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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February 1, 1916. 



power house, with stacks, boilers, engines and dynamo units is 

 to be erected, and equipment for the new rubber mill is now be- 

 ing built. By early spring it is expected that all the buildings 

 will be completed, thus increasing the daily capacity to 5,000 

 tires. 



The new inner tube department of the Essex Rubber Co., 

 which has placed on the market three styles of automobile inner 

 tubes, blue, red and gray, is said to be meeting with much suc- 

 cess, as the demand for the goods is steadily. growing. 



The Eagle Rubber Cement Co. has been acquired by the Essex, 

 and the cement is now made at the Essex plant. Adolph Biller, 

 former head of the Eagle company, is directing the manufactur- 

 ing of this cement at the Essex factory. The cement is one item 

 in the line of automobile accessories which the company will 

 push this season. 



The Mercer Rubber Co. is erecting a large water tank to sup- 

 ply its recently installed automatic sprinkler system. This tank, 

 which will be 125 feet high, will hold 80,000 gallons of water. 

 About $15,000 is being expended in installing the system. 



The automatic sprinkler system of the Vulcanized Rubber Co., 

 at Morrisville, probably saved that plant from a bad fire recently. 

 The blaze started from an unknown cause in the carpenter shop, 

 and the prompt operation of the sprinklers extinguished it before 

 anyone learned there had been a fire. 



The Lake Ruth Manufacturing Co., at Spotswood, making a 

 line of druggists' sundries, lost its plant by fire January 5. 

 Crossed electric light wires are said to have started the blaze. 

 Dr. J. G. Donelsbeck, of Trenton, is one of the principal stock- 

 holders in the company, which, it is said, was rushed with orders. 

 No announcement as to the rebuilding of the plant has yet been 

 made. 



The Mecca Tire Co. has begun operations in its newly ac- 

 quired plant on Mulberry street. Goods are now being turned 

 out in a limited way, but the installation of additional machinery 

 will shortly enable the firm to greatly increase its output. 



The Thermoid Rubber Co. began night work this week. The 

 plant is unusually rushed with orders, and prospects for the 

 coming season are considered most encouraging. 



During the last month, since the evangelist arrived in Trenton, 

 practically all of the rubber factories have had "Billy" Sunday 

 services at the noon hour, which has generally been extended 

 for the purpose. 



The claim of Mrs. T. A. Foley for damages under the New 

 Jersey Workmen's Compensation Law for the death of her hus- 

 band, an employe of the Home Rubber Co., who lost his life on 

 the "Lusitania" while on his way to the London office of the com- 

 pany, was dismissed by Judge Marshall in the Mercer county 

 court. Mrs. Foley is making a further effort to obtain damages 

 from the company, and the matter will probably be tried at the 

 February term of the Supreme Court. 



General C. Edward Murray, of the Empire Rubber & Tire 

 Co., has been named by the Trenton Chamber of Commerce as 

 a member of a special committee to consider the proposed 

 establishment of a commission to work in conjunction with the 

 permanent tariff commission. 



Clifford H. Oakley, president of the Essex Rubber Co., is 

 enjoying a vacation in Cuba. 



Alfred Whitehead, secretary of the Whitehead Bros. Rubber 

 Co., has been chosen a director of the Trenton Banking Co., to 



take the place of the late William S. Hancock, who, it will be 

 recalled, was also identified with the rubber business. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



/I'v Our Regular Correspondent. 

 A KRON is suffering from a severe case of "growing pains." 

 ** The city limits have been extended. Real estate activity is 

 unprecedented. Building cannot keep pace with the demand for 

 houses occasioned by the arrival of factory workmen and their 

 families anxious to share in the opportunities afforded by the 

 mammoth industrial expansion now in progress. 



It is reported that the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. is inter- 

 ested in the half-million dollar Coventry Land & Improvement 

 Co. recently incorporated, Robert F. Todd and John F. Rowe, 

 of the general offices of the Firestone company being among 

 the incorporators. It is expected that the two tracts of land 

 owned by the rubber company, which would provide building 

 lots for 600 homes, will be developed in a manner similar to 

 the plan of Goodyear Heights, for the benefit of the Firestone 

 employees. 



The rim plant of the Firestone company is being enlarged by 

 the addition of a building 50 x 100 feet in size, and some remarka- 

 ble figures are presented with reference to the company's business 

 in demountable rims. During December 4.000,000 pounds of 

 special steel were used for rims, supplied on contracts with 79 

 car manufacturers. It is stated that present orders and produc- 

 tion facilities assure an output of 1,000,000 demountable rims 

 during 1916. 



The books of The B. F. Goodrich Co. have just been closed 

 for the purpose of compiling the full annual report for the year 

 1915. The results are as follows, subject only to the verification 

 of public accountants and auditors : 



.'Vfter making proper provision for maintenance charges, de- 

 preciation, bad debts, and other items which it was deemed wise 

 to take out of the year's earnings, the net profits for the period 

 amount to approximately $12,200,000. 



This amount, added to the surplus carried over as of December 

 31, 1914, of $3,100,000, shows undivided profits of approximately 

 $10,500,000 after deducting the four quarterly dividends of 1J4 

 per cent, on preferred stock outstanding, together with a provision 

 of $1,100,000 for the redemption of preferred stock, and a further 

 amount of $1,700,000 set aside for various reserves which will be 

 shown in detail in the annual report. 



The company's financial position has again improved during 

 the past year, as the amount of quick assets over current liabilities 

 shows a gain of approximately $8,100,000. 



The current assets amount to approximately $31,250,000, and 

 the current liabilities to $4,200,000. 



.\t the regular quarterly meeting of the directors held on 

 January 26 a dividend of ZlA per cent, was declared on the pre- 

 ferred stock, payable l-)4 per cent. April 1 and I'-i per cent. 

 July 1. A quarterly dividend of 1 per cent, was declared on the 

 common stock, payable February 15, 1916. 



The directors voted to retire 7,000 shares of preferred stock 

 prior to July 1, 1916. This makes a total retirement of 27,000 

 shares covering the charter provision for retirement of preferred 

 stock up to July 1, 1916. 



While the directors are highly gratified over the results of 

 1915, they have taken into consideration that a part of the in- 

 creased earnings for the year were due to causes which may not 

 be permanent. 



One contributing factor was the large increase in volume of 

 sales compared with those of 1914, with the result that the over- 

 head expenses consumed a smaller percentage of the gross 

 earnings than could reasonably be expected under normal operat- 

 ing conditions from year to year. 



