March 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



275 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 



THE rubber companies of Akron arc commencing to take an 

 active interest in the education of their employes. Presi- 

 dent F. A. Seiberling. of The Goodyear Tire & Rnbber Co., 

 says that foreign labor at the Goodyear plant will be compelled 

 to acquire a certain knowledge of the English language, and 

 of rules of government leading to citizenship papers. Laborers 

 refusing to submit to these tests will be discharged. This edu- 

 cation is offered in the evening schools of Akron. It is free, 

 and tlie cost is paid by the city of Akron. At present there are 

 eight teachers in the evening schools, who teach English, civics, 

 and the common branches. If the rubber companies all took the 

 stand which the Goodyear is taking at present, this number would 

 at least be tripled next season. 



Mr. Seiberling also says: 'T consider it .\krnn's duty to give 

 the foreign population high ideals of citizenship. It is .Kkron's 

 fault that the police court is filled with men w'ho are a menace 

 to the city. We have kept aloof from the immigrants. We have 

 centered in our own prosperity, but Akron is second to no city 

 in the United States commercially. In 1865, 600 men were em- 

 ployed here ; today we have a labor roll of 25,000, and we are 

 far enough advanced materially to devote time to the common 



good." 



* * * 



.\t its annual stockholders' meeting. The Royal Rubber Co. 

 decided to raise additional money to lielp carry on the business 

 of the company. The following officers were elected : Presi- 

 dent, W. M. Blecker; vice-president, C. O. Henderson: secretary, 



J. A. flyers: treasurer. J. E. Whigham. 



^ * * 



It is stated that Frank B. Theiss, secretary of Tlie Miller 

 Rubber Co., and a former banker, e.xpects to build a fine home 

 this summer on the northwest corner of Market street, opposite 



the homes of E. R. Held and S. J. Ritchie. 



* * ^ 



The .\merican Rubber Co. began operations about the first of 

 the month, with a working force of fifty men. The company will 

 manufacture inner and outer tubes and repair stock. The fol- 

 lowing officers were re-elected : Adam Duncan, president : Gil- 

 bert C. Waltz, vice-president ; F. Kryder. secretary ; F. E. Rowe. 

 assistant secretary and treasurer. 



* * * 



Nineteen agents of the Buick cars in Cleveland territory were 

 guests on Tuesday, February 6, of the Buick Motor Co., at their 

 plant in Flint, Mich. Those who viewed the plant for the first 

 time were surprised at its magnitude. There are eighteen factory 

 buildings which cover more than 56 acres of ground and have a 

 floor space of more than 2,500.000 square feet. 



The motor building is one of the largest machine shops in the 

 world, and covers 6;-^ acres of ground. In it, 1,300 men are em- 

 ployed, with a pay roll of $32,000.* In the testing room 100 

 motors are running at one time. The large assembling room 

 proved of interest, as did the track at the rear of the building 

 which is used for testing. The other tuachine shops, forge shop, 

 foundries, sheet metal and radiator factories were also visited. 



ments are carried on in connection with the flights. The island 

 is provided with hangars, workshops and a club house, and the 

 school has its own launch connecting it with San Diego. The 

 methods of training commence w-ith the most simple principles 

 of aviation, and as the pupil masters the simple elements, he is 

 trained in the more difiicult. Special balancing machines have 

 been designed, whicli enable the student to obtain a complete 

 knowledge of the controls and the art of balancing, before at- 

 tempting actual flights. The runs on the ground teach the use 

 of the steering rudder. The balance through instinct is then 

 practiced by running the aeroplane with just sufficient power to 

 keep two of its three wheels ofif the ground. The art of landing 

 is taught by many short straightaway flights, after which right 

 and left turns are practiced, and then the figure eight. The 

 Curtiss school has many world-famed graduates. 



* * ;^ 



-\kron and The Diamond Rubber Co. are interested in the 

 Federal investigation of the dynamiting of the structural iron 

 which was to be placed in building No. 17 of The Diamond 

 Rubber Co., and which was destroyed by an explosion which 

 occurred July 4, 1910, at 10:30 P. M. at the Burger Iron Works 

 in th'ii city. It is stated that the jury has returned Akron in- 

 dictments and that some men in northern Ohio will be impli- 

 cated in these arrests. This explosion delayed the work on one 

 of the large buildings for The Diamond Rubber Co. for some 

 time. Windows in buildings for blocks around were demolished. 



It is presumed that the explosive was brought from Cleveland 

 to Akron in a suitcase and carried along the B. & O. and Erie 

 tracks from the station to The Burger Iron Co. plant. The struc- 

 tural iron beams which were destroyed were stacked in two piles 

 with a short space between and a fuse about 25 feet in length 

 was carried some distance across the tracks which led up into 

 the plant. The fuse was then lighted and in a short time 

 reached the suitcase. The explosion twisted many of the beams 

 out of shape and tore many apart at the ends. Part of the suit- 

 case and portions of the fuse w^ere' found by police authorities. 

 Many bottles were discovered, which led to the belief that nitro- 

 glycerin was used. The explosion was planned so that the 

 perpetrators could easily escape. The McManiga! confession, it 

 is claimed, has cleared the whole plot. 



* * * 



The Cleveland Auto .Show, which was held in Central Armory 

 February 17-24, was highly successful. Many cars were shown 

 and mary high-grade cars were on exhibition. The decorations 

 of the .Armory cost over $10000, and the exhibitors who were in 

 attendance at the other shows about the country considered it 

 an exceptional success. The .Armory presented a beautiful sight. 

 Floor space was much in demand. The Cleveland Auto Club 

 gave a willing hand to the parties who had proposed an exhibi- 

 tion hall in Cleveland which would be used the year around for 

 various purposes and give sufficient space for exhibitors at the 

 annual automobile show. 



* :!= * 



J. F. Singleton, formerly advertising manager of The Firestone 

 Tire & Rubber Co., has resigned his position and associated 

 himself with The Taylor-Critchfield -Advertising Agency, of Chi- 

 cago, Illinois. His successor will be appointed later. 



.As .Akron supplies much of the rubber equipment, it takes a 

 lively interest in the aviation training school that Glenn Curtiss 

 has started on North Island at San Diego, California. The 

 training grounds are located on North Island in San Diego 

 harbor, and comprise many acres of level sand unobstructed by 

 trees or buildings. The island is entirely private and within a 

 few minutes of San Diego. Strong winds are absent, so that 

 flying can be indulged in throughout the day. 



San Diego harbor is the headquarters for manoeuvres of 

 U. S. torpedo and sub-marine fleets of the Pacific, and experi- 



The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. had a fire at their Hous- 

 ton, Texas, branch office February 18. Much of their stock was 

 destroyed and the branch was compelled to suspend business 

 until a new stock was secured from the nearest branches and 



the factory at .Akron. 



* * * 



The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has a special department 

 given to aviation supplies, and was among the first of the Amer- 

 ican rubber manufacturers to reckon with the aeroplane as a 

 coming means of transportation and to make preparations for its 



