The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 21, 1905

Window Glass Costs More

There Has Been More Than Forty Per Cent Increase in the Cost of Glass Since Early Summer

Window glass is rapidly becoming a luxury. Within the past six weeks the price of this article has been increased to not less than forty per cent over the prices prevailing early in the summer. At a meeting of the western glass window jobbers held in Chicago a week ago another ten per cent increase was made. Local dealers have not received formal notice of this, but expect it within a day or two. They were apprised of the meeting for the purpose of arising the prices.

A Glass Shortage

The reason for the great rise in the price of window glass is a shortage of glass all over the country. Most window glass is blown by men engaged for that purpose. During the summer months it is almost impossible for them to work because of the heat. The glass blowers also have very strong unions and there is an agreement between them that there shall be no work during the hot summer months. For this reason nearly all of the larger glass factories are closed down during the summer months.

There is only one manufacturer of window glass that operates during the summer, the American Window Glass company, which controls a mechanism for the blowing of glass. The machine is patented and the other glass factories cannot make use of it. The American Window Glass company is running at its full capacity, but it is not able to supply the demand on account of the great building boom prevalent all over the west. Inasmuch as there was not a great deal of window glass in stock this summer to begin with it is natural that the price shuld (sic) rise during the summer months.

Price Affects Many

Jobbers say that the retailers are not the only sufferers from the shortage in window glass. The price has been raised to the jobber just as it has been raised to the retail trade.

There is little indication that the price of window glass will be lowered for some time yet at least. The glass factories will not resume work until October 1 and it will require a month for them to get the market stocked. After that the prices will in all probability moderate to some extent,

Tags: 1905