Imperial Happenings - Last Minute Update
by Bill Smith
Issue No. 145 - May 1985
The Indiana Glass Company, division of Lancaster Colony, was called to the old Imperial Glass plant to remove the molds that they desired. Approximately twelve semitrailers of molds and related material was shipped to their Dunkirk Indiana plant. The majority being Imperial molds, patterns and factory equipment.
During the course of this removal it was indicated that not all of the Cambridge molds would be removed, so we asked for and received the opportunity to make a last ditch effort at recovery of these items of history.
On April 18th and 19th the pickup truck caravan again descended upon Bellaire, Ohio, and eight more loads (approximately 1,200 to 1,400 molds) were removed. These, to a very large extent, consisted of stem and paste (stemware tops) molds, but many additional desirable iron molds were found.
The final effort will occur on April 23rd when the balance of approximately 500 additional paste molds will be removed!
This large mass of molds have not been acquired with the hopes of ever being used, or even to eliminate possible use by others, they have been acquired to provide us with a considerable amount of additional Cambridge history.
We would be extremely remiss not to extend our expression of gratitude to Roy Isaacs, Charles Upton, Bill Harbaugh, Doyle Groves, Larry Hughes and Dick Hill for their contributions of time, effort, and wheels which made all of this possible. Special thanks must be extended to our President Willard Kolb for the many hours and days he spent at Imperial negotiating in our behalf. It was his ability to be on the spot, and his employer's understanding, that made all of this possible. To each of you, again "Thank You."
To the balance of you fine NCC members, I would like to add this additional thought. We have for the past three months spent a great deal of time and effort trying to spend club funds for the best possible return on our investment. We have had a great deal of success. The total expenditure has been just slightly over $24,000.00. Our contributions for the effort have reached approximately $18,0O0.00. As you can see, we are still in need of your help! To be specific, $6,000.00 more help.
This will not put us "home free" yet. We still have a problem, which is the lack of facility in which to centralize these acquisitions. Our available operating funds will allow us the leeway of serious consideration toward a possible additional building, but the handwriting on the wall is becoming very evident as to what our next step will have to be. Keep with us good people ... we are growing!