May 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



381 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN RHODE ISLAND. 



By u Resident Correspondent. 



APRIL closed with the rubber business in excellent condition 

 in Rhode Island. Stock-taking was rushed by several con- 

 cerns ; one applied to the State Legislature for authority to in- 

 crease its capital stock, and another sought permission from the 

 .same body to bridge a Providence street to provide for an en- 

 largement of its plant. Faith in the immediate future and plans 

 for an expansion of facilities for production are thus generally 

 evident. 



* * * 



The Phillips Insulated Wire Co. was the concern which had a 

 bill introduced into the General Assembly for the purpose of 

 amending its charter so as to increase its capital stock from 

 $2,000,000 to $2,500,000. The bill was referred to the Senate 

 Committee on Corporations. It is stated by those in a position to 

 know that it will be passed without opposition. The company 

 has not, it is understood, any plans which call for an immediate 

 expenditure of such a large amount of money, but the business is 

 increasing so rapidly that an enlargement of its plant at Paw- 

 tucket, Rhode Island, is looked for. Ten thousand shares of the 

 new issue are to be preferred stock, and 15,000 shares common 

 stock. The pending bill, when passed, will permit the board of 

 directors to issue this stock in quantities to suit itself, at any time 

 after the new State tax thereon has been paid to the general 



treasurer. 



* * * 



The Revere Rubber Co., a branch of the United States Tire 

 Co., is another concern which has a bill in the Legislature. This 

 company has secured legislative permission to erect a bridge 

 across Eagle street. The measure was introduced by Senator 

 Jones of Cranston. It is understood that the company intends to 

 erect a large storehouse opposite its plant for the purpose of 

 taking care of its surplus stock and materials used in tire manu- 

 facture, and has plans for the connection of the two by a bridge 

 at the second story, so as to secure a connection between them 



that will not interfere with traffic on Eagle street. 



* * * 



The American Wringer Co. at Woonsocket recently reduced 

 its number of working hours from 60 to 56 per week, at the same 

 time leaving the pay of its employes the same as it was before. 

 This amounts virtually to a 7 per cent, increase in wages. Sev- 

 eral meetings of the employes have been held lately. It is 

 rumored that they intend to form a union and make a demand 



for an increase in wages. 



* * * 



Professor Walter P. Bradley, of Wesleyan University, has 

 been invited by the United States Rubber Co. to devote the next 

 year to organizing a department of research for the company, 

 with headquarters at New Brunswick, New Jersey. Professor 

 Bradley has been head of the department of chemistry at this 

 university for twenty-two years. 



Stock-taking at the National India Rubber Co.'s plant, Bristol, 

 was started on April 1 and finished on April 6. The factory was 

 reopened on April 8 with its full complement of 1,800 hands 

 working. While account of the stock was being taken about 100 

 men were retained to make needed repairs on the buildings and 

 machinery. 



It is expected that the plans for the reorganization of the Con- 

 sumers' Rubber Co., Bristol, which has been in the hands of a 

 receiver since early in January, will be finished soon, and that 

 the concern will be taken over by another company, which will 

 issue certificates of indebtedness. All but two of the Bristol cred- 

 itors have signified their willingness to place their affairs in the 

 hands of the committee in charge of the reorganization, and 

 many in other places have followed their example. The new 



company will receive the 17 ger cent, allowed by the court on 



claims. 



* * * 



Knives used by men for cutting rubber have figured quite prom- 

 inently in courts in this vicinity during the past two weeks. In 

 one of the lower courts of Providence a man charged with as- 

 sault with a dangerous weapon was acquitted. The court would 

 not entertain a complaint that one of these knives could be con- 

 sidered a concealed weapon. 



* :> * 



Another case of the same kind developed at Woonsocket, when 

 Patrick O'Malley, a bootmaker in the employ of the Millville 

 Rubber Works, was stabbed by an Italian fellow-worker. His 

 condition again called attention to the habit of carrying these 

 knives about, and, as a result, the police may attempt to prosecute 

 the owners under concealed weapon charges. 



^ 5je * 



For the benefit of the employes of the rubber and other plants 

 at Bristol, an eight-day anti-tuberculosis e.xhibit opened there 

 April 27 under the auspices of the State Board of Health and 

 the Rhode Island Anti-Tuberculosis Society, .\mong the prom- 

 inent speakers were Governor A. J. Pothier and Le Baron C. 

 Colt, agent for the National India Rubber Co. 



* * * 



Colonel Merton A. Cheesman, of the Bristol Train of .\rtillery, 

 one of the oldest military organizations in the countrj', who is 

 also an official of the National India Rubber Co. at Bristol, was a 

 speaker at a dinner following the 137th anniversary parade of 

 that command on April 22. 



* * * 



John Gray, who for a long time was head of the cutting and 

 the shoe rooms of the Alice Mill, Woonsocket, a subsidiary plant 

 of the United States Rubber Co., died at his home, 419 Pond 

 street, in that city, April 19, after a long illness. The funeral 

 was held Monday, April 22, at St. Charles' Church. Conspicuous 

 among the floral tributes were two pieces from the shoe and cut- 

 ting rooms of the Alice Mill. 



* * * 



Felix W. Conley, 23, for several years an employe of the pack- 

 ing department at the factory of the National India Rubber Co., 

 Bristol, died at his home in Bristol, April 1. The funeral was 

 held at St. Mary's Church two days later. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN SAN FRANCISCO. 



By a Resident Correspondent. 



ABETTER feeling may be said to pervade the trade than has 

 been noticed for some months past. There have been 

 good rains at proper intervals to insure excellent crops, and this 

 has inspired renewed business activity in all sections. The coun- 

 try continues to be prosperous, and the cities are showing a 

 tendency to livelier trade. There has heretofore been complaint 

 that conditions were unfavorable in the cities of the Northwest, 

 in Oregon and Washington, but the reports this month indicate 

 that there is great improvement all through the Northwest. In 

 San Francisco conditions are particularly favorable. The people 

 of this city are realizing more and more the advantages of unit- 

 ing in concerted action for the future welfare of the community. 

 The people have, at recent elections, appropriated large sums for 

 municipal buildings and improvements, and as a municipality the 

 city is showing more substantial signs of growth and develop- 

 ment than ever before. 



* * * 



The City of San Francisco is about to advertise for bids for 

 20,000 feet of hose in accordance with the new regulations recently 

 adopted, and the merchants are interested to know what the out- 

 come will be. This city has been in the habit of compelling the 

 manufacturers to bid on special private specifications, which 



