January 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



201 



VVelton, general manager and secretary ; and J. H. Romwebber, 

 treasurer. 



The Adamson Machine Co. will occupy its new addition shortly 

 after the first of the year. 



The Miller Rubber Co. at its annual meeting the latter part 

 of November re-elected the same officers, viz.: Jacob Pfeiffer, 

 president; C. T. Grant, vice-president; F. B. Theiss, treasurer 

 and William PfeifTer, secretary and assistant treasurer. The 

 board of directors at their meeting December 18, declared the 

 regular quarterly dividend of 2^ per cent, to be paid January 

 20 on stock of record of January 1, 1913. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CHICAGO. 



(By a J^Lsidcnt Correspondent.) 

 /""lilCAGO veterans in all lines of the rubber goods trade 

 ^^ learned, long ago, to discount most of the rumors concerning 

 big alleged movements in the way of combinations, new fac- 

 tories, reorganizations, etc. Still, rumors, and rumors of rumors 

 portentious in proportions, continue to be originated and to 

 spread. In fact, in no other lines of business in Chicago do 

 stories of alleged great movements of one kind and another at- 

 tach to the trade and form the basis of gossip and discussion 

 as they do in the various departments of rubber manufacture and 

 dealings. The prompt denial by President B. G. Work, of the 

 B. F. Goodrich Co.. that his concern was about to combine with 

 the United States Rubber, puts a quick end to one of the most in- 

 teresting rumors of the month. 



However, no statement from anybody has caused the rumor 

 that the United States Rubber Co. is to build a new one million 

 dollar plant somewhere in the west to cease to be circulated. 

 It continues to spread among the Chicago rubber men. It is not 

 unlikely that the condition of affairs in connection with this 

 particular movement, is the result largely of the fact that Chicago 

 has no large rubber manufacturing works, and of the hope that, 

 if the story be true, the new million dollar concern will be lo- 

 cated here. Against such a supposition, however, the fact is 

 urged that possibilities of labor troubles always exist in greater 

 or less degree in Chicago; and as a result it would be likely that 

 any enterprise of the proportions suggested might seek a location 

 elsewhere. 



At the same time it is not an occasion for satisfaction to 

 local rubber dealers or to the people of Chicago generally that 

 the city must draw on places of much smaller size for supplies 

 of mechanical rubber goods. While Chicago is credited with 

 using more automobiles in proportion to population than any 

 other place in the world, the auto makers and owners, must se- 

 cure their tires from the factories of smaller towns. These con- 

 ditions have had their influence in increasing the interest in the 

 rumor of the possibility of the erection here of an immense rub- 

 ber manufacturing plant. 



* * * 



The month has seen no special changes in the tone of various 

 brandies of the rubber business in Chicago. Demands have 

 continued strong and prices are being maintained. General busi- 

 ness (s showing satisfactory improvement. The hesitancy occa- 

 sioned by the National political campaign has become a matter 

 of the past. The prospects for 1913 become more and more 

 a certainty. ■ This condition applies to the entire territory covered 

 by the business of the Chicago rubber men. George F. Switzer, 

 who has just returned from a very extensive trip to the Pacific 

 Coast States and the Vancouver section, reports that business 

 in all quarters is in a most satisfactory condition. He calls at- 

 tention to the prospects based on the arrangements for opening 

 the Panama Canal, and the increased business likely to develop 

 as the result of the San Francisco Exposition. People in the 

 East, he says, do not realize the extent to which the entire coun- 

 try is to be benefited by the Canal opening and the Exposition. 



.-\n interesting illustration of the manner and degree in which 

 various large branches of business are correlated, is shown in the 

 late reports of the Allis-Chahners Company, which turns out 

 so immense an amount of machinery for crushing stones, etc. 

 The stone crushing business, of course, depends to a large de- 

 gree on certain articles of mechanical rubber for successful work- 

 ing processes. The immense quantity of the stone crushing ma- 

 chinery now being manufactured in response to demands, results 

 in great increase in the business of the Chicago rubber men 

 whose wares are required in connection with such machinery. 



Reports of increased business in the lead and zinc mining 

 country and in some portions of the copper mining sections are 

 followed by increased demand for mechanical rubber goods re- 

 quired for mining operations. Great paper mills continue to be 

 running full time and with full crews, and their calls for rubber 

 goods have an influence in increasing the volume of Chicago 

 trade. 



* 4i * 



The increased cost of the crude materials used in the manu- 

 facture of practically all kinds of rubber goods, particularly cot- 

 ton duck, is regarded by Chicago experts as sufficient justifi- 

 cation for putting up rates on the finished product. It is under- 

 stood that the officers of the large manufacturing corporations 

 are consultory with their leading representatives in Chicago, 

 with a view to obtaining their opinions concerning the proposed 

 movement. It appears to be expected generally in the trade 

 that arrangements for increased prices will be made early in the 

 coming year. 



* * * 



Several of the more important Chicago headquarters are ar- 

 ranging for increased facilities for future business, both in the 

 way of enlarged quarters and extension of territory. M. S. 

 Curwen. Chicago manager for the Boston Belting Co., is busy 

 arranging to move into new headquarters, at 172 West Randolph 

 street. Mr. Curwen's present quarters are very extensive, but 

 those into which he will go, as soon as arrangements can be com- 

 pleted, are much larger and will be one of the most attractive 

 places of business in the city. His company has decided, also to 

 take advantage of the increased business on the Pacific Coast, 

 and has secured much larger quarters in San Francisco than 

 those at present occupied. 



* * * 



While the so-called hard rubber goods in the preparation of 

 which no rubber whatever is used, continue in increasing 

 demand for certain mechanical purposes, the real hard rubber 

 business does not seem to be aflfected thereby. Local representa- 

 tives of the leading hard rubber manufactories continue to re- 

 port excellent business. Probably no other line of rubber goods 

 is affected to so great degree by the demands of the holiday 

 season as those sold by druggists. In this line, the volume of 

 trade is exceptionally large. 



* * * 



C. W. Lynde. formerly connected with W. D. Allen, Chicago, 

 and later with Pacific Coast Rubber Co. and the Gorham-Revere 

 Rubber Co., has entered the service of the Boston Belting Co., 

 and will have charge of the company's business in Portland, Ore. 

 Mr. Lynde has a remarkably wide acquaintance among the men 

 interested in the rubber goods trade, East and West. His con- 

 nection with the Pacific Coast Rubber Co. gave him an intimate 

 acquaintance with the conditions of the trade in the section 

 where he is to assume the duties of his new and responsible 



position. 



* * * 



When arrangements were made for building the magnificent 

 new station of the Northwestern Railroad Co., on West Madison 

 street, the Mcllroy Belting & Hose Co. was one of the con- 

 cerns forced to move away from that section. The company's 

 works were established in Harvey, with a Chicago office located 



