February i, 1908.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



157 



THE RUBBER TRADE AT TRENTON. 



BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



ACCORDING to statements made by some of the leading 

 rubber manufacturers in Trenton the rubber trade outlook 

 here, while not particularly rosy at present, seems likely to 

 brighten up within the next few months. Most of the manu- 

 facturers take the view that the worst of the financial flurry 

 is over and all that is needed now is a restoration of confidence 

 to get business conditions back to the normal state. It is 

 admitted that this cannot be accomplished all at once, but the 

 general opinion among the Trenton manufacturers seems to be 

 that the recuperating will come surely, though it may come 

 somewhat slowly. By way of summing up a number of inter- 

 views it may be stated that the outlook for 1908 in Trenton is 

 for a fair year's business, falling behind the big trade of 1906 

 and the first half of 1907 probably from 15 to 20 per cent. The 

 Trenton factory owners are facing the situation courageously 

 and are doing their best to aid in rebuilding general business 

 confidence. Kiinc of the men interviewed ascribed any cause 

 other than the gener^il linriniial lightening ,to the falling off in 

 trade. 



A. Boyd Cornell, secretary of the Empire Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Co., said: "While things are somewhat dull at present. 

 we believe the general prospects are pretty good. We notice a 

 gradual increase in orders, with no cancellations. We look for a 

 good year, thougli of course not up to 1907." 



Speaking for the Joseph Stokes Rubber Co., II. 1.. Boyer. gen- 

 eral manager, said : "Business is not up to wh.it it should be. 

 but we consider the prospects fair. Dealers throughout the 

 country seem to think the worst of the financial troubles arc 

 over. We are getting our sliare of business and we e.xpect to 

 see trade increase." 



Horace M. Royal, of the llonie Rubber Co., made this state- 

 ment : "Prospects are brightening. We notice some improve- 

 ment in business over that of the past few months. It is not 

 rapid, but it is a gradual increase, and we look for it to con- 

 tinue until trade gets back to its normal level. Traoe for 

 igoB will probably not rise to the standard of the past year or 

 two, but we expect a fairly good year." 



"Business is somewhat slack, but the indications are for belter 

 conditions," said Jolui S. Broughton, secretary and general man- 

 ager of the United and Globe Rubber Manufacturing Cos. Mr. 

 Broughton said his factories were running full time, and in 

 the mechanical line, particularly, he thought the prospects for a 

 fair year were good. 



William M. Blodgett, secretary and manager of the Hamilton 

 Rubber Manufacturing Co., stated that this factory has orders 

 ahead and none have been lost or cancelled. "We have con- 

 siderable work on hand," he said, "but at present are running 

 only nine hours as a precautionary measure. We e.xpect to 

 resume ten hours in a short time. Some of our hands are 

 making full time. We regard the general outlook for the year 

 as good." 



Louis P. Destribats, factory manager of the Ajax-Grieb Rubber 

 Co., said that while business was somewhat slack his company 

 was hopeful that there would be an improvement soon and that 

 the year would turn out a fairly good one. 



William H. Harding, manager of the Union Rubber Co., said 

 there was no good reason now for any continuance of the business 

 slump. He asserted that if merchants and manufacturers would 

 preach confidence good business times would return. 



"We are busy," was the greeting of Harry E. Evans, manager 



of the Consolidated Rubber Co. Mr. Evans thought the business 



outlook was improving and that the year would yet turn out to 



be a good one. 



* * * 



The Ajax-Grieb Rubber Co. have their additional plant at 

 Trenton under roof and good progress is being made with the 



new buildings. The new plant is the result of the consolidation 

 of the Ajax Standard Rubber Co., of New York, with the Grieb 

 Rubber Co., of Trenton, and it is being erected on land acquired 

 on the opposite side of Olden avenue from the old Grieb plant. 

 The new structures are three in number and are solidly con- 

 structed of brick. The main building is three stories high and 

 measures 150X60 feet. The curing department is one story, 

 150X60 feet, and the engine room is 110X40 feet. The new 

 plant will be devoted largely to the manufacture of bicycle and 

 automobile tires, while the old plant will continue to turn out 

 mechanical goods and molded specialties. Much of the machinery 

 is built ready for installation as soon as the buildings are com- 

 pleted. The plant will be operated by a Corliss engine of 700 hp. 

 Among the new machinery will be 23 hydraulic presses. The new 

 buildings will cost $33,000. 



* * * 



The Home Rubber Co. have added a complete insulated wire 

 manufacturing department to their factory. The new depart- 

 ment has been installed in the present buildings, so that no ad- 

 dition was erected. The equipment is the best that could be 

 procured and the installation was attended to with great care, 

 thus placing the company in position to make high grade wire. 

 The capacity of the new department is approximately 100,000 

 feet of wire a day. Insulated wire of all sizes is being made and 

 .ill the wire turned out is in accordance with the terms of the 

 "National electric code." * * * 



Several Trenton rubber manufacturers were reelected directors 

 of banks in that city at the annual meetings on January 14. 

 Edmund D. Cook, of the Acme Rubber Manufacturing Co. of 

 Trenton, was continued as a director of the Trenton Trust 

 ;nid Safe Deposit Co. and the Mercer Trust Co. John S. 

 Broughton, secretary and general manager of the United and 

 Globe, was reelected to the directorate of the Mercer Trust Co. 

 Watson H. Linburg, one of the heads of the same companj', was 

 chosen again as a director of the First National Bank. A. 

 Crozer Reeves, of the Standard Rubber Co., was continued as a 

 director of the Broad Street National Bank. 



* * * 



Harry J. Stout, the wealthy owner of three restaurants in 

 Trenton and an enthusiastic autoniobilist, has devised a puncture 

 proof appliance for tires. It consists of a series of laminated 

 sections of thin spring brass, each curved to fit over the inner 

 tube, and all attached to a strip of leather. The pieces of brass 

 overlap each other like fish scales, and, being detached from 

 each other, Mr. Stout claims that the appliance does not affect 

 the resilience of a tire. It is placed between the inner tube and 

 the shoe, and renders the tire puncture proof. Mr. Stout is test- 

 ing the device on one of his autos, and after further tests states 

 that he will arrange for its manufacture. 



* * * 



The United and Globe Rubber Manufacturing Cos. have added 

 a new 500 hp. Corliss engine to their equipment. 



William R. Thropp, manufacturer of rubber machinery, has 

 erected an addition to his machine shops. 



.\ndrew J. Berrien, who for many years has been head book- 

 keeper and estimater for William R. Thropp, manufacturer of 

 rubber machinery, became receiver of taxes of Trenton on Jan- 

 uary I. Mr. Berrien was elected for a term of three years. 



Quartermaster General C. Edward Murray, of the Empire and 

 Crescent rubber manufacturing companies, has been continued as 

 treasurer of the Republican county committee for this year. 



In addition to tires and tubes the Empire Automobile Tire 

 Co. (Trenton, New Jersey"), have added insulated wire to their 

 line of products, particularly the "Empire" secondary wire for 

 motor car use. 



Mr. Burton R. Parker, formerly advertising manager of The 

 Fisk Rubber Co., has been retained in a similar capacity by 

 The ^lichelin Tire Co., with headquarters at Milltown. 



