July i, 1901.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER ^A^ORLD 



291 



To summarize : The Rubber Tyre Manufacturing Co. has 

 been taken more closely under the Dunlop control because of 

 its ownership of a patent, by means of which mechanical pro- 

 cesses will take the place of hand work on tires, with such ad- 

 vantage in prospect as will enable the tire guarantee to be ex- 

 tended, and give the Dunlop interest a monopoly that will last 

 eight years after the basic Dunlop patent has expired. 



Mr. Du Cros also made a formal statement regarding the 

 motor tire business. Hitherto the Dunlop company has not 

 made motor tires, which cannot be made by hand, by their pro- 

 cess, but machinery is being constructed to make such tires at 

 Birmingham. Meanwhile automobilism was growing in the 

 United Kingdom, and there was a demand for pneumatic tires, 

 which could not be imported without infringing the Dunlop 

 patent. Then, as Mr. Du Cros expressed it: "We authorized 

 one of our licensees [The Clipper Pneumatic Tyre Co., Limited] 



to import the manufacture of one particular French manufac- 

 turer, named Michelin, who has been successful. We have 

 thus placed at the disposal of the automobile world the best tire 

 that can be obtained to-day, and in the course of the next few 

 months this company will, will, we hope, be making tires better 

 than have ever been made before." 



Finally there was a general discussion of the propriety of re- 

 ducing the capital of the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., which is 

 ;£5,ooo,ooo. The chairman pointed out that the company could 

 not be considered over capitalized, if it could only defend ab- 

 solutely the monopoly to which its patents entitle it. But the 

 infringements are greater than ever — 220 actions at law within 

 six months on this account. The chair called for a vote on the 

 question of the principle of reconstruction, stating that if it 

 should be approved, the directors would consider the matter 

 further. Only a half dozen hands were raised in the negative. 



COMBINATION OF COTTON DUCK MILLS. 



THE United States Cotton Duck Corporation filed articles 

 of incorporation in the office of the secretary of state at 

 Trenton, New Jersey, on June 4, being signed by Robert 

 S. Green, Edward M. F. Miller, and Albert C. Wall. 

 The object is stated to be the manufacture of cotton duck. The 

 capital authorized is $50,000,000. divided equally into 6 per cent, 

 cumulative preferred and common stock. The principal office 

 is stated to be at No. 55 Montgomery street, Jersey City. By 

 this organization has been consolidated the principal cotton 

 duck p'anufacturing plants of the country. 



The new company has acquired through ownership of stock 

 or by direct purchase, the Mount Vernon- Woodberry Cotton 

 Duck Co., which was a consolidation of fourteen cotton duck 

 mills with a capitalization of $23,500,000, the Stark Mills of 

 Manchester, N. H., La Grange Millsof La Grange, Ga., and the 

 Hogansville Manufacturing Co. of Hogansville, Ga. In con- 

 nection with these properties the new corporation will operate 

 under contract, with option to purchase, the West Point Manu- 

 facturing Co., the Lanettee Dye Works and Bleachery, and the 

 Riverdale Manufacturing Co., all of West Point, Ga. The com- 

 pany will operate 400,000 spindles. For the present purposes 

 of the company, an issue has been made of $16,100,000 in pre- 

 ferred and $10,000,000 of common stock; total, $26,100,000. 



A meeting for organization was held on June 5, when a long 

 list of directors was elected, who m turn, at a meeting held in 

 New York, chose the following officers : 



Chairman Board of Directors. — S. Davis Warfield, president of the 

 Continental Trust Co , Baltimore. 



President. — Uichard Cromwell, president of the Mount Vernon 

 Woodberry Cotton Duck Co., Baltimore. 



Vice I'tesidenls. — J. .SPENCER Turner, of the J. Spencer Turner Co., 

 New York ; James E. Hooper, vice president of the Mount Vernon- 

 Woodberry Cotton Duck Co., Baltimore ; William H. WKLLiNoroN, of 

 Wellington, Sears & Co., Boston. 



Secretary. — DAVID H. Carroll, Baltimore. 



Treasurer. — Charles K. Oliver, treasurer of the Mount Vernon- 

 Woodberry company, Baltimore. 



Assistant Treasurer. — SIDNEY E. CooLlDGE, treasurer of the Stark 

 Mills, Boston. 



Executive Committee. — S. Davies Warfield. E. A. Brinkerhoff, Michael 

 Jenkins, William H. Wellington, Henry A. Parr, Thomas M. Turner, 

 Sigmund Lehman. 



It is understood that the policy was outlined at the direct- 

 ors' meeting referred to, for the sale of the products of the 

 mills. Under the plan the avenues for the sale of the goods 

 manufactured by the company will be largely increased. The 

 plan is very comprehensive and includes methods for the pro- 

 lection of all agents of the company. 



It appears that much of the cotton duck output consumed 

 in the rubber industry is not affected by the new combination. 

 For instance, one of the large New England rubber companies, 

 in the mechanical line, practically control the production of a 

 duck mill which is not included in the new organization. 

 Another mill which sells largely to the Trenton rubber factories 

 also remains on the outside. J. & W. Lyall, of the " Brighton " 

 cotton mills, in New York, who supply fabrics to the tire trade 

 to such an important extent, remain independent. In the line 

 of ducks used for rubber boots and in tennis goods, James S. 

 Gary & Son, of Baltimore, are important producers, and they 

 have not been included in the combine. It may be mentioned 

 that special brands of ducks are used in the various branches 

 of the rubber manufacture, and that mills catering to this trade 

 conform their production to specific demands. At the same 

 time the goods used are in many cases bought through commis- 

 sion houses, and some of the leading houses referred to as sup- 

 plying the rubber footwear industry are intimately connected 

 with the new United States Cotton Duck Corporation, though 

 this fact does not prevent their handling the output of mills on 

 the outside. 



A manufacturer of carriage cloths said to a representative of 

 The India Rubber World : 



" Our purchases in ducks are confined almost wholly to com- 

 mission houses. We understand they obtain a large propor- 

 tion of their supplies from the south, although there is a con- 

 siderable quantity of these goods manufactured in the north. 

 Having dealt with the commission houses, I am not in a posi- 

 tion to give you the names of the manufacturers of these goods. 

 The quality of duck used in the manufacture of our carriage 

 cloths is of a particular kind we have made to order, according 

 to our own ideas. The present price of cotton ducks, as com- 

 pared with a year ago, is about 2 cents less on the yard. We 

 are buying these goods at \%, 2, and 2)i cents less than two 

 years ago." 



" America leads the world in the production of fine cotton 

 duck," said a large wholesale dealer in the material. " There 

 are now in the United States some twenty-five mills engaged 

 in the manufacture of the goods. These concerns have a cap- 

 ital of $20,000,000, and employ about 12,000 persons, who turn 

 out a finished product valued at $35,000,000 annually. Ameri- 

 can cotton duck is exported quite largely to Mexico and Cen- 

 tral Anierican states, and the West Indies. It is also shipped 

 to Germany, France, and England." 



