16 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[October 1, 1913. 



rubber expositions in quite rapid, succession, the in widely 

 separated parts of the globe — first, the London Exposition, 

 under the management of Mr. A. Staines Manders. who has 

 organized the former London expositions and wlio also organized 

 the one held in New York last year. This will open its doors on 

 June 24 and continue to July 9. The second exposition will be 

 held in Batavia from September 8 to October 10, 1914 — with this 

 California rubber exposition to follow in 191S. Dr. Dahne, it 

 might be added, is now a resident of San Francisco, with an 

 office at 1101 Merchants National Bank Building, in that city. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



By a Resident Corrcspoudenl. 



MR. B. G. WORK, president of the B. F. Goodrich Co., re- 

 turned from Europe on September 17. Being interviewed 

 in Xew York, he is reported to have said that the Goodrich 

 factory in France, while not putting out a very large product, 

 was in a very satisfactory situation. He states that the general 

 automobile outlook in F.urope is highly favorable, which argues 

 for a good tire business; but competition among the tire makers 

 is keen and the Goodrich company finds itself obliged to com- 

 pete against many low-priced goods. He stated, according to 

 his interviewer, that the company has at present no new financing 

 in prospect nor any enlargement of the plant. 



* * * 



The recent reliability run, organized by the Washington "Post," 

 from Washington through Maryland and Pennsylvania and re- 

 turn, was practically the first of its kind held in this country. 

 It may be said that it emphatically demonstrated the suitability 

 of the motor truck for country transportation, taking place as 

 it did over ordinary roads, for much of the distance in com- 

 paratively poor condition. The purpose was two-fold, first to 

 test the endurance of the various trucks and equipment, and 

 second, to obtain data as to the economy of the motor truck 

 in continuous day-after-day running on common highways. 

 , Twenty-one cars took part, divided into seven classes, accord- 

 ing to the load capacity of the various trucks. Every kind of 

 vehicle was represented, from army ambulances completely 

 equipped for the field to the huge eight-thousand pound Vulcan 

 truck, the latter eventually proving itself the winner, notwith- 

 standing its great weight, which severely handicapped it on 

 the bad roads experienced the first day of the run. This truck 

 was equipped with Goodrich demountable wireless tires and 

 came through with an unblemished record so far as tire troubles 

 were concerned. 



The route presented every possible variation in material, state 

 of repair and grades of roads, and was expressly chosen to give 

 as great a variety and as strenuous a test as possible. 



* * * 



The book "What's What in Tires'' has just been re-issued by 

 the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. This new edition is elaborately 

 gotten up and is even more than ever complete in its information 

 as to tire and rim building; and car owners will find it of geat 

 help and interest. 



* * * 



Few dinner pails were carried to the Firestone plant in South 

 .Akron Wednesday, the restaurant for employees having been 

 opened on that day in the new building opposite the factory ; 

 and the restaurant helpers found themselves swamped when 

 the noon whistle blew. Officials of the company made a tour 

 of inspection Tuesday and pronounced everything ready for 

 the formal opening. LIndoubtedly it is the finest dining room 

 of its kind in the city. The equipment is modern and complete, 

 with a seating capacity of 250, and meals are to be served at 

 cost. There has been a dining room in operation for office 

 employes for some time, but until now no such provision had 



been made for factory employes. The new restaurant is an 

 addition which will l)e heartily welcomed by all. 



=1. * * 



The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has introduced a new tire 

 which is specially intended for use on electric vehicles. It has a 

 special fabric lining, designed to combine reduced consumption 

 of power and increased wearing qualities. A layer of light blue 

 rubber is inserted just over the breaker strip, which acts as a 

 guide to indicate when the tire needs retreading. 



That its sales for the present fiscal year will reach the $35,000.- 

 000 mark is the belief expressed by officials of this company, 

 the 40 per cent, gain for the months of June and July over the 

 business of the corresponding months a year ago contributing 

 to this optimistic anticipation. This is about $3,000,000 better 

 than the expectations of the company in the early spring, which 

 at that time were for a 25 per cent, increase over the business 



of 1912. 



* * * 



In the case of the Goodyear company against George Beabos, 

 convicted of stealing fabric from the hose department of the 

 company, a minimum fine of $10 was imposed instead of the 

 full penalty in convictions of this nature, leniency having been 

 extended in view of the fact that his family of five children was 

 soon to be increased by another birth. 



* + * 



.Announcement has been made by the Diamond Rubber Co. 

 that it will hereafter be able to meet even unusual demands for 

 its tires, having increased its maximum daily capacity more than 

 one-third. 



* * * 



Men have been sent from Akron to supply the vacancies 

 caused by the discharge of a number of employes nf the Mans- 

 field Tire & Rubber Co., of Wooster, Ohio, after an absence which 

 the company had refused to grant for the purpose of attending 



the county fair. 



* * * 



The National Cement and Rubber Co., Toledo, Ohio, are 

 manufacturing a self-curing cement for tube repairing, which is 

 known as "Tire-Sav." It is a rubber compound said to effect 

 a more secure repair than the ordinary patch. 



* * * 



H. W. French, of .Akron, and Fred Gove, of New York, 

 formerly representatives of Ed Maurer, have incorporated a 

 new company for selling and dealing in crude rubber, with 

 offices at 82 Beaver street. New York, and Second National 

 liuilding, .Akron, Ohio. The officers are H. W. French, presi- 

 dent ; F. S. Gove, vice-president and treasurer, and C. E. Sor- 



rick, secretary. 



* * * 



The Knight Tire & Rubber Co., Canton. Ohio, has estab- 

 lished a branch office at St. Louis, Missouri. 



THE PROPER INFLATION OF TIRES. 



Mr. Greenwald, of the service department of The Firestone 

 Tire & Rubber Co., in a brief treatise on the proper inflation 

 of tires, includes the following suggestions : 



''Inflate slowly at first. There are a great many views as to 

 the proper pressure, but it is rulable to inflate the front tires 

 to a pressure equivalent to seventeen or eighteen times their 

 cross-section and the rear tires to a pressure equivalent to 20 

 times the cross-section; for example, 34 x 4 tires on front 

 wheels should have from 68 to 72 pounds pressure, while on 

 the rear wheels the pressure should be about 80 pounds. The 

 tire should round out pretty well and not flatten under the 

 weight of car and passengers. Reinflate the tire occasionally, 

 as the inner tubes are permeable. It is not advisable to inflate 

 the tires with the exhaust from engine. Oil and certain gases 

 are destructive to the rubber." 



