October 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



65 



TO MAKE RUBBER GREASEPROOF. 



The Starkweather .S: Williams Co., manufacturers of textile 

 .specialties, Providence, Rhode Island, state that they have dis- 

 covered a process by which they can put a coating, which is 

 invisible and cannot be detected by touch, over a rubber surface 

 so as to make it proof against grease. They have not only given 

 this matter a thorough testing, but they have already begun to 

 supply rubber manufacturers with this preparation. It is, of 

 •course, of obvious value for aprons, and in the making of cloth- 

 ing that is to be used where there is any grease, as, for instance, 

 in a dairy. The name of this preparation is "Boline." The com- 

 pany is now increasing its facilities and expects to be ready 

 loefore long to make this new product in considerable quantities. 



COAL PRICES TO SOAR! 



.■\dvices from Cleveland speak of an impending car shortage, 

 likely to be the greatest in the history of transportation, as being 

 liable to occur within a month. As a result, it is anticipated 

 that the prices of both hard and soft coal will advance. Local 

 distributors of anthracite are said to be fifty per cent, behind 

 in their receipts, due to the closing of the mines last spring and 

 the failure of the railroads to move the output. 



RUBBER FLOORS FOR STAGE DANCING. 



According to European advices, the slippery floors on which 

 ■stage dances have hitherto been executed at Parisian music 

 Jialls, are being replaced by rubber matting. Two rubber mats 

 about 17 feet long by 7 feet wide are placed side by side in the 

 •center of the stage. The mats are about Js-inch in thickness, 

 a couple of them being said to cost about $50 or $60. 



It has been suggested that sooner or later the whole stage 

 will be covered with a rubber tiled flooring. That stage floors 

 are at present too slippery is an admitted fact, the question 

 arising : what is to be the consequence of prospective increased 

 speed in terpsichorean evolutions? 



FOUR-INCH TRUCK TIRES, 



Foreigners, particularly the English, have been rather prone 

 to criticize American truck tires on the ground that they were 

 ■much too thin to give the best possible continuous service. 

 -American truck tires usually remain about 2-3<J inches in thick- 

 ness irrespective of the width of the tire, while in England and 

 on the continent the thickness of a tire — or the sectional height — 

 is in proportion to the width ; for instance, a tire 3j^ inches wide 

 will be 2.}4 inches thick, but a 6-inch tire will be 4-inch thickness. 

 L'ndoubtedly this e.xtra thickness gives greatly increased wear 

 and also diminishes the jolting. On the other hand, of course, 

 it takes much more rubber. 



ASBESTOS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. 



The total production in the United States for 1911, according 

 to the United States geological survey, was valued at $119,935; 

 the raw material imported from Canada was valued at more than 

 11 times that amount. Canada's production of asbestos in 1911 

 was worth nearly $3,000,000. 



MR, TAFT TO HAVE SOME RUBBER BOOTS. 



The Boston Rubber Shoe Co., at its factory in Maiden, JNIassa-- 

 chusetts, is manufacturing a special pair of fishernien's hip boots, 

 to be presented to President Taft when he visits that city during 

 the carnival which is soon to be held in the Maiden Anniversary 

 Week. A great many of our statesmen have been said in the 

 past to belong to the "gum-shoe brigade," but this is the first 

 time that any man so distinguished in our political life has been 

 openly decorated with a pair of rubber boots. 



MOTOR TRUCK TIRES IMPROVING. 



According to a prominent tire manufacturer, no period in the 

 history of the motor truck industry has developed such marked 

 improvements in solid tires as the past year. A proof of this 

 statement may be found in the fact that within the year manu- 

 facturers have increased their mileage guarantees 2,000 and in 

 some instances 4,000 miles. It now is possible for a truck owner 

 to buy tires covered by a guarantee of 10,000 miles, irrespective 

 of the city or locality in which they are to be used. Up to a short 

 time ago manufacturers were compelled to discriminate against 

 certain cities and localities because of local conditions, such as 

 bad pavements, unimproved highways, the prevalence of hills and 

 for other causes peculiar to a particular section. In such places 

 guaranteed mileage was less than where better conditions 

 prevailed. 



Commenting on the solid tire situation at the present time, F. 

 F. Phillips, of the United States Tire Co., says : 



"Truck owners are not only receiving greater mileage guar- 

 antees today than ever before, but they arc getting better all- 

 around service. Our new demountable solid tire, which has been 

 on the market about eight months, is sold under a flat guarantee 

 of 10,000 miles, conditional only upon the service being had 

 within one year's time. The locality where the tires are to run 

 makes no difference in our case." 



SOME HIGHLY VALUABLE SUGGESnONS. 



.■\ correspondent in a recent number of "Motorcycling" con- 

 tributes the following interesting economic suggestion. "If you 

 have an old raincoat, mackintosh or like garment, split it down 

 the back about the length of the regular vent, sew four or five 

 buttons on strongly, and make button holes or clasps cor- 

 responding on each side of the front of the garment. When 

 buttoned together, like illustration, it completely covers your 

 good clothes." This suggestion is further elucidated by the ac- 

 companying cut, showing just how 

 it is done. 



But why stop with utilizing an 

 old rubber garment in the method 

 indicated? Why not complete the 

 good work? An old football cover, 

 with the lacing taken out and the 

 slit extended possibly an inch or 

 two, would make a clever motor 

 cap, coming well down over the 

 ears and fitting the head snugly. 

 Two ten-inch sections cut out of 

 an old automobile tire and turned 

 up a little at the two ends would 

 make a very fine pair of rubber 

 shoes. Naturally the sides of these 

 cut-open sections would clamp the 

 foot and hold on Hke a pair of "Eversticks." Furthermore, if an 

 old hot water bottle were cut in two across the middle, and 

 gathering strings inserted around the edges you would have a 

 fine pair of rubber mittens. These could readily be converted 

 into gloves by simply cutting the necessary holes for the thumb 

 and fingers to project through. 



It will be seen at once from the above suggestions that anyone 

 with a little thought and ingenuity, a few buttons, a string or 

 two, and possibly a nail, can make almost anything he wants in 

 the way of a rubber outfit from discarded rubber relics and thus 

 materially cut down the present high cost of living. 



THE UNITED STATES TIRE CO.'S ST. LOUIS OFFICE. 



The United States Tire Co. expects soon to move into a new 

 building at Locust street and Compton avenue, St. Louis, Mis- 

 souri, of which it is said to have taken a ten years' lease. 



