Manufacturer Notes: Erie Glass Company, LimitedDirectoriesOntario Union Publishing Company's Farmers and Business Directory For the Counties of Haldimand, Halton, Lincoln, Welland & Wentworth. 1892-3 GLASS COMPANIES Burlington Glass Works Hamilton Hamilton Glass Works " Erie Glass Co of Canada (Ld Port Colborne 1895 No listing in Port Colborne Toronto 1893 GLASS MNFS Erie Glass Co of Canada The (ltd), 4 Wellington 1894 Eaton, John J., sec-treas Erie Glass Co. of Can (ltd), h 26 Tranby av 1894 Erie Glass Co of Canada The (ltd), John M Faircloth pres, John J Eaton sec-treas, glassware mnfrs, 57 Colborne 1894 Erie Glass Co of Canada (ltd) (in liquidation)-57 Colborne. capital, $50,000. John M Faircloth pres, John J Eaton secy-treas. Incorporated 1892 _______________________________________________________________________________________ ... The gas is found about 200 feet nearer the surface than in the Essex field or at Findlay in Ohio, and generally in the Medina sandstone. But although the supply is abundant no large quantities are consumed in the field; the bulk of the gas is piped to Buffalo, where it is used as fuel. There is however some likelihood of a glass works being established at or near Port Colborne this year. Blue, Archibald; First Annual Report of the Ontario Department of Mines 1891 (Toronto, Warwick & Sons, 1892) _______________________________________________________________________________________ In 1892 the Mutual Natural Gas Company supplied the Erie Glass Company with gas at $1,000 per year, and the only stipulation contained in the agreement was that the use should not exceed 200,000 cu, ft. per day, which would be about 1 2-3 c. per thousand cu. ft. Unfortunately for the glass company, but very fortunately for the gas company, this glass plant burned down within a year of its erection. Records which have been made available to the committee show that gas was first sold for domestic use for a cook stove and a heater at $27.00 per year, without any limit upon the amount consumed. In a very large majority of cases this amount was the limit paid for gas used in a private residence, and as the facilities for burning the gas were very crude, the results were extremely wasteful. Session Papers Volume LI.-Part II Fifth Session of the Fourteenth Legislature of the Province of Ontario Session 1919 (Toronto, A. T. Wilgress, 1919) _______________________________________________________________________________________ What the Welland Papers Were Saying Back in October 1892 The Telegraph devotes a column to a story of the newly opened glass plant at Port Colborne, the Erie Glass company. In the course of the tale there is found this optimistic prediction; “Port Colborne is happy and its inhabitants are wreathed in smiles at the realization of the first industry located there through natural gas. “This is only one,” said a citizen. “Others will follow when it is understood that we have plenty of gas. In a couple of years you will see the new factory, roofs shining in the sunlight all over the town. But the government should place a high export duty on the gas; then it would not be long before there would be hundreds of factories between here and Fort Erie.” WellandHistory.com _______________________________________________________________________________________ Port Colborne, Feb. 5.--The Erie Glass Works lately started here, using natural gas for fuel, took fire about seven o'clock last evening, and were totally consumed. The loss is in the neighbourhood of $30,000, which is partially covered by insurance. A large quantity of manufactured stock on hand was saved, also the moulds; but the stock of soda, ash, and other material stored in the building was a total loss. the fire is supposed to have started in the south end of the building, where the packing room and offices were. It is thought the furnaces and pots in it will be saved. It is not known if the company will rebuild. There is no fire protection here, and beyond unorganized pail brigades, the only thing to do in case of a fire is to let the building burn itself out. The Toronto Daily Mail (Toronto, Ontario) February 6, 1893 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Go To North American Soda & Beers Home |