82 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November 1. 1915. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By Our l<<-iii(U!r Corrcsl^onJrnt. 



IK several branches uf llic ruliber business there is increased 

 activity, which in part makes up for the quiet times of last 

 season and the early fall. The clothing trade is booming, and the 

 manufacturers of the standard and finer lines are so rushed with 

 orders that extra hours or larger forces are necessary. The 

 makers of coated fabrics are running their factories double time. 

 The footwear trade was busy during September, but tapered off 

 during October, and at present writing manufacturers and whole- 

 salers are waiting for the rush which must inevitably come when 

 the first heavy storm of late fall arrives. 



Garden hose business is flat. There have been but small sales 

 at retail, as the entire summer was a wet one. Retailers did not 

 send in any repeat orders, and have carried over sufficient 

 stocks to warrant a refusal to order any goods for spring deliv- 

 ery. In fire hose, specifications have been drawn so fine and 

 competition is so fierce that this trade is unsatisfactory. The 

 rubber belting business is in a hopeful mood, for leather belting 

 has so increased in cost as to almost prohibit its use. Manufac- 

 turers of leather belting are now obliged to pay 75 cents a pound, 

 more than double its normal cost. Were it not for the various 

 rope drives and other power-transferring mediums, rubber belt- 

 ing should have a boom, and perhaps it may, later. 



There are somewhat conflicting reports of the tire business. 

 Naturally business falls off at this season, for many who motor 

 in summer store their cars along about this time, and buy no 

 more tires till spring. But if the retail business is falling off, 

 wholesale trade in some factories is encouraging, for some 

 good future delivery contracts are reported closed, which will 

 keep certain mills busy for a large part of the time between now 

 and early spring. A growing branch of rubber manufacture is 

 that of rubber soles for shoes, and those factories engaged in 

 this line. Druggists' sundries are in moderate call. 



The demands on its factory space have necessitated the addi- 

 tion of another building to the plant of the Apsley Rubber Co., 

 at Hudson. This will be a brick structure, four stories high, 

 40 feet wide and 120 feet long. It will be used, on completion, 

 for storage purposes, thus allowing additional machinery to be 

 installed in the main factory and thereby enlarging its regular 

 output. The company completed its new heater building in Sep- 

 tember, and will make some other important changes, in order 

 to keep pace with the increased demand for its clothing and 

 fijotwear. 



.■\n interview with Mr. Apsley lays at rest some rather per- 

 sistent rumors that he intended to sell out, this being most 

 positively denied. He says that the company is doing the largest 

 business in its history, each week showing a larger force and an 

 increased pay-roll. Mr. Apsley is just as active and ambitious 

 as when he started his little factory in Hudson over thirty years 

 ago, and to talk with him one is inclined to believe he will con- 

 tinue a prominent factor in the rubber trade for another thirty 

 years. 



The factory erected for the Patterson Rubber Co. at Lowell, 

 which was put up at auction some months ago. and bought in by 

 Francis H. Appleton of this city to secure his claim against the 

 Paterson company, has been sold to Ralph R. Phillips, manager 

 of the -American Steam Gauge Co., who has formed the R. B. 

 Phillips Manufacturing Co., and is manufacturing shells there on 

 a contract for the British Government. 



is running day and night, but entirely on domestic business. To 

 quote Mr. Stone: "The company believes in supplying its own 

 customers first, regardless uf attractive prices quoted on tempo- 

 rary business." 



Creditors of the Walpole Tire & Rubber Co.. of Walpole, have 

 been allowed a seventh dividend amoimting to 35 per cent, by 

 decision of Judge Dodge in the United States district court. This 

 brings the total dividend disbursements to 85 per cent. 



The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has had on exhibition in its 

 window at the Boston branch some very attractive displays the 

 last month. First was displayed a miniature representation of a 

 South American jungle, showing the rubber trees being tapped, 

 and the latex coagulated and smoked, little dolls well simulating 

 Indians being shown. There were also specimens of the different 

 varieties of crude rubber, each properly labeled. There was also 

 a portrait of Charles Goodyear. The exhibit was visited by a 

 number of delegations of school children and their teachers, who 

 felt the educational importance of such an exhibit. 



Last week's display was based upon the premise, "If Qiarles 

 Goodyear could return,"' and shows how important has grown 

 the industry based upon Goodyear's discovery. The window was 

 filled with articles made in the Goodyear factory in Akron, appro- 

 priately labeled, among them many varieties of tires for auto- 

 mobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks and carriages ; also a large 

 line of hose, belting, packing and mechanical goods. The jungle 

 scene was still retained, and made a fitting background for this 

 display. 



At the Suffrage parade in this city, October 16, toy balloons 

 were much in evidence — the Suffragists and "antis" both using 

 these attractive toys to display the colors of their party. 



Hon. L. D. Apsley, of the Apsley Rubber Co., Hudson, gave 

 an interesting talk at the monthly meeting and dinner of the 

 New England Shoe Wholesalers' Association on October 13. 



A. L. Belcher, who for several years has represented the 

 Revere Rubber Co. in Europe, with offices in London, was in this 

 city several days last month, devoting most of his time to con- 

 sultation with the officers of the company, inspecting the factory 

 and planning for future business. He has sole charge of the 

 mechanical goods sales across the water, which under his able 

 management have grown steadily during the last ten or a dozen 

 years. 



George F. Davenport, whose death on October 19 is mentioned 

 on the obituary page of this issue, was a member of the family 

 of that name prominent in Roxbury. Previous to his connection 

 with the Boston Belting Co. he was a salesman for Samuel 

 Kidder, the mill supply house of Boston. He went to the Boston 

 Belting Co. twenty-six years ago, and at once specialized in 

 paper-mill supplies, building up an extensive trade. He was a 

 man of genial qualities, loyal to his house, popular with his cus- 

 tomers, combining a keen trade insight and strict integrity with 

 unbounded gond-fellowship. 



* * * 



Chester J. Pike. Jr.. of the United States Rubber Co.. of New- 

 England, is the subject of considerable chaffing by his fellow- 

 workers. He made somewhat elaborate preparations for his 

 hunting trip in the wilds of Maine, and his total was one par- 

 tridge and one hedgehog. 



Press statements to the effect that the Plymouth Rubber Co. 

 sold 500,000 yards of rubberized blankets to one of the allied 

 governments and was considering doubling the capacity of their 

 plant to fill a new order for 3.000,000 yards, have been emphat- 

 ically denied by Mr. Stone, treasurer of the company. The plant 



James E. Odell, the popular Boston rubber broker, takes his 

 vacation in sections, a few days at a time. His custom is to tour 

 some attractive route in his automobile, his longest trip being one 

 of six days through the White Mountain region of New Hamp- 

 shire. 



