90 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



I J)i;ci;mbeu i, 1907. 



THE RUBBER TRADE AT SAN FRANCISCO. 



UV A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



IN common with practically every city in the United States, 

 San Francisco is now in the grip of the financial stringency 

 which began lately in New York. The banks and the Clearing 

 House Association of the city arc endeavoring to avert any 

 calamitous consequences of the tightness of the money market, 

 and in this endeavor the governor of the state is cooperating 

 with them by declaring a series of legal holidays from day to 

 day. These holidays have now extended over a period of two 

 weeks and are still continuing. As banks are not obliged to 

 open their doors on legal holidays, they have thus been enabled 

 to refuse the payment of gold when necessary and so conserve 

 their strength. The Clearing House Association has issued 

 certificates which are being circulated as currency, and the com- 

 mercial life of the city is going forward, but in a restricted and 

 cautious manner. 



As far as local conditions are concerned, everything appears 

 to be improving. The sweeping victory of the Good Government 

 League ticket in the municipal election held on Nevember 5 

 has had a reassuring eft'ect on business generally, and as soon 

 as the financial market in New York returns to a normal con- 

 dition, everything points to an era of great prosperity on this 

 coast. 



The Morgan & Wright store established at Nos. 108-122 Tenth 

 street, Los Angeles, under the management of Mr. F. W. Paige, 

 is said to be one of the finest equipped west of Chicago, being 

 finished up in Old Mission style. 



The Phoenix Rubber Co., at No. iig Beal street, report busi- 

 ness a little more quiet than usual. 



The Pennsylvania Rubber Co., at No. 512 Mission street, have 

 nothing special to report except that business is a little quiet, 

 owing to financial conditions. 



Mr. W. Perkins, president of the Sterling Rubber Co., has 

 just returned from the East and reports a very pleasant trip. 

 Business, he says, has been a little slack up to the first of the 

 month, but he thinks they are getting their share of the trade. 



The Goodyear Rubber Co., at No. 573 Market street, report 

 business very good in the fire protection line, reels and hose, 

 and sundries applying to the holiday trade. Business in wet 

 weather goods is a little quiet now, but as soon as the rainy 

 season sets in, sales in that line are expected to increase greatly. 

 Mr. George P. Moore has gone East on a business trip con- 

 nected with the firm of Goodyear Rubber Co., to be gone in- 

 definitely. 



THE RUBBER TRADE AT AKRON. 



BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



T N regard to the rumors which have been circulated since the 

 * arrival of the present financial stringency to the efl^ect that 

 hundreds of men are being laid off by the larger rubber 

 manufacturing companies here, it can be asserted that a few 

 men have been laid off, but these, for the most part, were em- 

 ployed upon construction jobs which have been completed. 

 W. .'\. Means, assistant treasurer of The B. F. Goodrich Co., 

 says that plant is operating the customary full force of work- 

 men in every department. The same company are finding some 

 difficulty in employing a sufficient number of girls for work in 

 the factory to keep up with their orders. 



The new building at the Diamond Rubber Co.'s plant, which 

 has been under construction for several months and which is 

 one of the largest factory buildings in the city, is fully com- 

 pleted, and machinery is being installed. The wheels will begin 

 to revolve within another month. The building is to be used 

 for the manufacture of wire insulation and rubber specialties, 

 and to afford more room for the tire manufacture. The mam- 

 moth structure which The R. F. Goodrich Co. have been build- 



ing opposite their new office on South Main street, and which 

 will double the amount of floor space devoted to the manufac- 

 ture of tires, is also completed and occupied. 



The Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.. one of the most pro- 

 gressive of the newer rubber concerns in Akron, have taken 

 another step toward making their plant strictly up-to-date. A 

 restaurant has been opened upon the factory grounds for the 

 use of the clerks, office employes, and officers. 



The Mitzel Rubber Co., a concern organized in this city and 

 since removed to Carrolton, Ohio, recently made an assignment 

 at that place to Dr. J. R. Williams and Thomas J. Saltsman. 

 The assets and liabilities of the company have not yet been an- 

 nounced, but it is claimed that the concern is a money-maker, 

 and that it will be kept in operation by the receivers. Harvey 

 F. Mitzel, the prime mover in the formation of the company, 

 was formerly interested in the Pure Gum Specialty Co., of Bar- 

 berton. The Mitzel concern is capitaUzed at $106,000. 



Fred M. Eckert, formerly of this city and now of Cleveland, 

 has contracted with the Gutta-Percha and Rubber Manufactur- 

 ing Co. of Toronto, Limited, to supply Canada with the high 

 resistance radium packing which he has patented, and which 

 is regarded as a coming material for bearings. 



"Bill" Miller, a member of the team which represents Akron 

 in the Interstate Roller Polo League, has secured a patent on 

 an ingenious solid rubber device which he calls a chair tire. The 

 lire snaps onto the rocker of a chair, and promises to be a suc- 

 cess. One of the Akron rubber companies will take up Miller's 

 device. 



The Aluminum Flake Co., with offices in this city, have been 

 developed to a point where their product is being shipped in 

 large quantities to almost every corner of the world. The ex- 

 tensive business being carried on by the concern has made it 

 better known, perhaps, to the rubber trade than to the general 

 public in Akron. The people of this city are just beginning to 

 realize the importance of this industry. Not only in rubber 

 circles is the company's finished product used, but by paint 

 manufacturers, in ceramic work, and in many other ways. 



Mr. W. B. Miller, secretary and general manager of The Dia- 

 mond Rubber Co., has purchased 12 acres opposite the building 

 of the Portage Country Club, on which it is understood he in- 

 tends soon to erect one of the handsomest residences in the 

 county. 



RUBBER TRADE IN CANADA. 



' I 'HE effect of the recent financial disturbances in the States 

 •*• has been felt less acutely in the Canadian trade than might 

 have been thought, considering the nearness of the two countries 

 and the extent of international business transactions. The 

 Canadian rubber trade generally is in good condition. The 

 growth of the country gives rise to a growth in the demand for 

 rubber goods. The Canadians feel that they have an advantage 

 over their neighbors in the States in respect of a more "elastic" 

 currency, but still the conditions south of the border are having 

 the result of increased caution in business in the Dominion. 



A NEW RUBBER SHOE COMPANY. 



The Kaufman Rubber Co., Limited (Berlin, Ontario), obtained 

 their charter on November 4. The statutory meeting of share- 

 holders was held on the next day. when the following officer- 

 were elected : 



President, Jacob Kaufm.\.'J. 

 rice President, George Rumpel. 

 Manager, A. A. \'oelker. 

 Secretary^ .\. K. Kai'fmax. 



The board of directors includes the above and .August Weseloh. 

 Four members of the board are experienced in various branches 

 of the rubber business; while Mr. Rumpel, who is a leading share- 

 holder and president of The Berlin Felt Boot Co., is also a 

 valued addition to the board. He is well acquainted through 

 his own large business with the shoe trade in Canada, and his 



