Ol-tober 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



37 



Many of the leading concerns, which specialize in auto-tire 

 fabrics, have increased their capacity for such fabrics, while 

 others have made preparations for doing so, but here they are 

 finding a new difficulty, the inability of loom manufacturers to 

 fill their orders promptly because of the increased demand. 

 .\mong the most important of these enlargements is the building 

 of the .'American Tire Fabric Co.'s factory at Newburyport by 

 Hoston and New York interests, in which a capital stock of 

 $1,500,000 is -authorized by its charter. Another is the erection 

 of another factory at the plant of the Manomet Mills at New 

 Bedford, for which additional stock to the amount of $1,000,000 

 has been issued. The Manhasset Manufacturing Co., of Put- 

 nam, Connecticut, is planning to nearly double its output of 

 yarn for tire fabrics, and the Killingly (Connecticut) Manu- 

 facturing Co. has quadrupled its product of tire duck within the 

 last two years, and it is reported, contemplates the erection of 

 a yarn mill to supply the increased demands of its looms. The 

 Atlas Yarn Co. has acquired a mill at Southbridge, Massachu- 

 setts, and is producing yarns specially for tire fabrics. Mention 

 was made recently in your columns of the increase in capital of 

 the Connecticut Mills Co. and the acquisition of the Nemasket 

 Mill at Taunton, this state, where it will manufacture about 

 one-half the yarn required for its weaving at Danielson, 

 Connecticut. The West Boylston Co.'s factory at Easthampton, 

 Massachusetts, is running to its utmost capacity on yarns and 

 auto-tire duck. The Bay State Cotton Corporation, which com- 

 pleted a $100,000 addition to its plant at Lowell about the first 

 of the year, is now running exclusively on tire duck. The 

 Katama Mills at Lawrence is a $500,000 enterprise for manu- 

 facturing tire fabric. 



Thus it will be seen that New England is fully alive to the 

 importance of supplying proper fabrics for the production of 

 automobile tires, and that large amounts of Boston capital are 

 invested in this industry. Indeed, there is much Boston money 

 in many similar enterprises outside of New England. But that 

 is another story. 



* * ;i( 



The Apsley Rubber Co. is doing some active advertising in 

 New England. The writer visited Eastport, Maine, last month, 

 and was surprised to note, on landing, that practically two- 

 thirds of the people were wearing little celluloid flag pins bear- 

 ing the Apsley trade-mark. .\ "fish fair'' was in progress, which 

 had all the earmarks of a county fair. The Apsley Rubber 

 Co. had a working exhibit, two expert workers making rub- 

 ber footwear, supplementing which was a full line of the 

 Apsley specialties in boots, shoes and tennis lines. The "Rock 

 Hill" boots made by this company are very popular with fisher- 

 men along the coast of Maine and as far as the Grand Banks, 

 and at a drawing, bearing some resemblance to a lottery, the 

 second and third prizes were a pair of these fishermen's boots 

 and a pair of ladies' rubbers. Naturally the Apsley footwear 

 got pretty extensive publicity in connection with this fair. 



The Mishawaka Woolen Manufacturing Co., ■\Iishawaka. In- 

 diana, also had an exhibit at the Eastport Fish Fair, showing a 

 full line of their "Ball Band" boots and rubbers. The B. F. Good- 

 rich Co., Akron, Ohio, had a fine exhibit in the window of the 

 principal shoe store. 



.'\t the county fair held at Barnstable, Massachusetts. The 

 P). F. Goodrich Co. had an extensive and attractive exhibit of 

 its many lines of footwear. This was under the personal charge 

 of J. S. Capen, the director of Now England sales. Mr. Cajien 

 seemed as popular among the fair \ isitors as he is with hi> 

 customers, and the exhiliit was a center nf attraction during the 

 few days the fair was held. 



A recent discovery and an accidental one at that, which 

 may be of interest to the rubber trade, is that of the finding 

 of a deposit of fuller's earth, ranging in depth from 3 to 70 

 feet, in Stoughton, this state. The earth has been declared 

 to be of excellent quality, and now, instead of changing the 

 farm to a "bog" for the production of cranberries, a concern 

 has been capitalized for $75,000 under the name of the Stoughton 

 Earth Co., to mine and market the product, which has been 

 gi\en the name of "Stoughton Flake." 



* * * 



The Plymouth Rublier Co., manufacturer of heels and soles, 

 proofed fabrics and artificial leather, will soon erect a new 

 building at its plant in Canton. It will be of concrete, two stories 

 high, 100 by 150 feet. 



* * * 



Robert B. Baird, vice-president of the Rubber Trading Co., 

 New York City, with Mrs. Baird, last month toured New Eng- 

 land by motor, and visited many friends in this section. 



* * * 



One of the perils of making one's own cement was exemplified 

 in the explosion which occurred at the factory of the Hazen- 

 Brown Shoe Co. at Brockton one day last month. A large 

 quantity of material being churned, caught fire, and in the con- 

 sequent explosion one man was seriously burned, eleven others 

 more or less injured or their clothing set afire, and the ell 

 in which the machine was located waj demolished, causing a loss 

 of about $10,000. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN RHODE ISLAND. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



THE activities of the rubber industry throughout the State 

 continue to keep the several factories operating to their 

 capacity and the orders on hand or in sight indicate- steady work 

 for an indefinite number of months. Large quantities of shoes, 

 tires and other products are being daily shipped to all parts of 

 the country, as well a> to many foreign markets, the domestic 

 demand being much greater than has been experienced in a long 

 time. The shortage of help, which for several months has been 

 a great problem and handicap with the different concerns, is as 

 acute as ever. 



* * * 



Tlie National India Rubber Co. has materially improved its 

 plant at Bristol, and is still engaged in further additions and 

 changes that are calculated to increase the size of its factory and 

 to extend its facilities. At the present time approximately 3,500 

 hands are employed in the several departments. The factory 

 resumed operations on Tuesday. September 5, after a two weeks' 

 shutdown for the purpose of taking an account of stock. 



Good progress is being made in the construction of the two- 

 story brick addition to the vulcanizing department of the National 

 company's plant, opposite the east end of Bourn street. This 

 addition has a frontage of about 150 feet on Wood street and 

 will be about 100 feet deep. As soon as the new structure is 

 ready, a number of modern vulcanizers, and other machinery 

 will be installed. .\ three-story brick building for a box shop 

 is being erected on the site of an old structure, that will be 80 

 by 100 feet, with a tar and gravel roof, sprinklers and electric 

 elevators. The company has also secured a portion of the old 

 liandkerchief plant, on South Main and Broad streets. Warren. 

 that is to be used as an auxiliary storehouse. 



* * * 



.\t the monthly meeting of the Bristol Town Council in .Sep- 

 tember the National India Rubber Co., upon its application 

 through James W. I'ranklin. sui)erintendent of the footwear 

 division, was granted permission to lay a large sewer pipe from 

 the factory on W"ood street to the westward through Bradford 

 >treet to the harbor. The company has for many years used 



