Janl-arv 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



199 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By a Resident Corrcsfondciit. 

 Ol-'SIXESS generally is about the same as was reported 

 ^ last montli. The close of the year naturally tends to 

 slow down certain lines, but this is more tlian made up by 

 increased activity in others. The mechanical branches suffer 

 most at this season, because of the nearly universal custom 

 of purchasing agents to defer buying as far as possible until 

 after the opening of the New Year. Toys, druggists' goods 

 and similar lines are still going with their accustomed regular- 

 ity, and clothing seems to be as much called-for as ever. 

 Notwithstanding the weather, or perhaps because of it, the 

 tire business flourishes. The one branch which is suffering 

 most is the rubber footwear trade, which is quiet because ot 

 absence of snow. 



* * * 



The Monatiquot Rubber Works Co. is installing a third 

 engine at its plant in South Braintree, Massachusetts — this 

 one of 450 horse power. It is also erecting another brick 

 building, which will accommodate a double line of shafting 

 to work a dozen new mills which will be installed. This 

 company owns a tract of about ' 12 acres between the 

 Monatiquot River and a branch of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. 

 and also about 25 acres on the gentle slope of a hill tlie other 

 side of the river. Under the planning of landscape architects 

 this latter tract is to be laid out in streets, all of which will 

 bear appropriate Indian names, Squantum, Samoset, Massas- 

 soit, etc. Small lots will be offered at such terms tliat em- 

 ployes can be enabled to build, and thus form a little com- 

 munity under the finest auspices of health, comfort and rural 

 beauty. 



As is the custom of this company at Thanksgiving, turkeys 

 were given to all the married employes both at the factory 

 and at the office. The single men received cigars and the 

 gills boxes of candy. The good feeling between employer 

 and employe at this establishment is noticeable in the 

 esprit de corps manifest in all departments. 



* * * 



Tlie Boston Continuation School has as its pupils a fine 

 lot of young shoe clerks, who are learning much about their 

 business. Last month a practical lesson was given them of 

 how a rubber overshoe was made. Miss Elizabeth A, King, 

 one of the star rubber makers at the Converse Rubber Shoe 

 Co.'s factory at Maiden, brought to the school the various 

 parts which go to make a storm overshoe. The manufacture 

 of the sheeting and the cutting and coatini; of the various 

 pieces was explained, and a rubber shoe made slowly, to show 

 every detail. Then Miss King made another while the 

 students held watches to time the work. The process of 

 vulcanizing and varnishing completed the lesson. 



* * * 



The Maynard Shoe Co., Claremont, New Hampshire, which 

 has manufactured McKay sewed rubber-soled shoes for some 

 ten or fifteen years, and cemented tennis shoes for a shorter 

 period, has sold all its rubber machinery to the W. C. Cole- 

 man Co., of this city, which will probably dismantle the fac- 

 tory where these goods are made. The factory has been sold 

 to the Sullivan Machinery Co., which will utilize it in extend- 

 ing their business. It is reported that tlie tennis goods end 

 of the Maynard Shoe Co. will be transferred to the Beacon 

 Falls (Connecticut) Rubber Shoe Co., and that the rubber 

 heel business will be discontinued. The Maynard Shoe Co. 

 will, however, continue to manufacture leather shoes for the 

 jobbing trade. 



* * * 



Work is proceeding right along on the new power plant of 

 the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co. at Cambridge. Two 

 units were put in commission on Saturday, December 21, and 



were found ready for the task set out for them. The whole 

 plant will not be ready before the first of ^larch. The new 

 brass finishing department is now in full running order. 

 Other important improvements are under way, all of which is 

 a proof of the prosperity of the companj', and the continued 



demand for its many l)ranches of product. 



* * * 



Tlie two buildings on Atlantic .•\venue adjoining that in 

 which the Elastic Tip Co. has its office were badly damaged — 

 in fact almost entirely destroyed — by fire early last month, 

 and at one time it seemed certain that the flames would 

 spread to No. 370, but by arduous work this was prevented. 

 Nevertheless the company sustained considerable damage by 

 water, which, however, did not materially interfere with their 



business. 



* * * 



The luiterprise Rubber Co. has a prominent store on 

 Federal street in this city, which is passed by thousands 

 every hour of the business day. There are two very large 

 windows of plate glass, and these are not only attractively 

 arranged, but they are filled with most seasonable displays. 

 During the football season the gridiron is reproduced and 

 rubber toy animals are used to personate the players. In the 

 hunting season camp scenes are arranged to advertise cloth- 

 ing, hunting footwear, etc. If the day be rainy the windows, 

 or at least one of them, is sure to contain a display of water- 

 proof coats, etc., while a fall of snow is a practically auto- 

 matic order for the window dresser to arrange a display of 

 Candee footwear. Undoubtedly this timeliness brings in a 

 large amount of retail trade. At present writing the windows 

 present a true Christmas appearance, and toys of red rubber 

 are prominently displayed in a holly-decorated setting. 



* * * 



Speaking of window displays reminds me that recently 

 there was on exhibition in the window of the Goodyear 

 Rubber House on Boylston street, a splendid portrait in oil 

 of Charles Goodyear which was painted by Miss Frances 

 Chamberlin, a portrait painter of more than local celebrity. 

 Miss Chamberlin is the niece of Mr. Robert Josselyn, the 

 proprietor of the Goodyear Rubber House which was es- 

 tablished thirty-tw^o years ago, and which occupied one store 

 on School street for three decades, moving to Boylston street 

 onl}- about a year ago, owing to the southward march of 

 Boston's retail centre. 



* * * 



The Eastern Rubber Co., wholesale dealers in rubber cloth- 

 ing and footwear having outgrown their recent quarters, have 

 moved to 72 High street where they now occupy two large 

 floors for stock shipping and offices. They have been work- 

 ing at a disadvantage owing to the increase of their business, 

 as they could not secure additional room at the Purchase 

 street building where their store was, and had to use a floor 

 on Congress street for their surplus stock. The new location 

 enables them to carry on all the details of their business under 



one roof. 



* * * 



Richmond L. Chipman's usually pleasant and smiling face is 

 more so than ever just now, as he informs his friends that Rich- 

 mond L. Chipman, Jr., joined the family December 14. 1912 and 

 is already making a noise in the world. Chipman pcre says that 

 he is going to teach the young scion to chew rubber, so that by 

 the time he is five years old he will be an expert in all varieties 

 of crude gum. and by the time he graduates from college he will 

 he a full-fledged crude rubber man. 



While this is the first boy in the Chipman household, he is not 

 the first child. Mr. Chipman has two charming daughters, and 

 he is a most artistic and expert amateur photographer. Recently 

 the kodak people asked for specimens of amateur photographic 

 work. .About 18,000 samples were sent and only 1,200 of these 



