February i, 1904] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



159 



TIRES AT THE NEW YORK AUTOMOBILE SHOW. 



THE tire exhibits at the fourth annual automobile show 

 under the auspices of The Automobile Club of America 

 and the National Association of Automobile Manufac- 

 turers, at Madison Square Garden, New York, January 

 16 23, shared liberally in the increased interest shown by the 

 public in automobiles. The attendance was larger than at the 

 previous shows, there were more exhibitors and more machines 

 displayed, and the visitors displayed a more intelligent interest 

 and apparently more concern about making purchases. It was 

 agreed on all sides that the year had been one of steady improve- 

 ment in details of construction, resulting in machines of[greater 

 efficiency and of more attractive appearance. The comment 

 was general that the American automobiles, on the whole, did 

 not suffer from comparison with the foreign exhibits, although 

 the most celebrated makers in Europe were fully represented 

 by their best types. 



No less than the automobile makers, the rubber men had 

 been. busy during the year in seeking to perfect their product, 

 and throughout the show it was evident that users and intend- 

 ing purchasers of automobiles are becoming alive to the impor- 

 tance of the rubber equipment of these machines. Hence the 

 tire exhibits were visited constantly by individual automobil- 

 ists, displaying no less interest than the makers of machines 

 on the lookout for the best and latest tire features. 



There was no new type of tire shown ; no new shapes were 

 apparent to the casual observer, and only one novelty in meth- 

 ods of tire attachment. But there was to be seen in this tire 

 booth or that a change in contour, or a modification in weight 

 or thickness of tire walls, or a new detail in the building up of 

 treads — all with a view to strengthening the tires, or rendering 

 them less liable to wear or puncture, or to afford more elasti- 

 city. And the net result of all these efforts is a distinct improve- 

 ment since last year's shows in automobile tires. 



The principal comment of a general nature to be made is that 

 the detachable " clincher " tire has become the standard. Last 

 year there were ten tire manufacturers' exhibits, only four of 

 which embraced " clincher " tires, and In not all of these was it 

 offered as the leading attraction. This year there were again 

 ten manufacturers' exhibits — not counting two foreign firms — 

 and eight of these gave prominence to the " clincher " tire, 

 while some had nothing else to show. The ninth exhibit was 

 devoted to detachable pnenmatic tires of a special type, and the 

 tenth to solid tires. For that matter, several displays embraced 

 solid tires, but principally for the equipment of heavy commer- 

 cial vehicles, fire apparatus, and the like, for which no pneumatic 

 tire as yet seems adapted. The single tube tire was scaicely 

 visible. The two foreign tire exhibits belonged to the " clinch- 

 er " class. 



THE EXHIBITS IN DETAIL. 



The Diamond Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio).— The feature of 

 the exhibit was the " Diamond detachable," which is of the 

 now predominating " clincher " type. The most distinct nov- 

 elty was the rubber covered lug, described in the last India 

 Rubber World, which has been patented, and is expected to 

 reduce by one half the troubles with inner tubes. The exhibit 

 included two tires used by E.Tom Fetch in his " endurance 

 run " from San Francisco to New York. In the building was 

 the " Grey Wolf," fresh from its record breaking run at Day- 

 tona, with Diamond tires. 



Representatives, — A. H. Marks, vice president and superintendent; \V. B, 



Miller, secretary. Branch managers : O.J. Woodard. New York; O. S. Tweedy, 

 Chicago ; W. M. Perrett, Detroit ; W. T. Heifer, Boston ; Samuel F. Randolph, Jr., 

 Philadelphia; N. T.Oliver, Buffalo; F. E. Taylor, Cleveland. New York sales- 

 men: G.J. Bradley, D. W. Miles, W. T. Cronin, E. A. Percy. 



Firestone Tirk and Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio). — The 

 Firestone side-wire solid tire, for automobiles, trucks, fire en- 

 gines, and other vehicles, heavy or light. Some very heavy 

 tires were exhibited, with illustrations of vehicles of unusual 

 size on which such tires are in use. There were also shown 

 specimens of worn out tires, showing that the " side wire " con- 

 struction allows of the effective use of a tire until less than a 

 third of the rubber remains. 



Representatives. -H. S. Firestone, president ; J. M Gilbert, sales manager ; 

 W. P. Berrien, New York manager; A J Greene, Boston manager; F. O Saw- 

 yer, St. Louis manager ; J. L. Gibney, Philadelphia manager; W. A. Wells 

 salesman. New York. 



Fisk Rubber Co. (Chicopee Falls, Mass.).— The detachable 

 automobile tire described in these pages in connection with last 

 year's automobile shows. Also, the Fisk tire vulcanizers. 



Representatives.— H. G. Fisk, treasurer; H. T. Dunn, general manager ; J. C. 

 Cole, superintendent. 



G&J Tire Co. (Indianapolis, Indiana). — The original 

 " G & J " tire, the first exponent of the " clincher " principle 

 of tire construction in the United States. This tire is supplied 

 with either corrugated or smooth tread, but it is stated that 

 about 90 per cent, of the demand is for corrugated tires. The 

 "wild mile "made by Henry Ford, in 392-5 seconds, on the 

 ice of St. Clair lake, on January 12, was with the use of tires 

 supplied by this company. Manufactured by the Indianapolis 

 Rubber Co., which is under practically the same control. 



Representatives— H. O. Smith, president; J. D. Anderson, general manager 

 H. A. Githens sales manager. 



The B. F. Goodrich Co. (Akron, Ohio).— The "Goodrich 

 clincher" tire was shown, with no change from last year's mod- 

 els, but with the results of the efforts of a year to strengthen 

 the tire and otherwise improve its efficiency and wearing quali- 

 ties. The side-wire solid tire was also shown, and the two 

 wire solid tire. 



REPRESENTAiivEs.-Harry E. Raymond, general sales manager; A. J. Wills, 

 manager tire department; Harry Sheldon, F. Y. Stewart, E. W. Bonham, H. B. 

 Niblette, Frank Holcomb, New York office; J. W. Lyman, Philadelphia office 

 H. B. Limric, Boston office ; W. O. Rutherford, Buffalo office ; O. R. Cook, C. B 

 Tullis, general representatives. 



The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio), 

 showed their "Akron clincher " tires with the " new construc- 

 tion," designed to give greater resiliency, strength and durabil- 

 ity, the new feature relating to the building up of the tread. 

 Also, a clincher tire with flat and corrugated tread, intended 

 especially for rear wheels. Large endless solid tires were 

 shown, with a special method of attachment, of which type they 

 recently fitted a 19,000 pound truck for the Coe Brass Works 

 (Ansonia, Connecticut) with a set, two wheels 36 inches in di- 

 ameter and tires 6 inches wide, and two 42 by 7 inches, the bill 

 for the tires being $672.75. Another specialty of this company 

 is a detachable pneumatic tire held in place by flanges bolted 

 through the felly. 



Representatives.— Charles W. Sieberling, secretary and treasurer ; K. B. Har- 

 wood. manager, and C. M. Cordell, H. G. Fitler, W. D. Newarf, salesmen. New 

 York; W. T- Teagan, manager, and George S. Atwater, salesman, Boston. 



The Hartford Rubber Works Co. (Hartford, Conn.).— 

 This exhibit included the principal tire novelty in the building 

 — the new Dunlop detachable motor tire, described in the last 

 India Rubber World. Another novelty, for this company is 

 the " Hartford clincher " tire, made under the "G&J" patents. 



