November 1, 1918.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



101 



the great expansions and improvements which the plants have 

 undergone during the last year, they have been utterly unable 

 to maintain the balance of supply and demand. 



Although the "Fighting Fourth Liberty Loan" in this State 

 was not conducted along industrial lines, as was the case in the 

 three preceding campaigns, still the manufacturers of rubber 

 goods and the allied interests made themselves so prominent 

 that they were fully recognized. Rhode Island had an allotment 

 of $50,000,000, of which $30,000,000 was accredited to the city 

 of Providence, which was practically twice the sum called for 

 by the Third Liberty Loan. But notwithstanding this great in- 

 crease, those in charge went systematically to work and suc- 

 ceeded in securing a total of more than $61,000,000 in the state 

 and nearly $35,000,000 in Providence. 



On the night preceding the conclusion of the campaign a 

 special gathering was held at the Turk's Head Club at which 

 $7,458,750 was subscribed, the greater part of which was taken 

 by corporations and individuals that had already subscribed 

 liberally. Only the week before a similar meeting was held at 

 the same place at which $1,250,000 was subscribed. Colonel 

 Samuel P. Colt, president of the United States Rubber Co., who 

 had otherwise taken a large amount of the bonds, was one of 

 six who subscribed $100,000 each, at the iirst meeting. He 

 pledged at the second meeting $1,000,000 in addition to what he 

 had previously taken and then took $50,000 each for his two 

 sons in the service — Russell G. and Roswell C. Colt. 



It was estimated on the 16th of the month that the employees 

 of the National India Rubber Co. would subscribe fully $1,000,- 

 000 to the loan. 



The Woonsockett Rubber Co., Woonsocket, doubled its $75,000 

 subscription to the Third Liberty Loan and took $150,000 of 

 the present issue. 



.\t the National India Rubber Co., Bristol, the overseers, 

 foremen and forewomen held a meeting early in the campaign 

 and formulated a plan whereby a thorough canvass was made of 

 the entire plant. The result was that a substantial subscription 

 of bonds was secured, 2,554 employes taking an aggregate of 

 more than $200,000. 



The Bourn Rubber Co. subscribed $14,000 for its employes, 

 and the Glendale Elastic Fabric Co. announced its subscription 

 for $75,000, of which $15,000 was credited to Providence and 

 $60,000 to Easthampton, Massachusetts. 



A two-day conference of the superintendents of departments 

 in ten of the manufacturing plants connected with the Footwear 

 Division of the United States Rubber Co. opened at the National 

 India Rubber Co.'s plant, at Bristol, on October 16. The fac- 

 tories represented are located in Cambridge, Millville and Mai- 

 den, Massachusetts , New Haven, Waterbury and Naugatuck. 

 Connecticut ; Newark and New Brunswick, New Jersey, and 

 Woonsocket and Bristol, this state. There were also repre- 

 sentatives from the New York office, the party numbering 27 

 visitors from the eleven cities mentioned, and 20 superintend- 

 ents of departments in the National India Rubber Co. The 

 visiting representatives inspected the footwear and wire de- 

 partments and had explained to them the various processes of 

 maiuifacture. The entertainment provided included luncheon 

 at the National company's plant, music by the orchestra, a Rhode 

 Island clam bake at Colt Farm, and addresses by George Schlos- 

 ser, the vice-president, M. H. Clark, general footwear factory 

 manager, and others. 



Acting under instructions from George Schlosser, general 

 factory manager, the Woonsocket Rubber Co. in Millville and 

 Woonsocket early last month started upon a plan of giving the 

 operatives in all departments fresh air and rest as means of 

 promoting health during the epidemic of influenza which caused 



an unusual amount of sickness and several deaths. At 10 o'clock 

 in the forenoon and again at 3 o'clock in the afternoon employes 

 were allowed to go into the mill yards for fresh air and relaxa- 

 tion. A similar plan was also put into execution at the National 

 plant, Bristol. 



Since its resumption of work following the several weeks of 

 enforced shut-down because of labor controversies, the National 

 India Rubber Co. has been pushing its facilities to the utmost 

 at the Bristol plant to recover lost time. Early in October the 

 announcement was made that the company had received a con- 

 tract from the United States Government for 300,000 pairs of 

 hospital shoes. This company has installed two new and larger 

 steam boilers, a brick chimney to replace two old brick chimneys, 

 while one iron stack is being erected to serve the whole battery 

 of 15 boilers at the plant. It will be the tallest in town, 175 

 feet high and will have a flue diameter of eight feet. 



Mrs. John Post Reynolds, who has been in charge of a home 

 for aged women in Fall River, Massachusetts, has been secured 

 as matron of the new day nursery of the National India Rubber 

 Co. soon to be opened, and is to be assisted by skilled nurses. 

 The house purchased for the purpose is at the corner of High 

 and Bourn streets, one block from the plant. 



The Narragansett Electric Lighting Co. is installing at the 

 factory three new transformers of 2,500 kilowatts' capacity, to 

 replace a smaller equipment. These changes are necessitated 

 by the enlargement of the factory and the installing of new 

 machinery. 



The Bourn Rubber Co., continuing its policy of expansion, 

 has recently acquired considerable land with buildings thereon, 

 located on Warren, Harrison and Westfield streets. Providence, 

 adjoining the company's plant. As fast as possible these build- 

 ings are to be razed and new buildings of a character suitable 

 to the needs of the company erected in their stead. 



The new restaurant at the Woonsocket plant of the Woon- 

 socket Rubber Co., is now in operation and the one at Millville, 

 Massachusetts, will soon be ready. It is expected that some 

 little time will elapse before the one planned at the Bristol plant 

 will be completed. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN TRENTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 

 ■ I 'HF Trenton rubber manufacturers responded nobly to the 

 *■ Fourth Liberty Loan appeal, subscribing more than $500,000. 

 The subscription list was somewhat larger than that made on 

 the three previous loans. The Thermoid Rubber Co. and the 

 Joseph Stokes Rubber Co., controlled by the same directors, 

 headed the list. Both companies contributed $132,650, and when 

 it was seen that the subscriptions of other manufacturers were 

 increasing, the two concerns announced near the end of the drive 

 that they yi'ould buy an additional $18,000 worth of the bonds. 

 The Ajax Rubber Co. was second with $81,000, while the United 

 & Globe Rubber Manufacturing Cos. were third with $77,350. 

 .\. M. Sawyer, of the Vulcanized Rubber Co., Morrisville, pur- 

 chased $2,000 worth of bonds, and the Trenton Rubber Trade 

 Association subscribed $1,000. 



The list of subscriptions by rubber factories and individuals 

 interested in the trade totaled $618,2.S0. The list follows: 



Thermoid Rubber Co 1 



Joseph Stokes Rubber Co. . . f 



Ajax Rubber Co., Inc 



United & Clobe Rubber Manufacturing Cos 



Empire Rubber .'<: Tire Co 61,000 



.Acme Rubber Manufacturing Co 55,000 



Es-^ex Rubber Co 27,000 



Home Rubber Co 27,000 



$150,< 

 81,000 

 77,350 



