274 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May I, 1908 



EANIGAN WORK GOES TO WOONSOCKET. 



The factory of the Joseph Banigan Rubber Co., at OlneyviUe, 

 Rhode Island, which was shut down on March 14, will remain 

 closed indefinitely. The management of the United States Rub- 

 ber Co., who have controlled the Banigan plant since 1900, de- 

 cided recently to combine its production with that of the Woon- 

 socket Rubber Co., and the employes at OlneyviUe were notified 

 to report to Superintendent Schlosser, at Woonsocket. The new 

 plan is referred to as a measure of economy that will benefit 

 both the company and the employes, since the concentration of 

 production will reduce the total expense of administration and 

 give steadier work to the employes. The "Alice" mill at Woon- 

 socket is perhaps the finest rubber shoe factory in existence. It 

 was built by the late Mr. Banigan for the daily production of 

 30,000 pairs, but never has been run to its utmost capacity. It is 

 capable of taking on the shoe work done at OlneyviUe in addition 

 to its own usual production, while the boot work of the Banigan 

 shop can be taken care of by the Woonsocket boot factory at 

 Millville. Notices have been posted at the two plants of the 

 Woonsocket Rubber Co. : "The first ticket at this mill will be 

 made on May 15." It is estimated that 1500 hands will be em- 

 ployed at the ".^lice" mill and 800 at Millville, calling for the 

 weekly disbursement of $25,000 a week in wages. The Banigan 

 factory will not be dismantled, but held in readiness for the 

 possible future development of the rubber footwear trade. 



AMERICAN CIRCULAR LOOM CO. BURNED OUT. 



The greatest fire of the year thus far was that which occurred 

 in the city of Chelsea, near Boston, on April 12, causing a loss 

 commonly estimated at $10,000,000 or upward. Chelsea is an 

 important manufacturing center, embracing several concerns in 

 rubber and allied interests, not aU of which, however, were dam- 

 aged. The most important loss in this field was sustained by 

 the American Circular Loom Co., whose factory for Circular 

 Loom interior conduits at Chelsea, together with warehouse, 

 stables, and home offices, was completely destroyed, though they 

 were fully covered by insurance. The factory employes suffered 

 severely, as nearly all lived in the vicinity of the factory. These 

 lost their houses and all the contents. Some of them were 

 injured and one, a young woman, was burned to death. The 

 company lost no time in getting started again. They speedily 

 secured a new factory, admirably adapted to their needs, in North 

 Cambridge, Massachusetts, and have established new permanent 

 offices in the International Trust building, in Boston. They are 

 assembling new machinery for the "circular loom" products, and 

 will be able shortly to supply the demand for these regularly and 

 promptly. Only the company's Chelsea plant suffered from the 

 fire. Their Electroduct factory at Kennilworth, New Jersey, is 

 in full operation, and their new Metal Molding factory, also at 

 Kennilworth, has just been completed, including a large electro 

 galvanizing plant. The circular loom product is designed for 

 interior wiring, and consists of a covering which is woven on 

 instead of being laid on or braided in the usual manner. The 

 wire having been covered, the whole is saturated with an in- 

 sulating compound. 



CHELSEA FIRE NOTES. 



Following the $10,000,000 fire at Chelsea, Massachusetts, on 

 April 12, the organized shoe trade of Boston and vicinity, includ- 

 ing a number of firms who are large handlers of rubber footwear, 

 contributed a good sized relief fund for the benefit of sufferers 

 from the fire. 



While the factoy of the Boston Blacking Co., manufacturers of 

 rubber cement, was very near the area devastated by the fire at 

 Chelsea, it appears that it was not seriously injured. In fact, 

 only sortie storehouses were burned, and the main cement plant 

 was unharmed. ' 



The mayor of Maiden, Massachusetts, who offered prompt and 

 important relief to the sufferers from the recent Chelsea, fire, is 

 Mr. G. Louis Richards, who for many years was identified with 



the Boston Rubber Shoe Co. Several team loads of food were 

 also supplied by the chairman of the Maiden board of aldermen, 

 Mr. William Neidner, of Charles Neidner's Sons, hose manufac- 

 turers. 



RUBBER SHOE FACTORIES RESUME WORK. 



Work was resumed at the plant of the National India Rubber 

 Co. (Bristol, Rhode Island) on April 6, after a shutdown of 

 three weeks. There is a large ticket of tennis goods, and some 

 overshoes and gaiters are being made. Some sample boots were 

 made recently, and it is reported that this line may be added to 

 the company's production. During the shutdown some large dyna- 

 mos were introduced in the plant, pointing to the increased use 

 of electricity there. The new hose room is mentioned as being 

 equipped with machinery to be driven by electric power. 



The boot and shoe department of the Goodyear's India Rubber 

 Glove Manufacturing Co. (Naugatuck, Connecticut) and the re- 

 claiming plant of the United States Rubber Co. at the same place 

 resumed work on April 6. 



TRADE NEWS NOTES. 



The First Rubber Co., No. 22 Fifth avenue, Chicago, are 

 now selling the output of a local mechanical goods factory, 

 in addition to the heel and hoofpad lines previously carried. 



The Raven Alining Co., with offices in the Marquette build- 

 ing, Chicago, are building a new factory at Stickney, Illinois, 

 which will afford materially increased capacity, very much 

 needed for the accommodation of the present volume of 

 business. 



The Milford Rubber W'orks (Milford, Illinois), in addition 

 to automobile and bicycle tires, are entering upon the produc- 

 tion of a general line of mechanical rubber goods. 



M. Kaufman, a leading Chicago waste rubber merchant, 

 has removed from No. 200 Michigan street to a new building, 

 Nos. 113-119 North Sheldon street, on the "Pan Handle" 

 railway. 



The Mcllroy Belting and Hose Co. (Chicago), manufacturers 

 of Rubber-Ite stitched canvas belting hose, have removed to 

 Nos. 8-10 South Canal street. F. B. Mcllroy is now president 

 and Lewis Cole secretary and treasurer. 



Erie Pump and Engine Co. (Erie, Pennsylvania), referred 

 to last month as having absorbed the Bay State Machine 

 Co., of the same city, advise The Inm.\ Rubber World that 

 they intend to take up the production of rubber factory 

 machinery in the near future. 



The firm of A. W. Brunn & Co. (Produce Exchange building. 

 New York) having been dissolved by mutual consent, the busi- 

 ness will be continued at the same address by A. W. Brunn, as 

 agent for foreign crude rubber, waste rubber, and substitute 

 houses, and as local broker for the importers of crude rubber. 



The Mexican Herald recently noted the arrival in Mexico 

 City of a party of officials and shareholders in the Conti- 

 nental-Mexican Rubber Co. — a leading guayule company — 

 including C. A. Hunter and E. J. Coughlan, of New York. 

 These gentlemen are respectively vice president and factory 

 manager of the New York Belting and Packing Co., Limited, 

 and Mr. Hunter is also vice president of The Peerless Rubber 

 Manufacturing Company. 



F.ACTORV OF THE FlRESTOXE TiRE AND RuBBER CO. (,AkR0X, OhIO). 



