August i, 1908.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



375 



The Rubber Tire Field. 



AN UNSETTLED TARIFF QUESTION. 



THE question remains unsettled as to the rate at which auto- 

 mobile tires are dutiable when imported into the United 

 States, in connection with, but not mounted upon, auto- 

 mobiles. The Auto Import Co. and other importers at New 

 York protested last year against the payment of duties on cer- 

 tain automobiles as an entirety at 45 per cent, ad valorem, on the 

 ground that the tires should be admitted as manufactures of 

 india-rubber, on which the rate is only 30 per cent. The collector 

 at New York was upheld by the board of United States general 

 appraisers, who decided : "The tires accompany each machine ; 

 are packed in the same case with it; they are of the particular 

 size for and are intended to be used on it, and without them 

 the machine would be practically useless." The appraisers were 

 unable to see why the tires forming part of a given automobile 

 should be admitted at a rate of duty apart from that assessed 

 against automobiles any more than other parts — wooden bodies, 

 upholstering, bolts, or nuts — all of which materials are covered 

 by provisions of the Tariff act equally specific with that of 

 manufactures of india-rubber. [See The India Ruisber World, 

 May I, 1907— page 244.] 



The Auto Import Co., Archer & Co., and Massenat Deroche 

 severally made application for review of the decision by the 

 board of general appraisers to the United States circuit court for 

 the southern district of New York, in which a decision ad- 

 verse to the government was filed on May 23 last. The de- 

 cision, written by Judge Piatt, points out that the automobiles 

 in question were imported with tires accompanying them, but 

 the tires had not prior to importation been attached in such a 

 way as to be capable of immediate use, and they were inter- 

 changeable and might or might not be used on the machines 

 with which imported. Hence it was held that the tires and ma- 

 chines, never having been assembled in the country of produc- 

 tion, did not together constitute an entirety, but were dutiable as 

 though imported independently. It was observed that the tires 

 are not so markedly a part of an automobile as nuts, bolts, and 

 the like, because these latter are individual to the particular 

 make of machine and are intended to stay until worn out, when 

 they will be replaced by similar parts. But the tires are detach- 

 able and interchangeable, and may or may not be used on the 

 particular automobile according to the choice of the owner. 



The government has taken an appeal to the United States 

 circuit court of appeals, second circuit. 



It may be of interest in this connection to note that 1106 

 automobiles were imported into the United States during the 

 fiscal year 1905-06; 1170 during the year 1906-07; and 974 during 

 the first eleven months of 1907-08, presumably each equipped 

 with tires. If the contention of the importers should prevail it 

 will affect the import duty on nearly a hundred sets of tires 

 per month. 



TAXICABS AND THE TIRE TRADE. 



The rubber tire trade can hardly fail to be interested in the 

 motor cab situation in Great Britain. The success of the cab 

 services already established is leading to the formation of new 

 companies everywhere, until it seems that the horse drawn cabs 

 are doomed, and that cheaper, speedier service is at hand, em- 

 ploying a vastly greater number of vehicles, all requiring rubber 

 tires. 



The gross receipts of the General Motor Cab Co., Limited, 

 of London, for the month ended February 13 last were £26.308 

 [=$128,027.88], since which time they have increased con- 

 tinually, the figure for the month ended June 13 being £44.573 

 [=$216,920]. The company's accounts this year will be made 

 up to July 31, instead of May 14, as usual, making the year 



about ten weeks longer. Already dividends have been declared 

 amounting to 10 per cent.— or £49,700 [=$241,865]— and a further 

 dividend is expected at the end of the business year. 



A favorable showing is made also by the United Motor Cab 

 Co., Limited, of London. The two companies named, the 

 pioneers in the metropolitan motor cab interest, were founded by 

 Mr. Davison Dalziel, who has perfected plans for the absorp- 

 tion of the United by the General company, of which he will 

 continue to be chairman. The capital of the combined businesses, 

 to date from August i, is to be £1.006,000 [=$4,895,699]. The £1 

 shares of the General Motor Cab Co. were quoted lately at 25® 

 26 shillings, and the United Motor Cab Co.'s shares at 24(2:25^. 



The formation of new motor cab companies, throughout the 

 United Kingdom, is reported all the while. Not only are new 

 services reported in London and in the larger provincial towns, 

 but cab lines are to run between towns. For instance, the 

 Birmingham and Midlands Taxi-Cabs Co., Limited, with £250,- 

 000 [=$1,216,625) capital, intend to operate 225 cabs in and 

 between Birmingham and neighboring towns. They are referred 

 to as having contracted with the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., 

 Limited, for tires and detachable rims, and with the affiliated 

 Dunlop Rubber Co. for various rubber accessories. 



To the list of taxicab companies operating in New York city 

 given in The Indi.\ Rubber World last month must be added 

 the Motor Taximeter Cab Co., lately incorporated under the 

 state laws with $150,000 capital authorized, to take over the taxi- 

 cab service in the city maintained hitherto by the New York 

 branch of Renault Freres, the French automobile manufacturers. 

 Renault Freres have taken on also the making of taxicabs, large 

 orders for which they have received from Paris and London. 

 Fifty additional Renault cabs have been ordered by the new 

 New York company. 



The latest taxicab enterprise is the American Taxameter Cab 

 Co.. organized in New York, with $1,500,000 capital, to operate 

 cabs in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington. 



In Chicago the Auto Taxicab Co. has been organized, with 

 $30,000 capital, to inaugurate a service of Renault cabs, of which 

 50 have been ordered and 10 delivered. 



tike company notes. 



The sale of "Continental" tires in Australia is controlled by 

 The Continental C. & G. Rubber Co. Pty., Limited, of Melbourne. 

 Lord Northcote, the governor general, has appointed this com- 

 pany puneyors of tires to his Excellency, and authorized them 

 to advertise themselves as such. 



Continental Caoutchouc Co. (Nos. 1788-1790 Broadway, New 

 York) are mailing to automobile owners some valuable informa- 

 tion in convenient form on the upkeep of tires ; also useful 

 reference tables on interchangeable sizes — metric and American 

 — proper inflation, and carrying capacity for "Continental" tires. 



Mr. Arthur W. Moore has resigned the position of chief clerk 

 of the passenger department of the Erie railroad in Chicago to 

 become city- salesman for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. 

 (Akron, Ohio). He hopes to build up a good trade in supplying 

 tires and other rubber goods to railroad men who own auto- 

 mobiles. 



Michelin Tire Co. have established a branch at No. 2001 

 Euclid avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, in charge of Richard Tracy. 

 They have appointed R. F. Thompson Pacific coast representa- 

 tive, with headquarters at San Francisco. 



Two of the directors of the Midgley Manufacturing Co. 

 (Columbus, Ohio,) elected at the annual meeting in April, Thomas 

 Midgley and Charles S. M. Krumm, have resigned, being suc- 

 ceeded by B. D. Huggins and A. H. Johnson. 



