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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[March 1, 1913. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CHICAGO. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 



WHILE the strike in Akron, Ohio, has affected the Cliicago 

 rubber market to some degree, the general tone of busi- 

 ness may be described as good, and the majority of the trade 

 are predicting that a settlement of the difiiculties will soon take 

 place. There is absolutely no feature of the rubber market 

 (aside from the labor difficulties) to worry the local trade, and 

 investigation of the most representative houses in Chicago re- 

 veals that they have about all they can do to get orders out on 

 time, and that many large demands for immediate delivery are in 

 hand. The absence of snow during February and the many days 

 of rain-threatening weather liad a tendency to cause activity in 

 clothing. The rubber houses that feature their clothing depart- 

 ments had been very much disappointed over business condi- 

 tions for December and January, and the early part of February 

 gave little promise of better conditions, but since the middle of 

 the month there has been a decided change in conditions and 

 some of the larger houses have employed additional help. 



About the only complaint heard is from the scrap rubber men 

 who had been enjoying marked prosperity during December and 

 January. The Akron strike appears to have aiTected this ele- 

 ment to such a degree that there is a manifest feeling of dis- 

 satisfaction over general market conditions. 



"I may say that there is nothing to be enthused about so far 

 as the scrap rubber market is concerned," said a representative 

 of H. Muehlstein. "The strike at Akron, Ohio, has been of in- 

 calculable detriment to the Chicago rubber market, and we are 

 hoping that the trouble may be terminated without unnecessary 

 delay. The present strike is a good example of just how seri- 

 ous labor troubles may affect the rubber market. Perhaps in no 

 other line of the rubber industry in Chicago has there been more 

 general satisfaction among jobbers and dealers than in 'scraps,' 

 because the market has been going along better than normal 

 throughout the winter. Just when we were feeling our best the 

 Akron strike dawned and now we are simply at sea." 



Mechanical rubber goods, which have been taking their normal 

 course during the last three months, are now in much greater 

 demand than at any time since the fore part of December and the 

 trade in general reports that they have not the least complaint 

 to find. Drug sundries, which were running ahead of other 

 lines at last report, continue to maintain their excellent showing, 

 and dealers are buying with the confidence that business will 

 continue to be brisk for an indefinite period. 



The hoof pad market has not been as encouraging during the 

 last three months as could be wished, and now that spring is 

 near there is a feeling of general dissatisfaction over conditions. 

 The reason for the slack business is that the winter has been 

 marked by so little snow and sleet that at no time has there 

 been active buying. Despite the fact that certain reform organ- 

 izations have been exerting themselves to the utmost to have the 

 city council make provision for the better shoeing of horses their 

 efforts have been unavailing. Concerns that last winter reported 

 the largest business in their history, due to the extreme cold 

 that prevailed for so long a period, are now complaining of the 

 quiet trade conditions. 



* ♦ * 



According to the Goodyear Rubber Co. there has been a 

 slight improvement in footwear during the month of February. 

 The present winter has not been a particularly active one so far 

 as footwear is concerned, most jobbers reporting that their 

 volume of sales has been less than in former years. "Now that 

 spring is near there is no question that the footwear market is 

 deserving of a degree of activity," said the representative of the 

 Goodyear Rubber Co. "We are sorry to report that the present 

 winter has not been up to expectations so far as footwear is 

 concerned, but this situation was due to the comparatively mild 



weather and virtual absence of snow. Whenever such situation 

 obtained in past years the spring trade that followed has always 

 been brisk, and history will undoubtedly repeat itself." 

 * * » 



The Raven Mining Co., which maintains a large office in the 

 Marquette building, has placed several large orders for mechani- 

 cal rubber goods during the present month. This concern feels 

 that the boom in mining which has prevailed throughout the 

 winter will become permanent and that many of the larger mines 

 will be heavy buyers of mechanical goods during the spring. 

 « « * 



Former Senator Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana is to erect a 

 six-story and basement building at the southeast corner of 

 Michigan avenue and Sixteenth street to cost approximately 

 $125,000, and has contracted to lease the same to the Goodyear 

 Tire and Rubber Co. The building will occupy a lot fronting 

 50 feet with a depth of 165 feet, and the lease provides for an 

 annual rent of 5 per cent, on a valuation of $125,000 for the first 

 ten years and 5 per cent, on $1S0,(XX) for the second ten years. 

 The lessee is to pay the usual rate on the cost of the building 

 and in addition the taxes and insurance. The Goodyear Tire 

 and Rubber Co. has also purchased the Ford-Johnson ware- 

 house at Indiana avenue and the Illinois Central tracks for $95,- 

 000. This concern's Chicago business in the future will be cen- 

 tralized in this locality. 



* * * 



Dealers who carry a large line of garden hose are now pre- 

 paring for the opening of the spring trade. To date a number of 

 the larger houses have orders that have reached them much 

 earlier than anticipated, and this situation is taken as an indica- 

 tion that the spring trade will open earlier than last year and 

 will also be much heavier. 



* * * 



Two meetings of particular interest to the rubber industry 

 were held in Chicago recently. The Friction Plug Heel Asso- 

 ciation held a meeting that was attended by a number of men 

 from various parts of the country who are well known to the 

 rubber trade. Among those who were here were Mr. Pitcher 

 of the Pitcher Rubber Co., Boston, and Mr. Piatt of the Foster 

 Rubber Co.. Boston. The second meeting was that of the 

 Finders' Association, which is composed of the shoe jobbing 

 interests of Chicago. This meeting was held at the La Salle 

 Hotel and was one of the most largely attended in the history of 

 the organization. Many from out of town attended this meeting. 

 Various matters of vital importance to the association were 

 discussed. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CINCINNATI. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 

 'T'HERE has been a healthy volume of business transacted by 

 ^ the local lire houses during the first two months of this 

 year, and orders from traveling salesmen and mail orders have 

 made the rubber trade quite active locally. There has been no 

 falling off in the demand for rubber footwear, despite the fact 

 that in this section there has been an open winter with weather 

 conditions unfavorable to creating a demand for rubber clothing 

 and footwear. 



* * * 



W. G. Brown, the executive head of the W. G. Brown & Co., 

 rubber brokers of this city, was tendered a complimentary din- 

 ner at the Business Men's Club in recognition of his past services 

 as chairman of the Santa Clause committee. For several years 

 past Mr. Brown has been one of the stanchest supporters of 

 the movement, and its success was largely due to his untir- 

 ing efforts. 



* * * 



Tlie Ideal Steel Wheel Co. has secured title to a valuable man- 



