94 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November 1, 1911. 



THE WALPOLE HTTBBER CO. 



A VERY good illustration of how large enterprises can be de- 

 veloped with proper ability from small beginnings may be found 

 in the Walpole Rubber Co., Walpole, Massachusetts, which began 

 twenty years ago as the Massachusetts Chemical Co. manufac- 

 turing liquid electrical insulation in a very small plant in South 

 Boston, Massachusetts. From the manufacture of this insulation 

 is gradually developed into the manufacture of insulating friction 

 and rubber tapes, in which department its business has grown 

 to such an extent that one day's production of insulating tape 

 would now extend between four and five hundred miles if 

 spread out in a continuous length. 



In 1900 the company moved to Walpole and took up the 

 manufacture of rubber heels and soles. Its present production 

 of rubber heels is about 20,000 pairs a day, including the "Cat's 

 Paw," "Foster," and "Orthopedic." 



In 1908 the Walpole Shoe Supply Co. was organized for 

 the manufacture of shoe supplies that contain rubber. About 

 this time Mr. F. J. Gleason, the present vice-president and 

 general superintendent nf the company, invented an original 





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W.'iLPOLE Rubber Co., W.\li'ule, M.\ss.\chusetts. 



process of making hollow moulded goods by the use of a 

 fusible core, which immediately opened up to them a wide 

 field for a variety of rubber products, such as hot water bottles, 

 fountain syringes, and automobile horn bulbs. The next de- 

 velopment was the patented Walpole rubber heel for horses. 

 In order to meet the large trade in Canada, a Canadian com- 

 pany was organized and a factory built at Granby, Quebec, in 

 1909, known as the Walpole Rubber Co., Limited. 



In 1910 all these various companies were brought into one 

 corporation called the Walpole Rubber Co., with a capital of 

 $3,000,000. The success of the company is largely due to the 

 practical ability of Mr. Gleason, the general superintendent, and 

 the financial capability of A. T. Baldwin, the treasurer. The 

 company is especially fortunate in its location in the town of 

 Walpole, 18 miles from Boston, on the Neponset river, from 

 which it gets water power. The mills are situated on a branch 

 of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and 

 the town has two other railroads in addition, giving easy and 

 frequent communication with Boston. 



TAXICAB COMPANIES COMBINE. 



The International Motor Service Association was formed Sep- 

 tember 13 in New York, for the purpose of concentrating the 

 purchase of supplies by the taxicab, touring car, motor truck, and 

 public service motor companies in America. About 500 firms 

 scattered through the country have joined the association. The 

 association will have its principal office in the Thoroughfare 

 Building, Cohimbus Circle, New York, where the purchase and 

 contracting for the association will be done. Mr. Charles C. 

 James, founder of the association, says that the motor service 

 companies of America alone purchase annually 18.000,000 gallons 

 of gasoline, 200,000 gallons of lubricating oil, 250,000 tires, 500,000 

 inner tubes, 25,500 chains, 1,000 motor cars, taxicabs, etc., and 

 $1,000,000 in insurance premiums. 



THADE NEWS NOTES. 



The Marion Rubber Co., of Columbus, Ohio, jobbers in rub- 

 ber footwear and other rubber goods, are erecting a three-story 

 building on Chestnut street in that city for their exclusive use. 



The Petty Tire and Rubber Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has 

 secured a permit for the erection of a two-story building for a 

 salesroom and warehouse, at No. 1834 Locust street, St. Louis. 



The Portage Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, are sending out to 

 the trade a novel and useful advertising device in the form of 

 a small round rubber mat about 4J4 inches in diameter with a 

 raised edge representing a tire on a rim. It is made of red 

 rubber and can be used for various purposes on the desk. It is 

 suitable for a mat for an inkstand or for a glass or can be used 

 as a pin or clip tray. In raised letters it bears the story, "The 

 Portage Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, Alanufacturers of Mechanical 

 Rubber Goods and Tires of Every Description." It is a good 

 piece of advertising. 



At a recent aeroplane meet in Canton, Ohio, two Akron men, 

 Frederick J. Seiberling, son of the president of the Goodyear 

 Tire and Rubber Co., and E. F. Hemington, advertising manager 

 of the same company, made trips into the air with Walter 

 Brookins and Harry .'^twood, the primary object of these aerial 

 excursions being to ascertain how the rubber coated fabrics of 

 the 'planes were working. Mr. Seiberling was in the air for 20 

 iiinutes, and professes to have had the time of his life. 



Norman E. Mack's "National Monthly" is responsible for the 

 statement that the manager of an asbestos mill, wanting to do 

 something original and distinctive, recently sent out some an- 

 nouncement cards printed on thin asbestos and enclosed in as- 

 bestos envelopes. These were sent out to the company's stock- 

 holders and being uncertain about the addresses at that time 

 of some of the stockholders the further inscription, "please for- 

 ward," was added. It seems that one of the worthy stockholders 

 had recently passed away and his widow on receiving the as- 

 bestos envelope with the "please forward" instructions was deeply 

 touched. 



The New York "Sun," in its issue of October 4, contained the 

 following remarks regarding two recent changes in dividend pay- 

 ments, the passing of the Intercontinental Rubber Co. dividend and 

 the paying of the United States Rubber Co. common dividend : 



"Disinterested persons say that there is a connection between 

 dividend prospects for United States Rubber common and divi- 

 dend passing for Intercontinental Rubber common. The latter 

 company deals mostly in raw rubber, whereas the former corpo- 

 ration handles chiefly finished rubber. Prices for crude rubber 

 have gone from bad to worse in about the way that copper prices 

 have. Therefore what is good for the United States Rubber Com- 

 pany is equally bad for the Intercontinental Rubber Company. 

 In the statement regarding their passing of the common dividend 

 the Intercontinental's directors said they thought prices might go 

 still lower." 



Three enterprising fellows were recently arrested and held for 

 the grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, on the charge of steal- 

 ing a thousand dollars' worth of insulated wire which the Na- 

 tional India Rubber Co., of Bristol, Rhode Island, is using in 

 installing the new fire alarm system in Louisville. These thefts 

 had been going on for several weeks, but eventually the de- 

 tectives with the assistance of George W. Shaw, of the Na- 

 tional company, succeeded in landing the culprits. 



The United States Tire Co. is erecting an additional store- 

 house in connection with its plant at Providence, Rhode Island. 

 The building will be one story and 20 x SO feet. 



The Hamilton Rubber Manufacturing Co., Trenton, New 

 Jersey, is erecting an addition to its plant to be 3 stories high, 

 60 .X 180 feet, and constructed of brick. The cost will be about 

 $30,000. 



The Apsley Rubber Co., Hudson, Massachusetts, has put on an 

 extra night force of men in its spreading department. The com- 

 pany expects to continue night work in its mill for some time. 



