244 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May I, 1901. 



"school gaiters," a comfortable looking article with cashmer- 

 ette tops, for women, misses, and children, appears in most of 

 the catalogues, in two grades. The American catalogue intro- 

 duces the new " Windsor " toe for women, not unlike which is 

 the " Mannish " toe in the Wales-Goodyear catalogue. The 

 VVales-Goodyear introduces also the new " fishermen's " rub- 

 ber boot and some attractive novelties in arctics. " Para " 

 grade specialties in cartons are another new feature in the 

 American catalogue. 



FOREIGN CATALOGUES OF AMERICAN RUBBERS. 

 Ekert Brothers, of Hamburg, who for more than ten 

 years past have made a specialty of selling American rubber 

 boots and shoes in continental Europe send us, for the season 

 1901-02, two illustrated price lists of " Candee " goods, printed 

 in German and French, respectively [each 3;^"X6". 32 pages] 

 which can hardly fail to make a favorable impression for the 

 line described. These lists are interesting as showing the 

 brands of " Candee " manufacture that are in demand abroad. 

 In addition to the sizes given in American catalogues, the 

 width and length of sole is expressed also in millimeters. 

 Prices per pair of a few brands given in these catalogues are as 

 follows, to which are added corresponding prices from the lat- 

 est American catalogue : 



Marks. Francs. Dollars. 



Men's hip boots 28.30 3540 6-00 



Women's pebble leg boots 10.90 13.60 *2.25 



Men's Emperor gaiter 1260 15-75 265 



Men's one buckle arctic 7'40 9-25 1-75 



Men's Beacon self acting 4.75 5-55 '-OO 



Men's Baron clog 4.40 5.50 * .88 



Men's Candee self acting. 4.10 5.15 .88 



Women's Candee self acting 280 3.50 * -75 



Children's Candee self acting 1.90 2.40 *.55 



These gross prices will be found, measured by American 

 gross lists, to average about 10 per cent, higher for the German 

 and II per cent, higher for the French. 



BOSTON RUBBER SHOE CO.'S CATALOGUE. 

 This is a combined illustrated catalogue and price list, em- 

 bracing the same line of goods as last year, with the addition 

 of the " Avon " toe in women's goods, which corresponds to 

 the " mannish " shapes introduced this season in some of the 

 other catalogues. The prices are, of course, in harmony with 

 those of the other factories controlled by the United States 

 Rubber Co. But whereas the other catalogues are dated sim- 

 ply " April I, 1901," this states prices for the period "From 

 April I, 1901, to December 31, 1901." 



RUBBER DIVIDEND PASSED. 



The directors of the United States Rubber Co., at a meeting 

 on April 4, after a discussion of the general trade situation, de- 

 cided to defer action on the preferred stock dividend. In ex- 

 planation of their action the directors, at the conclusion of the 

 meeting, put out the following statement : 



The Directors of the United States Rubber Co. deem it inexpedient 

 to make any dividend upon the preferred stock at this time. One mild 

 Winter following another has had the effect of curtailing the consump- 

 tion of rubber boots and shoes, and being determined to retain its trade, 

 the Directors of the United States Rubber Company deem it advisable 

 to reduce prices, and several reductions have so far been made. As re- 

 bates to jobbers are given when prices are reduced — notwithstanding 

 the fact that the rebates were found to be less than anticipated — the 

 earnings of the company do not warrant the payment of further divi- 

 dends for the present. 



The Directors regard the present policy of low prices as a wise pro- 



[* Corresponding items do not appear in the American ''Candee " catalogues, 

 aad other items of approximate quality liave been selected instead.] 



vision for the future of the company, and so far this policy has resulted 

 in there being placed with the company unusually large orders for 

 goods, thus enabling them to give steady employment to the large num- 

 ber of employes dependent upon the industry. 



The first quarterly dividend for the fiscal year beginning 

 April I, 1900, was 2 per cent., paid October 31. The second 

 was for I per cent., paid January 31, 1901. Last year the third 

 and fourth quarterly dividends were paid April 30 and July 31 

 respectively. 



ANNUAL MEETING. 



The annual meeting of the stockholders of the United States 

 Rubber Co., for the election of directors and for the transac- 

 tion of any other business which may properly be brought be- 

 fore the meeting, will be held at the office of the company, in 

 New Brunswick, New Jersey, on Tuesday, May 21, at 12 o'clock 

 noon. Transfer books will be closed during April 16 and May 

 21, inclusive. For some time past rumor has been busy with 

 gossip relating to prospective changes in the management of 

 the company, the retirement of at least two prominent officials 

 being referred to. The name of Colonel Samuel P. Colt has 

 been much discussed in connection with the presidency, while 

 Boston financial news has been filled with mentions of Lester 

 Leland for treasurer. There have also appeared denials of the 

 latter report, both from Treasurer Flint's friends and from Bos- 

 ton Rubber Shoe Co. interests. 



RUBBER PLANTING IN MEXICO. 



THE superintendent of the Commonwealth Mexican Plan- 

 tation Association — Mr. N. B. McCurdy — recently vis- 

 ited the head offices of that company in Chicago, where he was 

 interviewed by a correspondent of The India Rubber World. 

 They are developing the " Plantation El Ingenio," in the state 

 of Vera Cruz, Mexico, where Mr. McCurdy said that 300,000 

 rubber trees would be planted by the end of the present sea- 

 son. They are planting 300 trees to the acre, with a view to 

 thinning out to 200 of the more vigorous when they have be- 

 gun to grow well. Mr. McCurdy mentioned some thrifty plan- 

 tations of from one to three years' standing, planted by Ameri- 

 can companies in the same state, and he could wish for no bet- 

 ter success than the latter have experienced thus far. Mr. 

 McCurdy had seen results from the tapping of native trees 

 which were most encouraging with respect to the productive 

 capacity of the rubber tree of Mexico. The plantation of his 

 company is located in a thickly settled territory, and it has not 

 been difficult to secure labor. There are 150 natives working 

 on the " Plantation El Ingenio," all of whom were employed 

 without the expenditure of one cent in seeking laborers. This 

 company is planting other crops, as a source of revenue while 

 the rubber plantation is being developed, and one dividend has 

 already been declared out of the profits of the business. 



Frederick W. Barker, a member of the New York, deliv- 

 ered a lecture on " Automobile Tires " before the Automobile 

 Club of New York on the evening of April 23, which proved 

 to be a comprehensive sumn.ary of the various types of tires 

 which have been offered thus far for automobile use. While 

 giving the palm to the pneumatic tire as being most conducive 

 to the rider, he pointed out its lack of untrustworthiness under 

 heavy loads, and the necessity, in such cases, of using solid 

 tires, if rubber is used at all. He considered cushion tires as a 

 " hybrid," without any of the merits of the other two classes. 



The rubber shoe factories are busy on an unprecedented run 

 of early orders, due to the low prices. 



