April 1, 1919.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



389 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



By Our Rcgulcir Correspondent. 

 ■pOSTON'J automobile show, held last month, was pronounced 

 ■*-' the most successful that ever occurred in this city, both in 

 the attendance and in the number of cars exhibited. However, 

 there were but few tires shown and not many exhibits of ac- 

 cessories specially interesting to the rubber trade. In many 

 cases, such goods were shown not as exclusive exhibits by their 

 manufacturers, but as units of stock of local general automobile 

 supply dealers. 



Among the many patching outfits and vulcanizing devices, 

 there was included the Sepco vulcanizer, in which the heat is 

 obtained by electric current, for which are claimed a number of 

 points of superiority. Among the anti-puncture devices might 

 be mentioned the Auto-Seal inner tube, manufactured by the 

 Shaw Tire Co., Inc., Boston, and the Coffield tire protector, made 

 by the Coffield Tire Protector Co., Dayton, Ohio. 



The business of retreading tires is becoming important, and 

 the Wakefield Tire Co., Wakefield, Massachusetts, had a fine 

 exhibit of rebuilt and retreated tires. Another exhibit was that 

 of the American Retreading Corp., Chelsea, Massachusetts. 



Among other exhibitors known to the readers of The India 

 Rubber World might be mentioned the Boston Blacking Co., 

 whose cements and lire paints call for crude rubber in the 

 making. The Westinghouse air spring was on exhibition. The 

 Joseph Dixon Crucible Co., Jersey City, New Jersey, showed a 

 line of its graphite lubricants. The Sewell Cushion Wheel Co. 

 exhibited its specialty. The United States Rubber Co. had a 

 general line of accessories, and the L. C. Chase Co. had a beauti- 

 ful exhibit of its automobile and carriage cloth, as well as other 

 specialties less related to the rubber industry. In the Willard 

 storage battery exhibit was shown the component parts of that 

 battery, including the threaded rubber insulators which make 

 an important part of its construction. 



reelected treasurer. He is the senior of the old firm of Fuller, 

 Leonard & Small, the predecessors of the Franklin Rubber Co. 

 Linn L. Fuller, who was elected assistant treasurer, joined the 

 company in 1907, but two years afterward entered the garage 

 business, returning to the Franklin Rubber Co. in 1917 to take 

 charge of the automobile department. The company is in a 

 flourishing condition, and its store premises modern and in every 

 way greatly improved by its reconstruction and renovations, fol- 

 lowing the fire damage of a few months ago. 



The Converse Rubber Shoe Co., Maiden, Massachusetts, is 

 expanding. An addition, 40 by 80 feet, is being erected adjoining 

 the main factory, which when finished will be occupied as the 

 business offices, thus giving additional room in the factory build- 

 ing. The addition is of the same construction and design as the 

 factory, and is so planned that further stories can be added when 

 more room is needed. 



M. M. Converse, president and manager of the company, at 

 this writing is in Europe taking the opportunity to enjoy a brief 

 respite from business. His youngest son accompanies him. 



Americanization is progressing, hereabouts. One day last 

 month eight automobiles containing 46 aliens, the greater part 

 of them employed by the Converse Rubber Shoe Co., Maiden, 

 and all members of the Americanization classes of the Central 

 Evening High School in that city, arrived at the Federal Build- 

 ing in Boston, and applied for their first citizenship papers. The 

 evening before, they were given a lecture on the uses of the 

 public library and then later were taken to police headquarters, 

 where they were shown the rudiments of city government. Dur- 

 ing the tiine they have attended school they have been paid 

 twenty-five cents an hour by their employers, who have been 

 instrumental in their taking this step towards becoming citizens 

 of the LTnited States. 



The Monatiquot Rubber Works Co., the well-known reclaimer 

 of South Braintree, Massachusetts, will celebrate its tenth year 

 of manufacturing on April 19. 



This company's success has been due to the employment of a 

 reclaiming method having features of special value in the proc- 

 essing of automobile tires. It claims to have been the first firm 

 to grade the different makes and qualities of old tires, thereby 

 guarding the uniformity and quality of the output. 



It is an interesting fact that the original organization of 1909 

 remains practically unchanged in its personnel. Robert C. Har- 

 low is president and factory manager; Jawes H. Stedman, treas- 

 urer; Merton A. Turner, sales manager; Benjamin Ayer, pro- 

 duction superintendent ; M. H. Pingree, chief chemist. 

 * * * 



The Hipco Manufacturing Co., Boston, has been incorporated 

 with a capital stock of $50,000 for manufacturing a number of 

 automobile specialties, among them a running board mat of 

 special rubber composition reinforced with a strip of fabric for 

 waterproofing purposes, and adapted to cause the mat to lie flat 

 and tight when fastened in place by bolts or screws running 

 through copper-plated washers embedded in the rubber. The 

 officers of the company are Thomas A. Glennon, president; 

 Frederick J. Gleason, treasurer; and William E. Fleet, clerk. 

 The directors are Elizabeth Gleason, James F. Guilhop and 

 Charles Prinkworth. * * * 



At the annual meeting of the board of directors of the Frank- 

 lin Rubber Co., held early last month, C. T. Small, one of the 

 founders of the business in 1882, resigned the presidency because 

 of impaired health. .Asa C. Merrill was elected to fill the va- 

 cancy. Mr. Merrill has been connected with the rubber trade 

 more than thirty years, having learned the business at the old 

 Alfred Hale store on School street, associating himself with the 

 Franklin Rubber Co. nineteen years ago. Everett L. Fuller was 



Frederic C. Hood, of the Hood Rubber Co., presided at a 

 meeting and luncheon of the Associated Industries of Massa- 

 chusetts, of which he is president, when 300 members gathered 

 at Worcester, Massachusetts, March 4, to consider transportation 

 and legislative matters. This association endeavors to render 

 three distinct lines of service: first, service to the individual 

 members of the association; secondly, services which are of 

 value to manufacturers as a class ; and thirdly, it endeavors to 

 render service of a broader nature, which may be called perhaps 

 community service; finally, the association is also interested in 

 lessening the delay and cost of appeals from the decisions of 

 the industrial accident board. 



George W. Chase, one of the oldest workers in the Edgeworth 

 factory of the Boston Rubber Shoe Co., Maiden, died at his 

 home in that city, March 7, aged 61 years. He entered the em- 

 ploy of this company 41 years ago, and for many years was a 

 department foreman. 



President B. T. Martin, of Everlastik. Inc., Boston, left re- 

 cently for a trip to the Pacific Coast and will probably be gone 

 until the early part of April. 



* * * 



The Hazen-Brown Co., manufacturers of rubber cements, has 

 removed its business offices from Brockton to 727 Atlantic ave- 

 nue. Boston, Massachusetts. 



The rubber-cement factory of the Hazen-Brown Co., at Brock- 

 ton, was threatened with destruction last month when a friction 

 spark from the main bell ignited some gasoline which was being 

 used by a woman employe. Unmindful of her own danger, she 

 fought to extinguish the flames, and her efforts are said to have 

 saved the factory, though she was severely burned about the 

 head and body. 



