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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[July 1. 1917. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



ONE of the most dangerous fires this year in Boston occurred 

 June 4, when the rubber substitute plant of T. C. .Ashley & 

 Co., in the South Boston section, was destroyed. Situated as 

 the factory was in a neighborhood of inflammable structures, 

 the fire was peculiarly difficult to fight. About three acres were 

 burned over, including a large stable, and a building occupied 

 by the International Waste Co., where 1,300 bales of cotton 

 waste were burned. The Ashley factory was totally destroyed, 

 but with the enterprise characteristic of the concern a new 

 location has already been secured, and it is expected that the 

 firm will resume manufacturing within two or three weeks. 

 The new plant is in a substantial brick structure in the Brighton 

 section of this city. The business office will remain, as hereto- 

 fore, at 683 Atlantic avenue, opposite the South Terminal Station. 



* * * 



The Doughty Tire Co., whose factory is at Providence, Rhode 

 Island, has opened an ofiice in the new Little Building, corner 

 of Boylston and Tremont streets in this city, and is doing some 

 very effective advertising in the daily press. This company is 

 manufacturing the tire invented and patented by Henry J. 

 Doughty which was fully described in The Indi.\ Rubber World, 

 February 1, 1916. A special loom weaves a continuous fabric 

 strip molded to the exact width and shape of the tire. A 

 special friction calender impregnates this curve-shaped fabric 

 with rubber, and the carcass is made complete by winding the 

 fabric four times by machinery. Not more than five minutes 

 is necessary to make the carcass ready for the cushion, breaker 

 and outside rubber tread stock. The vulcanizing machine has 

 a collapsible core made in eight segments, in combination with 

 a three-part mold, to form the outside of the cover. All these 

 parts are supplied with means of heating. The casing is laid 

 in place and allowed to remain in the hot mold from ten to 

 20 minutes, according to size, to complete the vulcanization 

 under a hydraulic pressure of 25 tons. The result is a tire 

 which it is claimed is much stronger and which, because of the 

 quickness of production can be produced more economically 

 than the regulation tire. The company at present is manufac- 

 turing only one size, 30 by 354 inches, but will make other 

 sizes in the near future. It will enlarge its present equipment 

 in Providence and plans in the near future to take over a 

 large factory in Boston. ' The business office mentioned above 

 is in charge of Henry M. Whitney, well known in financial and 



public service circles in Boston. 



* * * 



The Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co., of Cambridge, gave 

 a unique entertainment to over four-score of its New York 

 City customers recently. A dinner was tendered them at the 

 Machinery Club, in that city, at which Geo. E. Hall, vice-presi- 

 dent and general manager presided. .Addresses were made by 

 ' ^. J. Owens, manager of the New York office, and J. W. 

 : ..Fellows, factory manager. The feature of the evening w^as the 

 ' presentation of a motion picture "The Story of Rubber, What 

 ■ it is and What it Does," illustrating the industry from the 

 ' gathering of crude rubber in Brazilian forests and East Indian 

 plantations, through the various processes of manufacture at 

 the company's works at Cambridge. This exhibition was ac- 

 companied by a descriptive lecture by R. E. Conder, the ad- 

 vertising manager of the company. The aiTair was highly 

 appreciated by the guests of the evening. 



* * * 



The B. F. Goodrich Co.'s salesroom window on Boylston 

 street has become noted for its original and attractive displays. 

 Last month the entire space was devoted to exploiting Textan 

 fiber soles. The setting consisted of very effective full-size 

 reproduction of the front porch of a suburban residence, the 

 front door windows, electric lanterns and portico columns being 



true in detail.- Chairs and hammocks were provided for father 

 and mother and the little daughter. Both the latter were point- 

 ing to the soles of their shoes, on which the trade-marked word 

 was visible. The foreground represented a lawn, and on the 

 "grass" were samples of Textan soled shoes and Textan soles. 

 It was surprising to see how many pedestrians and motorists 

 stopped to admire the display. 



* * * 



Early last month the Hood Rubber Co. moved its tire depart- 

 ment into the new building built expressly for it, and has a far 

 larger tire capacity. It is hoped that it can now keep pace with 

 the increasing demand for tires. The new foundry building is 

 also finished and occupied. A new heater house is now in pro- 

 cess of erection. The footwear department is running to full 

 capacity, and the daily ticket is now 76,000 pairs of rubbers, boots 



and tennis. 



* * * 



Frederick T. Ryder, Jr., manager of the mechanical depart- 

 ment of the Dexter Manufacturing Co., Boston and South 

 Braintree. Massachusetts, was married June 2 at Burlington, 

 Kansas, the bride being Garda Gertrude, daughter of Mr. and 

 Mrs. Samuel D. Reid of that city. The couple now tire on 

 their honeymoon trip, and will reside in the Allstoji -jlistrict of 

 Boston. Mr. Ryder is the son of Frederick T. Ryder, for some 

 years private secretary to the late E. S. Converse, and now promi- 

 nent in the Rinex sole department of the L'nited States Rubber 



Co. 



* * * 



A curious accident at a Peabody tannery early last month 

 might be used as an argument in favor of rubber over leather 

 belting. When the engineer turned on steam at the factory, 

 a throttle valve blew out and steam under pressure of 50 pounds 

 escaped, filling the boiler- and engine-rooms. This so injured 

 the belts as to necessitate a shut-down of the works until belting 

 experts had repaired the damage. 



* * * 



The Summer Street Tire' Co. has opened a retail store for 

 the sale of tires and accessories at the junction of Summer 

 and Federal streets, very near the South Terminal Station. 



It is in charge of E. V. Murphy. 



* * * 



The Cor-Nix Rubber Co., which has stores for the sale of 

 tires and rubber goods at Lynn and Beverly in this state, has 

 just opened a third store at 46 North Main street. Fall River, 

 in charge of John M. Corcoran, formerh- a traveling salesman 

 for the United States Rubber Co. The members of this concern 

 are James F. Corcoran, Joseph P. Nixon (from whose names 

 that of the company is derived) and William D. McCarthy, all 

 of whom have had practical experience in the employ of leading 



rubber companies. 



* * * 



E. M. & F. Waldo, color manufacturers, New York City, will 

 open a branch office at 10 High street. Boston, in order to give 

 the New England trade the attention needed. T. H. Cushman, 

 who for over two years has been New York and New England 



salesman for the Waldo concern, will be the manager. 



* * * 



Boston is getting to be more and more a convention city, 

 chiefly through the exertions of the Chamber of Commerce, 

 which is doing splendid work in many directions. It has a 

 Convention Bureau to induce associations to hold important 

 meetings here. Representatives of the .Aimerican Chemical So- 

 ciety have informed this bureau that between 1,000 and 1,500 

 would unquestionably be present at its annual convention the 

 week of September 10. The meetings of the society will be 

 held at the Technology Buildings, with headquarters at the Ho- 

 tel Lenox. The last convention held in Boston was in 1909, 

 which was the most successful and largest attended of any in 

 the history of the society. 



