302 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[March 1, 1913. 



The Oppression of Labor is so uncommon as to be almost 

 unknown in Akron. Conditions are not all ideal, but as to sani- 

 tation, light, ventilation, and proper working surroundings, .'\kron 

 factories are nearly all modern, and in the ruljber factories par- 

 ticularly is this true, as most of the buildings have been erected 

 in recent years, and fire-proofing and sanitary conditions have 

 received large attention. 



The Employment of Minors, whether boys or girls, is a 

 subject of the strictest attention in the Akron rubber factories, 

 and the laws governing these matters, both as to age limitations 

 and limits upon hours of work, are almost universally observed 

 to the utmost in letter and spirit. 



There Is Little Poverty In Akron. In shops, in offices. 

 and in stores, Akron is a hive of workers. There is no idle 

 class and there are no vagrants. It may well be a matter of 

 pride, indeed, to every one interested in Akron, that the very 

 ranks of those now on strike in this city, show rarely any but well 

 dressed, and never any but well fed men and women. 



Unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors of the Akron 

 Chamber of Commerce, Wednesday, February 19, 1913. 



J. Edward Good, President. 

 Vincent Stevens, Secretary. 



On Saturday, February IS, the Swinehart Tire & Rubber Co. 

 announced that they had let a contract for a new building 102 

 X 70 and three stories high, absolutely fireproof, being con- 

 structed of reinforced concrete. This new addition will be 

 erected on ground just west of the present building at the corner 

 of North Howard and North streets. The rumor that the 

 Swinehart company might remove from its present location to 

 some site where there is more room to expand was confirmed by 

 Mr. Walsh, president of the company. "It is true we are ex- 

 pecting to move to a new site where we will have more room. 

 At present we are looking for a site to build. On account of this 

 new building which we will put up, it will be at least two years 

 before any removal will take place. This building we are forced 

 to build at once as all our output for the coming year has been 

 contracted for, and with our present limited means we will be 

 unable to meet our contracts." 



The present number of men employed at the plant is about 300 

 and the erection of the new building \yill give employment to 

 many more. The new building will be equipped with an entire 

 new steam plant, new boilers and new engines. The entire three 

 floors will be given over to tlie manufacture of pneumatic and 

 solid tires. 



Other rumors that have been afloat concerning the consolida- 

 tion of the Swinehart Tire and Rubber Co. were characterized 

 by Mr. Walsh as false. "There is absolutely no truth in these 

 statements. We are an independent company doing business 

 under our own charter." 



* * * 



F. .'\. Seiberling. president of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber 

 Co. says : "Goodyear sales for the year 1912 approximated 

 $25,000,000 which came near to doubling the sales of 1911. For 

 several years past, each year has shown a doubled output. It is 

 fair to suppose that this is going to continue. We have twice 

 as many users as two years ago. Contracts from makers are 

 larger than ever before and this means two million tires next 

 year, enough to equip 500.000 cars. 



* * * 



L. M. Latta, formerly of the Diamond branch of the B. F. 

 Goodrich Co., has resigned his position and is now Office Man- 

 ager of the tire department of the Swinehart Tire and Rubber Co. 



* * * 



The B. F. Goodrich Co. expects to break ground as soon as the 

 frost is out of the ground, for a plant at St. Catharines, Canada, 

 to take care of their Canadian trade. This plant will start with 

 approximately 1.000 men and will be increased as business 

 demands. 



* * * 



On February 18. James C. Baldwin was appointed receiver 

 for the Ohio holdings of the New York Commercial Co., by 



Judge Doyle. The appointment of a receiver followed a suit 

 filed by A. H. .'\lden & Co., an Englisli corporation. The Ohio 

 holdings of the New York company are said to aggregate 

 $40,000. 



* * * 



II. W. French, who for the last several years has successfully 

 represented in -Akron the New York Commercial Co. and The 

 Geo; A. Alden & Co.. has severed his connection with these com- 

 panies and is at present with Ed. Maurer. He has opened of- 

 fices at 513 First-Second National Building, Akron. His many 

 friends wish him continued success. J. C. Baldwin now repre- 

 sents the New York Commercial Co. and the Geo. A. Alden & 

 Co. in this city. 



* * * 



Among those convicted at Indianapolis for dynamiting were 

 Messrs. Smith and Anderson, of Cleveland, Ohio, who on July 

 5, 1910, dynamited structural iron in the yards of The Burger 

 Iron Co., at Akron, Ohio, which was being prepared for The 



Diamond Rubber Co. 



* * * 



The B. F. Goodrich Co. has just issued its route book covering 

 the territory from St Louis to Denver. The Goodrich Tough 

 Tread tire is the selection of The Studebaker Automobile factory 

 as the standard equipment for 1913. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By a Resident Correst>ondent. 

 DUSINESS in the various lines of the rubber industry is 

 *-' unequally affected by what many consider an unusual winter. 

 The tire men are all as busy as can be, and probably every fac- 

 tory devoted to this line is beating last year's record. The boot 

 and shoe factories are far from busy, the present season so far 

 having been unpropitious for this business. The rubber clothing 

 men and also those making other lines of raincoats have had a 

 good season, and the demand continues brisk. Druggists' hard 

 and soft rubber goods are seasonably active and, in fact, should 

 naturally be so with two leading syndicate drug concerns com- 

 peting with each other and extensively advertising these goods 

 at cut prices. 



The makers of fire hose are laying plans for town appropria- 

 tions next month, and garden hose is being ordered for early 

 spring shipment. Belting and packing lines are moderately active, 

 though manufacturers note the tendency on the part of consumers 

 to let the mill supply houses and manufacturers carry the bulk 

 of the stock by buying in smaller quantities and only as needed. 

 The crude rubber people seem to be satisfied with present condi- 

 tions and reclaimers are active, so much so that they have boosted 

 the prices of scrap rubber way above normal at this season of 

 the year. 



* * * 



The vicinity of Congress street and Atlantic avenue has be- 

 come still further a rubber district, so by the removal thereto of 

 one well-known concern and by the opening of an entirely new 

 distributing agency for rubber clothing and footwear. Both 

 stores are large, high-studded, with broad plate-glass windows 

 in both front and rear with excellent light, splendid shipping 

 facilities and right in the heart of downtown business. 



The store numbered 524 Atlantic avenue is to be formally 

 dedicated and opened the day this journal is dated, March 1. 

 by J. D. Stiles, manager of the Boston house of Jenkins Bros., 

 whose pump valves, packing and discs are sold in almost every 

 civilized country. This store and basement will enable Mr 

 Stiles to carry all his stock in one place instead of having a large 

 portion of it in a separate storehouse. The offices are fitted up 

 according to the most up-to-date requirements and the store and 

 basement so arranged that the entire stock is available for im- 

 mediate shipment. The shelving on the side wall, for instance, 

 contains, sorted out into sizes and styles, over 25 tons of brass 



