498 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[June 1, 1916. 



price of gasolene has deterred people from buying new automo- 

 biles, it IS evident that cars already in use are being run and 

 new tires are in demand. In mechanicals, business is quite active 

 in some departments. There is not a seasonable demand for 

 hose, especially of the garden variety, as distributors' stocks are 

 pretty large, last summer being a poor season for retail sales. 

 Drug sundries are more than normally active. Belting is having 

 a boom because of the high cost of leather, and many manufac- 

 turing establishments are adopting rubber belting experimentally, 

 which, it is believed, will result in its far wider use, later. 



The Boston AVoven Hose & Rubber Co. has recently com- 

 pleted two fine examples of factory structures of reinforced con- 

 crete. One which will be used for additional manufacturing 

 facilities, has four stories and basement and is 204 feet long by 

 60 feet wide. It has a floor area of nearly 55.000 square feet. In 

 the center a bay extends the full length of the building in which 

 there is a traveling crane. The other building, which is a storage 

 warehouse for manufactured goods, has also four stories and 

 basement and is 155 x 60 feet, the floor area being nearly 45,000 

 square feet. These new buildings arc connected with .jther 

 buildings of the factory by tunnels. 



The moving picture demonstration of the workings at the 

 Boston Woven Hose company's plant, together with the lecture 

 delivered by Ralph E. Conder. of its advertising department, is 

 giving this company some effective publicity. Mr. Conder has 

 been invited to deliver this lecture before a number of clubs and 

 educational institutions, with the result that the manufacture of 

 rubber goods is being more w^idely understood and the company 

 gains valuable advertising for the many specialties it manufac- 

 tures. 



The plant and machinery of the Eastern branch of the St. 

 Louis Rubber Cement Co., at West Lynn, Massachusetts, has 

 been purchased by the National Adhesive Co., a Massachusetts 

 concern capitalized for $15,000, which is to manufacture rubber 

 cements, stains, inks and adhesives for the shoe trade. This 

 company will have branches in Haverhill and Brockton, Massa- 

 chusetts, and in Auburn, Maine. E. F. Olson is president, E. J. 

 Looke. treasurer, and W. O. Hadley, general manager. 



The Monatiquot Rubber Works Co.. South Braintree, re- 

 cently gave its employes a voluntary increase in wages, 

 amounting to ten per cent. This is in line with the company's 

 policy of sharing with its organization in the advantage 

 resulting from general business conditions. Plans are under 

 way for the erection, on the company's property, of model 

 homes which will be for the exclusive use of its employes. 

 The allotment which is being thus developed is a very attrac- 

 tive plot of about 12 acres lying across Monatiquot Pond 

 from the factory buildings and its situation makes it ideal 

 for the purposes contemplated by the company. 



One of the most serious labor disputes in this State this 

 year was the strike of 2,600 employes of the Fisk Rubber Co., 

 at Chicopee Falls, which has been happily settled. The strikers 

 returned to work on May 22, after having been out, or at 

 least a portion of them, since the middle of March. For some 

 time, in spite of negotiations, a deadlock had existed and it 

 was not until about the 20th of May that an agreement could 

 be secured. The settlement of the strike is due in a large 

 measure to the efforts of Frank M. Bump, commissioner of 

 the state board of conciliation and arbitration, who secured 

 some concessions on the part of both the striking employes 

 and the company. The main points demanded by the work- 

 men were an eight-hour day without a diminution of wages, 

 time and a half for over-time, double for Sunday and holiday 

 work, and a recognition of the labor unions. The company 

 has granted all except the last condition. The factory is to 



run on eight-hour shifts, two or three shifts, as ability or 

 necessity demands, shift No. 1 working from 7 a. m. to 3 p. m., 

 Xo. 2 from 3 p. m. to 11 p. m.. No. 3 from 11 p. m. to 7 a. m., 

 the shifts to advance their positions every fourth week. As 

 regards recognizing the unions, the company, while not con- 

 ceding this, agrees to handle questions of dispute through a 

 committee selected from its employes. This is considered 

 fairly satisfactory to the workmen because, all the depart- 

 ments being unionized, this arrangement is tantamount to 

 recognition of the union. 



Ira A. Burnham. vice-president of the American Rubber Co., 

 who was quite ill with pneumonia early in the spring, has 

 returned to his ofHce fully recovered. Mr. Burnham is a veteran 

 in tlie business, bavins; lieen associated with the Mystic Rubber 

 Co. and the Hall Rublier Co. previ- 

 us to the establishment of the 

 toughton Rubber Co. in 1889, and 

 is business experience in the rub- 

 er line dates back nearly 40 years, 

 was one of the first to discard 

 toot power sewing machines for 

 steam power in factory work and 

 tlic first to discard the then preva- 

 lent solarizing process and introduce 

 \ ulcanization in dry heaters for 

 proofed fabrics. When the gossa- 

 mer garment was displaced by the 

 I \ l',iKNii\M mackintosh the Stoughton Rubber 



Co. came to the front at once as a 

 large and prohtal)Ie manufacturer of raincoat clothing and much 

 of its su.:cess from then up to the time of its consolidation with 

 the -\mcricnn Kublicr Co. this year is due to Mr. Burnham's 

 knowledge of the business, his executive ability and his enter- 

 prise. 



The Revere Rubber Co. is now well established at its new 

 ofiice. 60 High street, in this city, where it occupies the second 

 and third floors of what has been named the Revere Building. 

 Here the company has most comfortable and convenient head- 

 (juarters, both for its office and sales departments and to carry 

 a stock of goods for quick delivery. The w-indows in the sec- 

 ond story, which are of plate glass, have been emblazoned with 

 the trade-marks of the company, one window showing the hand- 

 some shield trade-mark which the company uses, depicting Paul 

 Revere on horseback, making his famous ride, the other front 

 windows advertising in colors and gold the "Spring Step" heel, 

 the "Four-Ace" belt and the "Grant Stitched" belt. The rooms 

 are well arranged, there being special private offices for W. D. 

 Rigdon, manager of the New England sales department in the 

 mechanical line, and J. H. Learned, manager of the rubber 

 thread department. Here also are the accounting department, 

 sales rooms and desk rooms for the accommodation of salesmen 

 and customers. Above, on the third floor, are the offices of B. F. 

 Chamberlain, manager of the shoe supply department, and Fred 

 T. Ryder, manager of the sole and heel business of the com- 

 pany. These offices are very convenient for customers, being not 

 far from the shoe center and in the immediate vicinity of the 

 machinery and plumbing supply trades. 



At a hearing on May 15 the receivers of the B. & R. Rubber 

 Co., North Brookfield. Massachusetts, w-ere authorized by the 

 court to sell the plant of the company if they deem such a course 

 necessary. 



The Revere RuMier Co. will erect a one-story brick building 

 for the manufacture of rubber cement at its factory at Chelsea. 



