February i, 1905. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



161 



TIRES AT THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN SHOW. 



THE fifth annual automobile show, at Madison Square 

 Garden (New Yorlc), under the auspices of the Auto- 

 mobile Club of America and the National Association 

 of Automobile Manufacturers, on January 14-21, was 

 larger and more interesting than any of its predecessors, meas- 

 ured both by the number and scope of the exhibits and by the 

 attendance. In these respects each of the annual shows has 

 marked a distinct advance over its predecessors, and as one 

 show follows another they appear to become more and more 

 dedicated to business rather than to the gratification of mere 

 curiosity on the part of the public. 



From all accounts the makers of automobiles who were ex- 

 hibitors at Madison Square — and they represented by far the 

 greater part of the trade in the United Slates — were thoroughly 

 satisfied with the results of the show, with regard to business 

 actually done during the week and also to the evidence pre- 

 sented of the great hold which the automobile has gained upon 

 the American public, and the promise which exists of the per- 

 manency of the demand for automobiles of the best types. This 

 is not the place for a critical review of the progress made in 

 automobile building on this side of the Atlantic, or a compari- 

 son between the productsiof the industry here and abroad. The 

 comment seemed universal, however, that whatever advantages 

 in point of quality and utility the European made automobiles 

 may have possessed five years ago — when the foreign builders 

 had the advantage of several years in point of time — the dis- 

 crepancy has steadily been overcome until now any difference 

 is difficult to discern. 



The interest to the rubber trade in the growth of automo- 

 bilism lies, of course, in the demand which it has developed 

 for rubber tires. Not to mention the tires shown on 250 or 

 more vehicles of every size and type, on exhibition, special dis- 

 plays of their products were made by the leading producers of 

 automobile tires, the list being substantially the same as last 

 year. In regard to the tires shown, it may be that the casual 

 observer would not have noticed any special change from the 

 features of last year's show. Interviews with the exhibitors, 

 however, would have revealed in every case that much thought 

 and effort had been devoted during the year to increasing the 

 efficiency of the tires of the various types, with the result of 

 numerous improvements having been wrought, so that the 

 buyer of rubber tires this year may hope for a better return for 

 his money than at any time in the past. 



The " clincher " type of tire still predominates, no single tube 

 or cushion tire being shown — unless specially asked for. Solid 

 tires were shown in several booths, but these were meant for 

 the heavier type of commercial vehicles, and two exhibits were 

 devoted to this type of tire alone. It may be said, however, 

 that these two companies hope to capture a part of the de- 

 mand from the owners of pleasure vehicles, on account of 

 the admitted fact that rendering a tire punctureless robs it to 

 a certain degree of resiliency. 



This last reference leads up to the mention of the many tire 

 protective devices which were to be seen on every hand. Sev- 

 eral of the tire exhibits embraced protective covers of leather 

 for pneumatic tires, some of them being attached by means of 

 rivets with projecting heads designed to give a rough surface 

 to the tread and thereby prevent skidding. Bailey's "Won't 

 Slip " automobile tire was shown prominently in the exhibits of 

 companies licensed to make it, the point being made that a 



tread with an all-rubber surface is more efficient than where 

 other materials are attached to the rubber, while a neater ef- 

 fect is produced. v 



THE TIRE EXHIBITS IN DETAIL. 

 The Diamond Rubber Co., (Akron, Ohio). — Principal feat- 

 ure, the" Diamond 1905 Detachable " clincher tire, in respect 

 to which attention was called to new features of construction- 

 the "wrapped tread " by which "every fiber does its share 

 of work ; " more time given to vulcanizing than formerly ; 

 and semi curing of the skeleton separately from the tread. 

 The latter feature helps to render possible the fitting of a 

 tire with three or four new treads before it is finally worn 

 out. " Diamond ' single tube tires were shown, and " Dia- 

 mond " side wire tires, licensed under the Swinehart patent. 

 Also, Bailey's " Won't Slip " tires, leather non-skidding covers, 

 rubber covered lugs, inner tubes, repair kits, and so on. One 

 distinct novelty shown was a rim with a turn-buckle attach- 

 ment, which places this company in the field of making me- 

 chanically fastened tires. 



RBi'UHSBN lATuas. — W. B. Miller, sccrc'.arv ; O. J . Woodard, general scIHdk 

 represenlalive. Branch managers; Samuel F. Randolph. Ji . New York and 

 Philadclphii: O. S. Tweedy. Chicago ; W. M. Pen ett, Detroit ; W. T. Heifer, 

 Boston ; N. E. Oliver, Buffalo ; G J. Bradley. Cleveland. Albert G. Partridge, 

 New York salesman. 



Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., (Akron, Ohio). — The 

 Firestone side-wire solid tire, for automobiles, trucks, fire 

 engines, and other vehicles, heavy or light. Sections of tires 

 of very large dimensions were shown, up to 8 inches in width, 

 the list price being $183.50 for tire, for wheels 36 inches in 

 diameter over all, or $734 per set of four, with $50 added for 

 channel rims. The company are seeking to create a demand 

 for these tires for pleasure vehicles, no less than for commer- 

 cial use. 



REPRKSENTAruBs. — H. S. Firestone, president and general manager ; S. G. 

 Carkulf. assistant general manager ; J. M. Gilbert, sales manager, Akron ; W P. 

 Berrien, New York manager; A.J. Greene. Boston manager; J. I-. Gibney, Phila- 

 delphia manager ; Walter .\ Wells and H. E. Esterly, New York salesmen. 



The Fisk Rubber Co. (Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts). — 

 The FIsk mechanically retained detachable tire, which has been 

 the chief feature of the company's exhibits for two seasons past, 

 appeared with a few changes of detail. For instance, by groov- 

 ing the retaining bands, the clamps do not project so far outside 

 the rim, and hence are not now liable to come into contact with 

 the tire; besides, by a new arrangement, the clamps are more 

 easily applied than before, and the nut used holds the clamp 

 bolt more securely. 



Representatives —Harry T. Dunn, president and general manager ; Ernest 

 H. Brandt, assistant general manager : J. W. Bowman, eastern sales manager ; F. 



C. Riggs, western sales manager. Branch managers : E .A. Hoffman, New York ; 



D. T. Keenan, Buffalo; A. C Bolster, Syracuse ; James L. Gibney, Philadelphia; 

 George A. Campbell, Boston ; Mortis Penrose, Cleveland; E. H. Broadwell, De- 

 troit ; B. H. Pratt, Chicago ; Mr. Kiener, Montreal. 



G & J Tire Co. (Indianapolis, Indiana). — This company 

 controls the patents under which the " Clincher " type of tires 

 are made in the United States. They also market under their 

 name the product of the Indianapolis Rubber Co., the makers 

 of the tires shown in this booth. Special attention was called 

 to the new thread fabric used in these tires, of which a full de- 

 scription was given in The India Rubber World, December 

 I (page 78). The new"G& J" tire is made with beads or 

 clinches that are very long, and flat at the base, giving the 

 best possible bearing of the clinches in the rim ; coupled with 

 the fact that the tire is molded in as nearly a true circle as pos- 



