November i, 1910.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



63 



The statement concludes : "The fiscal year closed on July 31, 

 igio, has been a very profitable one for the company, notwith- 

 standing the fact that we were unable to get the full benefit 

 of the rise in rubber prices during the year on account of some 

 rubber contracts already in force. The contracts already entered 

 into for the sale of our product during the present fiscal year 

 cover approximately three-quarters of the expected output, and 

 the prices average higher than the company has received dur- 

 ing the last fiscal year." 



BALANCE SHEET— JULY 31, 1910. 

 ASSETS. 



Investments $30,040,464.13 



-Accounts and Notes Receivable. : 



Advances to subsidiary companies $2,473,912.10 



Sundry 146,492.91 2,620,405.01 



Cash 1,131,517.80 



$33,792,386.94 



Ll.VIilLITIES. 



Capital Stock : 



Common $29,031,000.00 



Preferred 3,150,000.00 



Total capital stock outstanding 32,181.000.00 



.Vccounts payable, taxes accrued, etc 31,020.71 



General reserve account 1,050,000.00 



Surplus 530,366.23 



$33,792,386.94 



SURPLUS ACCOUNT. 



Surplus .'Kugust i. 1909 $248,943.99 



Gross Profits for year $2,369,794.72 



Less : 



Administration and General lixpenses 101,610.95 



Net profit for year 2,268,183.77 



Total 2,517,127.76 



Charges against Surplus : 



Preliminary expenses charged off.. $24,320.50 

 Amount transferred to general re- 

 serve account, equal to tlie pre- 

 ferred stock retired during the year 1,050,000.00 

 Dividends paid 912,441.03 1.986,761.53 



Surplus, July 31, igio $530,366.23 



AN EARLY BALLOON HOAX. 



RUBBER PRODUCTION OF BOLIVIA. 



'T'HE rubber exports of Bolivia have again nearly reached the 

 ■*■ proportions credited to that republic before the alienation 



of the Acre territory, at the end of 1902. The latest statistics of 



exports, relating to the calendar year 1909, are analyzed in the 



table herewith, both by customs ports and the outlet? to the 



world's markets : 



Pounds. 



Via the Madeira : 



Villa Bella 3,681,891 



Itinez San Matias 42,61 r 



p'ia the Pacific: 



Gruro 1 10,642 



Guaqui 57,988 



Puerto Perez 565,704 



Bahia Cobija 1,558,311 



Pelechuco 173,320 



Through Argctiliiui : 



Puerto Suarez 4^8,097 



Tarija 86,836 



Total 6,715,400 



The exports for twelve years past have been as follows (in 

 pounds). Up to, and including, 1902, the Acre production was 

 credited to Bolivia. Since that date the .^cre territory has be- 

 longed to Brazil : 



1898 6,943,100 1902 4,186,585 1906. 4,245,138 



1899 4,708,000 1903 2,906,274 1907 4,027,129 



1900 7,691,728 1904 3,456,481 1908 4,000,011 



1901 7,623,138 1905 3,720,908 1909 6.715,400 



■ I 'HE most recent achievements in aviation have not excited 

 '■ more popular interest than did a publication in the New 

 York Sun of April 13, 1844, announcing the arrival of a balloon 

 from Europe, carrying 8 passengers, after a voyage of only three 

 days. In those days, antedating the telegraph, the papers were 

 less crowded with news than in these times, and an opportunity 

 offered now and then for perpetrating a "hoax" upon their 

 readers, which was duly appreciated on all hands when the 

 whole thing was exposed. The circumstantial account of the 

 safe trip of Mr. Mason's "flying machine" tlie Victoria filled a 

 good sized newspaper page, written in most convincing style, 

 and accompanied by what purported to be a picture of the bal- 

 loon when in flight. The picture printed by the Sun in 1844 

 is reproduced on this page. 



There are several things abnut the Victoria report to recall 

 scriptural assertion that "there is nothing new under the sun." 

 As will appear from the picture, the imaginary flying machine 

 consisted of an inflated bag. from which was suspended a car 

 for passengers, the whole being provided with propeller and 

 steering gear, .\mong the details of construction given it is 



.Mohei. of the "Victohia." 



[I'l'om the New York Sun, .\|ii"il 1,5, 1S44. 1 



mentioned that "The balloon is composed of silk, varnished 

 with the liquid gum caoutchouc." 



The author of the Sun's "balloon hoax" was Edgar .Mian Poe, 

 the noted poet and writer of tales. .\t the date of the appear- 

 ance of the hoax, as is now known, Poe had not achieved fame, 

 and was greatly pressed for money. Doubtless be won enough 

 for his story to tide him over a serious difficulty. The renown 

 of Poe has become enhanced with the progress of time, and 

 within the past month his name has been accepted for inclusion 

 in the "Hall of Fame for Great .Americans," organized in con- 

 nection with the New York University. 



Speaking of the Hall of Fame, the name of Charles Good- 

 year has been mentioned for this honor for some years past. 

 [See The India RuBnER Woku), December 1, 1900, page 75.] 

 In the balloting by the electors on October 21, seven votes were 

 cast for Goodyear, 51 votes being requisite for admission to a 

 niche. 



The Paris branch of the B. F. Goodrich Co. mentioned in the 

 last Inui.\ Rubber World (page 443) has been organized as the 

 Societe Francaise B. F. Goodrich, with a capital of 2,500,000 

 francs [ = $482,500]. The domicile is at .Avenue de la Grande 

 Armee 38 bis. 



