September 1, 1917. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



739 



American Wringer Co., Woonsocket, is driving and great diffi- 

 culty is being experienced in producing an output that will main- 

 tain anywhere near an equalizing pace with the orders that are 

 being received. For the first time in its history the concern has 

 introduced female help in its factory, 12 entering the finishing 

 room during the past month. They are employed in tying the 

 guarantee tags and doing light varnish work, and if the experi- 

 ment proves successful, Manager J. P. Walsh states that the 

 firm will employ more girls in some of the departments. 



* * * 



Percy A. Greenwood, assistant foreman in the finishing de- 

 partment of the American Wringer Co., concluded his duties on 

 August 11, having passed his examinations for the National 

 Army. He was presented a sum of money by his fellow fore- 

 men and office force. 



* ♦ * 



.Assistant Superintendent Charles J. Burns, of the Tubular 

 Woven Fabric Co., Pawtucket, a member of Battery B, Rhode 

 Island Battalion of Light Artillery, and Michael Cresendo, over- 

 seer of the paper room and a member of Battery C, were called 

 into service the past month and are now with their commands 

 at the mobilizing camp at Box ford, Massachusetts. Previous to 

 their departure they were tendered a farewell reception, and a 

 number of articles that will be useful and valuable to them dur- 

 ing their service were presented by William Whitaker, a mem- 

 ber of the office force. 



* * * 



The National India Rubber Co., at Bristol, is repairing and 

 improving its property, and is overhauling and installing ma- 

 chinery. A substantial granolithic sidewalk, more than 800 feet 

 in length, has been completed in front of the entire factory. A 

 granolithic retaining wall, the length of the mill, has been con- 

 structed, which will be surmounted by an ornamental iron rail- 

 ing. Piers at each side of the main entrance will hold electric 

 lights in ornamental brackets. Trees are to be planted in the 

 spaces near the curbing along the walk to take place of those 

 recently removed. 



An important improvement is the enlarging of the boiler house, 

 which will soon be completed. The upper part of the old boiler 

 house is to be extended 10 feet higher, the addition to be of 

 brick, with steel trusses and topped by a sheet iron roof. Plans 

 have also been completed and bids are being asked for the erec- 

 tion of a new brick manufacturing building, three stories high, on 

 which work is to be commenced at as early a date as possible. 



i^ *: * 



Following their vacation periods, the daily output of rubber 

 footwear from the National India Rubber Co.'s plant at Bristol 

 averages 49,000 pairs, and the Narragansett Rubber Co., of 



Bristol, 14,000 pairs. 



* * * 



The O'Bannon Corporation, formerly known as the Inter- 

 national Rubber Co., at West Barrington, is adding a number ot 

 calenders, and other new machinery is being installed to meet 



the increasing demand. 



* * * 



A fire, early last month, in the chemical room of building 

 No. 2 threatened the entire plant of the Revere Rubber Co. It 

 probably started from an explosion, which shattered containers 

 and liberated a considerable amount of acid. Employes trying 

 to hold the flames in check were overcome by the acid fumes, as 

 were also, later, several firemen. The promptness of the fire 

 department saved the plant from a repetition of the disastrous 

 and fatal fire at this plant in 1912, but the loss of stock was 

 considerable. 



The Revere company is making extensive alterations and addi- 

 tions to its three-story factory building on Valley street. 



* * * 



The first dividend of 10 per cent in the matter of the Cataract 

 Rubber Co., of Providence, has been declared by Referee in 



Bankruptcy N. W. Littlefield and is now being paid to the cred- 

 itors of record. 



* * * 



The Hope Webbing Co., Pawtucket, which is one of the larg- 

 est manufacturers of narrow woven and braided fabrics in the 

 country, is installing a number of new looms which, it is claimed, 

 will increase the plant's production nearly one-third. The con- 

 cern already operates between 1,000 and 1.100 looms and 250 

 braiders. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BOSTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



AT a recent meeting of the Hood Rubber Co., Watertown, 

 an increase of preferred capital stock of $2,250,000, and an 

 increase in common capital stock of $1,000,000 were authorized. 

 The preferred stockholders voted unanimously to exchange the 

 old preferred stock for new preferred stock, share for share. 



The directors have voted to issue 12,500 shares of preferred 

 stock, and a large amount of this stock has already been sub- 

 scribed for. They also voted to issue 5,000 shares additional 

 common stock for subscription at par to holders of common stock 

 of record at the close of business August 11, with rights to sub- 

 scribe for one new share for every five old shares. It has been 

 deemed advisable to terminate the voting trust which held a large 

 majority of the common shares of the company, and the voting 

 trust certificates are being called in for exchange for shares of 

 the common stock of the company. 



The Hood Rubber Co. is now showing a line of tennis 

 shoes for the season of 1918 which includes a number of 

 styles furnished with the pneumatic rubber heel on which the 

 company own the patent. The Hood company claims to be the 

 first to manufacture heel tennis shoes and also the first to exploit 

 tennis shoes with the high Louis or Cuban heel similar to leather 

 shoe styles for women. Another novelty is a line of workmen's 

 and children's shoes with duck upper and rubber and fiber soles, 

 which are expected to have a wide sale because of the high cost 

 of leather footwear. This concern is vulcanizing its tennis lines 

 under the pressure cure. Orders are already piling up for Jan- 

 uary to March delivery, and the tennis department is being run 

 to capacity to enable the company to ship at dates indicated. 



3tc >k If 



The Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co. now has, at its factory 

 in Cambridgeport, a fully equipped first aid hospital for the 

 immediate treatment of employes who may be taken ill, or 



injured. A trained nurse and an assistant are in constant at- 

 tendance, and a physician is at the plant every day between 

 8.30 and 10 a. m. Safety stations have been established at con- 

 venient points in the various buildings of this extensive plant. 



