January i, 1909.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



151 



VmiXAM J. B. STOKES. 



The illustration on this page is a portrait of Mr. William J. B. 

 Stokes, president of the Home Rubber Co., vice president of the 

 Joseph Stokes Rubber Co., and treasurer of the Trenton Rubber 

 Manufacturing Co., all of Trenton, New Jersey. He is also 

 treasurer of the City of Trenton (which otfice he has held for 

 the past 14 years), president of the Masonic Hall Association, 

 and warden of the States Street Methodist Churcli, at Trenton. 

 Mr. Stokes reflects in his career many of the qualities possessed 

 by his father, who early in life transferred his home from Eng- 

 land to America, where he became identified with the iron and 

 steel industry, winning material success and a world-wide repu- 

 tation as an expert. 



The subject of this sketch was born at Pottsville, Pennsyl- 

 vania, in August, 1857. While a very young man, he started 

 in the coal and lumber business, and later, with his brothers, 

 became interested in the manufacture of rubber. His marked 

 mechanical tastes, a strong individuality and keen business 

 judgment have all contributed to the success of the business with 

 which he is connected. Mr. Stokes is of a genial, frank disposi- 

 tion, making friends readily and keeping them. He takes a keen 

 interest in politics and in the advancement 

 of every good interest in his home city. 

 He is a member of several clubs ; identi- 

 fied with many of the forenmst charities 

 of Trenton, and an enthusiastic sportsman. 

 He owns a palatial Colonial home on the 

 banks of the Delaware river, his city home 

 in the winter, and a beautiful summer 

 home on the ocean front at Belmar, New 

 Jersey. 



THT REPUBLIC RUBBER CO. EXTENSIONS. 



Recent additions to the plant of The 

 Republic Rubber Co. (Youngstovvn, Ohio) 

 include a new tire building of concrete 

 construction, 65 x 285 feet ; also an addi- 

 tion to their calender room 33 x 80 feet, 

 for additional calenders and mills, and an 

 addition to the power room for new en- 

 gines and boilers. The new additions — 

 all as nearly fireproof as possible — will 

 make possible a largely increased output 

 of goods and the employment of a con- 

 siderably larger force. 



The Republic Rubber Co. of New York William J. 



— a subsidiary of the above — have re- 

 cently leased premises at No. 229 West Fifty-eighth street, 

 which will be remodeled for their purposes. In taking 

 over this new store the intention of the company is to 

 consolidate their mechanical goods business in New York with 

 their tire business, as some of the other large manufacturers 

 have been doing. 



The success of the Republic company in securing awards from 

 the city of New York for fire hose has been one of the notable 

 recent rubber news items. 



TARDY APPROACH OF "RUBBER" WEATHER. 



The first snow and ice bulletin of the season issued by the 

 United States weather bureau was dated December 8, and at 

 first glance it appeared most satisfactory to the rubber footwear 

 trade, as the area covered by the tints indicating snow was 

 exceptionally large. Snow was indicated in 26 states and terri- 

 tories of the 48 composing the Union, but a study of the figures 

 shows that in most cases only traces of snow existed. The 

 greatest depth was 10 inches at Sault Stc, Marie, Michigan, and 

 as high as S inches was reported at some points in Iowa. For 

 the most part, however, the amount of snow was not such as to 

 encourage the rubber trade, and more recently the situation has 



not been more encouraging. It will be remembered, however, 

 that in recent years it has not been unusual for New Year's to 

 arrive without any general heavy snowfalls, though later in the 

 winter the weather may have been such as to greatly stimulate 

 tlie demand for rubbers. 



The year 1908 ended with general inactivity among the rubber 

 footwear factories. Early in December the following notice was 

 posted at the Millville mill of the Woonsocket Rubber Co. : 



Owing to the unfavorable weather conditions we find it neces- 

 sary to make a temporary cut-down at this mill, the last day's 

 making will be on Saturday, the 12th instant. The first day's 

 making in starting up will be on Jan. 4, 1909. 



It was understood that if favorable weather should occur 

 meanwhile the mill might start earlier. No notice was posted 

 at the Woonsocket company's "Alice" mill. The factories of 

 the United States Rubber Co. at Naugatuck and New Haven ran 

 during the latter part of the month on a reduced schedule. More 

 favorable conditions are reported from Canada. On December 

 12, after 30 hours of continuous snowfall over most of the prov- 

 ince of Quebec, it was reported that 14 inches had fallen in Mon- 

 treal, which wa-; an unusual amount for that time of the year. 



NEW GOODYEAR BRANCH IN BOSTON. 



Owing to the steady increase of their 

 New England business The Goodyear 

 Tire and Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio) have 

 closed a 20 year lease on the building 

 located at No. 669 Boylston street, Bos- 

 ton. The present building is to be re- 

 placed with an up-to-date five story struc- 

 ture 90 X 24 feet, of which the main floor 

 is to be used as a salesroom and the 

 liasement for applying solid motor truck 

 tires and general workshop purposes. The 

 upper floors will be equipped with a com- 

 plete repair shop. The new building will 

 lie in readiness about May i next, after 

 which Manager William T. Teagan will 

 be able to carry a larger stock of goods 

 for the accommodation of the company's 

 New England customers. 



"FEDERAL" TIRES IN BOSTON. 



The Standard Tire and Rubber Co. 

 (Boston) have opened an uptown branch 

 to take care of the new "Federal" auto- 

 mobile tire handled by that company. 



This tire is made by the Federal Rubber Co. (Milwaukee, 



W^isconsin.) 



RECEIVER FOR THE LAKE SHORE RUBBER CO. 



The Lake Shore Rubber Co. (Erie, Pennsylvania), established 



some 20 years ago and incorporated in 1893, has gone into the 



hands of a receiver. Judge Walling having appointed Henry E. 



Fish to this position. The plant is being operated for the present 



by the receiver, and the hope is entertained that the business may 



be reorganized on a stronger basis and continued under the 



present name. 



* * * 



Later. — The receiver has announced public sale of all the prop- 

 erty of the Lake Shore company, including real estate, buildings, 

 machinery, raw materials, and manufactured products, to take 

 place at Erie, on Januarj' ". 



J. SCHNURMAWN, NEW YORK. 



The New York business of J. Schnurmann (London) in scrap 

 rubber was started in June, 1907, in the ofiices of Felix Salomon 

 & Co., No. 140 Nassau street, where Mr. H. Weber had charge 

 of the rubber departinent. Owing to the continued increase of 

 the business the Schnurmann house has opened its own offices, 

 at No. 150 Nassau street. New York, with Mr. Weber as manager. 



;5TUKLS. 



