June 1, 1914.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



491 



News of the American Rubber Trade. 



MONATIQUOT RUBBER WORKS COMPANY. 



THE Monatiquol Rubber Work.s Co, of Soutli Braintree, 

 Massachusetts, completed the fourth year of their opera- 

 tions last April. Their prodiuts arc known as "Naturized 

 Rubbers," the most prominent of which is their "Squantum" 

 brand, named like their other stocks after a famous Indian 

 chief. They lately introduced their "Wampatuck" brand, and 

 this stock has also become well known. 



The company makes few stocks rather than many on the 

 theory that such a program prevents confusion and promotes 

 specialization. 



The plant is located at South Braintree, about 12 miles from 

 Boston. The buildings are of brick, and the equipment is of 

 the latest type. The plant is made up of three separate manu- 

 facturing units, so that the danger from fire is minimized to a 

 great extent. The Monatiquot river, from which the company 

 takes its name, furnishes a soft, pure water, which is an in- 

 valuable asset in the processes employed. 



Robert C. Harlow, for many years superintendent of t'e re- 

 claiming plant of the Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co., is 

 president and general factory manager, while the treasurer. 

 James H. Stedman, is equally well known in the ruliber trade. 

 The company maintains sales offices at 176 t'ederal street, Bos- 

 ton, as well as representations at Akron. Oliio. and Brussels, 

 Belgium. 



THE POETAGE RUBBER COMPANY. 



It is authoritatively stated that the profits of the Portage 

 Rubber Co. for the last quarter were more than sufficient to pay 

 the yearly dividend of 7 per cent, on their preferred stock and 

 that there is quite a strong probability that the company will 

 begin dividends on the common stock this year. 



FRIGHTFUL DISASTER IN A DETROIT RUBBER COMPANY. 



A frightful and fatal disaster occurred on May 15 in the 

 plant of the Mexican Crude Rubber Co., situated on the west 

 side of Detroit, Michigan. .\n explosion look i:lace in the mix- 

 ing room, which utterly destroyed that part of the company's 

 works, killed outright ten of the twenty-live workmen em- 

 ployed in that department and injured several others so badly 

 that three more died soon after being removed to the hospital. 



Tlie building was a new structure put up about a year ago, of 

 steel and concrete, and one story in height. The concrete walls 

 at this part of the factory were entirely blown out, and in great 

 fragments — some of them weighing several pounds — were scat- 

 tered over a territory of many blocks, doing considerable damage 

 to adjacent buildings. 



Just how the accident occurred will probably never 1 e known, 

 altho the matter is being thoroughly investigated. Some of the 

 surviving workmen say that there was a large vat of molten 

 rubber in the center of the roon. but the ger.eral manager of 

 the company says it is q lite pos;i!ile that the heat of the sun 

 may have caused an explosion of mixed ether ;nd alcohol. This 

 chemical is contained in iron barrels which are kept sealed when 

 not in use. 



The illustration shown btlow, made from a jjliotograph taken 

 shortly after the explosion especia'ly for this paper, shows the 

 completeness of the ruin, the only part of the wall left standing 

 being the steel frame. 



The Mexican Crude Rubber Co. was i.icorporated eight years 

 ago with a capital of $1,500,000, and a plant erected at Coaluiila, 

 Mexico, which later was moved to San Luis Potosi, but owing 

 to the serious interruption of its work by the Mexican war it 

 was moved to Detroit about a year ago. It is engaged in the 

 manufacture of artificial leather by a secret process. 



Plant OF the Mexican- Crude Rubber Co. After the Explosion. 



