Sneath Glass Company
The Sneath Glass Company was an American manufacturer of glass from 1892 until 1952. Original products were mainly lantern globes and other lighting merchandise. The company transitioned to a maker of jars and glassware used in Hoosier cabinets, which were especially popular in residential kitchens during the 1920s. As demand for Hoosier cabinets faded and the use of consumer refrigerators increased, products for refrigerators became important for the company.
The company began in Tiffin, Ohio, in 1892, when businessman Samuel B. Sneath purchased the Tiffin Glass Company and renamed it. Additional owners were his son Ralph Davis Sneath and John W. Geiger. Theodore J. Creighton provided glass–making expertise and was plant manager. Production began during February 1892. The Sneath Glass works in Tiffin was destroyed by a fire in 1894. The company rebuilt its factory in Hartford City, Indiana, and resumed production later in the year. The company was reorganized with five stockholders, including the two Sneaths, Geiger, and experienced glass men Henry Crimmel and his son A. Clyde Crimmel.
In the early 1950s, glass manufacturers faced competition from the new plastics industry, and the company did not make enough product transitions. During 1952, the nation had a system of price controls that attempted to control war–time inflation, but the company's workers held a strike demanding better wages and fringe benefits. Already losing money, the company could not raise prices, and closed permanently.
Beginning in Ohio
Predecessor
The Tiffin Glass Company was organized as a cooperative in April 1888. It was the first glass company in Tiffin, Ohio. Samuel B. Sneath, a local businessman with no glassmaking experience, was president. Construction of a glass works began during May, and the facility with a 12-pot furnace was completed by September. Production began September 10, and the main products were tableware. Lamps and lantern globes were expected to eventually join the product portfolio.After the summer stop of 1889 the company was not performing well financially, and its approximately 120 employees were unhappy with management. In an attempt to pause and resolve differences, the factory shut down on November 30, 1889. By January 1891, nothing had been resolved, the factory was still shut down, and creditors wanted money. An application to dissolve the company was approved in February, and the facility was leased for about four months to another glassmaker. To pay debts, the county sheriff conducted an auction of the glass works on January 7, 1892. The winning bidder was Sneath. The Tiffin Glass Company was dissolved on January 11, 1892. Years later, an unrelated Tiffin Glass Company would come into existence.
Sneath Glass in Tiffin
After Sneath's purchase of the Tiffin Glass factory, it was revealed that, prior to the purchase, a new firm called Sneath Glass Company had been formed—and Sneath's purchase had been as a representative of that company. The new firm was organized by Sneath, his son Ralph Davis Sneath, and John W. Geiger. The elder Sneath was the new company's president and treasurer, Geiger was secretary, and Theodore J. Creighton was plant manager. Production began on February 20, 1892. Products were jars and lantern globes.In nearby Fostoria, Ohio, the Novelty Glass Company shut down in January 1892 because of a lack of orders. Although it planned to restart in April, it remained closed in May. At that time, plant manager Henry Crimmel left the company to become manager of Sneath Glass—replacing Creighton. Crimmel was an experienced glass worker. In addition to Novelty Glass Company, he had also been a manager at Belmont Glass Works and Fostoria Glass Company, and worked at J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company. Under the leadership of its new manager, Sneath Glass prospered.
Factory burns
During mid-March 1894, the Sneath Glass plant in Tiffin was destroyed by fire. The company's warehouses were saved. The destruction of the main works was so complete that it was said that the only things remaining were the building's side walls and smokestack. The facility would never be rebuilt. An offer was made by the Hartford City Land Company to the Sneaths and Geiger, which would enable them to restart their glass making in Hartford City, Indiana. Already with insurance money, management was enticed by natural gas, free land, a relocation bonus, and railroad facilities.Beginning in Indiana
In June 1894, plans for the new factory in Hartford City were underway. The new plant was located on the north side of town, and had access to natural gas and a belt railway. By September, portions of the plant were operating, producing lantern globes. During December 1894, the company filed articles with the Indiana Secretary of State for incorporation with capital stock of $30,000. The firm's officers were Ralph Davis Sneath, president; Geiger, treasurer; A. Clyde Crimmel, secretary; and Henry Crimmel, plant manager. In addition to the three owners of the Ohio version of the company, the Indiana version of the company included the two Crimmels. Each of the five men owned one fifth of the company's stock. A. Clyde Crimmel was Henry's son. The Crimmels had glass making experience, as A. Clyde Crimmel had been secretary of Novelty Glass Company and Henry Crimmel had managed several works. The other three men were successful businessmen. Both Ralph and Samuel Sneath kept their homes in Tiffin, while Geiger and the Crimmels moved to Hartford City.The company made all types of lantern globes, especially those used by railroads and ships. It also made semaphore glass for signaling. At one time during the 1890s, it was one of only three factories in the United States that made copper ruby globes. Over a decade later, globes made by Sneath were used in the construction of the Panama Canal. By 1897, Sneath Glass had over 60 employees. In 1899, the company was still manufacturing semaphore globes and lantern globes. The company was also making additional products such as fancy colored glassware, fruit jars, globes and shades, and glass smoke bells.
Factory relocation
By early January 1903, the company was discussing a gas shortage. Plans were made to use coal as a fuel for the furnaces when the natural gas supply was exhausted, contingent upon satisfactory railroad service. At the time, the company did not have direct access to railroad service, and all freight had to be hauled to the rail station by wagon.Focusing on improving efficiency at the current glass works, plant manager Henry Crimmel received a patent in 1904 for a “Glass Drawing Machine” that was an improvement for glass blowing and prevented irregularities in the thickness of the glass. By the end of 1904, the company had to use coal for fuel, making the lack of direct rail service more important. Coal would be too expensive with a branch line from the railroads that could be used for delivery. The company was receiving offers from states such as New York and Colorado to move their plant to a better location.
In May 1905, it was announced that the Sneath Glass works would move to an unused window glass plant, located along railroad line on the city's west side, that it had purchased. The plant had been owned by the American Window Glass Company, was known as Plant number 32, and had been the plant of the Jones Glass Company. American Window Glass had closed the plant in 1904, and was willing to sell the plant to Sneath. The new plant would more than double Sneath's capacity, and the adjacent railroad began construction of coal docks.
The company began using its new facility during November 1905. It increased its capital stock from $30,000 to $100,000 in early 1906. Ralph Davis Sneath was still president and A. Clyde Crimmel was still secretary. For the next few years, the company continued to make improvements to its facility, including concrete walls and electric lighting. By January 1907, it employed 175 people.
Loss of the founders
Samuel B. Sneath died on January 7, 1915, at the age of 86 years. Geiger retired in 1907 and moved back to Ohio. He continued to be a company stockholder. He died at his home in Tiffin on June 23, 1915, at the age of 74 years. Henry Crimmel suffered a stroke in 1916, forcing him into full retirement. He died about one year later at the age of 73 years.After the deaths of three of the five founders of the Indiana version of the company, their stock went to their heirs, which kept the company closely owned. In 1917, the company had about 15 stockholders. A. Clyde Crimmel owned the most stock, and he was vice-president and treasurer. His son, Henry Hays Crimmel, would later join the company and eventually rise to vice president and co-manager of the factory.
Transition from globes to other products
Originally, the company devoted its production exclusively to lighting and lantern-related products such as lantern globes and founts. It made more globes than any two companies combined. Sneath began diversifying as early as 1908, when they announced they would be making fruit jars because of an unusually large crop that season.Around 1914, Sneath started making glassware for portable kitchen cabinets known as Hoosier cabinets. This began the gradual transition from manufacturer of lantern globes to manufacturer of glass products for portable kitchen cabinets. Cabinet products included salt and sugar bins, spice jars, and coffee and tea jars. Another product was a dispensing jar, with a design patented November 2, 1915.
World War I and after
The company used its experience with lighting and lenses to assist the United States government during World War I. Almost 10 percent of Sneath's production was devoted to a contract with the United States Navy to manufacture signal and masthead lights. Red, green, and white lights were produced for Navy ships. Fresnel deck lights were also produced. By 1918, the company's main products were lantern globes, colored and crystal specialties, and food preservation ware such as canisters and fruit jars.In August 1920, the company changed operations to two ten-hour shifts each day instead of three eight-hour shifts. This was the procedure preferred by the workforce. The plant used coal to produce producer gas for its furnaces because of shortages of natural gas. Management in the early 1920s consisted of Ralph Davis Sneath, president; A. Clyde Crimmel, vice president and treasurer; Ray Pruden, superintendent; and Harry C. Hill, secretary.
Sneath Glass continued making glassware for kitchen cabinet manufacturers such as Hoosier and Sellers, and the 1920s were peak years for that cabinet style. The company was the state's leading manufacturer of glassware for kitchen cabinets. Sneath management also patented more products used in kitchen cabinets, such as a sugar bin and a holder for condiment jars.
Around 1921, the company began manufacturing a wall-mounted mailbox. These mailboxes were made of glass, enabling one to easily see if mail had been delivered. Sneath employee William Chapman, working under the supervision of Ray Pruden, was granted a patent for the glass mailbox in 1921. Chapman, a well-known glass blower, was also granted a patent for the design of an ash tray. Management patented other products during the 1920s, including a caster for furniture, a drawer pull, a measuring cup, and a chick fount.
The Great Depression and World War II
In 1930, management consisted of Ralph Davis Sneath, president; A.Clyde Crimmel, vice president; Henry Hays Crimmel, treasurer and general manager; Harry C. Hill, secretary and sales manager; and Ray Pruden, factory manager. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Sneath kept a workforce of over 200. In late summer 1936, the company announced it would add extra pay to the paychecks of 240 employees in appreciation for their production during the extremely hot summer. The company had 231 employees in 1940.Refrigerator products
Sneath began making refrigerator products as early as the 1920s, and it helped expand the business. By the mid-1930s, Hoosier style cabinets had lost their popularity. New houses typically contained built-in cabinetry. Glassware for refrigerators became important for the company, including products such as defroster trays, cold water pitchers, and butter dishes. It has been claimed that Sneath Glass, at one time, produced almost 90 percent of the glassware used in consumer refrigerators in the United States. During a period from 1933 to 1941, multiple patents related to mechanical refrigerators were granted to company employees for defrosting trays and other components for the interior of refrigerators. Although refrigerator products became the growth area for the company, it still made other merchandise including sundae dishes, ink wells, and fish tanks.Ralph Sneath and World War II
On June 9, 1940, millionaire Ralph Davis Sneath died at the age of 76 from injuries received in a May 29 auto accident. Sneath bequeathed $160,000 to institutions and individuals. The company was reorganized in 1941 with A.Clyde Crimmel as president and Hill as secretary. Product sales for 1941 were $1.69 million. The mid-1940s management team was A. Clyde Crimmel, president; Henry Hays Crimmel, Vice President; Harry C. Hill, Secretary and Sales Manager; S. B. Sneath Jr., Treasurer; John Richard Crimmel, Assistant Treasurer and Purchasing Agent; and Ray Pruden, Superintendent.In the 1940s, refrigeration products continued to be an important segment of the product portfolio. During World War II, the company made water-tight globes and lenses for search lights. Since metals were scarce for the domestic market, the company also made glass irons, skillets, and kitchen sinks. Another product that began in the 1940s was the company's own version of heat proof glass. This glass could be moved between a refrigerator and oven without breaking from the extreme temperature change. Heat proof glass was used for ovenware and coffee makers, and, during World War II, it was used in searchlight products. After the war, sales of all products declined in 1948 and 1949, but were back up to $1.03 million in 1950 and $1.055 million in 1951.
The end of Sneath Glass
In the early 1950s, glass manufacturers faced competition from the new plastics industry, as refrigerator parts and glassware had begun being made using plastic instead of glass. Glass companies needed to change with the times or face extinction, and Sneath Glass did not make enough changes. Sneath Glass Company was losing money during 1952, but the local labor union went on strike for higher wages and fringe benefits. At the time, the nation's Office of Price Stabilization would not allow Sneath to increase prices. The plant was closed during September 1952, and approximately 125 families lost a source of income. The remaining company founder, A. Clyde Crimmel, died within two years.During March 1953 it was announced that Indiana Glass Company purchased the Sneath Glass Company. The purchaser planned to reopen the glass works, and both companies were making glassware for the table and oven. This acquisition enabled the company to offer Sneath's heat proof glass as one of its many glassware products. Production at the Hartford City plant was restarted briefly, but eventually halted. Eventually the plant was sold to Sinclair Glass Company.