BIO: Wenzel A. MIKSCH, Beaver County, PA
    
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    BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.  This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches 
    of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.  Buffalo, N.Y., 
    Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 111-112.
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    WENZEL A. MIKSCH, a member of the, American Glass Specialty Company, and a
  prominent citizen of Monaca, Beaver county, Pa., is a glass decorator of wide
  reputation, and has in recent years invented a new process which promises in
  time to revolutionize the art of glass decorating.
    
    Mr. Miksch is a native of Bohemia, and received a good mental training in
  the public schools of that country. That being the greatest glass
  manufacturing center of Europe, he adopted the trade of a glass worker, and
  learned every detail of the business in the most thorough manner. At the age
  of twenty-one years, he came to America, in 1881, stopping first at East
  Liverpool, Ohio, for two months, and then removing to Pittsburg,
  Pennsylvania. After remaining there for a period of eight months, he located
  at Monaca, and followed his trade there for three years. In 1885, he returned
  to Pittsburg, and for thirteen years was foreman of the Thomas Evans Company,
  in the glass decorating department. In the meantime, in 1889, he purchased
  ten acres of land in Monaca, Beaver county, and erected what is probably the
  finest house in that section, reflecting great credit upon his good judgment
  and artistic taste. Since that time he has made his home there, although for
  some years his work was in Pittsburg. It was while working on paper weights
  that he made a remarkable discovery, and for a considerable period was
  engaged in developing it. In 1897, having perfected his invention for the
  decoration of glassware, he became one of the organizers of the Metropolitan
  Glass Company of Monaca, manufacturers of advertising specialties - a concern
  with which he was connected until 1898. He then severed his connection with
  that firm and started his present venture, the American Glass Specialty
  Company, in partnership with his brother, Charles Miksch. It is a novel
  invention, and marks a decided advance in the art of decorating glass. As yet
  the invention is but two years old, and is meeting with great success. There
  are but two firms of this character in this country and our subject has the
  proud distinction of having started both. The building he now
    
    112  BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
    
  occupies was completed in 1898; it is a two-story affair, 26x90 feet, and
  embraces the main works, the furnace room, printing room, transfer room, and
  enamel room. The articles which they make require most painstaking effort,
  and Mr. Miksch has attained a skill which approaches perfection. They have
  two kilns operated by natural gas, and a small test oven. Their goods find a
  ready market all over the world, and bid fair to supersede the old style of
  glass decorating. They have no trouble in disposing of their product, and
  have sales agents in all the large cities. Mr. Miksch is possessed of
  excellent business qualifications and has been very successful, owning his
  present location, the building occupied by the Metropolitan Glass Company,
  and the house in which he lives.
    
    Politically, the subject of this writing is an aggressive Democrat, and has
  been president of the council for the past six years, but has now retired from
  active politics. He is a member of Germania Blue Lodge, No. 509, and Duquesne
  Chapter, F. & A. M., both of Pittsburg. A portrait of Mr. Miksch accompanies
  this sketch of his life, being presented on a preceding page.