November i, 1907.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



57 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN SAN FRANCISCO. 



BY A KESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



■ I 'HE condition of the local rubber goods trade is thus summed 

 *■ up by L. L. Torrey, president of the Pennsylvania Rubber 

 Co. of California: "We hear a good deal about politics, the 

 tightness of the money market, dull times, etc., and I guess there 

 are more people standing around talking politics now than there 

 are attending to business. Buyers won't do anything until after 

 the election, and if the election goes the wrong way they won't 

 then. They don't have to spend their money in San Francisco 

 and if the labor unions get in control again things are going to 

 drag here for a while. The labor unions believe that they can 

 drive the business men to keep up big business enterprises and 

 spend their money as the unions would like, but they cannot 

 do it. They are having a dose now of what their attempts lead 

 to — stagnation on account of the strikes, and little work for 

 workmen. Conditions are ripe in this city for a remarkably 

 good business and it is to be hoped that the power of the 

 unions will not be e.xerled to hold back about two-thirds of the 

 spending money during the ne.xt two years." 



The municipal election will take place in November. The tem- 

 porary mayor, Taylor, has gained the confidence of eastern peo- 

 ple who have business interests here, and as this city now de- 

 pends on eastern capital and credit for its rapid progress, since 

 its destruction by fire, the merchants are working hard to secure 

 his election. 



The Pennsylvania Rubber Co. of California has been incor- 

 porated, with L. L. Torrey president and manager and L. D. 

 Torrey, secretary and treasurer. It has been formed for the 

 purpose of adequately handling the market products of the manu- 

 facturers in Pennsylvania of the same name. Mr. Torrey re- 

 ports that they have been meeting with a very favorable busi- 

 ness. Mr. Grant, with the firm, is now on a trip to Seattle. 



R. H. Pease, of the Goodyear Rubber Co., states that the 

 rubber houses have been making good shipments all over the 

 coast of rubber boots and shoes and are now waiting the rains 

 for their customers to use their goods up. 



The new building of the Pacific Coast Rubber Co. is prac- 

 tically completed, and as soon as the finishing work is completed 

 — say about the first of December — will be occupied. Mr. Bush- 

 nell reports that business has been very good during the entire 

 summer. 



W. T. Barton, president of Barton. Squires, Byrne Co., is now 

 in the eastern States visiting the various factories and buying 

 equipment for the plant. He has purchased some new flax 

 machinery for braiding flax, which will be the first of this kind 

 of machinery to come to the coast. This companj' has taken the 

 agency for the Federal Waterproofing Co., of St. Joseph, Mo. 



Ed. Rumsey, vice president of the J. W. Byrnes Belting and 

 Hose Co., of St. Louis, is visiting the trade in San Francisco. 



Mr. Blanchard. manager of the Mechanical Rubber Co., of 

 Chicago, has been in this city placing orders with the trade. 



The Bowers Rubber Works have moved to their permanent 

 building on Sacramento street, near the water front. They 

 report a remarkably good business throughout the coast territory. 



Mr. Duffington, representing the Trenton Rubber Manufac- 

 turing Co., is in town and making the rounds of his friends in 

 the trade. 



Hughson & Merton, at No. 436 Market street, have given up 

 the agency and account of the International Rubber Co., al- 

 though, since the agency does not expire until January i, they 

 will continue to look after the lines until the company sends out 

 a new agent. Hughson & Merton have taken on the agency for 

 the Ajax-Grieb Rubber Co.'s tires. 



The Gorham Rubber Co. is preparing to move over the main 

 offices to the new building in San Francisco, but will continue 

 the Oakland store hereafter as a branch. 



Mr. Gurr, representing the W. D. Allen Manufacturing Co., 



of Chicago, has notified the local houses that he will be in this 

 city within a short time. 



The Dimond Rubber Co. is looking about for a new and per- 

 manent location in San Francisco, with a view to bringing the 

 main plant over from Oakland, and having the principal head- 

 quarters here in San Francisco, as previous to the fire. 



THE RUBBER TRADE AT AKRON. 



BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



I SAAC FRIEDMAN, general manager of the Stein Double 

 * Cushion Tire Co., of this city, was stricken with apoplexy 

 aboard a train between Akron and Cleveland, on October 17, 

 and died in a hospital in the latter city soon afterward. Mr. 

 Friedman spent the day at the offices in Akron, as was his 

 custom, and then started for his home in Cleveland to spend 

 the night. He had just returned from a trip to Europe for his 

 health, and upon his return was supposed to be in the best 

 of health. Mr. Friedman was wealthy and a well known figure 

 in rubber circles. 



At the annual meeting of The Diamond Rubber Co. all of 

 the directors and officers of the concern were reelected. The 

 officers are : F. A. Hardy, president ; A. H. Marks, vice-presi- 

 dent and superintendent; W. B. Miller, secretary; A. H. Noah, 

 treasurer. The other directors are : R. G. Lake, of Chicago, and 

 O. C. Barber and E. K. Hardy, of Akron. 



Fred Work, brother of B. G. Work, president of The B. F. 

 Goodrich Co., with Chester Ma.xson, has returned home after 

 a trip across the continent and back in a 40 HP. Oldsmobile 

 touring car; covering about 11,000 miles. The car was equipped 

 with Goodrich tires, which are said to have stood the rough 

 usage in splendid style. The Oldsmobile company have pur- 

 chased the car and started upon a 1,000 mile non-stop endurance 

 lest, with the idea of sending it then to the New York auto- 

 mobile show's. 



By the first of the year The B. F. Goodrich Co. will have in- 

 creased the number of their employes to about 500 more than 

 were on the payroll a year ago. As soon as the new concrete 

 six-story factory building is completed, at least 300 more men 

 will be needed. The employment department is finding some 

 difficulty in securing enough men and girls. 



Employment is to be furnished for 200 more men by December 

 I at The Diamond Rubber Co.'s works. The mammoth factory 

 building now under construction is practically finished. As soon 

 as they can be secured, 150 tiremakers will be added to the 

 present force at the Diamond. Four hundred men have been 

 added to the number of employes in the past year. 



AH of the other rubber manufacturing companies in Akron are 

 experiencing similar prosperity, and it is expected that there 

 will be a IS per cent, increase in the population of this city 

 this year solely through the growing demand for employes by 

 these concerns. 



INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. 



EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. 



/^FFICIAL statement of values of exports of manufactures of 



^^ india-rubber and gutta-percha from the United States for 

 the month of August, 1907, and for the first eight months of five 

 calendar years : 



Belting Boots .-Ml 



Months. Packing and Other Tot.\l. 

 and Hose. Shoes. Rubber. 



August. 1907 $124,750 $214,365 $349,907 $689,022 



January to July 795.965 694.075 2,352,870 3,842,910 



Total $920,715 $908,440 $2,702,777 $4,531,932 



Total, IQ06 800.245 788.966 2,094,098 3,683.309 



Total, 1905 755.988 767,775 1.918,481 3,442,244 



Total, 1904 570.072 651,392 1,600,574 2,822,938 



Total, 1903 568,797 507,897 1,655,396 2,732,090 



