542 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[Jui.v 1, 1914. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 

 D EPORTS are still somewhat at variance regarding the state 

 •^ * of business, l)ut I tind that there is a decidedly more hope- 

 ful feeling all alonjj the line. For instance, the automobile 

 business, as is the rule with trades devoted to lu.xuries, hasn't 

 been up to the average this year, and the argument is that more 

 old cars are in use and these old cars require more frequent 

 renewals of tires, therefore the tire business gets the benefit. 

 A trip along Boylston street and out Brookline way finds most 

 of the Boston managers of tire stores quite enthusiastic over 

 present and prospective trade. 



* * * 



Take the rubber sole business. The leather situation has been 

 rsuch that shoe manufacturers were glad of the growing fad of 

 using rubber instead of sole-leather. Therefore every — or nearly 

 ■every — manufacturer whose equipment would enable him to turn 

 •out rubber soles is doing a good l)usiness. There are all qualities 

 ■of these goods, and shoe men can l)uy soles at most any price, 

 with too many poor, cheap soles in the market, which, because 

 of their poor service, will fail to give satisfaction; and if this 

 ■state of affairs becomes too prevalent, good-by to the rubber 

 sole shoe fad. Only good soles should be used, but there's always 

 •a demand for cheapness. Then, there's the raincoat trade. A 

 "man whose father was a pioneer in the rubber clothing business, 

 :and who succeeded him, states that the change in the tariff has 

 made serious inroads in the raincoat business. English and 

 (jernian manufacturers can now compete with .\m.erican makers, 

 and consumers, all other things being equal, are likely to prefer 

 coats of European make if they can be had at al)0Ut the same 

 price as the domestic product. This makes business poor in all 

 except the cheaper grades. However, another manufacturer of 

 fine quality raincoats reports a good demand for his standard 

 lines, which are among the most expensive made in this country. 



* * * 



When it comes to mechanicals, there is the same disposition 

 on the part of mills and power plants not to stock up with 

 emergency supplies of beltings and packings but to rely on 

 local houses or on quick express service. It is about the same 

 with tire hose. But in garden hose there was a good demand 

 in advance of the retail season, and this is being continued by 

 supplementary orders from many sections where the rain-fall is 



I)elow normal. 



* * * 



Those factories which make fruit-jar rings report plenty of 

 orders despite the good business which they did som? months 

 3igo. Indeed, one factory keeps a force of workers busy almost 

 the entire year in this department. 



* * * 



I he .Aldcn Rubber Co. was incorporated last nionlli witli a 

 capital stock of $100,000, of which $50,000 is preferred stock 

 •and the remainder common stock. This company succeeds the 

 Hoyt Rubber Co., and will continue the business of that concern 

 •at 58 Thayer street. .At its head, as president, is G. Edwin .\lden, 

 -who is known to the entire rubber trade. C. W. Hoyt, the 

 ■secretary of the new corporation, has been owner and manager 

 ■of the Hoyt Rubber Co. for the past twelve years. The secretary 

 is B. E. Phillips, who was also connected with the Hoyt company. 

 The Alden Rubber Co. is already manufacturing a large line of 

 molded rubber goods, and among its specialties will be soles and 

 heels, sponges, tubing, etc., besides which it will carry on a 



rlcpartment devoted to experimental work. 



* * * 



Mr. G. Edwin Alden continues to represent, as its New England 

 agent, the Standard AsphaU & Rubl)er Co., of Chicago and New 

 York, proprietors of M. R. X., the celebrated compounding in- 

 gredient so extensively used in the rubber industry, and still 

 retains his office at 10 High street, where he establishetl this 



agency several months ago. The merits of this substance are 

 certainly appreciated by rubber manufacturers in New England, 



if one may judge by its steadily increased demand. 



* * * 



.\s already stated, the manufacture of substitutes for leather 

 increases with the high cost of the latter article and the boom in 

 popularity of rubber soled footwear. A new competitor in the 

 leather-rubber sole business is the Vulcan Fibre Co., organized 

 recently, with a factory in Andover, Massachusetts, and a sales- 

 room and office in the heart of Boston's shoe district. This 

 company has for its president, Everett B. Cook, of Danvers, and 

 the other directors are E. W. McCarthy, a prominent resident of 

 Peabody, and A. W. Baker, a shoe manufacturer of Georgetown. 

 The company takes sole leather remnants, which are shredded, 

 mixed with rubber, gum and vulcanizing materials and rolled 

 out to proper thickness. .After vulcanization, soles are dried out, 

 constituting the principal product of the company. 



These soles are claimed to wear longer than either leather or 

 rubber soles, are non-slipable, damp-proof, will not crack either 

 in wear or in the sewing on by macliine; and the company 

 shows important economies to the manufacturer over leather or 

 rubber soles. Already a good business is reported by the 

 company. 



* * * 



I understand that there will lie a change in the management 

 of the Danversport Rubber Co. at the annual business meeting 

 in July. This company, which was organized in 1893, has been 

 an important reclaimer of rubber. The principal owner, W. J. 

 Corbett, died in September. 1909. and the business has since 

 been managed by J. C. Walton, the original Clerk of the com- 

 pany. During the years of his administration he has steadily 

 improved the plant, adding to the business of the company and 

 increasing its profits. Mr. Walton will, however, retire from the 

 management of the company, but is not yet ready to give out 



any information as to his future plans. 



* * * 



Robert C. Harlow, president of the Monatiquot Rubber Co., 

 is at present writing on a fishing trip at the Rangeley Lakes. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



By our Regular Correspondent. 

 ""rHP". Miller Rubber Co. plant is to be materially enlarged by 

 ■^ the erection of a warehouse and other buildings. Plans for 

 the extension are being worked on now. 



The announcement of the additions was made Saturday morn- 

 ing by the company, and at the same time it was announced 

 that the ground formerly owned by the Franz Body Works, an 

 auto body manufacturing concern, immediately across from the 

 Miller company, has been purchased. Modern factory buildings 

 will be erected on this ground after old structures covering about 

 half a block are removed. Xo estimate of what the extensions 

 will cost can be made yet, say the officials, as the plans are not 

 prepared. 



* * * 



Tb.c Williams Foundry & Machine Co., urdcr its profit-sharing 

 plan — now in its thir<l year — recently distributed among 125 em- 

 ployes — superintendents, foremen and workmen — seventeen hun- 

 dred dollars, as follows : To workmen, a thousand dollars, ac- 

 cording to length of service, and hve hundred dollars according 

 to number of hours worked : two hundred dollars to superin- 

 tendents and foremen. 



* * :': 



The P>. V. Goodrich Co., at the meeting of tin- Xational .As.so- 

 ciation of Engineers of Ohio, niade a special exhibit of the 

 Graham-White King hose, which is used for high pressure in 

 lire jirotection. This is meeting with a jjreat demand, and is 

 hecomins; one of the leading hosi" -t-Hers of the Goodrich com- 

 pany. 



