November i, 1910.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



59 



The Rubber Trade in Cincinnati. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 



Rl I'.RER manufacturers throughout the country are realizing 

 tliat the "Queen City" is the logical point from which to bid 

 tor business in the South, and that this city is the gateway 

 through which Dixie's industrial progress passes. Within a few 

 months past there have sprung up a number of branch houses of 

 prominent rubber companies who have come to look upon Cin- 

 cinnati as the headquarters for their business in the southland. 



Among the first to come to this realization was The B. F. 

 Goodrich Co., of Akron. About four months ago this com- 

 pany sent representatives to Cincinnati to establish a branch 

 house. It was discovered that a building that would answer all 

 purposes was not available, and a site was then looked for upon 

 which the company could erect its own building. A site was 

 secured at Nos. 11 14-16 Race street, on which a long term lease 

 was consummated. An architect was employed and plans for a 

 building were prepared, before the general public was aware of 

 what was in prospect. The building has now been completed, 

 and the new branch is now in full operation. 



[n point of architecture and appointments, the Goodrich build- 

 ing is one of the attractive business buildings in this city, and 

 is an ornament to that section in which it is located. The build- 

 ing is 21 X no feet, with sandstone front and of reinforced con- 

 crete, making it fireproof. There are two stories and basement. 

 The first floor is given over to offices and salesrooms. The sec- 

 ond floor is devoted to the mechanical department. Here is 

 equipped one of the most complete outfits to be found anywhere 

 outside of a rubber factory. A pot heater for recovering tires 

 has been installed which will accommodate any size tire from 

 a 26x3 to a 43x6. This pot heater is one of the largest in 

 the country. Beside a pot heater there are several vulcan- 

 izers, steam tables and other machinery to be found only in 

 a rubber factory. 



The installation of a mechanical department in connection 

 with the new Goodrich branch was for the purpose of lessening 

 time in making repairs. Instead of sending tires to the factory 

 at .Akron, they are shipped direct to the Cincinnati branch 

 from the South to be repaired. The basement is given over to 

 a stock room and here is to be found one of the largest stocks 

 of rubber goods to be found in any city in the country. 



The illustration shown in this paper of The B. F. Goodrich 

 Co.'s repair department is one of the most complete and mod- 

 ern tire repair plants possible. Furnishing its own steam with 

 its own steam vulcanizer and patching press, it will no longer 

 be necessary to send tires to the Akron factory for retreading, 

 or, indeed, any kind of repairs. The equipment covers every 

 type of repair that is practical, for both shoes and inner tubes. 



The Goodrich company are installing a high-pressure tank 

 which will have an air line running to the front and rear of 

 the building. This will alTord automobilists opportunity of fill- 

 ing their tires at all times. The tank will have a pressure of 

 100 pounds. 



The local Goodrich branch is in charge of Mr. J. V. Blake, who 

 was formerly on the road for the company, covering the Mich- 

 igan territory. The territory covered from the local branch 

 comprises southern Ohio, all of Kentucky, part of Tennessee, 

 part of West Virginia, and southern Indiana. At Louisville, 

 Kentucky, is to be operated a depot in connection with tlie Cin- 

 cinnati branch, and this depot will be in charge of an expert 

 mechanic from the factory. 



* * * 



The Diamond Rubber Co., of Akron, have leased a building 

 at Nos. 807-809 Race street, which has been completely remod 

 eled, so as to accommodate it to the needs of the company for 



this territory. The building is 26 feet wide and two stories 

 high. It has a stone front and is a fine specimen of architecture. 

 The first floor is given up to offices and salesrooms, while the 

 second floor is used as a stock room, and a complete line is 

 carried. The offices are among the most up-to-date offices in 

 the city. 



The Diamond branch is in charge of Mr. Edwin B. Tozier, 

 and the territory covered is similar to that covered by the Good- 

 rich company from this point. A branch in this city is not 

 new with the Diamond, for it has maintained a branch in this 

 city on Elm street for some time, and also an agency. The 

 branch handled pneumatic tires, while the agency handled solid 

 tires and rubber goods. These two have been combined and are 

 now being operated from the new branch. 



* * * 



XoT to be outdone by its competitors, the Goodyear Tire and 

 Rubber Co., of Akron, have expanded and secured a building in 

 the heart of the automobile district of the city. This company 

 has leased for a long term a building on East Seventh street, 

 near Main. Within a radius of one block from this building 

 there are more automobile salesrooms than in any other sec- 

 tion of Cincinnati. Mr. H. L. Smith is in charge of the Goodyear 

 branch as manager. The territory covered by the company 

 from this branch is similar to that covered by the Goodrich and 

 the Diamond. 



* * * 



Morgan & Wright, of Detroit, have also joined the Cincinnati 

 colony, having a branch on Main street near Eighth. It is re- 

 ported that this company are looking for larger quarters, and in 

 the event that a suitable building cannot be found, it is the 

 intention of the company to build its own structure. 



During the past several days, the Hartford Rubber Works 

 Co. have had representatives in this city, looking for a build- 

 ing for the purpose of establishing a branch. It is reported that 

 this company will also erect their own building here very shortly. 



Besides the above mentioned companies having branches here, 

 the Firestone, Swinehart, and Kelly-Springfield companies oper- 

 ate branches in Cincinnati. 



* * * 



Rubber tire manufacturers, and especially those who have 

 branch houses in Cincinnati, are much interested in the 

 announcement of a plan to establish an independent nr cooper- 

 ative tire manufacturing plant. The question of establishing 

 such a plant, to supply all auto owners who are members of 

 the American .Automobile Association with tires at co&t orig- 

 inated with the Cincinnati Automobile Club at a recent meeting, 

 and a committee has been appointed to meet with officials of 

 the American Automobile Association with a view of interesting 

 the latter in the scheme. 



The originator of the plan is Mr. H. C. Mather, who is con- 

 nected with the Charles H. Moore Oil Co., of Cinciimati. In 

 speaking of his plan, Mr. Mather states that it is his opinion 

 that manufacturers of automobile tires are demanding too much 

 money for their products, in view of the fact that rubber has 

 slumped sharply in price of late. He believes the only solution 

 of the automobile tire problem in this country lies in the sug- 

 gestion that the American Automobile Association operate its 

 own factory and manufacture tires, and that the product be sold 

 to members of the Association only at as nearly cost as pos- 

 sible, the primary idea not being to make money from the enter- 

 prise. 



.According to the plan of Mr. Mather, he would have all mem- 

 bers of the Association subscribe to a number of shares of 



