164 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[December 1, 1916. 



building. Beginning with solid carriage tires and pneumatics 

 for bicycles, lie was among tlie first to provide the necessary 

 tire equipment for automobiles, and from that day to this has 

 taken a personal pride in maintaining the quality of his product. 

 His particular interest has been the careful choice of raw mate- 

 rials. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN RHODE ISLAND. 



/)_V Our A\'i'»/iir Correspondent. 



THE month of November was a rather unsettled one in the 

 rubber industry of Rhode Island, labor troubles having 

 been experienced at two of the United States Rubber Co.'s plants 

 —the National India Rubber Co., at Bristol, and the Alice rub- 

 ber and shoe mill of the Woonsocket Rubber Co.. at Woonsocket. 

 In consequence of the strike at the National company's plant, 

 work at the Narragansett Rubber Co. in that town was inter- 

 rupted and the workmen threatened by the strikers if they did 

 not go out. 



While the situation at Bristol at one time appeared to be 

 assuming a serious aspect, the firmness of the police and the 

 severity of the court kept matters well in hand and resulted in 

 an early understanding that led to an arnicable settlement. 



Throughout the state, rubber factories have an increasing num- 

 ber of orders ahead with a continued scarcity of help, although 

 it is reported that applications for employment have recently 

 been more numerous than at any time for several months. 

 There appears to be no prospect of any immediate let-up in the 

 demand for shoes, tires, medical goods and other lines made 

 here. * * * 



The announcement on November 23 of a 10 per cent "emer- 

 gency increase because of abnormal world conditions," affecting 

 7,500 to 10,000 employes of rubber factories in Rhode Island, did 

 much to clarify the situation, and it is now thought that there 

 will be no further labor troubles, at least during the continuance 

 of the present scale and agreement. 



The notices posted at the mills controlled by the United States 

 Rubber Co. announced that the increase was in the nature of a 

 cash bonus, but those posted in the factory of at least one com- 

 pany were for a straight raise of 10 per cent. In another mill 

 the management states that it w-as the third raise to its employes 

 within the calendar year and that a new record in the payment 

 of wages had been established in the trade. 



The mills affected by the United States Rubber Co.'s notice in 

 Rhode Island and the number of employes in each are the 

 Alice Mills at Woonsocket, 1,600; the Millville Mill at Millville, 

 800: the Lawrence Felting Co. at Millville, 250, and the National 

 India Rubber Co. at Bristol, 4,000. In Providence the Revere 

 Rubber Co. employs 700 to 800 operatives ; the Mechanical Fab- 

 ric Co., 250, and the Narragansett Rubber Co. at Bristol, 700. 



* * * 



The increased business experienced by the Narragansett Rub- 

 ber Co., of Bristol, has been so great during the last few months 

 that it has become necessary to provide additional factory room. 

 A complete rearrangement of the plant with additional depart- 

 ments is under consideration, but meanwhile temporary arrange- 

 ments are being made to take care of immediate demands. A 

 new addition, 85 by 50 feet, has just been erected on the Rich- 

 mond street side of the plant that will afford some relief for the 

 present. Part of the lower floor will be utilized liy the calender- 

 ing department and the remainder will be occupied as a store- 

 house. The second floor will be absorbed by the steadily in- 

 creasing slioe business. 



* * * 



The two-story frame manufacturing building on South Main 

 and Wheaton streets, Warren, is being remodeled for occupancy 

 for storage purposes by the National India Rubber Co., of 

 Bristol, liy whnni it has been leased. 



John E. Magee, for the past 17 years electrician at the factory 

 of the National India Rubber Co.. is now policing the entire plant 

 at Bristol. 



Robert W. S. Co.x, for several years sales manager of the 

 insulated wire department of the National India Rubber Co., has 

 resigned and gone into business for himself with headquarters 

 at Boston. George Cragin has been appointed general sales 

 manager of the wire division, coming to Bristol from New York, 

 where for a number of years he held a responsible position with 

 the .American Steel & Wire Co. 



William McCaw, formerly paymaster in the office of the Na- 

 tional India Rubber Co. at Bristol, but more recent^' assistant 

 treasurer of the Lee Tire & Rubber Co., Conshohocken, Penn- 

 sylvania, has recently been promoted to sales manager in the 

 South, with an office at Atlanta, Georgia. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN TRENTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



TPHE "Best" fire hose of the Empire Rubber & Tire Co. won 

 ■•• new laurels a few days ago when the city of Detroit, 

 Michigan, placed an order for 8,000 feet of it. Detroit has been 

 using Empire hose for some time and the best evidence of the 

 satisfaction it has given is reflected in the order just 'placed. 

 Never before has the mechanical goods department enjoyed such 

 prosperity as at present. It is an old story about the tire depart- 

 ment working both night and day to turn out 1,500 tires daily, 

 and now this same gratifying condition of affairs has reached 

 the mechanical goods department, now averaging $800,000 annual 

 business. The molded hose department is also rushed with 

 orders. 



The big increase of the' fcusiness of the Empire company has 

 necessitated reorganizing and refinancing by incorporating under 

 the laws of the State of Virginia. The new company, to be 

 known as the Empire Tire & Rubber Corporation, has a capital 

 consisting of $1,500,000, 7 per- cent cumulative convertible pre- 

 ferred, par value $100, and $4,500,000 common, par value $10. 

 The preferred stock is offered for public subscription by An- 

 drews & Co., New York City, and is convertible at the option 

 of the holder into an equivalent par value of common between 

 June 30, 1917, and July 1, 1920. The new affiliations are expected 

 to insure a $5,000,000 business annually, or about double the 

 present output. 



General C. Edward Murray, president of the Empire Rubber 

 Co., Trenton, New Jersey, was among the speakers at the 

 Chamber of Commerce dinner held recently at the City Club 

 in Boston, Massachusetts. 



* * * 



The Home Rubber Co. is erecting an addition to its plant 

 costing $750,000. 



* * * 



Tlie Adolph Biller Rubber & Leather Cement Co. has been 

 formed here, with Adolph Biller as the active head. The com- 

 pany has a well equipped factory, and for tlie convenience of 

 the trade a down-town office has been opened. A new cement 

 for automobile tires and the shoe trade is to be featured this year. 



* * * 



The John A. Roebling's Sons Co. is among the concerns which 

 have been allotted space in the electrical and industrial show to 

 be held in Masonic Temple from the first to the fifth of this 

 month. 



* * * 



Jolin Hermann, Jr., superintendent of the Woven Steel Hose 

 & Rubber Co., paid a novel election wager when he wheeled a 

 Wilson man through the streets . in a barrow. A drum corps 

 accompanied the outfit and there were about two score people 

 trailin.g behind burning red lire, beating on pans, etc. 



