William Walton, the Whiteman Brothers, and the Warren Glass Works

46 July - August, 2010 Bottles and Extras The Dating Game: William Walton, the Whiteman Brothers, and the Warren Glass Works Pete Schulz, Bill Lockhart, Carol Serr, and Bill Lindsey History patch boxes and perfume bottles. By Massachusetts check and was unable to The history of the Warren Glass the end of 1866, Harris had disappeared raise the $2,000 bail. This brought to a Works exemplifies the shifting from the listing and only the Pearl Street head dissensions among his partners that partnerships, fuel supply problems, and address was given (American Druggists’ had been brewing for several months, migratory locations so common in the Circular 1865a-b; 1866). and the New York operation was 19th century glass industry. Although By 1875, the company – now located promptly reorganized, sans Walton, as the company became an important at 39 Warren Street – had changed its the Warren Glass Works (Crockery and early producer of milk bottles located in name to Walton Glass Works, with Walton Glass Journal 1876b-c). Maryland, its origins lay in the druggists’ & Whiteman as the proprietors (For a glassware trade in New York City. summary of all these moves, see Table Warren Glass Works, New York City 1). The name change reflected a change (1876-1880) Walton’s Druggists’ Glass Works, in emphasis, with the engraved and Reorganized from the fiscal and New York City (ca. 1862-1876) inset labels being especially advertised public-relations ashes of the Walton William N. Walton began advertising for bar ware, although druggists’ ware operation, the Warren Glass Works his new invention in July 1862, although was evidently still important. The (named after the company’s location on his patent for recessed panel shelf bottles were reputedly “made at their Warren Street) continued advertising bar bottles (see patent section below) was own factory” (Crockery Journal 1875; bottles and druggists’ shelf ware. The not issued until September. He claimed Crockery and Glass Journal 1875). “patent recess-glass labeled” glassware that his business was the “original and In mid-1876, the company – noted as was manufactured “under license.” This sole manufacturers” of glass labels for W.N. Walton & Co. – advertised that it had was perhaps a deal cut with Erma Walton, druggists’ bottles. Walton had previously “purchased the entire Stock, Business and but the new company made no bones been employed as a glass cutter at New Good Will” of the Mt. Washington Glass about the fact that “Wm. N. Walton is York’s Patent Glass Lettering Co. and Works in New Bedford, Massachusetts, not connected with this Establishment.” operated a crockery and glass store and had leased their warehouse and sales Louis P. Whiteman was noted as in Newark (Griffenhagen & Bogard rooms in Boston (Crockery and Glass the company’s “agent,” but it seems 1999:63-64). Journal 1876a). It is likely that this likely that he was also its guiding light By early 1865, Walton was a apparent confusion in names represents (Crockery and Glass Journal 1876d). manufacturer and dealer in “druggists’ a situation commonly found in the 19th The company’s ads for the next and other glass ware,” located on John century, where the factory (Walton Glass several years continued the focus on Street, advertising the same recessed Works) went by one name, and the “patent recess labeled glassware” and panel shelf bottles that he had patented operating company (W.N. Walton & Co.) engraved bar bottles. During most of this in 1862. By May of 1865, he had formed went by another. period, we have virtually no information Walton’s Druggists’ Glass Works with The purpose was evidently a bid for a on where these containers were produced. a warehouse on Pearl Street, although larger share of the New England market; At the end of 1878, however, the ads “Walton & Harris,” still located on if so, it had unintended consequences. include a notice for the East Stroudsburg John Street, were noted in the same The timing of Walton’s claim corresponds Glass Co., Ltd. (Pennsylvania), “Largest advertisement as “manufacturers of with an 1876 reorganization of the Mt. Bottle Factory in the United States” cut glass, glass letters and numerals, Washington operation, in which the and “manufacturers of every variety of for windows and doors.” This was company name was changed to the green and amber glass and druggists’ presumably the factory, although the Mt. Washington Glass Co. (Wilson ware” (Crockery and Glass Journal wording suggests that the bottles and 1972:298-299). Since the new company 1878). The purpose for including this other glassware themselves – made took over the actual factory and all its notice is unclear. It is possible that East in green and flint glass and porcelain equipment, the operation was clearly not Stroudsburg manufactured all of the – were actually made by other factories, under Walton’s control. It is possible that Warren operation’s wares, the latter firm with only the glass labels and engraving he hoped to continue as the sales agent operating only as a jobber. Alternately, being made and applied by Walton et for the reorganized New England firm, the Stroudsburg factory may have made al. Besides drug store shelf bottles, the but it seems likely that the expansion the bottles while Warren maintained other advertised wares included items overextended his credit. In October, a factory for engraving them and such as syringes, graduates, funnels, he was in jail, charged with forging a manufacturing inset labels. Bottles and Extras July - August, 2010 47 An important departure in 1879 The factory was evidently successful [sic] of the genuine article, for which was the production of a milk jar with from the start. They were advertising the farmer in return can command a a bail closure for the glass lid, which private mold work by 1882, and, by paying price. Why should not the sealed with a cork ring. This bottle 1883, their output reportedly included experiment be tried in this country? was patented by L.P. Whiteman in early tableware and glasses. Their cologne It will have been observed that 1880 (Patent No. 225,900). Even before bottles were in considerable demand as bottles expressly made for the above it was submitted to the Patent Office, far west as St. Louis. Initially built with purpose have been advertised in our bottles of this design – “the ultimatum an 8-pot furnace, they added a 12-pot columns for some time past by the [sic] of milk jars” – were being offered furnace in 1885, doubling their capacity Warren Glass Co. (Cultivator & by the Warren Glass Works (Crockery (Crockery and Glass Journal 1880a; Country Gentleman 1880:761) and Glass Journal 1879). The quick 1880b; 1881; 1882; 1883a:14; 1883b; success of the milk jar seems to have 1883c:26; American Glass Worker 1885; For the delivery of milk in inspired the company to establish a new, Cumberland Glass 2007). cities, etc., glass bottles are rapidly possibly larger, factory in which all its By all accounts, the plant’s most coming into use. The milk is placed wares could be produced. important product was the Warren milk in the bottles at the farm . ., closed bottle. The bottle was widely advertised with a glass stopper which has a Warren Glass Works Co., and touted by editors of farm journals. strong spring clamp to hold it tight, Cumberland, Maryland (1880-1888) In the latter notices, we can see the and in this form is delivered to the Whiteman selected a site in beginnings of the modern milk delivery consumer, without chance of any Cumberland, Maryland, where coal was systems that dominated the milk trade in contamination, or of being robbed of abundant and cheap, glass sand was the following century: its cream while in transit. The Warren available, and rail connections provided Glass Works Co., Cumberland, Md., ready access to eastern markets (Figure The London Live Stock Journal has have given special attention to the 1). Construction on the Warren Glass the following . making of bottles for this new form Works began in late April 1880, and Our American friends are of milk delivery, and it is not easy production commenced in September. shipping milk in glass jars or bottles, to see how anything can be better Although the main product was the milk nt from the producer to the consumer. suited to the purpose. Milk in such jars, the plant also made other flint ware The idea is an ingenous [sic] one, bottles looks so much better, that we including fruit jars, pickle jars, pomade and so far as proving a great success, are not surprised that the purchaser jars, bottles, and lantern globes and one farm alone has ordered and has is willing to pay more for it than chimneys, “as well as heavier goods.” in use over ten thousand of these for that delivered in the old careless The Walton jars were notably absent. novel vessels, which, when filled way with can and dipper, in which at First Louis, then Abram Whiteman, with the milk drawn from the cows, each delivery the milk is exposed to handled sales from the New York are sealed securely down, with the the all-pervading street dust which office. result that the consumer is insured collects upon the ladle, is each time washed off into the can. The bottles are of beautifully clear glass, and present such an attractive appearance that housekeepers, we have no doubt, will be tempted to use them frequently for other purposes than to hold milk (American Agriculturist 1881). In spite of the factory’s success, problems lay ahead. Having doubled the plant’s capacity and its workforce in 1885, the company quickly fell afoul of the Flint Glass Workers Union.

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