November 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



97 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



THE annual sales convention of the Firestone Tire & Rubber 

 Co., held during the past niofith, was the biggest and most 

 successful in the history of the company, about 500 salesmen 

 and agents, from all parts of the United States, and from Canada, 

 England. Australia, Cuba, South America and Europe, gathering 

 at the Akron factory. There were important business sessions, 

 including a close study of Firestone methods and factory work, 

 and addresses were made by H. S. Firestone, president; R. J. 

 Firestone, general sales manager ; A. G. Partridge, assistant 

 sales manager, and others. The Firestone clubhouse was lined 

 with exhibitions by the factory departments, and the factory 

 buildings and all rooms in which meetings were held were dec- 

 orated with the colors of the company, red and black. Ban- 

 i|uets, luncheons and sight-seeing trips, including visits to the 

 larger industries of the city, were also enjoyed. 



Action on the proposed increase of capital to $50,000,000, and 

 declaration of a 700 or 800 per cent dividend, of the Firestone 

 company has been delayed until November 2, owing to the fact 

 that stockholders cannot vote legally on an increase in capitaliza- 

 tion until after November 1, the last day of the period set for 

 retiring the present preferred stock. It is reported that the pro- 

 posed new stock issue will be offered to the public through the 

 Cleveland Trust Co., Cleveland, Ohio. The transaction is unique 

 in Akron rubber company financing, as it is the first large issue 

 carrying as low a dividend rate as 6 per cent. 



The Firestone company has purchased 150 acres adjacent to 

 the factory for a new power house and additional factory build- 

 ings. For every addition wood models are made from blue 

 prints, and exhaustively inspected by officers of the company be- 

 fore actual building commences. 



A recently acquired SOO-acre tract, to be called "F'irestone 

 Park," is laid out with park spaces and reserved tracts for 

 churches and schools, while unusually large home lots are being 

 sold to the employes at 10 per cent down. 



At the recent dedication of the Firestone clubhouse, restaurant 

 and gymnasium, H. S. Firestone and Mayor Laub were the chief 

 speakers. 



Machinists in the employ of the Firestone company have been 

 granted an eight-hour day and a slight increase in wages over 

 the ten-hour day. 



* * * 



.\ctual shipments of products of The B. F. Goodrich Co. for 

 the eight months to September 1 amounted to approximately 

 $50,000,000, a gain of 40 per cent over the same period of last 

 year, and it is predicted that a total over-turn of $77,000,000 

 may be reached this year. 



Completion of the fifty-eighth building in tlie Goodricli fac- 

 tory group will bring the total floor space occupied by this plant 

 up to 4,024,329 square feet, or 92.3 acres. The latest building 

 will have six stories and basement, and will be of brick and 

 concrete construction, almost identical with two other recently 

 completed buildings. It will be 360 feet long. 100 feet deep and 

 101 feet high above the street level, with 252.000 feet of lloor 

 space and a window area of 42,315 square feet. A brid.ge will 

 connect each floor of this new building with one of the others. 

 • C. R. Serfass, formerly manager of the Columbus, New Mex- 

 ico, branch of the Goodrich company, has been transferred to 

 Akron. 



* * * 



The General Tire & Rubber Co. has increased its capital stock 

 from $200,000 common stock to $500,000 total capital, divided 

 into preferred stock to the amount of $200,000 and common 

 stock to the amount of $300,000. The company now has on 

 order for delivery in the spring, additional equipment which 



will double the capacity of the present plant. This equipment will 

 be installed in two additions now being erected, one 60 by 60 feet, 

 three stories in height, and the other a one-story building of 

 saw-tooth construction, 60 by 250 feet in dimensions. 



At a special meeting of directors of the General Tire & RuIj- 

 ber Co. held on September 16, the directorate was increased to 

 seven members by the election of G. F. Burkhardt, of Akron, 

 and J. A. Diebolt, of Cleveland. Charles Herberich, vice-presi- 

 dent and treasurer of the Depositors Savings & Trust Co. in this 

 city, was elected treasurer. Other officers of the company are ; 

 M. O'Neil, president ; William O'Neil, vice-president and gen- 

 eral manager, and W. E. Fouse, secretary. 



The Star Rubber Co. has been reorganized, with a capital 

 stock of $400,000, of which $200,000 is preferred and $200,000 

 common. This company has been manufacturing druggists' 

 sundries and automobile tires and tubes in a small way for 

 some years, and with the reorganization, the sundry line will 

 be discontinued, and the output of tires and tubes greatly in- 

 creased. It is expected that the company's new tire will be on 

 the market about December 1. The new ofiicers are as follows: 

 L. H. Firey, president and treasurer ; R. N. Robinson, vice-presi- 

 dent ; J. B. Ruber, secretary, and Fred Gostlin, factory manager, 



* * * 



Net sales of the Swinehart Tire & Rubber Co. during its last 

 fiscal year, totaled $1,680,000, according to the annual report 

 presented to the directors on September 28. The company is 

 now making 500 tires a day, and is showing an increase of 20 

 per cent in business. The following were elected directors : 

 B. A. Polsky, Fred Snyder, W. M. Weldon, Charles Currie, T. E. 

 Barry, Dr. E. L. Mather, T. F. Walsh, F. S. Long and R. E. 

 May. Officers were reelected. 



* * * 



The Mohawk Rubber Co. is adding a new floor approximately 

 80 by 150 feet, to an old building, and a three-story annex to one 

 of the recently completed buildings comprising its plant. The 

 total cost of these additions will be about $60,000. and new ma- 

 chinery, including boilers, calenders, mills, etc., sufficient to in- 

 crease the present capacity about 50 per cent will bring the 

 expenditure in the neighborhood of $125,000. 



W. J. Smith, of the Mohawk's Akron staff,- has been placed 

 in charge of a new Kansas City branch opened by the company 

 last month. 



* * * 



The capital stock of the Akron Rubber Mold S; Machine Co. 

 has been increased from $60,000 to $300,000. owing to the rapid 

 growth of its business. Extensions to the company's plant are 

 under consideration. 



* * * 



V. C. Blandin, Akron representative of Pell & Dumont, crude 

 rubber dealers, 68 Broad street. New York City, will occupy 

 new offices in the Ohio building after November 1. 



* * , * 



.\n interesting and instructive feature of the amuial sales con- 

 ference of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. held early last 

 month, was an elaborate exhibit tracing the tires and other 

 products of the company from the tropical jungles to the finished 

 product. 



In order to secure its own water supply for the |)qwer plant 



and immen.se battery of vulcanizers, the Goodyear company has 



purchased a lake, 100 acres of land, and has secured easements 

 of land around another lake. 



W. E. Finney, formerly manager of the Goodyear branch at 

 St. Louis, Missouri, has been assigned to the mechanical goods 

 department at the home factory. 



* * * 



The appointment of Clyde S. Thompson as advertising direc- 



