burned down.
    During the pre-World War I years the company slowly began to prosper. Sales agents like George Mortimer distributed their products to the major retail chains. Additionally, the large wholesale outlet Butler Brothers handled a great deal of Fenton's products. Like most of American glass production of the time, Fenton's products had to maintain the lowest retail cost possible to stay in business. Like all glass factories, the work-force belonged to the AFGWU (American Flint Glassworker's Union). The glass industry as a whole, however, avoided much of the labor strife that hit heavy industry during this time.  This might be attributed to the fact that so many of the glass companies were started by former union members, as was the case with the Fentons and their management crew. Fenton Glass developed excellent working relations with their local union right from the start, most disputes handled by peaceful mediation. Another factor in this equation during these years is that skilled glassworkers were always in demand. They tended to move from job to job always on the lookout for a better situation.
    After a down period during the First World War (due mainly to labor shortage, not lack of sales), the company's sales began to really boom. The early twenties were perhaps the most prosperous period for the company. Employees made huge bonuses and stockholders paid dividends. This trend peaked, however, in 1922-23; after which sales began to plateau. After 1926, the company would earn a profit only once more during the decade (ironically, a surge in sales during late 1929 gave them a few strokes of black ink).
    By 1930, however, the die was cast, and the company was staring directly into the heart of the depression.  The first three years of the decade were the worst in the company's history, and as the thirties dragged on only mildly improved from there. Employees saw their wages slashed as orders dropped off to near zero. To its credit, Fenton never closed its doors, and, in fact, kept most of its people employed. The Union had to agree to the lower wages and many of the

chiseled the design into the interior of the mold. Prior to establishment of this mold shop, most of Fenton's earliest molds were made by Hipkins Novelty Mould Works of Martins Ferry, Ohio. These moulds include the first Waterlily and Cattails Patterns (patterns used by other companies as well).
    In late 1907 and early 1908, the company presented its new line of what has come to be called "Carnival Glass". At the time Fenton called their variety of glass as "Iridill", "Iridie", and "Rubi Glass". It was described at the time as an iridescent glass with a "metallic lustre much like the Favrile Glass produced by Tiffany." It was initially utilized in a varied line of vases, comports, and rose bowls. The prismatic effects were brilliant and the colorings described as "very good and reasonably priced." It should be noted that Northwood came out with a very similar glass about the same time; its "Golden Iris" line of glass objects. The company employed Rosenthal's Chocolate glass (the "Caramel Slag") in a number of early designs.  Other more traditional transparent green, red and yellow glasses were also employed in these earliest of Fenton product lines.
    Two more Fenton brothers joined the enterprise in 1908, shortly before John opted out; selling his shares and returning to Millersburg, Ohio. The oldest brother, Robert, born in 1868, was the last brother to join the enterprise, after brother John's new Millersburg Glass factory