386 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[April ":. 1915. 



ALPHONSE MAJOR. THE MAKER OF CEMENTS. 



Oigo, two young nun. who had foi a 

 long time been inseparable companions, became 

 stranded down in Texas. ' >ne ol them possessed thi rel 

 ol what he claimed to be a valuable recipe His companion 

 purchased this recipe with one of his few remaining dollars, 

 and the two young men separated to seel theii fortunes 

 single-handed. 



The new possessoi ol th< secret formula made his 

 rard by slow degrees until he reached the city of Balti 



Alphonse M NJOR. 



more. Here he purchased small quantities of a few ingre- 

 dients, and as an experiment he made the first batch of his 

 mixture in an old tomato can. 



The next day the citizens on the streets of Baltimore 

 stopped to gaze in astonishment at a young man standing 

 beside a tripod, from which was suspended a two-hundred 

 pound weight supported only by two pieces of glass cemented 

 together. This young man was Alphonse Major, and this was 

 the beginning of the Major Manufacturing Co. 



Even with this modest but novel method of introducing 

 the new product, it was not long before the qualities ol 

 Major's Cement became recognized, and he was soon able 

 to establish a small shop for its manufacture at 232 William 

 street, Xew York City. 



For some time Mr. Major manufactured only cement for 

 china, glass, etc. But one day he received an order for rubber 

 cement, which, of course, he did not have. However, the 

 suggestion caused him to investigate, and he learned that 

 rubber cement was then coming into great demand. Accord- 

 ingly, he began the manufacture of this product, and it was 

 received with such favor by the trade that he followed it 

 a short time later by the addition of gutta percha cement. Mr. 

 Major began the manufacture of rubber cement in 1878; - 1" 

 has now been engaged in this branch of his business 37 yeai 

 In addition to a large domestic trade he ship- considerable quan- 

 tities of his rubber cement every year to Canada and Europe 



Alphonse Major, a native of I anada, was born in 1S4S. and 

 despite his sixty-six years, he is still the active head of the 

 concern which bears his name, and which is now located at 

 4ril Pearl street. Xew York City. 



Like the name of many another American product. Major's 

 I ement lias become a household word. The little blue por- 

 celain advertising signs are to be seen in almost everj town 

 in the country. 



Mr. Major is still active as the head of his sales organiza- 

 tion and personallj calls upon the trade. His rubber cement, 

 which, lie points out is made of the finest Para rubber, has 

 found a wide use in milliner} and hat manufactories, as well 

 as in other lines well known to all rubber men. The leather 

 cement, the principal ingredient of which is gutta percha. 

 is widelj used in the manui ictun of boots and shoes, as. 

 well as in other lines. 



A BUSY MONTH FOR THE RUBBER CONTROL 

 COMMITTEE. 



JV /I KM I'.KKSl 1 1 P on the Rubber Control Committe* of the 

 *'*■ Rubber Club of America is no sinecure. The dependence 

 of the continued operation of American mills on the free ship- 

 ment of rubber from London and the necessity, in order to 

 maintain these shipments, of having the guarantees required by 

 the British Government carried out in good faith, have made 

 the labors of this committee constant and arduous. Six meet- 

 ing of the committee were held during March and the various, 

 questions arising from the present situation wi dered. 



and disposed of. The great amount of work involved in get- 

 ting the necessary rubber supplies for American mills has neces- 

 sitated a substantial increase in the Rubber Club's office facili- 

 ties and staff. The secretary's official force now comprises a 

 considerable number of assistants, and in view of the rapidity 

 with which this organization has been brought together, its 

 work is remarkably efficient. 



Mere is a brief summary of some of the more important 

 matters that were taken up and passed upon by the committee 

 ■ luring March: 



It was decided that the case marks appearing on rubber guar- 

 antees that were filed with the Control Committee must in alL 

 cases correspond with the marks on the bills of lading; that in 

 transactions between dealers the marks on the different guar- 

 antees should be uniform throughout, and that the only guaran- 

 tees which would be accepted by the committee would be the 

 official printed forms as prepared by the British Foreign Office. 



In view of the extra cost of handling the work of the certifica- 

 tion of the guarantees, and the various details connected there- 

 with, it was decided to make the price for certification 6 cents 

 per case instead of 2 cents per case as announced February 13. 



An official form has been prepared, for the use of manufac- 

 turers, for filing with the British Consul General particulars of 

 shipments to non-European neutral countries. 



The Rubber Club, through the Rubber i oniro! Committee, 

 has been in correspondence with the Rubber Exports Committee, 

 of London, in reference to the granting of permit- for shipment 

 of rubber to the United States, and other matter- affecting the 

 rubber trade of the United States over which the Rubber Ex- 

 ports < ommittee lias jurisdiction. 



Arrangements have been made whereby forwarding agents 

 with London connections can take charge of th< forwarding, 

 via London, of goods for shipment to neutral European coun- 

 tries, and secure in London the proper licenses for tran- 

 shipment. 



The committee is keeping close watch for possible exports of 

 crude rubber in violation of the guarantees, and is exercising 

 every care to have these guarantees lived up to, in letter as 

 well as in spirit. And it may be added that as far as can be 

 learned, manufacturers and importers are heartily co-operating 

 in this matter. 



Sir Richard Crawford, special commissioner attached to the 

 I'.ritisli Embassy at Washington, met with the Rubber Control 

 Committee on March 23. and expressed his appri iation of the 

 efforts of the Rubber Club of America in meeting the situation, 

 and congratulated the club on its efficient work in carrying oul 

 tin provisions of the guarantees. 



