April i, 1906.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER V/ORl^U 



239 



THE NEW JERSEY RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



11 Y A REGD1,AR CORRESPONDENT. 



' I ^O THR Editor of The In'dia Ruiuiicr World : A can- 



-*- vass of the rubber manufacturer.s of Trenton shows the 

 business to be in a moet promising condition, and the gen- 

 eral opinion is tlie ensuing j'ear will show the greatest pro- 

 duction in the history of the industrj' in this city. Many 

 plants have enlarged their buildings and increased their 

 force, until there are now about 2000 employes in the various 

 factories. 



The Eureka Rubber Manufacturing Co. of Trenton, with 

 their newly installed machinery for the manufacture of auto- 

 mobile and other vehicle tires are steadily pushing to the 

 front in this line. 



The Crescent Belting and Packing Co. recently installed a 

 lot of new machinery and increased their force to keep up 

 with orders on hand. The United and Globe Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Cos. with their enlarged plant will be able to 

 double the output of last year. The Hamilton Rubber 

 Manufacturing Co., also with added facilities will greatly 

 increase their output. 



The Joseph Stokes Rubber Co. have found it necessarj- to 

 add to their plant and equipment in order to keep up with 

 their growing hard rubber business. The same conditions 

 prevail at the Home, Grieb, and some other companies. 



The reclaiming plants are unusually bu.sy and a promi- 

 nent dealer in scrap rubber said in an interview, that it was 

 very difficult to meet the demands for this class of material. 

 One concern alone is using 30 tons per week and finds diffi- 

 culty in obtaining supplies even at the advanced prices pre- 

 vailing. 



The large new factory of the United and Globe Rubber 

 Manufacturing Cos. is now in full operation. A line of 

 fourteen new mixers and two washers, together with two 

 large calenders are driven by an 800 HP. Allis-Chalmers 

 engine. Rope transmission is used with very satisfactory 

 results. A new electric lighting plant has also been installed 

 and it is understood that the company expect, with their 

 increased facilities, to do a $2,000,000 business for this year. 



The incorporators of the Walter Automobile Co., with 

 $1,000,000 capital authorized, and registered office in White- 

 head road, near the factory of the Trenton Rubber Manufac- 

 turing Co., include a number of well known business men, 

 including Mr. C. Edward Murray and others in the rubber 

 industry, and Washington A. Roebling H. The purpose is 

 to manufacture automobiles and automobile accessories, the 

 latter, it is understood, to include some rubber goods. 

 Plans have been drawn for a factory on a large scale, based 

 upon the results of an inspection of the leading automobile 

 plants in the country by a committee of the shareholders of 

 the new company. 



The New Jersey Rubber Co. have purchased a flour mill 

 property adjoining, on the west and southwest, their plant 

 at Lambertville. The addition measures 200 feet front and 

 extends to the Delaware river. The property contains a four 

 story stone mill 40 X 60 feet. .■Ml the milling machiner}- has 

 been removed and the structure is being used as an additional 

 storehouse. Charles M. Dills, secretary and treasurer of the 

 company, states that during this month they will commence 

 the erection of another building on the purchased land to be 

 used in connection with their rubber reclaiming work. 



The employes of the Hamilton Rubber Manufacturing Co., 

 served their annual banquet in Thomann's Hall, in Trenton, 

 on the evening of March 15. It was well attended. Preced- 

 ing the dinner the workmen participated in a bowling con- 

 test between six-men teams. Schmidt was the high roller 

 with 187 to his credit in the last game, and an average of 

 168. Schmidt's team was composed of Corbett, Palmer, 

 Wilson, Fields, and ElHcott ; their opponents were vSchultz, 

 Irvin. I'^nt, Allen, Applegate, and Walker. Captain .Schmidt 

 and his men got a total of 2742, and the best the other side 

 could do was 2588. During the dinner a musical entertain- 

 ment was given. 



Mr. Allan Magowan, head of the Modern Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Co., at Trenton, is recovering from a long illness 

 with pneumonia, and hopes to be able to resume business 

 shortly. Mr. Magowan is one of the oldest members of the 

 rubber trade, having been engaged in it almost continuously 

 for 59 years — or since entering the employ of the New Eng- 

 land Car Spring Co. (New York) in 1847. [A full sketch of 

 Mr. Magowan appeared in The India Ruhber World. No- 

 vember I, 1902 — page 52.] 



What might have proved to be a serious fire was averted 

 at the Empire Rubber Manufacturing Co. 's factory on 

 March 9, by the prompt action of the watchman and the 

 quick response of the fire department. A blaze was discov- 

 ered among a number of crates of paste boxes in the shoddy 

 department and an alarm at once turned in. As it was the 

 loss was only about $175. 



One of the large calenders in the plant of the Lambert- 

 ville Rubber Co., broke while in operation on March 7, but 

 fortunately no one was hurt. 



The Luzerne Rubber Co., Trenton's newest concern in this 

 industry, which commenced operations last fall, is now in 

 full running order and is. rushed with work. Officers of the 

 company state that business is unusuallj- brisk for such a 

 youngster in the manufacturing world. The factor}' is lo- 

 cated at the corner of Dewey and Muirhead streets, East 

 Trenton ; it measures 40 X 120 feet, is one story high, on a 

 lot considerably larger and owned bj' the company. The 

 mill is well equipped and is run by a 200 tip. engine. The 

 output is hard rubber goods, principally for electrical use. 

 The capital authorized is $60,000, and the officers are : Bruce 

 Bedford president ; Joseph L. Bartine vice president ; C. Dud- 

 ley Wilson secretary and treasurer. Frank F. Fox is super- 

 intendent. 



Fred H. Conover, formerly of the United and Globe Manu- 

 facturing Cos., has taken the position of superintendent 

 for The Combination Rubber IManufacturing Co., at Bloom- 

 field. 



A fire occurred at the plant of the Eureka Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Co. of Trenton on Jlarch 23. caused by the explo- 

 sion of a benzine tank in a shed. The employ6s of the com- 

 pany tried to extinguish the flames but were unsuccessful 

 and the cit}' fire department was called out. The loss was 

 not more than $100. 



Mr. Irving W. Kelly, a well known former Trentonian, 

 now of Kelly & Williams, druggists' sundries jobbers, of 

 Kansas City, visited this city a few daj's ago after making a 

 tour of the Eastern rubber manufacturers placing orders. In 

 an interview with the correspondent of The India Rubber 

 World, he said the present outlook for the trade was ex- 

 ceptionally bright. He predicts larger sales this year than 



