October i, 1905.! 



THE INDIA RUBBER ^A/'ORLD 



29 



THE FABRIC FIRE HOSE CO.'S PLANT. 



TRADE CLASH OVER GOLF BALLS. 



THK factory of the Fabric Fire Hose Co., at Sandy Hook. 

 Connecticut, on a tract of 100 acres on both sides of the 

 Pootatuck river, is fortunately situated with regard both to the 

 fitness of the location for its business and to the attractiveness 

 of the surroundings. It is a historic site, for here were the be- 

 ginnings of the New York Belting and Packing Co., who occu- 

 pied these premises for many years before removing their fac- 

 tories to New Jersey. Part of the premises also served as the 

 original hard rubber factory of the late Conrad Poppenhusen, 

 pioneer In that industry. 



Near the spacious factory buildings, with the daily capacity 

 of 6000 feet of tire hose, are 28 well constructed dwelling houses 

 owned by the company and occupied by the 100 employes at a 

 nominal rental — the nucleus of an ideal industrial community, 

 whose workers are well paid and well satisfied, and who are con- 

 sequently absolutely loyal to the interests of the company. 



The specialty of the Fabric Fire Hose Co. is a wax and Para 

 gum treated hose, the process, which is patented, consisting of 

 saturating the yarn with melted wax and rubber, which treat- 

 ment renders it impervious to rot and mildew. Another and 

 very popular line manufactured by this company is its Under- 



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'OiM.-.'i^l 



writers' hose, an antiseptically treated product known as the 

 " Keystone " brand, and made under the specifications of the 

 National Board of Underwriters and Associated Factory 

 Mutual Insurance Companies. In addition to this they make 

 a garden hose of superior quality and which is in active request 

 — in common with its other lines — as the entire output of the 

 factory is absolutely guaranteed. 



An important feature of the factory is its completely equipped 

 machine shop, in which virtually all of the looms in operation 

 in the factory are made, as are all of the repairs. The entire 

 plant is equipped with the most approved apparatus, from its 

 automatic sprinkler system to its new Bowser naphtha tank, 

 endorsed by the Associated Factory Mutual Insurance Com- 

 panies. A new building to be devoted exclusively to tube man- 

 ufacture is now in process of erection. 



This ideal plant, as well as the New York headquarters (No. 

 127 Duane street), are under the personal supervision of Mr. 

 William T. Cole, general manager of the company, to whose 

 genius for organization and untiring efTort may be ascribed not 

 only the present model condition of the factory and property, 

 but of its people as well. Improved looms and many other in- 

 novations may be credited to the same source. Mr. Cole has a 

 charming home at Sandy Hook, where he and his family spend 

 the greater part of the year. 



[from THR new YORK " SUN," SEPTEMBER I 8.] 



ACL.\SH between certain makers of golf balls, too eager to 

 use the open championship as a vehicle to advertise 

 their products, and the United States Golf Association execu- 

 tive committee, has been settled in the manner suggested by 

 the committeemen. Six or eight weeks ago the professionals 

 throughout the country received from one firm a circular stat- 

 ing that the player winning the open championship with its 

 ball would receive a bonus of $500, that whoever came second 

 would get $250 and so on to an aggregate of $1000. Similar 

 circulars were sent out by one or two other makers, offering 

 cash inducements to the players to use their golf balls. The 

 first prize in the open is $200 and a golf medal and the added 

 money in all is $870; and unless this system of bonuses was 

 nipped in the bud, there was apprehension among the commit- 

 teemen that a rank evil would grow up to smother the impor- 

 tance of the open championship as a genuine, fair and above 

 board test of golfing skill. 



A sub-committee, headed by Ransom H. Thomas, the United 

 States Golf Association president, took charge of the matter. 

 While admittedly supreme in its power over the game and the 



players, this was the first 

 movement on the part of 

 the United States Golf As- 

 sociation to interfere in 

 any way with the methods 

 of those who sell golf 

 goods, aside from what has 

 b-i n done incidentally in 

 drawing a line between the 

 amateur and the proles- 

 ■^lonal, and alihough en- 

 listed to fight to a finish 

 il necessary, the commit- 

 teemen did not begin with 

 threats. If the concerns 

 approached had chosen to 

 wave the red flag of defi- 

 ance none of the players 

 would have been permitted to use the balls boomed in the ob- 

 jectionable manner, but no such retaliatory policy has been 

 brought up in the carrying on of the negotiations. 



Mr. Thomas opened up a correspondence with the diflerent 

 hustlers in the golf ball trade, which led to personal interviews 

 and promises that the circulars announcing bonuses would be 

 forthwith cancelled. The makers have submitted and the cash 

 premiums announced are now null and void. Mr. Thomas's 

 declaration of independence was this: 



The offering by manufacturers of golf goods of cash prizes to be 

 played for at the open championship of the United States Golf Associa- 

 tion is, in the opinion of the executive committee, detrimental to the 

 best interests of the game of golf and should be prohibited. 



The manufacturers have agreed to uphold the text and spirit 

 of this ruling. 



Thev Might Laugh. — The Mexican rubber monopoly 

 might do well to see Dr. Tutton and buy his discovery. But 

 probably they will laugh at it until it proves too good a thing 

 to sell. — Benton Harbor {Michigan) Palladium. 



An Unanswered Query. — The Cincinnati Enquirer prints 

 the following inquiry without vouchsafing any reply: "Could 

 you kindly inform an old subscriber how I could niake mate- 

 rial same as rubber collars are made of.' " 



