Lynchburg Letter: W. H. Loyd to C. L. Scott
January 10, 1927
Responding to an inquiry, Mr. Loyd gives a brief history of the two Lynchburg companies and the plant's present potential. Original document was scanned by Dennis Bratcher and converted to text. A scan of W. H. Loyd's copy of the original letter is below.
Mr.C.L.Scott,Jr.,
City Engineer
Danville, Va.
January 10, 1927.
Dear Sir:
Replying to your letter of the 6th. to Mr. R.D.Ramsey which has been referred to the writer, I am enclosing several circulars with photograph and description of the glass plant in this city and am giving a brief history of the business as follows;
This plant was built in 1918-1919 by the Cox Sons & Co., Bridgeton, N.J. at an initial cost of $315,000.00 and was considered a model plant in every particular for the manufacture of food containers and bottles. The business was operated under the name of the Lynchburg Glass Works, Inc. and was never properly financed from the beginning as they used all of their capital and credit in paying for the plant and after operating under this handicapp [sic] for two years gave it up when they could not obtain the proper backing. This first company equipped and operated only one furnace and the volume of shipments for 1920 was 302,000. dollars in beverage bottles and prescription ware.
A second company was formed in 1923 with the object of producing insulators and coca-cola bottles. They bought the insulator equipment and found after they were ready to start that the Coca-Cola Co. had taken away the franchise for making their bottles and given it to a Western house. The insulator proved to be a good line and they pulled from one tank in two six months runs over $250,00 production and built up an international trade that was increasing each month. In the place of their Coca-Cola bottle they attempted to make fruit jars and before this was established had to go on the rocks for lack of working capital. Had they retained the Coca-Cola franchise and made this with insulators and other soft drink bottles and operated both tanks there would have been a different story.
The plant is now for sale at a very low price, in fact for less than what one 40 ton tank would cost and the buildings and equipment are in good shape with everything from office to last [final line is missing in original]
[p.2] Mr. C.L.Scott,Jr #2
of glass in twenty four hours and ample boiler and producer capacity and ground to double the size of the plant and the labor situation is ideal for a plant of this kind.
There are several well known glass men who have been here and think enough of the plant and location to go in with some interested parties and run it. There is one in particular in Huntington, W. Va. and with a man of his type this would soon be a thriving business.
If you are interested I will be glad to give you any detail that you may require and will be glad to meet you here any time and sjow [sic] you the property and tell you all I know in regard to it. There is certainly a good pickup here for somebody and I hope that we can interest you.
Awaiting you reply with much interest, I am,
Yours very truly,
W. H. Loyd
WHL
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