

THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[July 1, 1915. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN CHICAGO. 

 By Our Regular Correspondent. 



GEN nditions in the rubber trade here are somewhat 



jmpn ["he rubber clothing houses in particular re- 



port a fine business, due to the fact that so much rain has fallen 

 of late. The wet weather caught the dealers with low stocks, 

 ami tin- result was a rush such as had ti"t Keen experienced in 



* * * 



Tin In. ,\ Rubber Co. is the complaining witness 



in a suit being tried in the federal court here against a band 

 of thieves who broke open a ear filled with Firestone tires in 

 the local freight yards as it passed through the city ■ >n its way 

 to the West. The tires were discovered by detectives in the 

 home <>i one of the looters, alter thej had heen offered for sale. 



More than ten thousand advertising men recently assembled 

 in this city to attend the convention of the Associated Adver- 

 tising I lubs oi the World. One of the features of the conven- 

 tion was a grand parade, which represented an expenditure of 

 more than $100,000 for floats representing national advertisers. 

 The Firestone company had a fine float, which received great 

 applause as it passed the reviewing stand. 



* * * 



An important transaction of the month was the closing by 

 the H. W. Johns-Manville Co. of a lease for the four-story 

 building at the northeast corner of Michigan avenue and 

 Eighteenth street. The lease was for a term of years at the 

 reported aggregate rental of $310,000. The building is in the 

 center of the automobile row. in uiie of the most rapidly growing 

 sections of the city. The structure is 80 x 165 feet, and is one 

 of the finest of the kind in that part of the city. The main 

 office of the company is now located at ill North Michigan ave- 

 nue, and it also has a store and service station for automobile 

 accessories at 1428 South Michigan avenue. These two build- 

 ing- are soon to be given up. however. 



* * * 



Busim ss of all kinds was severely hampered early last week 

 strike on both the surface and elevated lines. The strike 

 was called so suddenly that there was no chance for preparation. 

 However, automobiles and "jitney" busses were soon placed in 

 operation, the additional consumption of tires in the end bene- 

 fiting the rubber trade. The strike lasted two days, during 

 which time employees of large concern- were conveyed to and 

 from work by motor trucks sent out for that purpose. 



* * * 



tin July 6 the Interstate Commerce Commission will hold a 

 meeting in this city at the Hotel La Salle, for the purpose ol 

 hearing the arguments of the western railroads on why a higher 

 rate on passenger fares ought to be granted. The increase is 

 opposed b) the rulilier men, who are working hard through their 

 various organizations to defeat the plans of the railroads, as 

 they believe the carriers are taking advantage of a wave of popu- 

 lar feeling in their favor. 



A movement i- under way for an eight-foot waterway be- 

 tween the South branch of thi ' hicago River and the Illinois 

 River. The purpose i- to establish an all-water route from the 

 o the Gulf of Mexico. Xew York concerns have 

 use of the Panama Canal, and in this 

 manner have been able to undersell Chicago firms on the Pa- 

 cific coast, owing to the fact that the water rate from Xew 

 York i- much Its- than the rail rate from (hicago, in spite of 

 the fact that thi- city is about .t thousand mile- nearer to the 

 tination. 



* * * 



At the recent convention of the National Piano Manufac- 

 turers' Association here, a movement was set on foot to organ- 

 ize the piano supply trades, among which are included the hi 



which fin rubber tubing for use in making player actions. While 

 no definite organization was formed, it was agreed that seven 

 nun should be selected to represent the supply trades at a meeting 

 to be liehl in Xew York City next February, for the purpose of 

 funning a federation of all the music trade and allied associations. 



* # * 



The rubber trade has sustained a loss in the death of M. F. 

 Salisbury, vice-president and treasurer of W. H.' Salisbury & 

 1 Inc., this city, which occurred in May. Mr. Salisbury was 

 born at Paseoag, Rhode Island, in 1831. During the early part 

 of hi- li it- In \\.i- engaged in various enterprises. He early 

 -bowed abilitj as a financier, and was sent to Honduras when a 

 young man by a group of capitalists for the purpose of super- 

 intending large mining properties. He returned from successful 

 accomplishments in this field to engage, in 1866, in the woolen 

 manufacturing industry in Massachusetts. In 1884 he joined 

 his brother, William H. Salisbury, of the above-named firm, in the 

 manufacture of leather and rubber belting and packing. He be- 

 came vice-president and treasurer of the company shortly after- 

 wards, and was an active factor in the affairs of the concern 

 until two months before his death. He is survived by a widow, 

 two sons, and a daughter. Henry II. Salisbury, his eldest son, 

 who for five years has been connected with the company, suc- 

 ceeds him as vice-president and treasurer. 



* * * 



The Chicago Belting Club is becoming an active factor in the 

 local trade and appears to be the nucleus of what may some 

 day be a more comprehensive organization among the members 

 of the rubber trade. The club, which is composed of the leading 

 belting men of the city, was formed about three years ago. The 

 meetings are held once a month, with a representative attend- 

 ance. One of the questions which absorbed the attention of 

 the members at the last meeting was the practice of some con- 

 cerns in making no charge for the installation of a belt. 



"No apology can excuse an evil practice of this kind," said 

 one of the members, in telling of the discussion of the matter 

 at the club meeting. "We feel that we are paying our men good 

 wages all day long, and that if they do a service for somebody 

 else, even a customer, we should have some sort of recompense." 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 

 By Our Regular Co-respondent. 

 ' I 'HE rubber business in this city continues good, with the 

 A factories busy anil continuing to show increases in pro- 

 duction. In tires, the combined output of the Akron factories 

 has been for some time, it is claimed, at the rate of 30.000 tires 

 a day. a total never before realized, and fully one-third greater 

 than at the same time last year. The situation in the automo- 

 bile industry is expected to influence the future production of 

 tire- to a considerable extent. It is predicted that within a 

 short time there will be only two general classes of automo- 

 biles, the high priced car and one priced at $1,200 or less — which 

 will probably result in a demand for three classes of tires, out 

 of extra high quality, another of medium price and a popular- 

 priced tire which would necessarily have to be inferior in 

 quality to the present standard. Manufacturers here are under- 



-t 1 to be making preparations to meet this expected demand. 



An employee of one of the large companies, lately returned 

 from Russia, is authority for the statement that Russia has 

 placed orders for S15.000.000 worth of automobiles in the 

 United States, the tire equipment for which is largely the 

 product of Akron factories. 



* * * 



The P. F. Goodrich Co is operating its plant day and night. 



having contracts on hand which will necessitate a production of 



11,000 tires a day for many weeks to come. This rate of 



production has been maintained since early in the year, and 



