August 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



663 



News of the American Rubber Trade. 



nSK BUYS THE GIBNEY TIRE. 



ON July 9 the United States District Court of Philadelphia, 

 Pennsylvania, authorized the receiver, Henry C. Thompson, 

 Jr., to consummate the offer of The Fisk Rubber Co., Chi- 

 copee Falls, Massachusetts, for the plant and all the assets of the 

 Gibney Tire & Rubber Co., Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. The 

 purchase price is about $410,000, subject to such adjustments as 

 may occur by reason of the closing of the books on July 9. 



The Gibney solid tire has a reputation and trade name of con- 

 siderable value, but the company lacked adequate capital in an 

 enterprise requiring large amounts of money, and unwise pur- 

 chases of crude rubber during a war-bror.^ht rubber trade 

 flurry had further weakened its financial standing. In pur- 

 chasing this property, the Fisk company assures the finan- 

 cial stability of the business and acquires a trade name 

 and volume of production that will prove of distinct ad- 

 vantage in developing the sale of its own solid tires. Hence- 

 forth the Gibney tires will be manufactured on a much 

 larger scale than in the past, a triple or even quadruple produc- 

 tion being promised to consumers and the trade. The big Fisk 

 solid tire unit at Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, will also be 

 put into operation as soon as possible. It is designed to have 

 an output of 2,000 tires a day, making it one of the largest solid 

 tire departments in the country. 



Fortunately, the Gibney service stations in a number of cities, 

 including New York City and Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, do not 

 conflict with the Fisk branch system, and they will be retained 

 practically intact, as will the Gibney organization, except that 

 James G. and John Gibney have resigned. The increased output, 

 however, will be marketed not only by the Gibney system, but 

 by the more than 125 sales branches of the Fisk company, thus 

 placing the latter in a stronger position as a distributer of solid 

 tires. 



CARLISLE WANTS A HUBBER FACTORY. 



According to the Chamber of Commerce of Carlisle, Pennsyl- 

 vania, a careful investigation by experts employed by that body 

 results in a report that Carlisle is one of the best places in the 

 country in which to locate a rubber factory, because of its loca- 

 tion and railroad connections, its very dry atmosphere and its 

 excellent water supply. Following this report, the Chamber of 

 Commerce is endeavoring to induce some live, active rubber 

 concern to locate there, and is ready to ofifer free factory site, 

 low cost electric power, and financial assistance if necessary, to 

 such a concern. Moreover, it is stated that there are many men 

 living in Carlisle who are skilled in rubber working, having been 

 employed at one time or another in rubber factories. 



RUBBER COMPANY SHARE QUOTATIONS. 



The following market quotations of shares of rubber manu- 

 facturing companies on July 25 are furnished by John Burnham 

 & Co., 115 Broadway, New York City, and 41 South La Salle 

 street, Chicago, Illinois. 



Bid. Asked. 



Ajax Rubber Co. (new) 66J^ 7^ 



Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., common 118 21 



Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., preferred 103 6 



The ft. F. Goodrich Co., common 49 50 



The B. F. Goodrich Co., preferred 104 6'A 



Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., common 197 201 



Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., preferred 105 7 



Kelly-Springfield Tire Co., common 46 7^ 



Kelly-Springfield Tire Co., preferred 88 95 



Miller Rubber Co., common 175 85 



Miller Rubber Co., preferred 102 4 



Portage Rubber Co 150 54 



Swinehart Tire & Rubber Co 59 65 



United States Rubber Co., common 60'A 60?^ 



United States Rubber Co.. preferred 105 108 



SOMERSET RUBBER RECLAIMING WORKS. 



One of the busy spots in the rubber industry of New Jersey 

 is the factory of the Somerset Rubber Reclaiming Works at 

 New Brunswick, shown in the accompanying illustration. The 

 plant is running day and night with orders enough for some time 

 to come, many of them for special reclaimed stocks to go into 

 government work for the rubberizing trade. The present capacity 



Somerset Rubber Recl.mmin-c Works PL.^NT 



averages about one car of reclaimed rubber a day. New ma- 

 chinery is gradually being added, however, and new buildings 

 are being erected. The laboratory is already one of the most 

 complete of its kind, equipped with machinery of many sorts 

 and supplemented by an analytical department. 



Negotiations are in progress for the purchase of properties 

 for the housing of employes, and a new lunch room is in 

 course of construction near the factory to provide restful accom- 

 modations where the men can eat their own lunch while a 

 Victrola is being played. Additional shower baths are being 

 installed, which are much appreciated. 



OPEN BRANCH OFFICES. 



Stresen-Reuter & Hancock, Inc., dealers in colors and chem- 

 icals, Chicago, Illinois, have opened offices at 292 Pearl street, 

 New York City. 418 New Market street, Philadelphia, Penn- 

 sylvania, and 82 Richmond street. East, Toronto, Canada. 

 Stocks will be carried at these branches, as at the Cleveland, 

 Ohio, branch of this concern. 



RUBBER COMPANY DIVIDENDS. 



The Boston Belting Co. paid a quarterly dividend of $2 per 

 share on July 2 to stockholders of record June 21. 



The Eagle-Picher Lead Co. paid a quarterly dividend of 1J4 

 per cent on preferred stock on July 16 to stockholders of rec- 

 ord July 5. 



The board of directors of the LTnited States Rubber Co. has 

 declared a quarterly dividend of 2 per cent on first preferred 

 stock, payable July 31, to stockholders of record July 20. 



The Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. has declared a quarterly divi- 

 dend of $1 per share on common stock, payable August 1 to 

 stockholders of record July 16. 



The Portage Rubber Co. has declared a quarterly dividend of 

 3 per cent on common stock, payable August 15 to stockholders 

 of record August 5. This dividend raises the stock from a 

 10 to a 12 per cent basis. 



