THE FIRST FACTORY: PORT COLBORNE IS THE CHOSEN SPOT

The First Glass Factory in Canada to Use Natural Gas-The Site Located-A Wealthy Company.

[Welland Telegraph, 3 July 1891]

On Saturday last Mr. Miller of Buffalo, the president of the glass company, accompanied by Mr. Gatchell, of Lancaster, N.Y., a gentleman who has been interested in many of the large glass factories, and at one time a stock holder in the Hamilton glass works, came over to view the land, and if possible to decide upon a suitable site on which to build the company’s first factory. Upon arriving at Port Colborne they were received by Reeve Cronmiller and the reeve and deputy-reeve of Humberstone. To these three gentlemen too much praise cannot be given for the indefatigable manner in which they have worked by giving time and money to establish industries in the locality for the purpose of utilizing the grand gift bestowed upon the people of Humberstone and Port Colborne by natural laws, and to increase the trade and commerce in the neighborhood. Time and again have they been to Buffalo and other places interviewing first this one and then the other as to the best methods of making most of their natural gas, so that the farmer as well as the merchant shall reap the greatest benefit. The outcome of their up-hill labor will soon be realized. A company is formed, a charter is to be applied for forthwith, and the work of building the first glass factory in the county of Welland will be started as soon as it is possible to get the materials together. This is the start, and it is only right to surmise that there are lots to follow. Port Colborne and Humberstone must soon be amalgamated and become the great natural manufacturing district of Ontario, nay of Canada, as with the many advantages that they have over and above any other site in Canada must finally bring them to that lofty position. The people or their representatives, the councils, must encourage companies to build factories, not by giving bonuses and crippling the taxpayer, but by giving free sites, taxes and even natural gas where practicable. If such a course is adopted and faithfully carried out it will not be long before the value of land as well as farm products will greatly increase in value, and the future market for the Welland farmer will be at the great Manchester of Ontario.

Armed with full power to act in the interest of his company, Mr. Miller came over on Saturday to look about and see the neighborhood and also to get Mr. Gatchell’s opinion, as a practical gentleman, of the best position to build the first furnace. A carriage was waiting at the station for the party, who were joined by Mr. Cox, of St. Catharines, the company’s solicitor, and a start was at once made to make a survey. The most convenient site was considered that next to the grain elevator as it is convenient for shipping either by hand or water. The party was driven around Humberstone and inspected several of the gas wells. The Morningstar well was lighted for the benefit of the visitors and the immense pressure of gas caused such a deafening roar that the majority of the gentlemen thought it wise to keep at a very safe distance. This well is in the market and will be sold to the first man who will give $5,000 for it, and as Mr. Miller is ever on the alert for buying a good thing, it is possible that ere long the Morningstar well will be the property of the Americans.

After leaving the above well the party was driven to the Ontario Silver Company’s works, with only one break in the journey which was made for the purpose of testing Canadian home industries. On arriving at the works Mr. Leonard McGlashan, the corpulent, genial and ever accommodating manager, informed the strangers that it being Saturday the hands finished their labors for the week at 3.15 p.m., and as it was little past that hour he could not show them the factory in full working blast, but would be pleased to take them through, which he did, and very minutely explained the whole workings of the concern, much to the satisfaction of the visitors. Great credit is due to Mr. McGlashan for the first-class style in which everything is got, up and the immense number of labor saving machines that he has secured to enable them to complete with all comers, and one cannot be surprised at the fact that they are always full of orders; using natural gas as fuel everything is kept spotlessly clean about the place and to a stranger the use of such a commodity for manufacturing purposes must appear marvelous. After a thorough inspection of the works and the working of the natural gas, in particular, the party returned to Port Colborne, putting up at mine host McNeal’s, where the time was spent previous to leaving of each member for his respective home, in comparing notes and making final arrangements for the start. It is expected that Mr. Miller will be over in a few days again, bringing with him some of the leading members of the company to see the location and to have a day’s recreation. They are indeed jolly fellows and the people of Port Colborne and Humberstone will be glad to welcome them as often as they come to Canada’s shores.