96 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD. 



(December 1, 1910. 



vision for enlarging the operations of the company in the factory 

 of the old Buckeye Mower and Reaper Co., which building the 

 Royal company have purchased. Experiments are being con- 

 ducted with pneumatic tires, which the company expect to manu- 

 facture. 



* * * 



The Miller Rubber Co. recently completed a factory building 

 150 X SO feet, for the manufacture of molded and pressed goods. 

 The addition permits of the employment of SO more persons. 



The new $1,000,000 plant of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. 

 will be under roof by the first of the year. Officials of the com- 

 pany hope to be able to move the office force into the new quar- 

 ters in January, and the factory during the month following. 



The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. paid a dividend of 12 per 

 cent, to their stockholders on November 1. 



The annual report of the directors of the Akron Chamber of 

 Commerce, many of whom are rubber manufacturers, declared 

 that .\kron now has 105 separate factories, with an aggregate 

 capitalization of more than $75,000,000. They employ 23,450 

 persons. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CHICAGO. 



1 BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



THE rubber houses furnishing supplies to railway companies 

 report that business is very quiet. This is said to be due 

 to the fact that the railways are doing their business upon a 

 more economical basis than formerly. They not only buy more 

 carefully but make better use of remnants than in former years. 

 This has been brought about by the use of more intelligent help. 

 Take, for example, the matter of hose. Formerly if any part of 

 the hose became damaged the whole piece was thrown away 

 and a new piece was bought. Now the piece is utilized in some 

 way and nothing goes into the scrap pile except material that is 

 absolutely worthless. 



It is thought, however, that the trade, as soon as it adjusts 

 itself to the new order of things, will be in a better condition 

 than ever. In fact, many in the trade are doing all they can to 

 assist the railway companies in their campaign of economy, 

 upon the theory that it will inspire more confidence, and thus 

 bring about a more healthy relation as between the trade and the 

 railways. In speaking of the matter to The India Rubber 

 World correspondent, Mr. G. S. Wood said : 



"You would be surprised, on going into the railroad yards 

 now, to see in how many ways this rule of economy is being 

 practised. Many times something comes into the shop a part of 

 which is broken. The broken part is replaced, and the tool is as 

 good as new— even in so small a matter as a monkey wrench. 

 In former years, if an employe broke a handle the wrench was 

 thrown away ; now the wrench is sent to headquarters and a 

 new handle is put in. This rule of economy, of course, cuts 

 down the bill of supplies, and the supply houses are suffering. 

 But when we become adjusted to the new order of things trade 

 will be upon a better basis than ever before. We have no quar- 

 rel with the railroads. They are simply doing what should have 

 been done years ago, and I only wonder how some of the roads 

 were able to pay dividends under the old plan." 

 * * * 



A PECULIAR situation faces the merchant handling rubber shoes 

 and boots. On account of the unusually dry weather, especially 

 in the northwest, the retail merchant has held back in making 

 his orders. As a result there are very few retailers who have 

 enough goods to begin to handle the trade when bad weather 

 sets in. This would not be so serious if it was not for tlie fact 

 that as a result of the retailer not buying the jobbers have also 

 been slow to stock up, and even some of the manufacturers have 

 been tardy about putting out goods for which there seemed to 

 be no demand. As a result, when the wet season begins there is 

 going to be a great rush for rubber goods and many will come 



off lacking and then complain because their order9 cannot be 



filled. 



« • * 



Many dealers who handle rubber overshoes have not awakened 

 to the fact that the style in shoes demands a new style of over- 

 shoes. The new high heel shoes, both for men and women, has 

 played havoc with the old low heeled style overshoe. It not only 

 does not fit but is cumbersome and if by any chance the cus- 

 tomer is persuaded to buy it it is only a question of a short time 

 when the high sharp heels will punch holes in them. An in the 

 matter of women's shoes it is simply out of the question to try 

 to make one of those old style rubbers fit or even stay on. The 

 manufacture of rubber overshoes is undergoing a revolution. 

 The up-to-date houses are now making lasts for their rubbers 

 with as much exactness as do the leather shoe makers. 



* * * 



There has been an unusual demand for felt-lined rubber over- 

 shoes of the type so much worn in Russia. In former years this 

 trade was largely confined to a foreign element, but of late years 

 Americans have caught the idea of having their overshoes lined 

 with red felt and the line has become popularized until the trade 

 is being taxed to its limit to meet tlie demand. 



* * * 



On account of increased business the Vail Rubber Co., of 

 Chicago, have been compelled to seek larger quarters. After the 

 first of the year this company will be in new quarters at the 

 northwest corner of Twenty-seventh and La Salle streets. This 

 is a three-story structure 51 x 112 feet, and is being especially 

 prepared for this company. The Vail Rubber Co. have been in 

 business only a short time. They took out incorporation papers 

 on November 11, 1910, with a capital stock of $16,000. The offi- 

 cers are William A. Vail, president ; William McCoy, vice-presi- 

 dent, secretary and treasurer. These people manufacture rubber 

 heels, gaskets, and valves. 



* * * 



There seems to be a general tendency to put out better tires 

 from year to year. There is a good business reason for this. 

 Tires are now sold on a guarantee, and the rebates on mileage 

 for replacements will not equal the difference in the cost of a 

 new tire and what the dealer paid for the old one. 



* * * 



In regard to the suggestion of a trust being formed among the 

 rubber tire men, in the language of a Chicago dealer, "every 

 fellow is for himself and the devil for the hindmost." He says 

 that there is as little cooperation among rubber tire dealers as 

 among any class of business men you might mention. The com- 

 petition is very stiff and in some instances has created such 

 animosity among the dealers as to cause them to refuse to speak 

 when they meet upon the street. 



* * * 



Mr. M. S. Curwen, Chicago representative of the Boston 

 Belting Co., spent the week, ending November 19, in Boston, at- 

 tending a meeting of shareholders. The company has done a 

 very satisfactory business during the year and is especially well 

 pleased with the business of the Chicago branch, which was only 



recently started. 



* * « 



Mr. L. C. Lawton, of the Chicago Rubber Co., is contemplat- 

 ing a trip in February to his rubber plantation in Dutch Guiana. 

 This plantation comprises 1200 acres, on which 20,000 trees were 

 planted this year. Mr. Lawton looks forward to a big profit. 



* * * 



Mr. H. B. Lawrence, of the Arlington Co., reports that busi- 

 ness in celluloid goods is better than it has ever been. The de- 

 mand is far greater than the supply. This in face of the fact 

 that celluloid combs and brushes are very much more expensive 

 than the aluminum combs and wood back brushes. The greatest 

 trouble now is to fill orders on time, and in some instances it 

 has become necessary to call the salesmen in off the road. 



