commerce Commission today dismissed the complaint of the Olean Glass Company of Olean, N. Y., against the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The Glass concern charged that rates upon cullet from Philadelphia were excessive. Syracuse Herald (Syracuse, New York) September 23, 1934 _______________________________________________________________________________________ BROCKWAY GLASS WAS STARTED ON COOPERATIVE PLAN BROCKWAY--The Brockway Glass Company, Inc., was founded in 1907 by twelve employees of the Olean Glass Company of Olean, N. Y. It started on a cooperative plan with J. B. Marsden as its president, A. A. McFarland, secretary-treasurer and general. .......... Clearfield Progress (Clearfield, Pennsylvania) January 9, 1940 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Olean Glass Plant Won't Be Reopened Olean--The Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company will not put its Olean plant into operation in the foreseeable future, according to the annual report of Frank B. Pollock, president. The report said that equipment at the Olean plant not needed at other Thatcher plants has been put up for sale and Thatcher Co. has taken steps to dispose of the Olean plant. When the Olean plant shut down, June, 1948, 285 employees were released. The Bradford Era (Bradford, Pennsylvania) March 9, 1949 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Thatcher Glass Firm Property, Olean, Purchased for $200,000 Olean--Sale of the idle industrial property of the Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Co. to a storage firm for an estimated $200,000 was completed here yesterday afternoon. The purchaser is the Olean Warehousing Corp., Rochester, N. Y., whose president, Claude Wrights, confirmed the transaction by telephone last night. He made the purchase estimate...... The Bradford Era (Bradford, Pennsylvania) December 29, 1951 Go To North American Soda & Beers Home |