158 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February i, 1907. 



Trade Topics in The Dominion. 



■ RUBBER CONSOLIDATION IN CANADA. 



Till'', all absorbing topic in rubber circles at the present 

 moment [says The Canadian Shoe and Leather Joiimat] is 

 the amalgamation which has recently been consummated 

 between the Canadian Rubber Co.. the Granby Rubber Co. and 

 the Maple Leaf Rubber Co., under the name of the Consolidated 

 Rubber Co. There are diversities of opinion as to just what 

 effect the consolidation will have upon the rubber interests of the 

 country. A goodly number contend that it will be in the best 

 interests of all concerned, having a steadying effect upon the trade 

 which will redound most beneficially alike to inanufacturer, dealer, 

 and wearer. On the other hand, there are those who can see 

 nothing but demoralization in what they regard as an atteiBpt to 

 corral the entire rubber trade of the country. 



Then again, there are those who hint that the United States 

 Rubber Trust is behind the whole transaction, and that they are 

 manipulating things so as to gain control of the rubber interests 

 of both Canada and the United States. It is said that the United 

 States Rubber Co. now virtually control the rubber supply market 

 and could very seriously menace the rubber shoe industry of 

 Canada if they chose to curtail the supiily of raw material. Most 

 of these rumors are very vague and wild and without any apparent 

 foundation. 



The consolidation of the rubber interests is not a child of 

 to-day ; for some time past a few of the leaders in the industry 

 have been working to that end, not because of increased divi- 

 dends that were likely to accrue, but because they were convinced 

 that the best interests of the trade and consumers would be con- 

 served by such a union. It is well known that the greater the 

 capacity of the plant the cheaper the goods can be turned out, so 

 that the consumer ought to reap a benefit from consolidation by 

 getting cheaper rubbers. Any attempt at a combine to "hold up" 

 the consumer would no doubt soon be thwarted by the Govern- 

 ment in the removal of the duty which now protects the industry. 

 The talk about the United States Trust controlling the rubber 

 interests of Canada is just so much gOssip. Under present tariflf 

 conditions the rubber manufacturers of Canada are receiving a 

 fair return for their labor, and it is inost unlikely that they would 

 jeopardize their interests by entering into a compact with our 

 neighbors to the South. With the constantly increasing trade, 

 there is plenty of room in Canada for a number of large rubber 

 manufacturing concerns, and no doubt the consolidation which 

 has just taken place will prove to be in the best interests of the 

 trade. With the astute men at its head, a future of unbounded 

 prosperity is predicted for the Consolidated Rubber Co. as they 

 arc all men of large experience and exceptional business acumen. 

 It is also whispered that other companies have been approached 

 with a view to uniting their interests, but that no definite arrange- 

 ments have yet been arrived at, although it is said to be only a 

 inatter of time before the union takes place, as negotiations are 

 well under way. There is also a rumor to the effect that one or 

 two of the felt shoe companies are being negotiated with, and 

 that there is a possibility, if not a strong probability, that there 

 will be a combining of these two industries under the wing of the 

 Consolidated. 



So far no drastic changes have taken place in the management 

 or policy of the various individual concerns, it being evidently the 

 intention that each should for the present work upon its own 

 lines. Doubtless important changes will be made before the 

 opening of the new season involving not only economy in both 

 production and administration, but greater effectiveness in han- 

 dling the product of the various factories. The fact that the 

 American companies will not issue their lists for a month or so is 



giving the Canadian trade a little more breathing time, as they 

 seem to follow closely American precedents as to selling policy. 



DISPOSAL or SECONDS AND OBSOLETE GOODS. 



The rubber shoe manufacturers of Canada held a conference 

 recently in regard to the disposal of seconds and obsolete goods. 

 After several plans had been discussed, it was agreed to handle 

 this business through the Commercial Rubber Co., Limited. This 

 company will receive not later than January 10 in each year lists 

 of unsalable lines, and promptly catalogue them. The sales will 

 be by tender, but no tender will be entertained at less than 40 per 

 cent off gross list prices. All these goods will be "punched" 

 before shipment. The sales agent of the company is W. S. 

 Louson, at Notre Dame and Papineau streets, Montreal. The 

 Commercial Rubber Co., Limited, was incorporated early in UJ05, 

 with $20,000 capital, to engage in the rubber footwear trade. Its 

 directors included the presidents of four leading rubber manufac- 

 turing companies, and its organization gave rise to rumors that a 

 consolidation of the companies was intended. The Commercial 

 company in April, 1905, bought the plant of the Boston Rubber 

 Co. of Montreal, Limited (in liquidation), when it developed that 

 the purpose of the company was to keep this factory out of the 

 field of competition. 



G & J TIRE PATENTS IN CANADA. 



Mention was made in the last Indi.\ Rubber World [page 125] 

 to the recent expiry of a Canadian tire patent granted to Thomas 

 B. Jeffrey. There arc other patents, of later date, however, that 

 have a bearing upon the "G & J" tires. One, in particular, issued 

 to Mr. Jeffrey in the United States on April 28, 1896 (No. 558,- 

 956), is regarded as covering an essential feature in the clincher 

 tires as now made, and has always figured in the suits for in- 

 fringement brought by the G & J company. This patent is also 

 in effect in Canada. 



BRIEF MENTION. 



The (jutta-Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. of Toronto, 

 Limited, issue this notice : "To answer innumerable inquiries, we 

 wish to state that this company is not in any way, shape, or man- 

 ner, a part of, or connected with any rubber merger or trust." 



The Merchants' Rubber Co., Limited (Berlin. Ontario), have 

 opened a branch warehouse at Brantford, in charge of F. Baus- 

 laugh & Co. 'Hiis is the sixth depot, in different parts of the 

 Dominion, for the sale of their rubber footwear, besides which 

 the company are represented by the wholesale firm of Thomas 

 Ryan & Co., Limited, at Winnipeg and Calgary. 



The Canadian rubber footwear manufacturers report that their 

 northwestern trade is constantly on the increase. The volume of 

 this trade during the opening months of this season greatly ex- 

 ceeded that for the same period last season. 



THE WELL-KNOWN DUNLOP TRADE MARK. 



""PHERE was returned from the dead letter office, one day 

 •*• last week, a small, flat piece of electrotype metal, a half 

 inch square, which had evidently been picked up in the New 

 Vork city postoffice, and sent to its rightful owners in Toronto 

 by some one who had a knowledge of trade marks in Canada. 

 The piece of metal was the Dunlop two hands. It had been sent 

 by the Dunlop company, enclosed in a letter, to The Indi.a 

 Rubber World. The metal cut through the envelope, and was 

 most likely picked up on the floor of the New York city post- 

 office. Some one there slipped it into a dead letter office en- 

 velope and sent it back to Ottawa, from whence it was returned 

 to the Dunlop company as a matter of course. The incident 

 reflects much credit on the postoffice. — Toronto Star. 



