382 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 1, 1912. 



were generally so unsatisfactory to the manufacturers that there 

 was always trouble in getting bids, and always a great deal of 

 dissatisfaction expressed. In order to overcome this, the city 

 proposed that all of the rubber houses get together and frame 

 up a uniform set of specifications which would be broad enough 

 to suit all of the manufacturers. During the past two months the 

 local merchants have been bumping this proposition about with- 

 out attaining very definite results. At last the city and every- 

 body concerned have seen the futility of such a course, and the 

 city has consented to allow the manufacturers to make bids with- 

 out any restrictions as to specifications. This would be consid- 

 ered entirely satisfactory were it not for the test guarantees 

 that are required. The city not only requires a pressure test on 

 taking the hose, but also requires a guaranteed diminishing 

 strength test from year to year thereafter. The manufacturers 

 are willing to comply with the initial test and to guarantee 

 against defects of material and workmanship thereafter, but they 

 do not like to be responsible for pressure tests after the hose 

 has passed out of their care and control. 



Mr. Cook, manager of The B. F. Goodrich Co., reports that 

 business at this time of the year is particularly good, and 

 this includes all of the company's lines. Business is also pick- 

 ing up in the Pacific Northwest, especially in the State of Wash- 

 ington. 



* >H * 



R. H. Pease. Jr., treasurer of the Goodyear Rubber Co., has 

 returned from his trip to New York. He has been looking after ' 

 the firm's interests in the East. R. H. Pease, Sr., reports that 

 the recent storms have encouraged business. With snows in 

 the mountains, business in the mining districts and also in the 

 irrigation districts which needed water, has improved. 



The Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. reports that 

 business is showing improvement this month, and that the out- 

 look is entirely satisfactory. 



=^ * * 



The Gorham-Revere Rubber Co. has opened a new store for the 

 tire department on Golden Gate avenue near Van Ness avenue. 

 Harry L. Parkman will be the manager. Mr. Parkman has 

 been a regular traveling salesman for the firm for a good many 

 years, and his friends are glad to see him promoted to the man- 

 agement of the new store. 



John P. Costello, of this city, has recently been appointed as 

 assistant to M. E. Murray, the manager of the San Francisco 

 branch of the Republic Rubber Co. Mr. Costello is a well- 

 known local business man, although heretofore very slightly 

 identified with the rubber business. 



* * * 



The Diamond Rubber Co. and the United States Tire Co. had 

 a lively game of baseball on April 14 which resulted in a score 

 of 12 to 5 in favor of the former. C. A. Gilbert, new Western 

 district manager of the United States Tire Co., pitched the 

 first ball, and the man at the bat on the opposing team was C. E. 

 Mathewson, Pacific Coast manager of the Diamond Rubber Co. 

 J. A. Jones and R. L. Sargent were the batteries for the Diamond 

 team, and Crusoe and Smith were the batteries for the other. 



* * * 



W. E. Parsons has been added to the traveling salesman force 

 of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. He will have charge of Cali- 

 fornia territory from San Jose to the Tehachipi. In another 

 month the San Francisco branch of this company will be in- 

 stalled in its new quarters at the northwest corner of Van Ness 

 avenue and Sutter street. Walter N. Hunt, who for the past two 

 years has been with this firm, has resigned to take a trip East, 

 where he will look over the agencies with a view to starting in 



San Francisco for himself. Arrangements have been completed 

 by this company to open an additional branch in Oakland, Cal. 

 The new branch will be located on Broadway at Nineteenth 

 street. A feature of the new store will be a complete line of the 

 company's rubber floor tiling. 



* * * • 



The Svvinehart Tire and Rubber Co. has established its agency 

 with the W. B. Guyton Tire and Rubber Co. of 1013 South Main 

 street, Los Angeles, Cal. 



* * * 



The Fisk Rubber Tire Co. has just moved into its new quar- 

 ters on Van Ness avenue. General Manager Pratt, of the West- 

 ern branch of the Fisk Rubber Co., is more than pleased with 

 the outlook for his firm on the Coast. 



* * * 



H. S. Firestone, of the Firestone Rubber Tire and Rubber Co., 

 is now visiting in San Francisco. 



* * * 



The Weinstock-Nichols Co. of this city has recently or- 

 ganized a new department, known as the Inner Tube Insurance 

 Department. Its purpose is to insure and repair punctures and 

 blow-outs in inner tubes. 



* * * 



The Seattle-Mexican Rubber Co. has been organized and in- 

 corporated in Seattle, Washington. The authorized capital stock 

 is $60,000. R. E. Cameron and C. H. Steffens are the incor- 

 porators. * * * 



Hughson & Merton, Pacific Coast agents of the Ajax Tire 

 Co., have moved to their new quarters at 530 Golden Gate 

 avenue. * * * 



J. D. Ralph, manufacturers' agent in this city, has moved to 

 larger and more convenient quarters in the Phelan building on 

 Market street. * * * 



Mr. Hall, representing the United States Rubber Co., of Chi- 

 cago, is now in San Francisco on a pleasure trip. 



* * * 



M. W. Bean, H. E. Frazier and J. Kilmer have organized the 

 Empire Tire Repair and Supply Co., a corporation, at Spokane, 

 Washington with a capital stock of $5,000. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN TRENTON. 



By a Resident Corresjtondent. 



THE rubber industry in this city shows marked improvement 

 over the immediately preceding months. The majority of 

 the plants are working full time, and those plants devoted to the 

 manufacture of automobile tires are operating day and night 

 shifts of operatives, but in the other lines, according to many 

 accounts, there is still room for improvement. 



One of the leading manufacturers who did not care to be 

 quoted in discussing the trade situation in this section, said : "The 

 unsettled condition of the tariff question has a marked effect on 

 conditions in the rubber industry. It is true that many plants 

 are booking orders for big shipments for railroads, but you will 

 note that the orders are placed with the proviso, 'as wanted.' 

 This lets the big railroads out, and the orders may not be asked 

 for for several years. With some concerns business is up to the 

 average for a presidential year, but the tariff problem and the 

 uncertain presidential outlook are factors that must be reckoned 

 with in the rubber industry, and many firms are not doing the 



business of last vear." 



* * * 



The Thermoid Rubber Co. is one of the plants to operate day 

 and night, this being necessary by reason of the large number of 

 orders on hand. This activity has been in evidence for the past 

 month, and the force of operatives has recently been materially 

 increased. While the Thermoid is doing a big business in auto 



