March i, 1905.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



211 



= The annual meeting of the shareholders of the American 

 Hard Rubber Co. was held at the odice, No. 9 Mercer street, 

 New York, on February 14. 



= William R. Ray, chief engineer and master mechanic at 

 the Melrose factory of the Boston Rubber Shoe Co., had an ex- 

 citing experience after leaving the factory one evening early in 

 February, and while on his way to his home in Maiden. It 

 was pay day. and he presumably had a substantial sum of 

 money in his pocket. He was accosted by a man wearing a 

 mask, who commanded him to hold his hands up, at the same 

 time pointing a revolver in Mr. Ray's face. Instead of doing 

 as he was told. Mr. Ray caught the masked man by the hand 

 in which the revolver was clutched, and after a struggle of some 

 minutes secured the weapon, after which the other fled in the 

 darkness. Mr. Ray fired one shot at the retreating figure, but 

 without eflect so far as known. 



=The Ailing Rubber Co. (Bridgeport, Connecticut) have 

 rented the store at No. 139 Bank street, VVaterbury, where they 

 will open about May 1 a retail rubber store. It is expected that 

 Mr. W. C. Minor, who has been connected with the Ailing 

 company at Bridgeport for a number of years, will be in charge 

 as manager. This will be the ninth rubber store in Connecti- 

 cut operated by the Ailing combination. 



ADVANCE IN RUBBER FOOTWEAR. 



On February S the jobbers of rubber boots and shoes hold- 

 ing contracts with the United States Rubber Co. were notified 

 as follows : 



Because of the continued high price of crude rubber, on and after this 

 day our prices are advanced as follows : First discount will be 20 per 

 cent, instead of 25 per cent.; other discounts remain the same. Colo- 

 nials and Tennis pric;s remain unchanged, but all discounts are subject 

 to change without notice. 



The changes have been figured out as equivalent to a net 

 advance of 6-j per cent, over the prior prices in force. But 

 the special discount of 5 per cent, offered at the beginning of 

 the year on orders placed before April 1 will remain in effect 

 until that date. The new discounts are printed herewith in 

 bold face type, with the former rates printed underneath in 

 ordinary type : 



First quality (except Woonsocket and Meyer) 20 @3^ 



25 @ 3? 



Woonsocket and Meyer brands. 20 (^ 5 @ 3^. 



25 @ 5 @ 3'' 



Second quality (e.vcept Rhode Island) 20 @ 10 @ 3'^ 



25 @ 10 (w y. 



Rhode Island brand iO @ 10 @ S @ 3'. 



25 @ 10 @ 5 @ 3? 



United States Rubber shares had already gone to par ; dur- 

 ing the past month preferred stock has been quoted at 113 and 

 higher. The unusually prolonged snow weather doubtless has 

 had its effect, upon top of which comes the announcement of 

 higher prices of products. 



As for the dealers, it can hardly be said that the new prices 

 have occasioned any surprise. There was cause for surprise 

 rather, at the beginning of the year, when no advance was 

 made. Coming at practically the middle of February the new 

 prices cannot aflect a great deal of the trade of the season now 

 near an end. But in view of the fact that the latest prices are 

 not guaranteed, and no reason exists for supposing that they 

 will soon be lower, the trade may be expected to place orders 

 early for next season, to escape another possible advance. 



ACTION OF THE WESTERN" JOBBERS. 



In view of reports current of the cutting of prices of rubber 

 shoes, a special meeting of Chicago jobbers was called for Feb- 

 ruary 2, by Mr. S. W. Campbell, secretary of the Western Asso- 

 ciation of Shoe Wholesalers, as a result of which ten members 



of the association came together and signed a call for a general 

 meeting, to be held at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago, on 

 February 8. By that date the United States Rubber Co. had 

 announced an advance in prices, and it was felt by the mem- 

 bers of the association who convened that this fact would tend 

 largely to stiffen the market. It was unanimously resolved to 

 adhere to the new schedule of discounts. The members of the 

 association at once sent to all their customers a letter, of which 

 the following is a copy : 



Dear sir: At a joint meeting here of all handlers of rubbers, includ- 

 ing United States and all outside rubber companies, have agseed under 

 no circumstances or no conditions to sell the goods any different from 

 United States Kubber Co. prices made to-day. 



Now, we are put on honor in this matter and in such a way under no 

 circumstances or conditions can we accept an order at less than the new 

 prices made to day by the United States Rubber Co., which are 20, 5, 

 and 3. [This includes the special 5 per cent, discount, to induce early 

 orders, applicable to April i. — Thk Editor ] 



Now. if we cannot sell the goods this way we will not sell them at all. 

 Now you will have no different prices to compete against, as we have 

 all tied ourselves up stronger than ever before and no honorable busi- 

 ness man will permit a salesman to do different. Now don't let your 

 customers work you. We will send new prices on Combinations so that 

 you will receive same at your Sunday address. Sign this letter and re- 

 turn to us at once. Any orders taken different than under these in- 

 structions will be refused by us at once. 



Now, in this meeting today they claimed that there will be another 

 advance of 5 per cent, ob or before the first day of June, so your custom- 

 ers had better get in under the wet, as it may come at any time. Yours 

 respectfully. 



CANADA. 



The manufacturers of rubber footwear in the Dominion are 

 expected to announce their lists about March 6. The lists and 

 discounts probably will not varv^ widely from those in effect in 

 the United States. 



ANOTHER GOLF BALL SUIT. 



A SUIT has been filed in the United States circuit court at 

 New York, by Eleazar Kempshall, individually and as president 

 of the Perfect Golf Ball Co., to restrain the Kempshall Manu- 

 facturing Co. from the manufacture of golf balls on the ground 

 that the process used duplicates that by which the Kempshall 

 ball is produced. The Kempshall Manufacturing Co. was or- 

 ganized to manufacture balls under patents granted to Mr. 

 Kempshall. A suit for infringement of patents brought by the 

 Haskell Golf Ball Co. was settled by an agreement under which 

 the Kempshall company pay a royalty. Mr. Kempshall says: 



" The new ball I am making is protected by patents which 

 antedate those held by the Kempshall company, and were not 

 taken out by me. The Haskell people, while establishing a 

 priority of invention on golf balls packed with rubber thread, 

 have not established the same claim regarding balls wound 

 with a rubber band over a core, which is the gist of the Kemp- 

 shall company's patents. Under the royalty agreement, the 

 Kempshall company thought they could get along without my 

 aid, and I have now gone into business on my own account. 

 They are trying to stop me, but they won't succeed, for I am 

 not using any of the patents that they own." 



The Perfect Golf Ball Co. above referred to was incorporated 

 recently under Maine laws with $1,000,000 capital authorized. 

 The offices are at No. 253 Broadway, New York. 



[FROM OUR AKRON CORRESPONDF.KT.] 



The report from Washington that the attorney general of 

 the United States may be petitioned to fight the "golf ball 

 trust " does not give much concern to the Haskell Golf Ball 

 Co. " In the first place, there is no golf ball trust," said Mr. 



