370 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[April 1, 1913. 



izing a company lo make the hub in this city. The Kelly-Spring- 

 field and several other large manufacturers of solid tires have 

 become interested. In this invention, steel balls being placed 

 around the axles of motor vehicles so as to give them an all 

 but liquid bearing, and by their centrifugal movement divert road 

 shock therefrom and convert it into propulsive effort. As 45 

 per cent, of the present cost of maintenance is due to vibration, 

 the importance of the Muir system is obvious. Its practical suc- 

 cess is vouched for by some of the largest users of motor trac- 

 tion in Europe. 



* * * 



While many of the big rubber factories throughout the coun- 

 try were facing strike troubles, the Cincinnati Rubber Co. was 

 operating its plant in a peaceable manner, not the slightest signs 

 of disturbance being observable at this plant among its employes, 

 notwithstanding the fact that the local newspapers were pub- 

 lishing daily columns of strike news from Akron. 



* * * 



The Revere Rubber Co., of Chelsea, Massachusetts, has in- 

 augurated a local advertising compaign for the purpose of pro- 

 moting the demand for "Red Plug Rubber Heels," one of the 

 products of that concern. Local dealers report that there is a 

 growing demand for rubber heels, especially since the public is 

 becoming educated to their merits. 



* * * 



To the regret of his many friends in Cincinnati and vicinity, 

 Robert Motte, manager of the local branch of the United States 

 Tire Co. has been transferred to New Orleans, where he is 

 to put in action his valuable services in establishing a new 

 agency in the Louisiana metropolis. He is succeeded here by 

 E. W. Bailey. 



* * * 



The Ira J. Cooper Rubber Co., representing the Kelly-Racine 

 Rubber Co. and the Motz Cushion Tire Co., and operating 

 branch houses in Dayton, Springfield and Columbus, has installed 

 a battery of service motor wagons that will be at the instant 

 disposal of auto owners meeting unexpectedly with troubles 

 while touring within ten miles of the different cities where 

 branches are operated. Expert mechanics supplied with every 

 requisite for immediate repair are in charge of these service 

 wagons, and their services are available without charge. 



Ira J. Cooper, head of the company, treated his friends in 

 the rubber trade to a surprise March 12, by taking to himself 

 as his wife. Miss Florence Johnson of this city, who had been 

 secretary of the company since its organization several years 

 ago. Immediately following the ceremony the bridal cnuple 

 left for a honeymoon trip through the south. 



The F. M. Ross Springwheel Co. of this city has filed ar- 

 ticles of incorporation with a capital stock of $100,000. The 

 company will manufacture a patented solid rubber tire for auto- 

 mobiles which has been invented by F. M. Ross, wlm will head 

 the new company. 



The Pennsylvania Rubber Co. has entered the local field with 

 its "Oilproof Vacuum Cup Tires." This company is represented 

 here by G. M. Toe Water & Co., dealers in auto supplies, who 

 have recently moved to 917 Race street, where spacious quarters 

 have been opened. 



The Lee Tire and Rubber Co., of Pennsylvania, is about to 

 become a competitor in the local field for the tire and rubber 

 auto accessories business. The company will open a branch 

 house at the corner of Seventh and Main streets as soon as ex- 

 tensive repairs have been made. 



Messrs. Hanke and Rothe, who are the local representatives 

 of the Ajax-Grieb Rubber Co.. of Trenton, N. J., have moved 

 into new and more commodious quarters. The new home of the 

 Ajax tires in this city is now located at Xinth and Race 

 streets. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN SAN FRANCISCO. 



By a Resident Corrcspundcnt. 

 f~\^^'- I'f the representatives of a local rubber establishment, 

 ^~^ dealing in rubber tires extensively, advances the opinion 

 that the Government should step in and abolish the guaranteeing 

 of rubber tires, hose, etc. — but particularly on automobile tires. 

 This should be done, he suggests, not on account of the relief 

 which it would give the rubber dealers, but because it would 

 prevent much fraud and imposition, and would benefit the morals 

 of the whole community. People buy guaranteed tires — say 

 guaranteed for 1,000 miles. After they have run 4,000 miles 

 the tire is in a bad shape. Then they remember the guarantee, 

 are tempted and fall. The best men of the town, lawyers, 

 doctors, prosperous business men all fall before the temptation. 

 They bring their tires back in the hope of getting a new one, and 

 having started they must carry the thing through, and under 

 the shrewd cross-e.xanfination of the adjustor they tell many 

 more and blacker lies than they started out to tell. No one but 

 the tire man knows to what extremes the automobile owner 

 will go. The automobile owner is buying his machine on time, 

 and has put every cent he can borrow into his first payment. 

 From then on he commences to beat the oil man, the gasoline 

 man and the tire man, but he falls most desperately upon the 

 tire man because the tire man is foolish enough to give him a 

 guarantee. Competition compels the tire men to make the guar- 

 antee, and there seems no present chance of their abolishing it. 



* * * 



The new factory of the Goodyear Rubber Co., of San Fran- 

 cisco, has been fully completed and is now in full swing. This 

 is one of the finest rubber factories in the west. 

 + * * 



Mr. E. W. Balding, general sales agent for the New York 

 Belting & Packing Co., is now visiting on this coast. 



* * * 



A. L. Comstock, the superintendent of the American Rubber 

 Co-, of Boston, has been in San Francisco for a few weeks, and 

 from here he will go to Honolulu for a pleasure trip. 



W. J. Gorham. president of the Gorham-Revere Rubber Co., 

 sailed recently on the steamer "Korea" for the Orient, where 

 he will visit the principal market cities in the interests of the 

 company. He will be gone three or four months and will go 

 all through the Orient. This is the first time Mr. Gorham has 

 been across the water for years, although formerlv he used to 

 visit China and Japan, and knows the countries well. 



Mr. Valberry, who formerly had the agency for the Fault- 

 less Rubber Co.'s line on the coast, has given up that agency and 

 has gone in with the B. F. Goodrich Co.'s local branch. 



B. H. Pratt, Pacific Coast manager of the Fisk Rubber 

 Co., is in the southern part of the state, where he is visiting the 

 branch stores at Los Angeles and the San Diego agency. 



H. W. DuPuy, president of tlie Pennsylvania Rubber Co., 

 who is now in Seattle, Washington, has been visiting all of the 

 Pacific Coast distributing agencies accompanied by his coast 

 representative, iMr. J. E. French, of San Francisco. They have 

 already visited all of the principal cities of California, includ- 

 ing Los .\ngeles and San Francisco, and Mr. DuPuy is more 

 than pleased with conditions on this coast. He was surprised at 

 the growth of San Francisco, this being his first visit here since 

 immediately following the 1906 fire. 



The Chanselor & Lyon Co., agents for the Lee tires, called a 

 conference of the heads of departments which met recently to 

 plan for a state wide campaign now that the touring season is 

 about to open. There were present F. H. Lyon, of the Los 

 .Angeles branch; W. A. Avery, of Seattle, Washington; W. H. 

 Whipple, of Fresno; Geo. E. Johnson, of Portland, Oregon; 

 Henry D. McCoy and William Reed, of San Francisco. 



