28 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[i ii tober 1. 1914. 



ile war which is invi i at nations 



of Eui 



"As Cor tin.- Unit Co., ] cannot speak very 



definitely at present, as I have onlj been able ito its 



1 matters connected therewith cursorily since my ar- 

 rival, but I am very glad to say that I have found affairs in 

 practically as good condition as when 1 went abroad, winch, of 

 course, is highl I went abroad, 1 made 



special and arrangements for the importation of a ship- 



load of crude rubber from Singapore, to be delivered in this 

 r the United States Rubber Co. should the emergency 

 require it. It was further arranged, in order to be upon the 

 side, that the ship carrying this cargo was to sail under 

 the American flag. At the present time, however, it does not 

 .i to me that it will be necessarj to complete the arrange- 

 in the Sin deal, 



"1 believe that the war is to be of long duration and that 

 nothing that the world has seen since the fall of Rome can 

 compare with the present war in any particular. It is absolutely 

 necessary, therefore, i" be on the alert at all times to take full 

 advantage of all business conditions and situations and to con- 

 i all the forces p< ssibh tu meet am exigencies. The general 

 conditions, not only in this country but throughout the world, 

 should naturally produce a good season's business, and there is 

 no doubt to my mind that we must certainly reap the benefit, 

 although, oi course, we must expect that there will be a greater 

 or less advance in prices all along the line." 



The Davol Rubber Co., of this city, is operating its plant ta 

 nearly full capacity, about 85 to 90 per cent, of its force being 

 now at work. Orders from Europe are exceedingly scarce at 

 this time, the company not having had any calls direct from 

 Europe in nearly three months. They have, however, been ship- 

 ping a small amount of goods to China. Japan and South 

 America. 



"The principal effect of the European situation upon our busi- 

 ness," said an official of the company, "is the high price of 

 colors, talc and antimony, large quantities of which are imported. 

 We have a limited supply of these materials on hand and are 

 investigating domestic sources and have much encouragement 

 that the deficiency may be met through such channels. As large 

 quantities of these materials are necessary in the mixing of the 

 rubber for our productions, we are especially concerned in this 

 direction. Our manufactures include varied lines of rubber 

 goods utilized in druggists', medical and surgical work, and it is 

 only natural to suppose that these departments will be unusually 

 stimulated. This is to be better understood from the fact that 

 much of the surgical rubber supplies aboard the steamer 'Red 

 Cross' was made by the Davol company, but was not shipped 

 from the factory direct to the vessel." 



The plant of the Bourn Rubber Co., this city, is being operated 

 to full capacity at this time, and the outlook is reported to be 

 very good. Reports from their agents in all sections of the 

 country indicate that business is certain to be good from now on, 

 if not better than a year ago, from the fact that retailers sold 

 down so dose last winter and spring. The wire department is 

 also very busy, having large orders on hand. 



The Revere Rubber Co.'s plant on Valley street is furnishing 

 employment for about 75 per cent, of its capacity during the day 

 time, working on a five-day schedule, closing down entirely on 

 Saturdays. At the outbreak of the war it terminated its night 

 shift and has not since resumed it. 



The following is a list of all corporations, concerns and in- 

 dividuals connected with the rubber industry in this city that are 

 assessed for $50,000 or more, together with the valuation placed 

 upon their property by the Board of Tax Assessors, according 

 to the report just tiled with the City Treasurer: 



American Multiple Eabric Co., $94,880; Joseph Banigan estate, 



$1,004,380; Joseph Banigan Rubber Co., $160,100; Augustus O. 

 Bourn, of Bristol, $113,640; Bourn Rubber Co., $147,000; Mary 

 i Banigan, widow oi John J. Banigan, $53,300; Samuel 1'. 

 Colt, i i Bri tol, $210,100; Davol Rubber Co., $400,000; Glendale 

 I- l.i-i n Fabric Co., $175,400; Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing 

 i 1,440; VIechanical Fabric Co., $389,740; New England 

 Butt i I! I 120; Samuel M, Nicholson, $199,600; Nicholson 



File Co., $706,880; Rhode Maud Hospital Trust Co., trustee 

 under the will of Joseph Davol, $450,000; Revere' Rubber Co., 

 $1,443,780; Henry D. Sharpe, $523,520; l.ucian Sharp,, $319,880; 



nited States Mill Supply Co., $57,340. 



The tax assessors oi the towns of Bristol and East Providence 

 have recently filed their annual levies for the year, and the 

 following are among the larger taxpayers. In Bristol, Col. 

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

 the largest individual taxpayer, his tax this year being $2,852.55 

 on property valued at $1,924,860. The Bristol list includes: 

 Augustus O. Bourn, assessed on $265,000; Sarah F. Bourn, 

 $140,000; Le Baron B. Colt and wife, $90,000; Consumers' Rub- 

 ber Co., $124,000; National India Rubber Co., $5,016,000. 



The East Providence list includes: American Electrical Works, 

 $638,500; Eugene R. Phillips, $22,235; Washburn Wire Co., 

 $380,516. 



* * * 



Substantial improvements have been made at the south en- 

 trance to the factory of the National India Rubber Co., at 

 Bristol, where a new pavement of block stone has been laid to 

 resist the encroachments of the heavy teaming. 



Frank B. Wilson, of the clerical department at the National 

 factory, is to be a candidate for Town Treasurer in Bristol. 



* * * 



The Killingly Manufacturing Co.. at Killingly. Connecticut, 

 operated by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., of Akron, for the 

 manufacture of especially heavy auto tire fabrics, has been in- 

 stalling considerable new machinery purchased in this city, 

 which is expected to increase the output of the plant fully 30 

 per cent. The plant was first opened about fifteen months ago 

 by the Killingly Cotton Manufacturing Co., but was later taken 

 over by the present occupants, who have removed all the old 

 machinery and replaced it with new and special machines. It is 

 the only plant of its kind in this section of the country. 



* * * 



The City Council of Woonsocket has voted the money for the 

 work upon the new footbridge across the Blackstone river, from 

 Constitution Hill to Fairmount street, and the work has already 

 been commenced thereon. This bridge will accommodate the 

 hundreds of operatives who are employed in the Woonsocket 

 Rubber Co. and other large mill plants in that section. 



The factory of the International Rubber Co., at West Bar- 

 rington. is being operated at present on the schedule of four 

 da\ s a week. 



R. S. Emerson, of this city, has recently become agent of the 

 Consumers' Rubber Co., at Bristol. 



John Baker, formerly a department foreman at the factory of 

 the Bourn Rubber Co., this city, and for many years previously 

 department foreman on rubber coats at the National India Rubber 

 Co., died at the City Hospital in this city- recently of tuberculosis 

 at the age of 56 years. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CHICAGO. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



THE rubber trade of Chicago is a little quiet, a fact attrib- 

 utable, according to local merchants, to the indirect in- 

 fluence of the war, a certain depression having been created 

 which tends to inspire economies and to diminish expenditures. 

 Much tiling business is being placed with the rubber firms of 



