June 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN RHODE ISLAND. 



By Our Ki'sular Corrcsfoiident. 



THI". month of May opened with several of the rubber fac- 

 tories of Rhode Island struggling with labor troubles, some 

 with strikes on their hands and others threatening. Fortunately, 

 however, these were settled in the majority of instances by in- 

 creasing the wages to meet the demands of the operatives. Few, 

 if any, of the plants have sufficient help to get out the large 

 orders on hand, and to allow any of the operatives to go would 

 be a serious handicap at this time. 



The rubber mills throughout the State have had more than a 

 year of unusual and in some cases unprecedented prosperity, and 

 despite the high price that has had to be paid for crude rubber, 

 as well as nearly all of the supplies needed in the industry, it 

 is believed that the profits have kept up with the times, and have 

 been large enough to warrant sharing them with the employes. 

 .All of the plants are working full time, or better at present and 

 the heavy demand for goods, especially shoes, that has been 

 noticed for many months past, continues. 



The declaration of strikes among the rubber workers was 

 rather unique in labor matters from the fact that they followed 

 the voluntary and unexpected announcements on the part of the 

 concerns of a general increase in wages that affected upwards 

 of 7,500 rubber workers in Woonsocket, Bristol and this city 

 The first announcement of any increase came from the United 

 States Rubber Co.. affecting its mills and subsidiaries, and was 

 quickly followed by other concerns. 



On .April 27 LeBaron C. Colt, vice-president and general 

 manager of the National India Ruhl)er Co., Bristol, caused 

 notices of the increase to be posted to take effect on May 1. 

 In the notice Mr. Colt said that the company had voluntarily 

 decided to make the advance in wages, but that the exact amount 

 fit the increase would not be known until the new schedule had 

 'cen figured out. 



Notices were also posted in the Woonsocket and Millville 

 mills of the Woonsocket Rubber Co. These stated that, as in the 

 past few months, there had been certain increases in day and 

 piece-work prices, commencing !May 1 there would be an adjust- 

 ment and increase of certain other piece-work prices. 



As soon as the announcement had been made public of the 

 advance in the Woonsocket and National plants, the Bourn 

 Rubber Co. in this city announced that it would follow the lead 

 of the larger concern and would give an increase to the men. 

 making the same kind of goods that are made in the factories of 

 the United States Co. 



The wages of the employes of the Narragansett Rubber Co. 

 at Bristol were also advanced, Terrence McCarthy, the owner 

 and manager, announcing that the new schedule was made to 

 meet the i.ncrease in other rubber mills of the State, either on 

 day work or piece-work. 



LeBaron C. Colt, vice-president and general manager of the 

 National India Rubber Co., at Bristol, died last week, the result 

 of an automobile accident, on the night of May 18. With Mr. 

 Colt were Albert S. Chesebrough, a yacht designer of interna- 

 tional note, and nephew of the famous yacht builder Nathaniel 

 G. HerreshofT. and Col. Litke H. Callan, Superintendent of High- 

 ways of the town of Bristol. The machine skidded and plunsred 

 down an eight-foot embankment into Narragansett Bay. Mr. 

 Chesebrough was instantly killed. Col. Callan escaped severe 

 injury, and rescued Mr. Colt who had been pinned beneath the 

 machine. It was believed that while Mr. Colt's injuries were 

 severe he would certainly recover, but pneumonia set in and he 

 succumbed one week after the accident. 

 » * * 



The Manhasset Manufacturing Co., Putnam, Connecticut, of 

 which Roland H. Ballou of Woonsocket is treasurer, is soon to 



open the addition to its plant which has been under construction 

 for two months, and which will nearly double the output of the 

 plant. The company makes automol)ile tire duck and is running 

 night and day, and according to Superintendent A. D. Lown, 

 will continue for some time to do so. 



The company intends starting work soon on six new dwelling 

 houses for operatives. These will hold three families each and 

 will probably be located on land just south of the recent addi- 

 tion. 



The Tire Shop, Romeo A. Bonin, proprietor, has removed from 

 127 Court street to its new and larger quarters at 143 Court 

 street, Woonsocket, where a tire repairing shop fitted up with 

 the most modern appurtenances has been installed. 



The Narragansett Rubber Co. at Bristol is having a new eleva- 

 tor for handling freight set up in the mill. Several of the 

 departments in the plant are being operated nights. 



Rapid progress is being made in the erection of additions to 

 the north part of the mill of the National India Rubber Co. at 

 Bristol. 



Dr. Edward B. Knight, secretary of the New England Butt 

 Co.. Providence, died at his home, 366 Broadway, that city 

 on May 8, of heart trouble. He had been in ill health for several 

 years and about three weeks previous to his death his condition 

 became very grave. He retired from medical work about 14 

 years ago, but prior to that time he had established an extensive 

 practice. He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1867. 

 He had lieen secretarj* of the New England Butt Co. for several 

 years and his son. Russell \\". Knight, is treasurer of that con- 

 cern. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN TRENTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 

 'T'HE John E. Thropp's Sons Co. is steadily increasing its rubber 

 '■ machinery export business. A tire making machine was 

 recently shipped to the Paris Rubber Co., Paris, France. Another 

 shipment of molding and wrapping machines was sent to a con- 

 cern in Lyons, France. .\ plant in Argentine Republic for the 

 manufacture of tires was recently completely equipped by this 

 company. Among orders in the Thropp shop now in process of 

 completion is one for the new tire making plant of the Bruns- 

 wick-Balke-ColIender Co. They are also completing the equip- 

 ment for the new Zee Zee Rubber Co.'s plant in Yardville, New 

 Jersey. 



Fire which started in the drying room did $20,000 worth of 

 damage to the plant of the Delion Tire and Rubber Co. A 

 watchman who discovered the blaze made ineffectual efforts to 

 extinguish it. A nearby volunteer fire company responded but 

 the blaze gained rapid headway and it was necessary to call on 

 the Trenton department for aid. The factory is in Hamilton 

 Township, just outside of Trenton. When the engines arrived 

 from that city the building had been practically gutted. The 

 work of reconstruction was at once taken up and the plant, 

 equipped with new machinery, will be in operation shortly. 



The rubber sundries plant of Gropp & Gedney was damaged 

 to the extent of $1,000 by a fire of unknown origin. Most of 

 the damage sustained was to equipment and supplies. 



Plans are under way for a great industrial show in the Trenton 

 armory in October. .\ big rubber show will be part of the affair 

 if the plans are carried out. Among those on the general com- 

 mittee to arrange for the show are I. Cornell Murray, of the 



