18 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[October 1, 1913. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN RHODE ISLAND. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 



THE rubber trade throughout Rhode Island is in good con- 

 dition, with encouraging prospects, the majority of the 

 factories having orders enough on hand or in sight to necessi- 

 tate operation on an overtime schedule. In fact, there is said to 

 be a greater number of orders in the hands of the rubber com- 

 panies at this time than for the past several years. Many of the 

 plants are unable to secure all the experienced hands they desire, 

 and tho several are hiring help from Massachusetts, there is a 

 steady and increasing demand for skilled operatives in all the 



local plants. 



* * * 



After a shut-down of four weeks for overhauling of plant and 

 taking an account of stock, the Woonsocket Rubber Co. resumed 

 operations on August 22, at the Alice mill at Woonsocket, and 

 at the mill at Millville, when the calender, cutting and making 

 rooms at each plant began work. The following day every 

 department in both mills was in full operation, with orders on 

 hand for full capacity for several months and others in view. 

 Nearly 2.000 operatives are affected by the resumption. 



A new vulcanizing plant is being erected by this company as 

 an addition to the Alice mill. It is to be four stories in height, 

 80 feet long and 60 feet in width, and will be of brick. The 

 Eastern Construction Co. was recently awarded the contract, 

 and work is to be pushed as rapidly as possible, about ten 

 weeks being the time estimated for completion of the structure. 

 It will occupy the site of the present carpenter shop, w'hich is 

 to be torn down, and will have a large basement of cement the 

 entire size of the building. The cost of the addition will be 



about $35,000. 



* * * 



Good progress is being made on the new buildings, additions 

 and improvements that are being erected at the plant of the 

 National India Rubber Co. at Bristol. Contractor William G. 

 Murphy of Warren, has a large force of men employed on the 

 foundations and w-alls for the temporary shop of one story, 

 which is nearly completed. This building is to be 141 feet in 

 length and 68 in width. The steel and lumber for the new- 

 structure to be erected in addition to the wire drawing plant 

 are on hand and work will be started in a short time. This 

 building is to be 218 feet long and 140 feet wide constituting 

 a material increase to the company's plant. 



There are tw'o other buildings to be remodelled and another 

 new building to be erected, in which the "slicking" department 

 is to be located. It is expected that several months will pass 

 before all the additions and improvements are completed. In 

 the vulcanizing department the old vulcanizers are soon to be 

 discarded for new ones, which will require only one-fifth of 

 the time of the old ones to "cure" the rubber goods manu- 

 factured in the mill. 



Much is expected of the new vulcanizers that are to be in- 

 stalled, as it is claimed that they will revolutionize the old- 

 time methods introduced by Goodyear more than a half century 

 ago. This vulcanizer has been adopted by the United States 

 Rubber Co. and the first one is being set up at the National 

 India Rubber Co.'s plant at Bristol. While there is much 

 secrecy surrounding it, the claim is made that an hour and a 

 half will be sufficient time in which to vulcanize rubber footwear, 

 hose, wire insulation or any other of the products manufactured 

 in the Bristol mill. This will be a great saving in time, for it 

 takes from six to seven hours at present under the old system. 



The method of curing by the use of this new machine is said 

 to be altogether different from the old Goodyear process. While 

 steam heat, or dry heat, generated from a steam plant, served 

 its purpose for a long time, it is superseded, in the new 

 vulcanizer. It is claimed that better results will be obtained 

 in the handling of rubber goods with the new vulcanizer and 



that the "life" will not be taken out of the goods so nnicli as 

 under the old heat system. 



* * * 



John T. Ashton, for many years an accountant in the office 

 of the National India Rubber Co., and Miss Sarah E. Gladding, 

 were married the past month in Bristol. After the marriage a 

 wedding trip was taken through the White Mountains, follow- 

 ing which Mr. and ]\Irs. Ashton have made their home in Bristol. 



* * * 



At the first meeting of creditors in the bankruptcy case of the 

 Consumers' Rubber Co. of Bristol — held before the Referee in 

 Bankruptcy, Nathan W. Littlefield, on August 28 — claims were 

 allowed and filed and a trustee chosen, Mr. Robert S. Emerson, 

 a member of the committee appointed to investigate the affairs 

 of the company in the interest of creditors, having been elected 

 to this office, under $5,000 bonds. 



* * * 



Among the individuals, firms and corporations in Providence 

 on whom assessments of $50,000 or over were levied, according 

 to the report of the Board of Assessors filed early in September, 

 are the following : Joseph Banigan estate, $1,036,180 — a decrease 

 from 1912 of $225,340; Joseph Banigan Rubber Co., $161,000; 

 Augustus O. Bourn, $113,640; Bourn Rubber Co., $147,000; Col. 

 Samuel P. Colt, $210,000; Davol Rubber Co., $400,000; Charles 

 Davol. $57,160; Glendale Elastic Fabric Co.. $197,300; Mechan- 

 ical Fabric Co., $336,740; Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co., 

 under the will of Joseph Davol, $400,000; Revere Rubber Co., 

 $1,402,450. 



The International Rubber Co. is assessed for $130,680 and the 

 O'Bannon Corporation for $344,850, in the tow-n of Barrington. 



* * * 



Clarence P. Bearce, chemist at the Washburne Wire Co., 

 Phillipsdale, has returned from his summer vacation, which was 

 spent at Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. 



* * * 



A new steam engine of 350 horse power has just been installed 

 at the plant of the International Rubber Co. at West Barrington, 

 replacing one of smaller dimensions. 



* * :t; 



Mr. and Mrs. Walter S. Ballou returned on Monday, Septem- 

 ber 8, after an absence of several months abroad, most of which 

 time was spent in England, motoring in Devonshire, Cornwall 

 and the Midlands, later visiting London and Paris. 



George Astill, general manager of the Glendale Elastic Fabric 

 Co., has issued a statement denying the reports which have been 

 current in this city and vicinity to the effect that the Providence 

 plant of the concern was to be removed to Easthampton, Massa- 

 chusetts. These rumors, it is claimed, have caused employes of 

 the company to become dissatisfied and uneasy, and a number 

 have left to find employment elsewhere. Mr. Astill states that 

 the branch here is in a very healthy condition. 



A TIRE FILLED WITH WET COMPRESSED CORK. 



Compressed air is such a capricious entity that everybody 

 would be glad to see it replaced, if it could be done, by some- 

 thing more controllable and just as resilient — but that something 

 has not yet been found. A certain inventor, however, claims that 

 he has succeeded — or if not quite — almost. He takes an inner 

 tube such as is used in a pneumatic tire, and instead of filling it 

 with air fills it with wet compressed cork, which, being extremely 

 porous and full of air. has. according to his claim, more resili- 

 ency than solid rubber and almost as much as a pneumatic tire, 

 while not being subject to the inconveniences that inevitably 

 follow when a pneumatic is punctured — because a puncture in his 

 cork-filled tire inflicts no great injury, the air still staying in the 

 cork. If this wet compressed cork substitute works, it will be 

 eagerly welcomed ; but the inventor will first have to prove his 

 case. 



