year in Cumberland. Queen City Brewing closed in 1974, citing rising costs of agricultural products and packaging. The year had been a tumultuous one for Queen City. In February, a nationwide independent truckers strike, protesting rising gas prices, cut off supplies for the brewery and prevented beer from being distributed to buyers. The 1973-75 recession, marked by high unemployment and high inflation, was taking its toll. The company at first demanded pay cuts from the 150 employees. Their union, Local 265, Allegany Brewery Workers, responded by demanding to see the company's books because the company was claiming that financial problems required the cuts. The company refused to open its books and make its proof, and the workers voted down the concessions. A spokesman for Local 265 explained that "members felt that if the brewery situation had deteriorated to the point of asking workers to take a cut in pay then the problem had gone too far out of hand." Glass industry Glass manufacturing played an important role in the growth of Cumberland from 1880 to 1930. The Warren Glass Works Company located in South Cumberland, and the Cumberland Glass Works located at the west end of North Mechanic Street, were established in the early 1880s and would become the two major glass making firms. The industry used local coal as an economical fuel, and native pure silica sandstone in the making of the glass. At the peak of production, around 1920, well over 1,000 people were employed in the glass factories and decorating shops. The onset of the Great Depression, coupled with the destruction of seven factories by fire dealt the glass industry in Cumberland a fatal blow. Recently, however, a glass decorating business opened in the city, using some equipment from the former companies. Cumberland Glass Manufacturers: 1884-1905: Cumberland Glass Works (1884–1905), National Glass Company (1889–1905), Wellington Glass (1908–1920) 1880-1913: Warren Glass Works Company(1880–1889), South Cumberland Glass (1889–1890), Queen City Glass (1890–1909), Eastern Glass (1909–1913), 1893-1930: Maryland Glass Etching Company 1895-1896: Enterprise Glass Decorating 1904-1924: Potomac Glass 1911-1912: Cumberland Glass Tube Company 1918-1935: Maryland Glass 1936-1938: Maryland Glass Inc., formerly Maryland Glass 1938-1941: NU Glass 1923-1926: C. A. Borchert 1926-1926: Queen City Glass 1927-1928: Braddock Glass - LaVale, Maryland 1927-1928: Zihlman Glass 1928-1929: Independent Glass - LaVale, Maryland 1930-1932: Sloan Glass 1931-1933: Eichner Cut Glass 1932-1956: Cumberland Glass - LaVale, Maryland 1956-1961: Cumberland Glass - Mount Savage, Maryland 1932-1987: