252 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February 1, 1913. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 

 DUSINESS generall}' has started on the new year with a 

 *-' confidence in the future which belies the prophecies of 

 the pessimist, who is superstitious of the number thirteen, as 

 well as the dejected individual who augurs calamity because 

 pf the coming change in the political control of the govern- 

 ment. The outlook in all lines of rubber manufactures seems 

 excellent, with only the footwear industry feeling an uncer- 

 tainty. As a rule, the purchases of rubber boots and shoes 

 last spring and summer were very large and highly satisfac- 

 tory, and stocks held by jobbers and retailers were full. 

 The mild winter that has prevailed in New England haj 

 been far from satisfactory, and while stocks have been 

 moved to some extent, it will take several good storms to 

 reduce these stocks to a satisfactory basis. 



But if the shoe men have not been 'favored, the waterproof 

 clothing manufacturers have certainly profited by the state 

 of the weather, and practically every factory is rushed with 

 orders, and salesmen now out are refusing orders unless a 

 longer time than usual is allowed to fill them. Mechanical 

 lines are going better than last month, perhaps because the 

 mill industries, after inventory, found need of new material. 

 Druggists' lines of rubber goods are in excellent demand; in 

 fact, some of the larger syndicate drug stores are competing 

 with each other in a specially lively manner, and running 

 large advertisements, almost exclusively of rubber goods, 

 offering these at cut prices. Certainly all lines with the above 

 mentioned exception, are in excellent shape for a good busi- 

 ness this year. 



* * * 



W. H. Palmer, of the United States Rubber Co., after 

 years of service in Maiden and Boston, was transferred to a 

 higher position in New York late in 1911. Mr. Palmer had 

 taken a very active interest in Mount Vernon Lodge, F. A. M., 

 of Maiden, and was "in line" for the chair of Worshipful 

 Master. The lodge elected him to this office, and during 1912 

 Mr. Palmer made monthly flying trips to Maiden to preside 

 at the regular communications of the lodge. When his term 

 expired, and he was succeeded in office by another, the Lodge, 

 in recognition of his unusual exertions in fulfilling his duties, 

 voted him a life member and presented to him a beautiful 

 jeweled Past Master's badge, of which he is deservedly proud. 



* * * 



Captain Francis H. .\ppleton, president of the Rubber Re- 

 claimers' Club, in a recent interview tells of the success of that 

 organization : 



"At the meltings general business has been discussed, and 

 each member has become so well acquainted with his com- 

 petitors that the result has been most advantageous to the 

 trade at large. 



"The discussions have resulted in formulating ideas which 

 have been of advantage to the entire rubber business, so that 

 today there is an understanding between the seller of rubber 

 scrap and the buyer, so that the old troubles which forrnerly 

 existed in regard to poor packing, have been almost entirely 

 eliminated. For instance, today a live dealer understands 

 that a 'no-name' or 'unguaranteed' tire will not be accepted 

 as a good delivery ; therefore, I have to say, as I have said on 

 many occasions, that these trade organizations are decidedly 

 beneficial in every way. 



"The year 1912 has been a phenomenal one, not alone for 

 the Reclaimers of Rubber, but for the rubber trade in general. 

 The volume of business has been great, but the percentage 

 of profit, owing to the high prices which have prevailed in the 

 scrap market, has been smaller than in previous years; but 

 in the aggregate. I think I can say in all truthfulness, that 

 never has there been so much business done, and never were 

 the manufacturers in a more healthy condition." 



* * * 



James H. Stedman, treasurer of the Monatiquot Rubber 

 Works Co. was the donor recently of a fine pipe organ to 



the Congregational Church at New Sharon, Maine, as a 

 memorial to his mother. It was dedicated with impressive 

 exercises, the Rev. Dr. Beach, president of the Bangor Theo- 

 logical Seminary, officiating. The church was built by ances- 

 tors of Mr. Stedman and is located in the town, the home of 

 his people for many generations. 



* * * 



Boston is having an epidemic of small burglaries and sneak- 

 thieving. One of the breaks was at 60 Pearl street, where 

 the Manhattan Rubber Co. has its office and stores. Thieves 

 forced the door with a jimmy, broke the glass in the door 

 leading to the inner office, pried open six or eight desks, 

 searched the entire office, even going through the pockets 

 in the office coats left there, yet there seemed to be nothing 

 carried away of any importance. 



* * * 



The many friends of Arthur W. Stedman, of this city, will 

 sympathize with him in the lost of his wife, Mary P. Sted- 

 man, who died on Saturday, the 18th of January, after an 

 operation. She was the daughter of the late S. Prescott 

 Shepard, a well-known dry goods dealer of Boston, and 

 Lucy P. (Innes) Shepard. She was married to Mr. Stedman 

 in 1883, and for several years lived in Brookline, but later the 

 family removed to the celebrated "Weld Farm" in West 

 Roxbury. She leaves, besides her husband, one son, Arthur 

 W. Stedman, Jr., who is now at school, preparatory to en- 

 tering Harvard College. 



* * * 



Another well-known rubber man was similarly afflicted last 

 month. Mrs. Emily J. Pike, wife of Chester J. Pike, died at 

 her home in Medford on January 17, after a long illness. 

 For several years she was afflicted with Bright's disease, and 

 last September was so stricken that she only occasionally 

 rallied, and only for short periods. The interment was at 

 Oak Grove Cemetery on Sunday, the 19th. Mr. Pike has a 

 host of friends in the trade who will condole with him in his 

 affliction. 



* * * 



Will G. Snow, the bright advertising manager of the In- 

 ternationa! Silverware Co., prints every month a paper con- 

 taining extracts and reprints from the daily and weekly news- 

 papers of the year 1847. It is an interesting little sheet, and 

 contains many facts which might otherwise be lost to mem- 

 ory. One item Mr. Snow unearthed from a Connecticut 

 local reads: 



"The editor of the New London 'Star' has been shown a one 

 dollar bill, of the New Haven County Bank — genuine — the 

 paper of which was of India rubber, manufactured in Lisbon. 

 It was slightly elastic, but little thicker than the ordinary 

 paper, and perfectly impervious to water. Indeed, to so 

 great perfection had' it been brought, both in the filling up, 

 and in the ink used for the signatures, that it seems to have 

 defied the common, and even some uncommon methods of 

 obliteration. It had been soaked and boiled in strong potash 

 lye, with scarcely any perceptible efifect." 



We all know about that famous book of Goodyear's, 

 printed on leaves of soft rubber, but how many of us ever 

 heard of a rubber bank note? 



* * * 



Richmond L. Chipman, for nearly IS years with George A. 

 .Alden & Co., Boston, has been transferred to the New York 

 office of the concern, where he will occupy a still more im- 

 portant position than that which he has hitherto filled. 

 Mr. Chipman is a bright, active young man with a pleasing 

 personality, who will doubtless make for himself as large a 

 circle of friends in the big Metropolis as he leaves in the 

 Hub. He has not yet moved his family to New York, but is 



