During February 1883 an Ohio River flood causes Hemingray Glass Company to shut down operations for four to six weeks. Receding water caused damage to furnace foundations. Losses estimated to be approximately $15,000.
On December 25th, 1883 Ralph G. Hemingray received Patent No. 290,771: “Glass-Batch Mixer.”
On May 25th 1886 Robert Hemingray received Patent No. 342,602: “Fastener For Jar-Tops.” This is the fastening used on Globe fruit jars.
On March 1st 1887 James C. Gill received Design Patent No. 17,148: “Design For a Paper-Weight, Match-Safe, &c.” Gill assigned rights and title to the patent to the Hemingray Glass Company. The description of the article contained in the patent specifications states: “The design for a match-safe or inkstand herein described, consisting of a representation of a blacksmith’s anvil set upon a stump or block of wood in its natural state — that is, with the bark on — the body of the anvil having the hollowed-out receptacle or interior with the rectangular opening at the top ...” Here are some examples of these Match Safes Courtesy Shaun Kotlarsky. Note K of L stands for "Knights of Labor".
On December 10th 1887
Robert Hemingray signed a contract with Manufacturers Guarantee Fund
Association to relocate the Hemingray Glass Company to Muncie, Indiana.
Terms of the agreement stipulated that the Manufacturers Guarantee Fund
Association would provide: 1) Free
gas for the operation of the factory, 2)
Eight acres of land with a railroad siding,
3) $10,000 in cash paid out of the Guarantee Fund Association; the
Hemingray Glass Company agreed to: 1)
erect upon the grounds a factory for the manufacture of glass ware having a
capacity of fourteen pots with all the necessary appurtenances and fixtures for
the prosecution of said business, and 2)
remove the entire business from Covington, Kentucky., to Muncie, Indiana.
On January 5th 1888 Ralph G. Hemingray told Muncie newspapers that work would begin immediately on the glass works.
Thanks to Glenn Drummond for this and much more Hemingray historical information included in this timeline.