July 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



517 



Flake," has gone to Europe, where he expects to organize 

 sales agencies for his products. 



* * * 



On Saturday, June 14, Akron and Columbiana, Ohio, and 

 all the towns and cities between, were the scene of one of 

 the most "exclusive affairs" of the season in automobile cir- 

 cles. It was the occasion of "the Firestone l-'oremen's Home- 



FiREsroNE Forejien's Homestead Dinner. 



stead Dinner," Mr. Firestone's invitation list being strictly 

 limited to factory superintendents and foremen, with officials 

 and directors of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Even so, 

 a fleet of about 30 cars was needed, the guests numbering 145. 

 Charles S. Whitman, District Attorney of New York and 

 candidate for Mayor, was the only guest drawn from outside 

 the "Firestone Family." In addressing the diners — "down 

 on the farm" — Mr. Whitman told of his life-long friendship 

 with Mr. Firestone and of his years of boyhood spent in 

 Columbiana County, Ohio, during which time he was a fre- 

 quent visitor at the Firestone Farm. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CINCINNATI. 



By (I K..'siilt'iil Corresl'ondcnt. 



GENER.AL conditions of the local rubber trade have 

 not changed materially the past month. The retail 

 trade is moderately active for footwear, clothing and sun- 

 dries, while the wholesale business has been fair in all lines. 

 The constantly increasing use of automobiles this season has 

 benefited local tire houses, who report activity in that line. 

 While almost every known make of tire has local representa- 

 tion, there is no complaint to be heard from dealers, jobbers 

 and branch houses of lack of trade. 



* * * 



The day of leather sole and heel Oxfords for summer wear 

 is past. This is the verdict of local shoe manufacturers who 

 this year were obliged to put on the market, in competition 

 with the big shoe factories of the country, Oxfords and pumps 

 with rubber soles and heels. It is the unanimous opinion of 

 the shoe manufacturers locally that the use of rubber soles 

 and heels will ultimately result in the adoption of rubber 

 bottoms for all kinds of shoes, as the demand will be for 

 this class of footwear after the public becomes accustomed 

 to the use of rubber soles and heels. What effect the adop- 

 tion of rubber soles will have upon the shoe market with 

 reference to price remains to be developed. 



* * * 



An interesting part of the exhibit which was held in con- 

 nection with the annual convention of the Buildins Owners 



and Managers held in this city June 12-14, was the display 

 of rubber accessories used in the modern office buildings and 

 skyscrapers throughout the country. This part of the dis- 

 play was interesting to the delegates to the convention, as 

 well as to the casual visitor to the exhibition, as it gave 

 visitors an insight into the large number of uses to which rub- 

 ber is applied in the manufacture of necessities for the 

 modern office buildings of today. One of the largest exhibitors 

 was the Dryden Rubber Co., of Chicago. The Atlas Rubber 

 it Belting Co. of this city also had a unique display. 



* * * 



"Not guilty of stealing rubber, goodbye." This was the 

 ii.ite found by the coroner beside the body of John Thomp- 

 son, receiving clerk at the C. H. & D. railroad yards, who 

 committed suicide by cutting his throat. Several weeks ago 

 it was reported to the police that a number of tires, consigned 

 lo local dealers, were taken from the depot. According to 

 testimony brought out at the inquest, it developed that 

 Thompson w-as driven insane by companions who jokingly 

 accused him of stealing the rubber tires. 



* * * 



The B. F. Goodrich Co. opened temporar3' employment 

 offices in thi> city enlisting men to go to Akron to learn the 

 rubber trade. It was announced at the employment office, 

 which was established at the Grand Hotel, that on account 

 '>f the increased business the company needs about 2,000 ad- 

 ilitional workmen, and to this end efforts are being made to 

 recruit this small army of men from the various large citifcs 

 within a reasonable distance from Akron. 



* * * 



James Albert Green, one of the directors of the Cincinnati 

 Rubber Manufacturing Co., was appointed by the Common 

 Pleas Judges of the County as a member of the Public 

 Library Board of Trustees. 



• * » * 



Judging from reports by proprietors of the various auto- 

 mobile supply houses, it would seem that this part of the 

 country has taken on an exaggerated case of automobile 

 craze. For example, A. C. Davis, of Coughlin & Davis, says: 

 "Not in the seven years of my activity in the auto supply 

 trade has there been so enormous a demand for accessories 

 and so annoying an inability on part of the manufacturers 

 to furnish them with any degree of promptness. Daily we are 

 telegraphing and using long distance telephone, but without 

 avail, in hurrying the shipment of goods that are in any wise 

 staple. Similar complaints are heard in salesrooms of nearly 

 every other supply house in the city. 



* * * 



The death on June 5 of Mrs. Cora Hayward Crawford, 

 wife of Dr. J. M. Crawford, one of the founders of the Cin- 

 cinnati Rubber Manufacturing Co. and for several years presi- 

 dent of that company and now one of its directors, aw-akened 

 sincere and widespread regret in the circles of the city in 

 which for years she had been a gracious and winning per- 

 sonality. During the six years that Dr. Crawford was United 

 States Consul General at St. Petersburg she was a resident 

 of that city. Some six years ago she made an extensive 

 tour of Mexico, and her observations and impressions have 

 been given in a delightful volume, "The Land of 

 the Montezumas." 



* * * 



The American Manufacturing and Distrrbuting Co., of 

 Louisville, has placed on the market a tire puncture cure 

 known as "Prest-O-Ceal." The company has launched a big 

 advertising campaign to introduce the product, and headquar- 

 ters have been opened at 123 East Seventh street. It is 

 claimed for the new product that it will seal up punctures 

 of any size. The product is a paste-like amalgam of mineral 

 and fibrous material. 



