212 



THE. INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[March 



1905- 



B. G. Work, vice president of the company. "The only trus: 

 or monopoly that exists in connection with the manufacture 

 of golf balls comes from the government itself, through the 

 issue of the patent under which the rubber covered ball is man- 

 ufactured. The Haskell Golf KM Co. own this patent. No 

 others own or control it. Four companies in the United 

 States manufacture these balls, but they do it under a license 

 issued by our company. There are no other manufacturers of 

 golf balls in the United States. The four companies are The 

 B. F. Goodrich Co., of Akron ; A. G. Spalding & Brothers, of 

 New York ; Kempshall Manufacturing Co., of New York ; and 

 Worthington Manufacturing Co., of Elyria, Ohio." 



An interesting question has arisen in connection with the 

 report that the alleged golf ball combine might get into the 

 courts. It is claimed that Associate Justice Harlan, of the 

 United States supreme court, would be dis(qua!ified to sit in 

 such a case, because he is one of the greatest players in the 

 Chevy Chase Club, of Washington, where the complaint 

 against the " trust " is claimed to have originated. That these 

 members look upon golf balls as being as much of a necessity 

 as meat, Mr. Work characterized as not being quite a fair com- 

 parison. "Meat is a necessity and golf balls a luxury; that's 

 the only difTerence," said Mr. Work. 



The reported complaint of the Chevy Chase and Columbia 

 club members in Washington is that the price of golf balls is 

 too high, and they believe this is on account of a combination, 

 which Mr. Work denies. The players figjure that " topping " 

 balls at 50 cents a clip with cleek or midiron is too expensive, 

 and with the many lost and destroyed in playing, the game is 

 a costly one. The report that the price of some kinds of balls 

 is to be raised to $9 a dozen has further alarmed the players. 

 It is a peculiar fact, however, that the first kick has come from 

 among the very swellest and wealthiest players. 



Mr. Work estimates that nearly $1,500,000 per year is spent 

 in this country for golf balls, using the retail price as the basis 

 of figuring. It is estimated that there are 300.000 golf players 

 in the United States. The life of a ball is about one game. 

 Akron is the principal center of the golf ball industry, and 

 during the busy season over 1000 dozen balls per day are 

 turned out here. 



THE B. F. GOODRICH CO. IN BOSTON. 

 The Boston branch office of The B. F. Goodrich Co. (Akron, 

 Ohio), has been removed to larger premises, at No. 161 Colum- 

 bus avenue, where the company occupy the first floor and 

 basement, with an aggregate floor space of about 10,000 square 

 feet. They have the best facilities for repairing tires and tak- 

 ing care of their trade. They carry a full stock of tires and 

 bicycle sundries, in addition to a full line of mechanical rubber 

 goods of standard patterns. 



GLOBE MILLS RUBBER CO. 

 The installation of machinery by the new rubber shoe man- 

 ufacturing concern by the above name at Lawrence, Massachu- 

 setts, already mentioned in these pages, continues to make 

 progress. Loring M. Monk, who has been elected president 

 and general manager of the company, was associated with W. 

 L. Sage during the latter's connection with the rubber shoe 

 jobbing trade in a large way in Boston. Leonard C. Moore, 

 treasurer of the corporation, is president and treasurer of the 

 L. C. Moore Co., proprietors of a large department store in 

 Lawrence. Others interested are Charles M. Evans, of the re- 

 tail boot and shoe trade, and Walter Coulson, a leading local 

 lawyer. It is understood that Mr. Moore still holds title to the 

 Globe worsted mills, transfers not yet having been made to 

 the company, which has been incorporated under Maine laws. 



A RUBBER FACTORY FOR CINCINNATI. 

 RiiPORT.s received at the ofllce of The India Rubber 

 World during the last days of February refer to bright pros- 

 pects for the success of negotiations to remove to Cincinnati, 

 Ohio, a rubber manufacturing plant operated, for a number of 

 years by an important concern in another city. Mr. W. G. 

 Brown, who formerly was in Cincinnati in charge of a rubber 

 store, and who is spoken of as the leader in the new negotia- 

 tions, was in Cincinnati on February 25 and informed The 

 India Rubber World correspondent there that he expected 

 to be able to make some definite announcement by the latter 

 part of the following week. It was understood that he had 

 an option on a certain rubber manufacturing plant which would 

 expire on March 31, but in the event of failure of negotiations 

 the owners of the plant would continue its operation and'make 

 no further effort to dispose of it. Our Cincinnati correspond- 

 ent wrote on the date mentioned : " He has interested a num- 

 ber of prominent financial men and capitalists in the project, 

 and nearly all of the capital stock of the proposed company 

 has been pledged. The new company, the name of which has 

 not been decided upon, will be capitalized at $375,000 divided 

 into $250,000 ot 6 per cent, preferred and $125,000 common 

 stock. Among those largely interested in the project are five 

 of the directors of the German National Bank, including George 

 H. Bohrer, the president of the bank ; Edward Herzog, M. 

 Schwartz, Fred A. Geier, and William C. Wacher. Dr. J. M. 

 Crawford, ex United States consul at St. Petersburg, is also 

 taking an active interest in the company. Nothing definite has 

 been decided upon as to officials of the proposed corporation. 

 It is certain, however, that Mr. Brown will be one of them, but 

 he will be general manager. There is some talk of electing 

 him president. This, however, he states will be for the stock- 

 holders to determine. The probabilities are that the plant will 

 be located in Norwood, an extensive manufacturing suburb of 

 this city. Mr. Brown has been viewing a five acre tract of land 

 near The Smith & Nixon Piano Co., but holds no option on it. 

 There are several other sites under consideration. It is pro- 

 posed tj erect a modern fireproof manufacturing plant and be- 

 gin operations with about 200 employes." The rubber man- 

 ufa. luring company referred to in the above paragraphs ad- 

 vised The India Rubber World on February 27 that they 

 had no statement to make regarding the mention of their com- 

 pany in the connection referred to. 



A MONTREAL FIRM BURNED OUT. 

 Fire occurred on the forenoon of [anuary 28, in the factory 

 and warehouse of the National Rubber Co. of Canada, manu- 

 facturers of waterproof clothing, at No. 425 Craig street Mon- 

 treal, the origin of which has not yet been explained. The fire 

 started on the third floor of the four story building occupied 

 by the company, and did not reach the two lower floors, though 

 their contents were seriously damaged by water. Mr. P. Glick- 

 man, proprietor of the business, estimates the total damage at 

 $40,000. The amount of insurance involved is officially stated 

 at $32,000 on stock and fixtures, and $6000 on the building. The 

 company have taken temporary quarters at No. 52i>2 Craig 

 street, and there has been no interruption of business. 



PERSONAL MENTION. 



Mr. James E. Baxter, chairman of the Leyland and Bir- 

 mingham Rubber Co., of England, was a recent visitor to the 

 United States, for the first time. Mr. Baxter was accompanied 

 by his brother in law, Mr. William Huck. 



^Mr. Thomas G. Richards, superintendent of the Boston 

 Woven Hose and Rubber Co., gave an interesting lecture 

 on the evening of February 2, before the Y. M. C. A. at 



