December 1, 1918.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



157 



Providence thousands of men, women and girls from the 

 Revere Rubber Co., the Davol Rubber Co., Bourn Rubber Co., 

 Glendale Elastic Fabric Co., Mechanical Fabric Co. and the 

 Valley street plant of the United States Rubber Co. swelled 

 the ranks of the paraders. 



Following the announcement of the signing of the armistice 

 there was a general cessation of overtime activities in the 

 rubber manufacturing establishments of the State, and while 

 the management of the various plants refused to discuss the 

 situation, it was generally understood that a halt had been 

 called on all government goods and contracts, at least tem- 

 porarily. It was stated, however, that, irrespective of future 

 employment on these contracts, the regular lines were so far 

 behind normal conditions of the market that there was sufficient 

 work on hand or in sight to keep the mills running to capacity 

 for many months to come. 



At the Davol Rubber Co. the manufacture of gas masks 

 was discontinued November 13, but of the 4S men and women 

 that were employed on this work, less than half a dozen were 

 laid off. All of the women were given work in other depart- 

 ments of the plant. When the manufacture of the masks was 

 started, very few new employes were taken on, most of those 

 assigned to this work being withdrawn from other departments. 

 The Revere Rubber Co. was also engaged in making gas-masks. 



Colonel Samuel P. Colt, of the United States Rubber Co., is 

 a member and president of the Rhode Island Limit Men, an 

 association composed of firms and individuals of this State 

 who have purchased $1,000 worth (maturity value) of War 

 Savings Stamps, and he is making a special effort to secure 

 the enrollment of at least 2,000 members before the close of 

 the year. Already there is a total membership of more than 

 1,400. Among the members are the Bourn Rubber Co., Me- 

 chanical Fabric Co., Davol Rubber Co., and the Revere Rubber 

 Co., all of this city; National India Rubber Co. and Narra- 

 gansett Rubber Co., of Bristol, and Woonsocket Rubber Co., 

 of Woonsocket. 



* * * 



To the United War Work Fund the Woonsocket Rubber Co. 

 contributed $10,000, credit for $6,000 of which was given to 

 the Alice Mill, at Woonsocket, while the other $4,000 goes to 

 Massachusetts, where the other plants of the concern are 

 located. The Glendale Elastic Fabric Co. donated $2,000 to the 

 fund, of which $1,500 was credited to Massachusetts and $500 

 to this State. 



The developments that have followed the taking over of the 

 site of the old AIco Co.'s plant on Valley street by the United 

 States Rubber Co., and combining with the adjoining plant of the 

 Revere Rubber Co., have been rapid and extensive. The com- 

 bined properties now operated under the direction of the Revere 

 Co. have a total area of 909,687 square feet, of which 444,854 

 square feet are included in the newly acquired AIco site. .Ad- 

 ditional machinery and facilities are being introduced. In the 

 old AIco plant, foundations for forty new vulcanizers of large 

 size are being laid and a number of large-size mixing machines 

 installed. A large oil tank will be erected at the old Revere 

 plant, as fuel oil will be used more extensively in the operations 

 of these factories. 



Among the extensive improvements and alterations that have 

 recently been under way at the plant of the Bourn Rubber Co., 

 Warren street. Providence, was the changing of the walls and 

 foundations of the boiler house preparatory to enlarging the 

 boiler equipment. Plans have just been completed for a storage 

 building to be erected on Warren street. It is to be of brick, 

 of mill construction, one story high, 60 by 90 feet, with con- 

 crete flooring and gravel roof. 



At the National India Rubber Co.'s plant at Bristol altera- 

 tions, extensions and improvements continue. During the past 

 month extra heavy foundations have been put in at the large 

 new storage building which was erected about a year ago. 



John H. Mott, for 34 years foreman of the packing depart- 

 ment of the National India Rubber Co., Bristol, died on No- 

 vember 17, in his 69th year. He was born in Bristol and 

 made the first rubber shoes at the Byfield Rubber Co., Bristol, 

 now the Narragansett Rubber Co., when that plant com- 

 menced operations. 



John Anderson, foreman of the shipping department of the 

 insulated wire division of the National India Rubber Co., 

 Bristol, died on October 28, of double pneumonia. He was 

 32 years of age and a native of Scotland. He had been in the 

 employ of the National company for a number of years. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN TRENTON. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 

 'T'HE rubber industries of Trenton, through both employes- and 

 *■ company officials, contributed liberally to the United War 

 Work Fund. All the Trenton plants were placed on the 100 per 

 cent list. The Acme, Hamilton, Home, United & Globe, Ther- 

 moid. Whitehead Brothers, Joseph Stokes, Ajax, Empire, Delion, 

 Essex and the Joseph Stokes Rubber companies each contributed 

 $1,000. George R. Cook, president of the Acme Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Co., gave $1,500; Charles E. Stokes, vice-president of 

 the Home Rubber Co., $500; Louis P. Destribats, manager of 

 the Ajax Rubber Co., Inc., $200; while General C. Edward Mur- 

 ray, former head of the Empire Rubber & Tire Co., gave $800. 

 Charles E. Stokes, of the Home Rubber Co., was chairman of 

 the industrial section of the last war drive. Speakers visited all 

 the rubber concerns and concerts were given at each plant to 

 arouse interest in the drive. 



All the Trenton rubber manufacturers were well represented 

 in the peace celebration parade and the majority of them had 

 floats in the line of march. The Essex Rubber Co. had the 

 largest turnout and the girl employes marched in blue bloomers 

 and blue waists. The United & Globe Cos. blew their big fac- 

 tory whistle from 3:30 o'clock in the morning until late in the 

 afternoon. 



The Trenton rubber concerns are now well supplied with coal 

 for the coming winter. John S. Broughton, the Mercer County 

 fuel administrator, recently secured permission from the Govern- 

 ment to allow the rubber concerns not only to secure a good 

 supply for the winter months but also to store coal for future use. 



The Ninigret Mills Co. is the style of a new corporation 

 chartered last month under the laws of Rhode Island with a 

 capital stock of $50,000. The incorporators are Frederick E. 

 Fowler, Charles Perry and Charles S. Fowler, all of Westerly. 

 The new concern will manufacture fabric for auto tires and 

 will conduct business at the Arnold Mill, in Canal street, 

 Westerly. 



The Thermoid Rubber Co., Trenton, has nearly completed a 

 two-story steel and brick semi-fireproof building which is in- 

 tended to take care of increased business in several departments 

 and provide increased storage space. The new structure is a con- 

 tinuation of the building erected several years ago and will give 

 the company, when completed, a two-story factory approximately 

 280 feet in length and 70 feet wide. 



