NlrtE.MBEK I, 1910. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD. 



57 



The Rubber Trade in San Francisco. 



By a Resident Lonesfoiutenl. 



THERE are some jobbers who see no difference in trade con- 

 ditions this month from what has prevailed during the past 

 six months; others, however, say that there is a little im- 

 provement over last month, and that orders for next season are 

 coming along very favorably ; others still are certain that business 

 is as didl as it possibly could be, and insist that it is worse 

 now than at this time last year; again others who express the 

 greatest surprise that any one should complain of its being quiet 

 even, because they are finding a demand for goods that is 

 extremely pleasing to them. Such divergence of opinion is an 

 indication at least that there are waves of good as well as bad 

 business, and that with things stirring in such a manner it is 

 probable that on the average a very satisfactory trade condition 

 exists. The city trade is admittedly quiet, though gradually 

 showing improvement. Outside of San Francisco, business gen- 

 erally speaking is good, and all things point to lietter times in the 

 near future. 



* * * 



As intimated in this paper two months ago. The B. F. Good- 

 rich Co. (Akron, Ohio), have definitely decided to open direct 

 branches on the Pacific coast, and with that object in view have 

 established an office in the Pacific building, on Market street, 

 with Mr. Kirkpatrick in charge, and have gone so far in San 

 • Francisco as to have leased a new building on the south side 

 of Market street. The new building is five stories with base- 

 ment, and has been leased for a term of five years. The firm will be 

 ready to occupy the building with its San Francisco branch about 

 the first of the year. Mr. Kirkpatrick was formerly in charge of 

 the Goodrich tire business of the Gorham Rubber Co. at that 

 firm's branch store on Golden Gate avenue. The Gorham Rubber 

 Co. have been the Pacific coast agents for the Goodrich company 

 for man}' years, and the change as now contemplated does not 

 affect any part of the agency other than that of the Goodrich 

 tires. That is, the Gorham Rubber Co. will continue to handle 

 all of the Goodrich company's rubber goods for mechanical pur- 

 poses, druggist's sundries and the like for the entire coast through 

 their stores in this city, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle, 

 while- the Goodrich company will establish stores in those cities 

 to handle their tire l)usiness directly. This leaves the Gorham 

 company without a tire line, and \V. J. Gorham and Mr. Heck- 

 mann are now visiting certain factories in the East for the pur- 

 pose of making arrangements for representing some line of 



automobile tires. 



* * * 



Mr. George E. H.m.l, general manager of the Boston Woven 

 Hose and Rubber Co., has been visiting San Francisco and the 

 local manager of the company, Mr. Joseph V. Selby, for the 

 past few days. This was Mr. Hall's first visit to the coast, and 

 he naturally found it one of considerable interest aside from 

 purely business matters, and he expressed himself as being 

 greatly impressed with the remarkable progress of the Far West, 

 and the rebuilding of San FVancisco. While here he was enter- 

 tained at a specially called luncheon of the Pacific Coast Rubber 

 Manufacturers' Association. 



* * H: 



The annual meeting and election of officers of the Pacific 

 Coast Rubber Manufacturers' Association was lield at the Palace 

 Hotel on September 22. The following houses were repre- 

 sented: The American Rubber Manufacturing Co.; the Bowers 

 Rubber Works, Eureka Fire Hose Manufacturing Co., Good- 

 year Rubber Co., Gorham Rubber Co., Pacific Coast Rubber Co., 

 .\'ew York Belting and Packing Co., Limited, Boston Woven 

 Hose and Rubber Co., Revere Rubber Co., Gutta Percha and 



Rubber Manufacturing Co., and Boston Belting Co. Mr. W. F. 

 Pierce, of the Revere Rubber Co., was elected president; Mr. 

 Henry Martine, of the Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing 

 Co., was elected as vice-president; and Mr. F. G. Sargeant, of 

 the Gorham Rubber Co., treasurer. The new members of the 

 executive committee are W. F. Pierce (chairman); C. F. Chase, 

 of the Bowers Rubber Works; W. E. Crandlcy, of the Crandley 

 Rubber and Supply Co. ; A. H. Gregory, of New York Belting 

 and Packing Co., Limited ; and C. F. Winslow, of the Pacific 

 Coast Rubber Co. 



* * * 



The Barton Packing and Rubber Co., at No. 531 Howard 

 street, have concluded to devote their exclusive attention to the 

 manufacturing department, which has grown to considerable 

 importance, and with this object in view Mr. Barton has dis- 

 continued the jobbing end of the business. R. J. McNeilly, who 

 has acted as sales manager, and Frank Jones, salesman, have 

 both left this firm, and have associated themselves with the 



Revere Rubber Co. 



* * * 



The Western Belting and Hose Co. are now located at No. 

 518 Mission street, having moved from the former location on 

 Main street. This firm now have the Walker's Fire Engine 

 account, which they report is moving very actively. In fact they 

 report that the past month has been unusually good with them 

 and that business is keeping up fine. Mr. N. S. Dodge, presi- 

 dent of the firm, is now on a trip East. The firm were recently 

 favored with a visit from Mr. B. S. Gibbs, from the Manhat- 

 tan Rubber Manufacturing Co. 



* * =)« 



^Ir. F. S. Winslow, manager of the Pacific Coast Rubber 

 Co., of San Francisco, has gone for a trip to New York, mak- 

 ing his headquarters with The United States Rubber Co. 



Mr. Kelly, from the Republic Rubber Co., is now visiting 

 on the coast. He will return to San Francisco after a visit 

 of a few days in the southern part of the state. 



Mr. Selby, the Pacific coast manager of the Boston Woven 

 Hose and Rubber Co., notes it as bis impression that business 

 for 1911 is looking a little brighter at this time than it did 

 thirty days ago. 



F. C. .\nderson, at No. 422 Mission street, sold out cm October 

 3, to the Electric Hose and Rubber Co. 



The American Belting and Fabric Co. have been iiicnriiorated 

 at Oakland. 



* * * 



The board of supervisors of San Francisco have framed an 

 ordinance whereby itinerant merchants and vendors will be 

 charged a license of $50 per day for en2;aging in business in 

 this city. This is for the purpose of prot«cting the C'^tablished 

 merchant who pays taxes and hears the burdens of govern- 

 ment from that class of retailers who open up after the tax levy, 

 and engage in business for a month or two, wherein they dis- 

 pose of some job lot of rain coats, rubber <iiat>^, or what not, 

 and then depart. 



RUBBER FACTORY FOR BRAZIL. 



THE Liummi Zeilung learns that a rublier goods factorv is to 

 be established in Jundiahy, near S;io Paulo,' Brazil, with 

 an initial capital of 300 contos [=about $1 00,000 1. The city gov- 

 ernment supports the enterprise, by the remission, for a term of 

 ten years, of all municipal charges and by the contributi n of 10 

 contos towards the purchase of a factory site. 



