January 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



217 



THE UNITED STATES RUBBER CO. 



THE daily press of late has been devoting an unusual amount 

 of attention to tlie affairs of the United States Rubber Co. 

 Some Western papers — particularly Chicago and Cleveland pa- 

 pers — have felt quite positive that there was to be some sort 

 of a merger between the United States Rubber Co. and the 

 B. F. Goodrich Co. — either that the United States would absorb 

 the Goodrich or that the Goodrich would absorb the United 

 States — or that they would mutually combine — each half ab- 

 sorbing the other, and forming a company representing in cap- 

 italization and bond issues a quarter of a billion dollars. 



HUMORS OF CONSOUDATION DENIED. 



But all these rumors arc industriously denied by the officers 

 of the United States Rubber Co., on one hand, and the officers 

 of the B. F. Goodrich Co., on the other. Notwithstanding these 

 denials, some of the Western papers have exploited the topic 

 at a considerable length, stating that the competition between 

 the two great corporations was being felt keenly by both — and 

 particularly in the tire department — and that a consolidation 

 would be greatly to the interest of both. It seems hardly likely, 

 however, in the present — and prospective — attitude of the peo- 

 ple at Washington, that any such merger will be attempted. 



6 PER CENT. COMMON DIVIDEND I 



Another theme to which certain members of the daily press 

 have devoted some attention is the possibility of an increase 

 of dividend on the common stock of the United States Rub^ 

 ber Co. The "Christian Science Monitor" of Boston, in a 

 recent issue, contained this interesting paragraph : 



"In connection with the recent advance in the common stock 

 of United States Rubber it is rumored that the dividend would 

 be increased from 4 to 5 per cent. There is, however, excel- 

 lent authority that the new rate will be 6 per cent. .Action 

 may be taken next month and it may not be taken for three 

 months, it is said." 



The "New Haven Register," a publication that from time 

 to time prints quite a little information about the big rubber 

 company, discourses as follows : 



"It is understood that including undivided profits of its vari- 

 ous subsidiaries the company is earning so far this fiscal year 

 at the rate of 20 per cent, on its former $25,000,000 common 

 stock. This is at the rate of 16 per cent, on the present out- 

 standing common. From a neglected issue, Rubber common 

 has become a considerable center of speculative activity, largely 

 on buying of interests closely identified with the directorate. 



"While it is too early as yet to talk definitely regarding a 

 further increase in the common dividend rate, there are bank- 

 ers close to the company who expect to see 6 per cent, within 

 the next eighteen months." 



But, as stated in our December issue, inquiry at the head 

 office of the company in New York brings the answer that in- 

 crease of dividends on the common stock is a subject that has 

 received no consideration by the directors of the company. 



The directors of United States Rubber Co. at their meeting 

 December 5, voted to authorize the officers of the company to 

 carry out the action of the stockholders last spring providing 

 for the retirement of the Second Preferred Stock of the com- 

 pany by the purchase of the same and the issue of three shares 

 of First Preferred Stock for each four of Second Preferred 

 Stock. They also voted to offer to the outside holders of the 

 Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co. Preferred Stock— amounting 

 to $2,413.900— the privilege of exchanging their stock for the 

 First Preferred Stock of the United States Rubber Co. 



At a meeting of the directors of the General Rubber Co., 

 held on the same date, action was taken for the increase of the 

 capital stock of the company from $.=5,000,000 to $10,000,000 to 

 provide additional funds for the investments of that company 

 in the Far East. .Ml matters pertaining to the Crude Rubber 

 interests of the United States Rubber Co. are handled through 

 the General Rubber Co. 



THE UNITED STATES TIRE ANNOUNCEMENT. 



The publicity department of the United States Tire Co. — one 

 of the constituents of the United States Rubber Co. — makes the 

 following announcement regarding the company's tire plans 

 for the coming year : 



"The greatest daily output ever considered possible in tire 

 manufacture is provided for in next year's plans of the United 

 States Tire Co. This concern, which operates four great 

 plants, plans an expenditure of over $3,000,000 in factory im- 

 provements and extensions. First of all, the Morgan & Wright 

 plant, which is located in Detroit, is to be doubled in both 

 area and production. An idea of the extent to which this 

 factory will be increased may be gained from the fact that 

 whereas its employes now number 2,500, 6,000 workmen will 

 be required when all the improvements are finished. The out- 

 put of the factory will be in excess of 5,000 tires daily. 



It is planned to erect sixteen new factory buildings, ranging 

 in size from 2,000 square feet to 131,000 square feet. Among 

 these w'ill be a finely appointed laboratory, where the scientific 

 e.xperimcntal work incident to the manufacture of automobile 

 tires can be carried on ; several vast warehouses, and at least 

 half a dozen great ' manufact\iring buildings — the largest of 

 these to be 230x60 feet and six stories high. A big new 

 power plant also will be installed, doubling the boiler capacity 

 of the factory. When all of this work is finished, the Morgan 

 & Wright plant will have a floor space of more than 1,000,000 

 square feet, twice its size at the present time. 



"In addition to its big Detroit factory, the United States 

 Tire Co. operates extensive rubber works in Indianapolis, 

 Hartford and Providence, and it is the intention to increase 

 the facilities of all these plants. At Indianapolis a building 

 80 X 170 feet and six stories high is being erected. At Provi- 

 dence another structure, 75x300 feet and three stories high, 

 will be added, while at Hartford a fine new power house and 

 power plant have been installed at a cost of more than $175,000." 



THE DOMINION RUBBER CO. 



The Dominion Rubber Co., of Toronto has just been organized 

 by a number of prominent Toronto men, with a capital of one 

 million dollars, to engage in the manufacture of all kinds of 

 automobile, truck, bicycle, motorcycle and carriage tires, and 

 a full line of belting, hose, packing, etc. The plant will be 

 built in Toronto, and will be of considerable size. Mr. John J. 

 Main, former vice-president and general manager of the Poison 

 Iron Works of Toronto, director of the Dominion Radiator 

 Co., and president of the Policyholders Life Insurance Co. of 

 Toronto, is the managing director; Mr. W. R. Blowers, who 

 resigned from the Independent Tire Co. of Toronto, some time 

 ago, is general factory manager, and W. Deane Tyrer is the 

 general manager of sales. 



A NEW TIRE COMPANY FOR BRIDGEPORT. 



The Polack Tire & Rubber Co., is not exactly a new company. 

 The original Polack Company began business in 1863 in Walters- 

 hausen, Germany, making fire hose and other rubber goods. 

 When the auto industry came into being the Polack company 

 took up the manufacture of tires on a very large scale. It em- 

 plays 2,000 hands at its big German plant, and has in addition 

 thriving plants in Paris ; Shepherd's Bush, England, and Sydney, 

 Australia. In all of its factories it makes a high grade solid truck 

 tire, and also a line of pneumatic tires. It has been looking for 

 some time for a location in the United States, and has decided 

 upon Bridgeport, Connecticut, where it has secured a small fac- 

 tory building, formerly occupied by a copper company. It is in- 

 stalling machinery and intends to start in the manufacture of tires 

 in a small way immediately. It hopes later to build its own fac- 

 tory in Bridgeport with equipment for a very large output. This 

 plant is in charge of Herman W. Polack, the company's vice- 

 president. 



