62 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November i, 1905. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



TO THE Editor of The India Rubber World: The 

 Alden Rubber Co. and the Pure Ouin Specialty Co., of 

 Barberton, have entered into a working agreement, but one 

 which cannot be denominated a consolidation, according to the 

 officers of the companies. The larger stockholders of both 

 companies are the same, and they have come to the conclusion 

 that it would we more economical to manage both companies 

 under one roof. The full force of both companies will be re- 

 tained, but they will have their headquarters in the offices of 

 the Alden company, with W. A. Johnson, treasurer of both 

 companies, as general manager of the two plants. Charles C. 

 Schutz, who has been superintendent of the Pure Gum Spec- 

 ialty Co.. will be superintendent of both, and Oliver Joy, who 

 has been secretary of the Alden Rubber Co., will have charge 

 of the sales and the offices of both companies. 



The Diamond Rubber Co., in accordance with their usual 

 custom, sent a corps of expert tire makers and repairers to Long 

 Island to look after the company's interests at the Vanderbilt 

 cup races on October 14. There were 30 in the party, including 

 the company's experts who went to Europe for the last Gordon 

 Bennett cup race, in charge of ClifT Myers. The fact that all 

 of the American machines in in the race were equipped with 

 " Diamond " tires naturally is a matter of self-congratulation 

 on the part of the company. 



At the annual meeting of The Diamond Rubber Co. on Octo- 

 ber 10 the board of directors was reelected without change, 

 and subsequently the officers of the company werealso reelected- 

 It is reported unofficially that the capital stock of the company 

 is to be increased to $3,000,000, and the facilities increased cor- 

 respondingly, though the company are not yet prepared to make 

 any announcement of the details for publication. 



The current report in the middle West that the duck hunt- 

 ing trip to which Messrs. Haskell and Work recently treated 

 themselves was forthe purpose of exploiting a new rubbercored 

 bullet, seems to be an error. They used the old fashioned solid 

 bullet, and in the contest were about equal in approaching. Mr. 

 Haskell seemed to have the advantage in driving, but his lead 

 was overcome by Mr. Work, who did some very fine putting. 

 The score was suppressed. 



The Motz Clincher Tire and Rubber Co., among the young- 

 est rubber concerns in the city, have leased part of a factory 

 plant, which they will occupy as business headquarters and for 

 the shipment of their tires. Their rubber work will continue 

 for the present to be done at the Buckeye Rubber Co.'s fac- 

 tory. The Motz company intend soon to exploit actively their 

 European patents. 



James Christy's Aladdin Rubber Co., at Barberton, is 

 rapidly taking shape, the main factory building being nearly 

 completed. It is expected that in the course of sixty days they 

 will be turning out their special tire of reclaimed rubber, which 

 is to be made by a new process, neither acid nor alkali. 



It was an unusual occurrence when, on October 4. Governor 

 Herrick addressed 2000 or more employes of The B. F. Good- 

 rich Co., The Diamond Rubber Co., and the Alkali Rubber Co. 

 in an open area near the three factories. The speech was made 

 at the noon hour, when the men stopped work and absorbed 

 mental and political pabulum instead of the usual midday 

 meal. Governor Herrick spoke in the interest of his reiilection 

 and advocated the enactment of a law to protect bank deposi- 

 tors — a subject of interest in Akron on account of the recent 

 losses to numerous rubber workers and others through a bank 

 failure. 



All the rubber factories in the city were closed on October 5, 

 on account of the Summit county fair. This is something that 

 has never occurred before, and the attendance at the fair was 

 swelled several thousands in consequence. 



The M. i*t M. Manufacturing Co., hitherto a partnership 

 between Frank C. Millhoff and E. C. Gammeter, has been incor- 

 porated under the laws of Ohio, with $12,000 capital, and will 

 continue to manufacture rubber cement. 



Mr. James A. Braden, advertising manager of The Diamond 

 Rubber Co., and well known also as an authorand former news- 

 paper man, took a vacation during the first part of October, 

 spending " Home week " in his native town, Warren, Ohio. 



The people of Akron, having decided to have a first class 

 Country Club, have been presented with the Casino building, 

 a fine edifice for indoor sports, owned by Messrs. B. G. Work, 

 C. C. Goodrich, A. H. Marks, and others of the young men 

 connected with the rubber trade of the city. 



Mr. Frank Seiberling, of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., 

 was lately on the Pacific coast. 



THE TEXTILE GOODS MARKET. 



THE cotton duck market at this writing rules exceedingly 

 strong, with no indication of a decline. The supply ac- 

 cording to best reports is not more than adequate to the demand. 

 It is assumed by those who should know that existing condi- 

 tions supply and demand almost irrespective of the price of 

 raw cotton will sustain the price of cotton goods. The gov- 

 ernment report of the amount of cotton ginned to October 18 

 showed 4.940,728 bales as against 6,417,894 bales for the corre- 

 sponding period last year. Regarding this report a competent 

 authority writes: 



"The practically unanimous opinion, however, is that the 

 report was susceptible of but one construction, and that a 

 bullish one indicating a crop of 10,000,000 bales or less, or 

 practically the same as that of two years ago, though some of 

 the more radical bulls insist that it points to a yield of not 

 much if anything over 9,500,000 bales. Others who consider 

 themselves conservative bulls put the crop at 10,500,000 to 

 10,750,000 bales but add that it will be inadequate to the de- 

 mand for consumption which they estimate at from I2,ooo,oco 

 to 12,500,000 bales." 



The call from the rubber shoe trade is equally as active as 

 that of the mechanical goods industry and it is estimated that 

 when the contract price is fixed, which will probably be within 

 the current month, that it may be higher than that of last sea- 

 son. So far as the speculative tendency is concerned, it is 

 stronger than it has been in two years. Rubber manufacturers 

 while necessarily purchasing in the open market to satisfy ex- 

 isting needs show no disposition to anticipate, pending the fix- 

 ing of the contract basis. Sheetings adapted for rubber trade 

 consumption are in very active request, though the paucity of 

 supply renders deliveries within the current year virtually im- 

 possible. Staple cotton is fully 25 per cent, stronger that it 

 was last year, when it was necessary as it generally is to mix 

 the raw material with the seasoned cotton. 



This year's crop being of superior quality, mixing was un- 

 necessary and the standard fixed by the government much 

 easier to meet. Competent authority asserts that cotton will 

 not recede from its present figure this fall and claims that 12 

 cent cotton will be one of the market features of the early fu- 

 ture. The undeniable strength and advancing prospects of the 

 cotton market have not up to this time aflected the conserva- 

 tive policy of rubber trade buyers. 



