2aHS$85 KI .W \i.ib-4a. /9o 9- 10 /hen You Entrust Your Work to Me ,,, ;l|1 i are the only ones that know about Yon secrets do not go to your ■ eompeti- i'ne work I do lor you is for you . RED'K J. MAYWALD, F. C. S., CONSULTING CHEMIST, 1 Pino St. 'Phone, S23 John. New York TABLE OF CONTENTS 36 BUYERS' DIRECTORY 52 <* NOT A RAIN COAT UNLESS THIS CIRCULAR REGISTERED Edited by HENRY C. PEARSON— Offices, No. 395 Broadway, NEW YORK. Vol. XLI. No.: OCTOBER 1, 1909. 35 CENTS. $3.00 Per Year. $3.50 Abroad. 3 x o CO? i/» \%0% CONTINENTAL RUBBER CO. THE LARGEST PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD Regular Brands "CIRCLE" "TRIANGLE" "SQUARE" "TORREON" Other Grades Produced to Suit Special Needs in Rubber Manufacture EXECUTIVE OFFICES No. Ill Broadway, New York, N. Y., U. S. A. factory: TORREON, MEXICO European Agents— WM. SOMERVILLE'S SONS, 9 New Broad St., London, E. C. OS O °9 O 3 0) » LAMPBLACKS ESPECIALLY FOR RUBBER MANUFACTURE SAMUEL CABOT, BOSTON, MASS. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [October i, 1909. MARK OF OUALmr ESTABLISHED 1854 SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO EXPORT BUSINESS. CORRESPONDENCE AND rNtttnRIES SOLICITED. The Canadian Rubber Co. of Montreal MANUFACTURERS OF LI/VIITED ALL KINDS OF HIGH GRADE GENERAL RUBBER GOODS AND SOLE MAKERS OF THE Celebrated "CANADIAN" Rubbers We are alwaya open to correspond with experienced Rubber men, both for Factory and Executive Work. D. LORNE McOIBBON. Factory and Executive Offices: inTentiona kindred to me Trade and Ideas for development, InTlted. MfkNTDF/ll D fl Onr Development Department gives iquniKLHL, I~. \g, thMe matte „ 9peC | a i .ttentlon. Canadian Sale* Branches HALIFAX, N. S., MONTREAL, Qua., TORONTO, Ont., WINNIPEC, Man., RECINA, SASK , CALGARY, Alta., VANCOUVER, B. C, VICTORIA, B. C. J. C. NICHOLSON, M. C. MTTLLABKY, R. J. TOTJNOE, LEONARD D. SHAW, ▼ice-Prea. Jc Managing Director. Manager Mechanical Goods. Manager Footwear Dept. Sales Manager. Sect.- Treat. B. LOWENTHAL ®. COMPANY SSJSS" ittVltSttSr "* but and sell croAp PTTRRFP AKRON, 504 Hamilton Bid*. IN ANY GRADE JVlXAI IXVilllJLiX NEW YORK, 48 1 Washington St. CHICAGO. 162 5tn Annue. AKRON. 504 Hamilton Bldg. Cable Address "Gyblowell" New York. Lieber's Code Used. Telephone: 8300 Spring. BUY AND SELL IN ANY GRADE IN ANY QUANTITY "FREE FROM HARMFUL SUBSTANCES" >^PRO% O \r ra 1 PHILADELPHIA, PA. Mills: GERMANTOWN AND KENSINGTON "MERCER BRAND" RECLAIMED RUBBER CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED Unadulterated Corn Oil Substitute for Rubber USED WITH BEST RESULTS IN MANY PROMINENT RUBBER MILLS CORN PRODUCTS REFINING CO., 26 N f w yoRit ADOLF»H HIRSCH lator, with the idea that the Amazon river, the sole chan- nel by which "Para" rubber could reach the market, was capable >>i being "bottled up." Seize the whole output, and the trade could lie controlled: then every buyer would he ai the mercy of the bold operator. Bu "make good" on this proposition, it was necessary to buy, buy, buy — while a production up-river, which never he measured in advance, was coming in at an in- convenient rate. And one day the last straw broke the camel's back; there was no more money with which to bin . There might have been monej --till at command, but rubber is not SO thoroughly a necessity as some pi have described it; the masses will not buy even over- shoes if they become too costly. So the -peculation based upon the idea of controlling all the Amazon rubber, be- cause people would be obliged to buy it in the end. failed, and prices again dropped temporarily to almost nothing, strengthening the idea that "when rubber goes up, it must come down again." Meanwhile, rubbers from elsewhere than the Amazon had appeared in such quantities, and had been utilized to such an extent, as to rob South America of its old- time primacy. And this latter condition still prevails, as illustrated in the growing output from plantations in the bar East. This observation is pertinent here, however. only as showing the futility of trying to "bottle up" the Amazon. The third and lasl great "coup" attempted in the Para market seems to have been based neither upon lessons learned from the former episodes, nor upon an) other discernible reason than that it was intended only as a pure "gamble" of a day. Rubber had fallen to the lowest figure for \ears. and America was not buying heavily. It had been declining steadily; why not assume that it would decline further? Hence exceptionally heavy "short stiles." at prices lower than were actually quoted during the v ear - -i. e. at 2s. <)d.. when lower than 2s. '<n river, has become a great factor in railway developmenl beyond the Mississippi. 1'h- basis of all this i- tl perity of the trans- Mississippi fanner, no less than of the farmer this side of the great river — a class who. within a generation, were appealed to by political dei a mortgagi idden clas-. Toda) the\ hav< become lord- of the -oil. heavy depositor-, in hank-, and the dominant factor in life in many states. These farmers, and the city populations supported by their industry — in spite of the growth of the east— -are doubling the purchasing power of the country, for rubber goods a- well a- other commodities. Where stage coaches of the "Wild West" type ran through un- inhabited wastes not so lo . . railways now connect prosperous villages and populous cities, all surrounded by farm-, every one of which calls for some rubber goods year, even if every farmer does not yet own an automobile. The rubber goods manufacture still abides in the- east — for even Akron is very far east to the Pacific coasters — and this condition may long continue, but the product of tin- industry yearly becomes more widespread, and it is not too much to claim that the first indications of im- provement in the rubber trade after the depression of two years ago were revealed in the revival of a demand for goods from what was so recently described in the maps as the Great American Desert. It is only natural, in view of these conditions, and of the unexampled crops now being gathered, that rubber should go up to $2. This is an abnormal price, of course, and not to be regarded as permanent, but a tremendous acreage of rubber must be planted yet, and become pro- ductive, before the price of 25 cents, which Mr. Shepard remembers, can be seen again. The American farm de- mand for automobiles alone is enough to prevent an early return to low prices for rubber, for while the new demand for tires is developing makers of them feel obliged to keep supplied with rubber, without regard to prices. THREE HUNDRED TONS A MONTH NOW. Cultivated rubber as yet plays no real part in the world's markets, not more than 100 tons having yet come into consumption in any one year. — The Hon. WILLIAM M. IVINS, in The American Monthly Review of Reviews, July. 1907. IN dealing with plantation rubber on any broad scale, the question is not so much what has been, but what i- now, and what is reasonably in prospect. Ten years ago Mr. Ivins, for a long time widely informed in re- lation to crude rubber, could have pointed out that no "cultivated rubber" — not even one ton — figured in the world's markets. But would Mr. Ivins's legally trained mind have argued from this fact that the planting of rub- ber was impracticable? Yet his widely circulated maga- zine article of only two years ago, from which a quota- tion i- given above, did much lo support the doubters, then still numerous, whether rubber could be produced -ii a practical basis otherwise than from forest sources. The presenl article is not argumentative, but a brief summary of present-day facts. As indicated in the news department of this issue, the offerings from Straits and Ceylon plantations alone, at the London rubber auctions alone, within a single month, aggregated no less than 262 ton-. Nor was this the result of an unusual aggre- gation of plantation rubber. It represented the current receipts from a considerable number of plantations, all making shipments frequently, if not regularly, and all shipping at a steadily increasing rate. For the corre- sponding period in 1908 the offerings at the London auc- tions were only 69 tons. A year hence it is not un- reasonable to expect that the same plantations — and others nearing the productive period — will be repre- sented bv double the amount of rubber now credited October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD to the Straits and Ceylon month by month. At the same time rubber from other plantations is appearing in other markets than London. Whatever may have been the case when Air. Ivins's article was written, cultivated rubber plays a very "real part in the world's markets" today. The mere quantity is a factor which cannot be ignored, but the trade is con- fronted with a much broader consideration. Whether manufacturers, importers and brokers have considered the question fully, it has made an impression in the producing centers of the Amazon and in Africa — that the future of their trade depends to no small extent upon their capacity to produce rubber which will rival in clean- liness the plantation grades from the Far East. Other- wise, the industry will demand plantation rubber. It is true that The India Rubber World has sounded a warning against the feverish promotion of rubber plan- tation companies. But what has been objected to in these pages is not the planting of more rubber ; the thing to be guarded against is putting money into companies formed primarily for other purposes than rubber cultivation. RUBBER IN FIRE FIGHTING. THE use of india-rubber in connection with apparatus for fighting fire deserves largely more attention than it receives, as a rule, at the hands of those who at- tempt to show what becomes of the world's large and growing production of this important material. One hears on every hand that rubber costs more today than formerly because of the increasing production of tires, which appears reasonable in view of the great number of automobiles to be seen everywhere. Or the increas- ing use of rubber for insulation purposes may be sug- gested by those familiar with the growth in the uses of electricity. And so on, through a long list of rubber- consuming interests. But who has written anything on the manufacture of fire hose as a factor in the constant drain on crude rubber supplies ? Important and comprehensive as were the pioneer works by Goodyear and Hancock — dealing with so many practical applications of india-rubber already accom- plished or foreseen — one looks in vain through these vol- umes for the slightest suggestion of rubber fire hose. It was not. indeed, until after these fathers of the industry ha< roBER i. 1909. Brazil at once." The Times heads an article "Rubber Prices Still Soar." ["he sides mes's rubber editor must be still sore from laughing ovei how he has outdistanced all rs in sizing up the rubber market situation. The mscoveri 01 hi ' Poli has given risi to 1 contro between rival explorers as i" their respective honors in the matter, .ill of which is outside the scope "f ["he India Ri b World li ma; be permitted, however, to express satisfac tion that the m 'bus brought to the knowledge of the world can hardly be utilized by the professional rubber-planting prbmi field for mapping out new plantatii That ver' 1 cellent and 1 -1 ■■.! 1 \ vcci rate magazine, The Automobile, ui mber id, not only skids badlj but completely turns turtle when it comes to a description of the preparation, of rubbei F01 tii manufacture, ^fter a preliminary, in wl fs that the proi ol a long one, or compli- cated, it goes on: "The crude rubber is cleaned, sulphur added -Hid then baked into a unit by the application of heat. The cleaning process is called curing and it is in this part that the ilu truth is, the cleaning process 1- called wash- ing; thi ■ ■■ process is called baking or vulcanizing. In the process of curing by he; ed I v the past the oxidized oils, the cheaper gums, the asphalts and earth waxes ha\ it use in rubber compounding re rubber is used with either a fabric insertion or backing, which precludes stretch, but leaves plasticity, they have all been useful in displacing a certain amount of crude rubber. So much been done in adopting various plastics to rubber compound- ing that one wonder- it' much more cannot be accomplished. Suppose, fot example, cellulose could he produced in such form that it would make a cheap, strong, lasting friction, what a wide use it would find and what a lot of rubber ii would dis- With crude rubber higher than before* is not some such product about d SUCCESSFUL RUBBER PAVEMENT. Jl'S I I 1 wonderful lasting qualitj of india-rubber in pavements, it is interesting to noti a Scottish instance. Thirty years ago the North British Rubber Co., Limited, paved the whole sidewalk 111 front of their warehouse on Prino • street, Edinburgh, a very busy thoroughfare, with rubber. The walk was u feet widi and thi -lore front 50 feet. About a month ago, to carry out their agreement with the city, as they were vacating the- premises, the rubber pavement was removed and regular city pavement substituted, Careful examination of the rubber failed to detect the slightest sign of wear. The surface was no where oxidized and it seemed to be absolutely unaffected by the elements or by the millions who bad passed over it. THE FIRST ATLANTIC CABLE. T'HE celebration of the centennial of the laying of the 1 Atlantic cable of 1858 was the occasion of .1 papei ol -oine length on thi- subject, in The Electrical World 1 August 22, 1908), by Mr. William Mayer, Jr.. which has lately drawn a lettei of criticism from Mr. Charles Bright, To the latter Mr. Mayer makes reply in The Electrical World (August tq. 1909), in an article filling more than four pages. It does not appear that the two distinguished con- tributors named hav< don. anything to settle the question whether England or America is entitled to greater ere. lit for the first accomplishment of transatlantic cable laying. In other words. Mr. Mayer, the American, and Mr. Bright, the Britisher, has each convinced himself on this point, and not each other. The controversy is hardly one for review- in these columns, but Mr. Mayer's last paper is of special interest from bis liberal quotations from an important | en -eeii in iwad.iv - "Report of The Joint Committee appointed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and the At- lantic Telegraph Company to inquin into 'In Construction of Submarine Cables; together with the Minutes of Evid and Appendix. Presented to both Hou P rliament by command of Her Majesty. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, Printers to Her Majesty's Stationery Office. [861, [] I ol Pp. xi. iv 519 ■ plates.]" WHITING FOUND IN MEXICO. ' I ' 1 1 1: discover} 1- reported of an important deposit of •*• whiting, in the Mexican state of Canipecbe. Tin story is that it was found while a well was being drilled on a henequen (sisal) plantation on the Champion Ri miles above the town of Champton. For developing this discovery the International Whiting and Fibre Co has been incorporated, at Mobile. Alabama, with $000,000 capital \V. II. Bell, of Yicksburg. Mississippi, is president, and J. T. Burke, of Mobile, vice-president. A refining plant has been established at Mobile, at a cost of $10,000. The India k World is advised : "From expert tests, we have the best whiting for the COm- po nan of rubber that has ever been used, as its extreme natural fineness and silkiness gives it a density that other similar articles on the market are unequal to. < >ur deposit contains an approximate amount of 2.000.000 tons, accessibli to good and easy transportation." Mr. Bell is quoted by The Mexican Herald as saying: "The product differs from the English whiting in that it 1- found on our property in a decomposed state and is almost lit for its. at the time it is taken from the ground. The I'm product is found in the form of a very hard bun -ton,, and thus the cost of refining and treating it is far more than will be the cost accruing to our work." The United States, during the fiscal year 1906-07; ii ported [,858,339 pounds of whiting and Paris white', mainly from England and France. The duty was '., cent per pound, which rate is maintained under the new Tariff act. RUBBER FACTORIES IN AUSTRALIA. THllli Barnet Class Rubber Co., Limited, of Melbourne, lave ■I erected new and larger buildings, t" enable them to handle conveniently their growing trade. The new premises, situated in Swan-ton street, Melbourne, have been laid out in the most modern style. The firm referred to were the pioneer rubber manufacturers in Australia. As B. Glass & Son they had been interested in the india-rubber trade for twenty years, including tin manufacture of mackintoshes from imported materials, when some ten years ago | mt The India Rubber Won i>. December 1. 1809 — page 80] they opened a factory for proofing cloth and for making \. 11 ions lines of rubber goods, including bicycle tires. The company to-day are making tires of their own. in addition to which th.y are agents for the Michelin tires. Then are now two rubber manufacturing companies in Australia, the Dunlop company having entered the field a little later. Figures are not available showing the imports of crude rubber into Australia, but these details may be of interest. _ Exports from Great Britain to Australia for live years have been : Years 1904 1005 1006 1907 1908 Tounds 394.688 341,488 616.448 681,184 706,832 t eylon exported direct to Vustralia in 1908 over .^9.000 pounds of home-grown rubber. October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD New York Fire Engine, 1785. Built on the English model, by 1 1 >ne of the first made in America. ] ac 'li I'' 1 ' 'Tin 1 "Amoskeag* Steam Fire Engine (Double Plunger), i [The first manufacture of steam fire engines in America, begun at Man- chester, New Hampshire, in 1S59.] Rubber Fire Hose Forty Years Ago. A DISTINCT new epoch in municipal fire fighting was just starting forty years ago — a step in progress with which is connected one of the most interesting chap- ters in the history of the india-rubber industry. The subject is brought to the mind of the writer through his having come across files of a journal devoted to fire department interests* which was started at the beginning of 1869 and went out of existence on December 31 of that year. Hence the reference to a period just forty years ago. The Metropolitan Fire Department, in Xew York, and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, in London, had recently been or- ganized, both based upon practically the same ideas, the principal of which was the substitution of paid firemen for volunteer services. The merits of the two systems were hotly discussed, and paid departments came into vogue only gradually. They were adopted in Brooklyn and in Philadel- phia during 1869, and wherever adopted the change made eas- ier the introduction of improved fire apparatus, in which rubber hose was to prove so important a factor. "Not the least among the progressive steps made during the past few years," said this fireman's journal in 1869. "has been the substitution of the steam fire engine in the place of the comparatively inefficient apparatus formerly in use." At that time steam fire engines had been in the market for just ten years, the largest manufacturer having produced only ,?j8 machines, less than 200 designed to be drawn by horses and the others, of lighter weight, to be drawn by men. It is worth quoting here that in 1869 Captain Eyre M. Shaw, head of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade of London, visited the I'uited States on a tour of study, and on his return was reported by the London press as regarding it "a very singu- lar and unaccountable fact" that the use of hand-worked en- gines was being ignored in American cities, instead of being retained for use in connection with the steam engines. Lon- don then had 2$ steam and 80 hand-worked engines. An illustration on this page relates to the first, or one of the first, "fire engines" built in Xew York; formerly they were all imported. This particular engine was the first used in Brooklyn, and was built in 1785, at a cost of £150 [= about $750]. It differed little in appearance from the first engine used in New York, imported in 17.30, and differed less in principle from the fire-fighting machines in vogue up to the era of steam engines. These early engines were operated without any hose. Water was poured into them from buck- ets, and forced out through a metal pipe by means of a pump. The apparatus illustrated had 180 gallons capacity and a 6- foot pipe with J^-inch nozzle, through which water could be discharged 60 feet. It was 76 years before Brooklyn had a steam engine. Leathern hose or pipes had been used earlier in London. An enactment in Queen Anne's reign (1708) mentions such hose in connection with fire apparatus, but probably little of it was used in America until a century later. But by 1869 a vast amount of leather hose was employed by the 120 fire departments in this country. No less than eight firms adver- tised leather hose in the journal under review. When Brook- lyn's paid fire department took shape an official report says that the hose — leather — "was found to be in a very ques- tionable condition. Whether new or old, merely nominal attention had been paid to the greasing or repairing of it. and instead of wearing out in actual service much of it was in a form to fall to pieces from corrosion and neglect." No doubt this would have applied to leather fire hose in general. The Xew York department took up rubber — or. rather, "combination" — hose in earnest just before 1869. By August of that year it had purchased "over 55.000 feet" of the pat- ented mildew-proof hose of the "Maltese Cross" brand, the manufacturers of which were beginning to find a market for 'The Fireman's Journal, edited first by Fred J. Miller, and later by William C. Lewis, No. 34 Liberty street, "New York. "Amoskeag" Steam Fire Engine, 1909. [These machines are now built by International Tower Co. (Boston). The machine illustrated has rubber tires.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [October i, 1900. 1 11, selling on an it n as stated, 1,000 feet a da) 1 '.<- product was advertised as "the only that will -land thi ire and severe tests of steam fin nent engines without bursting or sweat- ing." The New York fire underwriters rei mended this hi " d by the United Si I her rubber manufacturers were not slo iming into the market from this time on. The superiority of the steam in vas so marked that cities and towns ceased to any other, while the leather hose had to give way to ler or "combination" brands on the modern engines. There were disputes over the hose patents naturally, but they need not be detailed lure. The various makers adver- 111 the fireman's paper weri th Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. and the Combination Rubber Co., both of Xew York — combination hose; Xew York Belting and Pack- Co. and the National Rubber Co.— rubber hose; Post, Herkner & Co.— rubber hose and rubber cotton-lined hose; James Boyd & Co. — patent cotton hose; and the Grenoble hemp fire hose. Janus Boyd & Co., by the way. were still offering leather hose, of which they had been makers for 50 years. C. M. Clapp i\ Co., so long prominent in the Boston rubber goods trade, advertised both leather and rubber hose. Among other rtisers not already named here were A. C. Eddy & Co., Providence, and the Rubber Clothing Co., of New York, ffi ring firemen's rubber coats and caps. Two other rubber men remain to be mentioned in these reminiscences. The Allerton Iron Works Manufacturing Co., of Naugatuck, Connecticut, were beginning to build fire engines, and George M. Allerton, Sr., of the "Goodyear Glove'' company, was urer of this corporation, and Edward L. Perry, still engaged in the rubber industry, contributed an article on the hose patent situation The pag< - of this paper devoted much space to new in- ventions, in a field then practically new — improvements in engines, hose couplings, nozzles, rubber respirators, and so An Automobile Eire Engine, 1909. [This is the "Pioneer" type, made by the Waterous Engine YYi :k^ Cu., St. Paul, Minnesota.] on. John Raddin's patent elastic wheel is recommended for fire engines, and velocipedes (bicycles). It was con- structed with a rubber cushion at either end of every spoke ■ — one cushion at the hub and the other inside the felloe, the tire being steel, of course. By the way, several firemen's clubs were mentioned as having formed velocipede clubs. c. D. FROST. An official of the Michelin Tire Co. stated recently that high speed road and track contests have done more than any- thing else to bring pneumatic tires to their present high state of efficiency. He referred to the well-known fact that automobiles had been perfected by developing their weak . points in open competitions of all kinds, to remedy which manufacturers were forced or encouraged to improve their product, and stated that the same spirit of rivalry and the same desire to produce the best had in the past stirred the tire makers to equally serious effort. NEW YORK'S LATEST SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PIKE ENGINE SYSTEM lllilll PRESSURE, 1909. October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD The Coming Rubber Congress at Manaos. IN connection with an announcement of a "Congresso In- dustrial Seringuero," to be held in the Acre district, a short time ago, The India Rubber World (August 1, 1909 — page 397), mentioned that a rubber congress to be held later at Manaos was also in prospect. It is too early yet to present here a report of the meeting in the Acre during August. But that the merchants and the producers of rub- ber up the Amazon are deeply interested in the improvement in industrial and commercial conditions in their region is indicated by the scope of the preparations under way for the Manaos conference, which has been called under the auspices of the Associagao Commercial do Amazonas. The objects of the proposed meeting and the tentative programme may best be shown by giving here in full a translation of a communica- tion appearing in the important newspaper, A Provincia do Para. "In accordance with the provisions of our by-law?, we are going to hold a Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural Con- gress in this city in February, 1910, one destined to be an eloquent exponent of the Amazon basin, both as regards the interests of Brazil itself and the countries bordering on the state of Amazonas. "Both the intervening distances separating us and the exist- ing physiographical conditions seemed to make a work of this magnitude impossible of realization, a work that has always been hampered by rivalry and undue caution. "But everything is now different. We have grown so large that we no longer fear to be absorbed by others. Each one has its own sphere of influence. In these latter days a wise foreign policy affords Brazil the opportunity of peacefully delimiting its extreme frontier lines. Finally, new treaties of commerce and navigation complete the patriotic and en- during work to which the second Baron do Rio Branco dedicated his activities and talents as a statesman, in remov- ing the last traces of our ancient controversies. "There is therefore no reason why Para, Matto Grosso, and the cis-Andine region, embracing Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela, should not also be represented at our con- gress. It is manifest that when brought face to face in this way they cannot but be moved by the desire of knowing one another better, of strengthening more firmly their community of interests, of studying and solving in unison their economic problems, their native products, their industries, agriculture, and commerce, beset witli surprises and discouragements. "The honor of presiding over the congress falls by right to his excellency, the governor of the state of Amazonas. The Federal government, Para, Matto Grosso, and each of the neo-Spanish countries above mentioned will undoubtedly be officially represented at the congress. There will be a repre- sentative of the National Agricultural Society, and one from the Para Agricultural Society. We count upon the attend- ance of the commercial associations of Para, Parintins, and Itacoatiara, the Amazon Agricultural Society, the Gceldi mu- seum, the Chamber of Commerce and Geographical Society of Iquitos, the Association for Geographical and Scientific Study of Rivera Alta, the Geographical and Colonial Devel- opment Society of Cobija (Bolivia), the state municipalities and their superintendents, the proprietors of rubber planta- tions, the regular press, and above, all the national and foreign journals especially dedicated to the subject of India- rubber, the one question which will be first and foremost at this congress. In furtherance of this purpose there will be a small exposition held in connection with the congress, with a garden of practical demonstration, of the planting of the Hevea Brasiliensis. "In subsequent congresses such subjects a- the nuts, food plants, and sugar and cattle industries will be taken up. "From the instructions published below it will be seen that the three groups of themes to be discussed are commerce, the extractive industries, and agriculture. Among them are comprehended, so far as possible, the elements requisite for the study and solution of the principal questions that so fundamentally concern the economic life of the Amazonian regions. "We are confident therefore that the able editor of the A Provincia do Para will lend his assistance in our work of -■•king closer regional affiliation, by opening the colums of his well edited journal to the propaganda, and to giving a clearer understanding of the objects of our congress of 1910. "JOAQUIN GONCALVES D'ARAUJO, Vice-President." "Manaos, July 6, [909." * * * [The paragraphs which follow constitute a circular which forms part of the communication above quoted from.] The sessions of the Regional Congress will continue for four days — February 23 to 26, 1910. The opening session will be on the 22d and the closing one on the 27th. The following subjects will be discussed: Commerce. — Development of commerce in the extreme North of Brazil and in the cis-Andine neo-Spanish territory; statistics and tables of imports and exports; the question of long haul freight, coast and river steamers; what changes are to be made in the existing relations between financial backers, producers, and exporters; what would be the best way of establishing among the factors above mentioned a system of reciprocal rights and duties, assuring free and inde- pendent action to each one of them; what would be the advan- tages of "warrants" in this respect; mortgaging the crops: the discounting of bills of exchange at a moderate rate of interest, the syndicates, etc.; the abuse of credit, ways of minimizing its bad effects; retrospective glance at its influence in commercial crises in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as abroad; is any agreement possible between the buyer and seller in the way of rules governing the acceptance and pay- ment of drafts, accounts current, and the legalizing of mer- chandise purchase-memos. at maturity; long haul river- and coastwise navigation; measures to be taken for cheapening freights and the reaching of reasonable understanding be- tween carriers and ship owners; how far can the protection of the government and the intervention of private capital go in this respect; will not the clearing of river courses and channel cutting solve in a large measure the scarcity of freight and the problem of more rapid river communication; methods of developing the merchant marine and the coast- wise steamer traffic in the Amazon valley. Products of the Soil.— Will planting perhaps be the surest way of making solid and enduring the primacy of the Amazon rubber in the market of the consumers? What methods should be employed to demonstrate to producers that the value of their property will be increased more by planting rubber, thus rendering their profit more certain and less sub- ject to speculation in the markets of the consumers? Are there any new methods of coagulating and perparing rubber? Is there any advantage in the replanting of caoutchouc? Is the area devoted to this purpose still of great extent? What is the approximate area in the three states of the Amaz. n. the territory of Acre and the cis-Andine neo-Spanish terri- 8 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD I l IER I. ItJOg. 1 the scringacs (rubber estates) nol b< ing ivorked? Arc the causes that liave prevented its development up to the present time of an economic or physical nature! Agriculture. — Causes that retard another flourishing state of agriculture in the Amazonian regions; methods to adopt for restoring old plantations; what zones arc best adapted > diversity of cultivation without detriment to products of the soil, and to what extent can they be made auxiliary to the cheapening of these latter; will the cultivation of food plants result in a falling ofl of hands for the rubber harvest; would not a proper division of time and labor in the harvesting of rubber facilitate the cultivation of food plant-, contributing at the same time in this way to the value of the -"il and the benefit of the rubber plantations TELEGRAPHING ON THE AMAZON. The president of Brazil on Jul) 29 signed a decree author- izing the Amazon Telegraph Co., Limited, to duplicate their cable between Para and Manaos. The expense i> to Lc borne by the company alone, in consideration of the concession being extended a further jo years, after which the system revert- to the government, without indemnification The Amazon cable 1,326 miles in length, including branches - proved of great advantage to the rubber trade since 1896, 'Alien it was first put down. The service has been inter- mittent, however, and the frequent breaks, coming without warning, were often disturbing to the trade, to say nothing of the embarrassment of the management and the disappointment of shareholders unable to realize dividends. The Amazon company was registered July 5, [895, with i-'.so.ooo [==$1,216,625] capital The cable between Para and Manaos was constructed and laid by Siemens Brothers & Co., Limited (London), and turned over to the company in work- ing order for £211,000 [=$1,026,831.50]. The company were to ive a government subsidy of £17.1 -15 [=$83,338.81] an- nually for 20 years. There have since been authorized deben- tures amounting to £350.000 [=r $1,703,275], most of which base been 1 led for extending the cable to other point- than Para and Manaos, for making repair-, and the like. The first year hit which the accounts -bowed a net profit was that ending Inn. 30, 1905, but the earnings were only credited against a heavj debit balance, and the company ha- never yet paid a dividend The difficulties encountered in laying the Amazon 1 ibli were pointed out in an address by Mr. Alexander Sie men-, head of the cable laving company, reported in Tin, India Ki 1:1:1 k World August to iNo (p 129) The hope is now entertained that, with duplicate cables, the failun of one wire at any time will prevent an interruption oi communication, which -top- the income of the cable com- pany while interfering with the rubber trade. FRENCH ENTERPRISE IN THE AMAZON REGION. In an official report, the United Slate- consul general a: Rio de Janeiro refers t" tin- steady increase in the amount of French capital invested in Brazil. What i- of particular inter- est 1- tin assertion that although conci ions tor important public improvements have been granted lately to an eminent American engineer, be has been unable to find 111 thi Uni States the necessary capital for working them, lie went to France, therefore, for funds, which he obtained on the condi tion that contract- for actual construction work should be given i" French companies and French material- used. The consul general -ay-: "Having furnished the money for the enterprises, French investor- are disposed to favor French methods, materials, machinery, and manufacture- generally. and this is already having a marked effect upon Brazilian im ports. Such enterprises will draw upon France indefinitely in the future for their supplies." Among the improvement ferred to is that of the port of Para and to ,1 certain exti nl : instruction of the Madeira-Mamore railway. NEW TRADE PUBLICATIONS. T" 1 HE latest issue of Im Manhattan Rubber Manufacturing * Co. (Passaic. Xcw Jersey), is a special catalogue of Fire Hose, embracing the leading brand-, of lire and mill hose made by them. Among the specialties listed is a hose for 1 hi mical 1 limine- and a line of lire extinguisher tubing. Such accessories a- play pipe-, ring couplings, and the like are also illustrated. 1 5" \ 7 1 /'. .'4 pages.] The importance of the rubber stamp trade and the allied businesses i- suggested by the size and variety of contents of Catalogue No. 34 issued bj Tin-: R. II. Smith Manufact- uring Co. (Springfield, Massachusetts). Here are illustrated vulcanizers, molding presses, and accessories, in great num- ber, planned, for large and -mall establishments. A number of pages are devoted to Specimen faces of the metal-bodied rubber type which is a specialty with (his firm. [6!ue their general cata- logue No. 58 of Mason Regulating Appliances, for use in con- nection with every form of steam equipment, including pumps: also Mason balance valves and Mason steam pumps. The cata- logue i- profusely illustrated. [6" x gVt". 178 pages.] Abbe Engineering Co. (Xew York) issue their Catalogue No. 4 of Pebble Mill Specialties for line grinding and thorough mixing. Several of their mill- have been used with success in connection with grinding guayule, and also waste rubber. |6" x q". 62 page- I Theodore Hofeller & Co. (Buffalo, Xew York) have issued a Private Telegraph Code for the use of their customers in the waste rubber trade. They have attempted to -end one to every- one with whom the) have had business relation-, but if any such should not have received one the) are invited to apply for it. I3V x 5"s". 60 page I Walker Sons X Co, Limited (Colombo and Kandy, Ceylon). 1 ne an elaborate illustrated catalogue of Para Rubber Appli- ances, including tapping knives, coagulating machines, rollers and other item- of equipment for the preparation of rubber on plantation! [8%" x 11". 20 pages.] Tin. Bristol Co. (Waterbury, Connecticut) -end their Bulle- tin No. [03, devoted to Bristol Recording Instruments for vari- ous purposes. These devices have found wide use in rubber factories. [8" \ 10". ib pages | ALSO kl.c EIVED. Barrei 1 Co., New Vork and Philadelphia. =Tarvia. [For ' ing dust.] 1- t>;i^<'s I. K. Krieg Co., New Vork.=Die Blocks, Mallets, Dicing Out Machine?. W. II Salisbury & ' 0., ( lien-, \ \\ : 1 -- on Rubber Pelting. 8 pages. E. J. Willi- Co.. New Vfork. Reduced Prices "n Automobile Supplies. Hubert II. Want & Associates, Cleveland, Ohio.=The Seaton Spring Wheel. 4 pa tlag 1 B Manufacturing Co inc., Undsborg, Kansas=I r agstrom I nside Tire Sleev e. 16 pag< - \uto-Tire Vulcanizing Co., Lowell, Vlassachusetts.—Auto Tire Vulcaniz- ing Machines, '> p; \ rvKiv of students from London made a tour of Germany during July, under the auspices of Ihc Institution of Electrical Engineers. A number of important works were visited, particu- larly those of Allegemcine Elektricitats Gesellschaft (Berlin). ( (CTOBER I. I909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD Notes on Rubber Cultivation. PLANTED ACREAGE IN CEYLON AND MALAYA. THE current edition of the "Ceylon Handbook and Direc- tory," compiled annually by The Ceylo)i Observer, esti- mates the area under rubber in the colony, at the middle of 1909, at 184,000 acres, against 180,000 acres one year previously. From returns supplied by plantation man- agers it appears that 131,800 acres are planted to rubber alone; the additional acreage is arrived at by taking into ac- count the rubber interplanted with 67,056 acres of tea and 18,698 acres of cacao, on the same basis of estimating em- ployed in the past. In the "Handbook" for 1898 rubber planting was represented by an estimate of 750 acres; by May. 1901, they estimated 2,500 acres, wdiile the return to the middle of 1904 gave an equivalent of 11,000 acres. Subse- quently planting went on very rapidly until within a year, since which a halt seems to have been made. The 131,800 acres planted to rubber exclusively, if assembled in one tract, would cover just 206 square miles, affording a most striking example of what can be done in the way of forming an arti- ficial forest. Still larger is the acreage under cultivated rubber in the Federated Malay States. The last report issued by Mr. J. B. Carruthers, director of agriculture in the States, before tak- ing leave for his new official position in Trinidad, gives the planted area at 241,138, while the number of planted trees is estimated at 37.500,000. The average yield per tapped tree all over the Malay peninsula is stated to have increased from I pound 6 ounces in 1907 to 1 pound 15H ounces — a gain of II per cent. The average yield of tapped trees in the state of Negri Sembilan was 3 pounds 2 ounces, without regard to age. Some seventeen year old trees at Parit Buntar are men- tioned as having given a yield of 285^ pounds in one year. "CASTILLOA" RUBBER BY THE CENTRIFUGAL PROCESS. The rubber delivered by the Lesber centrifugal machine, now in use on La Zacualpa plantation, in Mexico, is in the form of biscuits, which would readily be taken for typical fine Para biscuits. When one of them is cut in two it shows a very densely coagulated light colored surface, with a suggestion of thin layers, such as are produced by the smoking process. The rubber is very clean and tough, and the outside surface, where it is exposed to the air, has a mahogany color instead of the black that Castilloa so often acquires. LA ZACUALPA PLANTATION CO. NO. 2. This company, though incorporated under the laws of California, is in a sense an English company. A consider- able amount of its capital is held in Great Britain, and it has a London director, Mr. Ashmore Russan. The two La Zacualpa companies (No. 1 and No. 2) and one other are the only three Mexican rubber plantation enterprises men- tioned in tile "Rubber Share Handbook." which The Financier and BnlHiinist has lately brought out. The first La Zacualpa Rubber Plantation Co. was incorporated ten years ago — September 8, 1899 — when the cultivation of rubber IMPROVED DEVICES FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH CASTILLOA RUBBER. I fust as the cultivatc.l He-eea has called for and developed certain types of tools for gathering rubber, so now as the producing stage is being reached docs the Castilloa. One of the illustrations given herewith show a light 24-foot ladder that one man can handle, and. once placed, clasps the trunk of the tree so that it cannot slip or fall. Another production is a rotary knife run by power that does excellent work. The motor shown in the illustration is gasoline, but the plan is to have a little electric motor to do the work of driving the knife. The same inventive mind that has produced the ladder and the power knife has also evolved two hand knives, one for the regular tapping, the other for opening hrst cuts. lhese rs are supplied by ('.raves & Graves Co. (Boston), who are engaged in planting Castilloa rubber in Mexico.] 10 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [Ocro . 1909. in its inf.. Lid much experienci garding it, particularly with Caslilloa, the rubber tree of M The La Zacualpa inti tent, however, and their planting ha 'led steadily, until tod I He India Rum: ined by the president of the con:i the three La Zacualpa plantations embrace 18,500 acres [=29 square miles], and the first plantation "this year will pr fully 100.000 pounds of rubber." CRUDE RUBBER AT THE MINNESOTA FAIR. Probably the first exhibit of crude rubber at an agricultural fair in the Unit is that of the St. Paul Tropical Devel- opment Co. at the Minnesota State fair this year. The com- pany's plantation is located in Mexico, but is owned by Ameri- can capitalists and directed from the city of St. Paul. LA ESPERANZA RUBBER CO. SOLD. The entire property of La Esperanza Rubber Co. offered for sale at public auction at Providence, Rhode Island, on August 30, was purchased by Carleton Hale, a creditor of the company. The property embraces 600 acres in the canton of El Maison, state of Vera Cruz, Mexico, purchased for the company by Mr. Hale in March, 1898, immediately after which the planting of rubber was begun. The principal buildings on the estate — known as Hacienda de Tula — were burned February S, 1909, including a ton or more of fine creamed rubber, prepared under a method devised by Mr. Hale, who has retained an interest in the company from the beginning. RUBBER PLANTERS IN JAVA ORGANIZE. There was organized at Bandjar on July 20 a Vereeniging van Rubberplanters, which is stated to have a membership of 40 planters in the western part of the island. It has at once started to take up a question which is of preponderating in- terest for the future of these estates, namely, how to get a reliable labor supply. A lengthy account of the movement, from the Preanger Bodi . appear in De Indische Mercuur of August 31. DETAILS OF RUBBER COST. The Bukit Rajah Co., Limited, figure the cost of tapping last year, curing, packing, and freight to London, at yd. [ = 14. 18 cents, gold] per pound, and the proportion of cost of administra- tion and upkeep which they have charged to production at 6d. [=112.16 cents], or a total of is. id. [=26.34] as the cost landed in London, while the average net selling price was 4s. iVzd. [= $1.12^2], thus showing a profit of 3^. 6 l Ad. [=86.16 cents] per pound. The business year closed on March 31, before the beginning of the era of unprecedented high prices. THE NEW BELGIAN RUBBER INVESTMENT COMPANY. The Societe Financiere des Caoutchoucs, formed recently at Antwerp with a capital of 3,100,000 francs [=$598,300] [see The India Rubber Wokld, September 1, 1909 — page 424] by a decision of the board have increased the capital to 10,000,000 francs [=$ 1,930,000]. As already stated in these columns, Edou- ard Bunge, of Bunge & Co., of Antwerp, has been elected chair- man of this company. Willy Friling, of the same firm, has been elected managing director, and F. Maus manager of the company. As before stated, the object is the making of investments in rubber planting and cultivation in the Far East and elsewhere. RUBBER PLANTING MISCELLANY. Referring to the forward selling of rubber on contract, a cor- spondent of The Times of Ceylon asks what security is given for fulfillment of the contracts — say, in case the market should fall below the stipulated prices. A specimen of plantation Ceara rubber biscuits from the gov- ernment experimental garden at Kullar, South India, reported on at the Imperial Institute, London, was considered very favorably. It was valued by brokers at 5.$. 6d. [=$1.3354] per pound, with fine hard Para selling at 5.?. id. and plantation Para biscuits at 5* 3d. to $s. 9\. September 23. — Except for Rubber shares our stock mark* 1 'lull. Rubbei speculation is rapidly passing the bounds of prudent, caution; new flotations are of such frequent occurrence that tin"/ show how important a financial factor a popular enthusiasm can become. "Rubber" is referred to prominently in the leading financial articles of the London papers daily, as indicated by a few recent extracts from the first page articles in The Financial Ncivs, in addition to the regular column of details inside the paper. For example, in three recent issues : [September 6.] — A large volume of business was put through in Bl North Borneo shares, which rose at one period to 24s. $d. and closed strong at 23s. c,d. The advance in these shares is partly attributed to the reports that a large amount of money is now coming into the country through the medium of the various subsidiary flotations, and that developments will, in consequence, be much more rapid than in past years. [September 7.] — In other directions most sections were exceedingly quiet, owing, in a large degree, to the near approach of the settlement, but British North Borneo shares were an exception, and changed hands in large lines, while Pahangs also claimed attention, all cheap shares being readily picked up. [September 8.] — There was increased activity in British North Borneo shares, on buying believed to be based on the details given in another column. In other directions prices were well maintained. It must be taken into account that the North Boreno enter- prises referred to are not yet producing any rubber, though their prospects appear good The parent Borneo company has now on its premises a lot of rubber plantation companies, capitalized at more than $5,000,000, and the activity of Borneo shares on the stock exchange is due to the paper profits made by the parent company in trading in their shares As The Financial News of September 8 says, editorially: The recent influential buying of British North Borneo shares is said to- be due to a supposition that the dividend will be increased from 4 per cent, to 8 per cent., and also to the fact that the company have paid off £60,000 [=$291,990] of their debentures out of the proceeds obtained from the recent rubber flotations. Note that the £60,000 is paid from stock trading, and not from ^ales of rubber. And when we come to the important plantation companies now producing on an important scale, and at a hand- some profit, we do not find in the stock market record any record of "business done" in their shares, with a few exceptions. NEW VOGUE FOR RUBBER SHARES. It has been estimated that scarcely 1 per cent, of members of the Stock Exchange have hitherto used stronger language than the names of certain brands of cigars as a verbal vent for ruffled tempers. We understand, however, that the vogue is changing in favor of rubber shares, the names of several of which are said to give wonderful relief. — The Financial Nezcs (London). VULCANIZATION OF RUBBER COATED FABRICS. A FRENCH patent (No! 396,620 — January 30, 1908) issued ** to M. Lamy, relates to a- new vulcanizing process. Rubber- coated fabrics are wound around a drum, either separately or with metal strips inserted between the layers. The drum, fabric, and so on, are then mounted on bearings in an autoclave, into which some passive gas, such as carbonic acid or nitrogen, is fed itnder pressure. The autoclave is surmounted by a jacket, heated by hot air or steam, in which jacket the autoclave can revolve. This device is said to be especially well adapted for vulcanizing rubber-coated fabrics which would be injured by direct treatment with steam or chloride of sulphur, and cannot be vulcanized by a known method by means of hot air, because the rubber com- position contains no substance which induces vulcanization, such as litharge. On the Amsterdam stock exchange the shares of about a dozen rubber planting companies are now traded in. October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 11 The India-Rubber Trade in Great Britain. By ihir Regular Correspondent. UP to the first week in August the weather conditions during this summer, since the third week in May, were continuously bad, a low temperature and contin- uous rain being the prevailing feature. It is not surprising that under these circumstance the proofing branch of the THE rubber trade has done well. In fact this proofing is putting it too moderately, as some, at TRADE. -juy rate, in the trade, report business as having been excellent, and even in August the work on hand was such as to preclude further orders being taken. This applies especially to the ladies' trade, but all round I understand the year has shown a great improvement on preceding years. Things are in a different and more healthy condition than in the years immediately preceding the great decline of some years ago. The-get-business-at-any-price man is now prac- tically extinct, and with him has gone the macintosh of cheap cotton and oil substitute. The demand of today is for goods that are really waterproof and that will wear. A point that has done a good deal towards improving the trade is the formation of two associations in the Manchester dis- trict, which may be considered the headquarters of the waterproofing business. One of these associations is repre- sentative of the proofers — that is, the actual rubber manufac- turers — and the other is concerned with the dealers who buy the proofed cloth and make it up into garments in their workrooms. These bodies are by no means representative of the whole trade, but those important London firms who remain outside are in entire sympathy with their aims as they have always discountenanced the price-cutting which had become so characteristic of the Manchester center. The trade is now in fewer hands than was the case twenty years ago, and it will be generally admitted that a working ar- rangement as to prices, without there being anything in the form of a trust, is in the interests of of all concerned. Al- though, owing to the rise in the price of rubber, retailers' prices have been raised twice, no noticeable effect on the volume of trade has to be recorded. In this respect the proofing branch is better off than others where the amount of rubber present forms a larger percentage of the whole article. With the continued receipt of notices referring to in- crease in prices, it is not altogether surprising that buyers of rubber goods, or, at any rate, of some classes of such goods, are casting about to see if they cannot find efficient substi- tutes. This can hardly be to the ultimate welfare of the industry, which in previous times has received a setback in certain classes of goods by reason of reduction in quality due to competition. Present conditions certainly favor the manufacturers of non-rubber packings, and the asbestos people will not grumble. I notice that a writer in a con- temporary says, that owing to the high price the use of rubber-faced card clothing is likely to die out altogether, and that a substitute has been found to take its place. With regard to this I may point out that both felt and composition cards have been on the market for years, and have had in- creasing sales, especially in woolen mills, where the de- structive action of grease on rubber has to be contended with. Inquiries I have made in the trade indicate that there are no changed conditions which can be attributed to the rise in price of rubber, and that there are no present signs of the decease of the rubber card-clothing. Doubtless where elastic bands have been largely used instead of string there HIGH PRICES AND SUBSTITUTES. BALATA BELTING PATENTS. will be some reversion to the latter. On this point I may mention that in Germany the elastic band is largely used by shopkeepers for tying up small parcels, while in England it is rarely used for this purpose. Of course the Germans don't give too much away for nothing, and the bands are only very narrow ones, but they answer their purpose, and are appreciated by ladies. In periods of high prices of materials there is always a tendency to reduce the quality. This is apt to induce the use of other material, and if this proves satisfactory there is no return to rubber. The rub- ber-insulated cable has suffered in this way in the past, but at the present juncture history is unlikely to be repeated, because of the existence of the Cable Makers' Association. At the same time it is more than probable that the present situation will lead to more business going to Germany. The existence of the association, with its uniform prices for standard qualities, has led in several instances to substantial orders being given for German cables at a lower price, a fact which at Edinburgh has given rise to some acrimonius discussion in the city council. A patent has recently been granted to Mr. Charles Kay Sagar, of St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire, for improvements in solid woven balata and gutta-percha belt- ing. Mr. Sagar, I may say, is managing director of and has been associated many >>_ars with the well-known cotton belting firm of Messrs. George Banham & Co., Limited. This firm's work were for many years at Pendleton, Manchester, not far from those of F. Redda- way & Co. A few years ago more commodious premises were taken at Limefield Mills, Farnworth, near Bolton, and it is here that work is now carried on. Mr. George Banham, the founder of the business, died a year or two ago, as was reported at the time in these notes. A patent taken out about ten years ago by Mr. Banham was in connection with the same purpose as the recent one of Mr. Sagar, only it was sought to attain the end by employment of vacuum machinery. Although plant on a working scale was erected at the Pendleton works the patent was never actively worked. In Mr. Sagar's patent the vacuum is dispensed with, the cotton yarn being immersed in a solution of bal- ata and after the solvent has been driven off, being woven in the ordinary way into belting. After compression at a temperature sufficient to soften the bala the result is a com- pact homogeneous belt which has certain definite advan- tages over the ordinary balata belting claimed for it. In all the more important mining operations, and more especially in deep shaft sinking, the modern tendency is to fire the gelignite cartridges by electricity. MINrNG-FTJSE. The current is obtained from a battery at the top of the shaft and is conducted to the scene of operations by a thin rubber insulated cable rolled on a drum. As many as 30 shots may be fired at once, the necessary connection between the wires and the primer cartridge containing the detonator being made by an expert. As this system allows of the men being drawn up without any rush or anxiety, it is, of course, much preferable to the use of the fuse, with its attendant dangers. Still it is more expensive, and the fuse is still largely used, especially in metal mining ventures on a small scale. Various qualities of fuse are supplied, but as water tamping is now so much in vogue, the waterproof kinds have come into increased demand. These cost more than the cotton covered, but this is always preferable to having a missfire with a greased cot- 12 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [O IER I. IC)OQ. PROGRESSIVE RUBBER CO., LIMITED. ton-covered fuse. 1 am not in the secrets of manufacture, but an examination of some fuses, called by the miners gutta percha fuse, showed that the coating consisted entirely of sonic resinous matter. This, however, has in my own experience always given satisfaction. Where this fuse is i" explode the detonator in the gelignite when sinking. the man who ignites it i- drawn up by the windlass or engine as fast as possible to get out of harm's way. It is not often that hitches occur in the means of escape, but ■when they do. it is an anxious tunc for the miner who knows that tin lighted fuse is rapidly approaching the dy- namite. In the interests, therefore, of humanity, as well as of the cable trade, the extended use of electric firing in mines is desirable. In connection with this topic it is interesting to note that tin- government have just announced their intention to appoint a committee to consider the whole subject of the employment of electricity in mines. In connection with this topic, it is interesting t" note that the government have just announced their intention to appoint a committee to consider the whole subject of the employment of electricity in mines. This is a new concern, located at g Charles street, Man- chester. The main object is the exploitation of certain pat- ents relating to football covers, these, up to now. having been invariably made of leather. The cover being put on the market by the Progressive Rubber Co. is made of rubber, or, at any rate, principally of rubber, and it is claimed for it that it is much superior to leather, especially in wet weather, when the leather-covered sphere is apt to swell and undergo changes in its symmetry. The rubber ball is said to retain its original dimensions in any sort of weather, and thus to ensure greater accuracy of play. My football days are long past and I am not prepared to enter into any discussion on the mathematics of a footballs's trajectory. I may say. however, that the new- ball has received the approval of some of the football authori- ties and will be used this season in recognized competitions. The Progressive Rubber Co.'s patents relate to some other classes of goods as well and I shall refer again at a later date to the companys' doings. Mr. (). A. Ki.ias. a London analyst, has discovered a spe- cific chemical which he says will revolutionize the present methods of coagulating Para latex, both he smoking and acetic methods. The cost is not tn lie increased while the product is in I., much improved. A small quantity is to be added to the latex, when instantaneous coagulation will take place, with the complete elimination of the proteids and the pro- duction of a rubber which, when squeezed free from excess water can be quickly dried to good white color. He ex- plains that the tacky conditions which rubber often gets into is due entirely to the proteids, which amount to 3 or 4 per cent, in Para latex. This figure seems rather high, and 1 don't know that there are any complaints about tackiness in Brazilian line, though with some rather serious realities of plantation line something of the sort may be met with. So far the exact composition of the new specific does not appear to have been made public. The report and accounts presented at the annual meeting nf this company, held on August 24, showed a very satis- factory state of affairs. In addition to the 7 per cent, dividend on the prefer- ence shares, the ordinary shares received pel 'Hi and the sum of £1,936 was carried forward after £2,300 had been allotted to reserve, etc. In its earlier years the company had a somewhat chequered existence, paying no divi- dend for 20 years, but of late years, under the energetic managership of Mr. Hart, great progress has been made in the recognition of the company's manufactures by engi- RUBBER COAGULATION. THE DERMATINE CO.. LIMITED. neers, whose wants are especially catered for. Considering the long sustained depression we have experienced in so many branches of engineering, and the reduced demand for me- chanical rubbers, the Dennative company's balance sheet is the more noteworthy. Last year the dividend on the ordi- nary shares was 5 per cent. Since the death of Mr. John Cooper, in October, 1004. Mr. R. F. II. Webb has been the managing director. ()\ August 2(1 two tank-, each containing 500 gallons of naphtha, took lire at Messrs. Frankenstein's proofing works, Newton Heath, Manchester. The efforts of the Manchester lire brigade were suc- cessful in preventing the destruction of any part of the works, and the loss was confined to the naphtha. No explanation as to the cause of the outbreak was forthcoming at the time. I have no recollection of a similar fire in this district where naphtha tanks are in common use. NAPHTHA BLAZE. CARD FROM THE MURAC SYNDICATE. ■"TO the Editor of the India Ri/ubek World: Referring to ■*■ the article and comments on "Rubber Washing in the Trade," in your September issue (page 430), we observe that you mention our name, as being responsible for the business in question, at the same time inferring that we are engaged in a similar business to that carried on by another firm. Our business is quite distinct, being an entirely new departure, to which the leading india-rubber brokers throughout the world are giving their hearty support. We do not work or excessively handle the rubbers, using no rolls, drying chambers or currents of hot air. such as your article indicates. W'e produce our rub- bers in practically their natural state, thus preserving in every respect their good properties and behaviors. That our efforts are appreciated by all connected with the crude rubber trade, we can only say in confirmation, that the volume of business has been so rapid, that in a number of in- stances we have had to decline further contracts, owing to our outputs being nearly, if not entirely, sold. We trust you will kindly give this publicity, by the insertion of this letter in your next issue. Yours truly, THE BRITISH MURAC SYNDICATE, LIMITED, MoBLAMi M. Dessau, Joint Managei Lower Edmonton, London, September 1.1, 'gog. MEXICAN RUBBER PLANTERS AND THE STATE. I FROM nit: MEXICAN HERALD.] THE rubber planters of the northern part of the republic have held two meetings for the general advance of the rubber interests In tin last session a committee was named to approach the secretary of fomento and obtain government assistance. The association, represented by the committee, mad. se> eral requests of the minister. They desire that a central body be formed ill Mexico City for the investigation of questions relating to tin subject of rubber producing and that eleven experiment station, be established in various parts of the republic for the purpose. An appropriation oi $10,000 is asked for the maintenance of the central body and its laboratory. A further appropriation of $35,000 is requested for the publication of works relating to the subject, giving results achieved by the expt riment stations. The secretary of fomento has not yet taken any action with regard to these requests. He may. in place of authorizing this association to pursue investigations at the expense of the government, order greater emphasis on the subject in the work of tin- agricultural stations already established. A copy of the Index to "Crude Rubber and Compounding In- gredients" is s t ni free on request. October i, igog.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 13 THE RUBBER TRADE AT AKRON. HV A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. ' I 'HE Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. have purchased a tract ■*■ of 15 acre? in the extreme south end of the city, north of Cole avenue, near South Main street. The new site was made necessary by the desire for an increase of factory space. Plans are new being considered for the construction next year of a plant of large size, and of the most modern design, on the newly purchased land. A chemical laboratory with complete equipment will be included in the plan. When the new plant cupied the "Id "lie "ii East Miller avenue will be vacated and disposed of. The company have an option on land ad- joining the tract purchased, which they are holding until fur- ther developments. The 15-acre tract was bought from the heirs of Moses Falor For something like $28,000. Speaking of the purchase, Mr. H. S. Firestone, president of the company, said: "This is only the first step in our plans for an expansion of our business. We have long had in mind the erection of a great modern plant, but have hitherto been handicapped by the lack of land on which to build." This step by the company is significant in view of the rapid growth since it was started in a tile building, eight years ago. by Mr. Firestone. The chief growth in the business of the company has been in pneumatic tires, which were added to the output five years ago. Harvey S. Firestone. [President Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.] The annual meeting of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. was held at the close of August, when the following directors were re-elected: H. S. Firestone, Will Christy, L. E. Si-lcr. A. C. Miller, and R. J. Firestone. These met and elected as officers the following: H. S. Firestone, president and general manager; Will Christy, vice-president; L. E. Sisler. treasurer; S. G. Carkbuff, secretary. "Our business has increased nearlj 100 per cent, during the past year over the year before." was Mr. Firestone's statement after the meeting. The annual convention of the salesmen and branch man- agers of the Firestone company was held during the second week of September in Akron. Seventy men were present and the convention closed September 11. with a banquet at the Por- tage Country Club. Among the branch managers present were : T. J. Glenn. Boston ; D. C. Swander, New York ; W. R. Walton. Philadelphia; C. E. Jackson. Pittsburgh; O. O. Petty, St. Louis; F. H. Martin. Chicago ; W. A. Harsbaw. Cleveland, and J. V. Mowe. Detroit. Since the reorganization of the Swinebart Clincher Tire and Rubber Co. some radical changes have been decided upon by the directors. Two new factory buildings, one 40 x 100 feet. one story high, and the other 60 x 125 feet, and three si high, will lie added to the plant. The smaller building will contain the mill room and a part of the solid tire department, and the large building will be used to house the new branch of manufacture into which the company will launch — the making of pneumatic tires. The type of pneumatic tire to be mad' not been announced. Mr. W. A\'. Wuchter, general manag the plant, -aid. however, that the tire will have featun distinguish it from the standard types. Clinchers and quick detachable in all sizes will be made. To market the incn product of the plant, it is announced that branches will be established in Boston, Philadelphia and Buffalo, in addition to the present branches at New York and Chicago, and selling agencies will be started in all the trade centers. Mr. J. A. Swinebart. president of the company, spent September in 1 Rico on company business and at the end of the month sailed for Europe, where lie will spend the next two years in looking after the foreign interests of the company. Tnr. Star Rubber Co. have filed a certificate of increase of i stock from $100,000 to $250,000. Owing to the increased demand for their seamless rubber druggists' sundries they have found it necessary to increase their capacity. An additional building, three stories, and 50 x too feet, is being erected, to be devoted to making pneumatic automobile tires and inner tubes, except the third story, which will be used for the dipping de- partment of the supplies line They are also about to add a line of pre-- goods, and hope to have the new factory in readi- ness h\ January 1. Following the fires at the plant of the Buckeye Rubber Co., 1 thorough investigation of city fire-fighting facilities was made by the director- of the chamber of commerce, acting as a com- mittee of the whole. The finding of the board, after sessions lasting two weeks, was that the complaints made following the fires were not justified, that the city's fire-fighting facilities, both ts to water and equipment, were adequate, and that as a matter of fact the annual fire loss is small, being only $120,000. For the -ake of providing further safeguards, the board made several recommendations for more thorough fire inspection, for the adoption of a building code modeled after that of Cincinnati, and an increase in the number of city firemen. The city council is taking steps to carry out these recommendations. * * * The B. F. Goodrich Co. succeeded in acquiring, by purchase early in September, a piece of land on Soutb Main street at the southwest corner of their plant, which now makes them owners of all the land facing on Main street for several hundred yards. The property was purchased from the heirs of Mary Abler, and the purchase price was more than $16,000. Mr. E. C. Shaw, general manager of the Goodrich works, says that the land will be used for a new building. * * * Mr. O. C. Barber, a director in The Diamond Rubber Co. was banqueted on September g by the business men of the city of Barberton, which be founded 18 years ago. The function was given on the occasion of Mr. Barber's return from Europe. He is planning to make bis home on a farm of 2.500 acres near Barberton. * * # The output of high-wheeled automobiles in the plant of the International Harvester Co., in this city, is about to be in- creased from 10 a day to 15 a day. This type of car is being -old by the company chiefly to farmers on the western prairies. The demand for the high-wdieeled auto buggy, as well as for the delivery wagon of similar construction, has increased so 14 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [October i, 1909. rapidly that it was found necessary to increase the facilitii the local factory. The factory experimental department lias per- fected a new type of pneumatic tire runabout which will be man- ufactured here at the rate of five a day, with a prospect of a steady increase. * * * A second uniform rise in the prices of automobile tires made known by automobile tire manufacturers in this city on September 23. It will amount to about 15 per cent. Some manu- facturers have already put the increase into effect, and others will wait until after October 1. The boost in prices is made to keep pace with the rising crude rubber market. A general rise in prices of all kinds of footwear was announced late in September by The B. F. Goodrich Co. It amounts to about 12 per cent. The price lists being net, new lists will be issued. The change went into effect September 21. The rise is made simultaneously with that of the United States Rubber Co. The Goodrich company market the products of their rubber footwear department through the Mishawaka Woolen Manu- facturing Co., of Mishawaka, Indiana. * * * The annual conference of salesmen of The B. F. Goodrich Co. was held on September 23 and 24, in Akron. All branch man- agers and traveling salesmen were present, to the number of between 50 and 60. Mr. H. E. Raymond presided. A. E. Lums- den, manager of the London branch and the company's repre- sentative in Europe, was among those present. * * 3fc Arthur YV. Warner, formerly chemist with the B. F. Good- rich company, and recently witli the Pennsylvania Rubber Co. (Jeannette, Pa.), has taken a position as chemist for the Miller Rubber Co. THE RUBBER TRADE IN SAN FRANCISCO. BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. PAKIXt. all lines of trade into consideration, there is an apparent feeling of revived interest in San Francisco. It must be admitted that the past year has been generally quiet and that there are those who have been struggling along with little to indicate to them how they could possibly continue for a much longer time, and it is fortunate for many that condi- tions have taken a broad turn for the better. But for the most part the business houses of the city have fared well enough right along, as long as the idea of getting rich is not taken into consideration. Nobody has succeeded in growing very rich as a result of their business during the past two years, but there are many who have good reason to believe that the coin- tall season will bring them prosperous times and in due course, an accumulation of funds for which they have wished for a long time. San Francisco has done well enough consider- ing the vast loss she has sustained After the fire people here probably recovered some $200,000,000 from the insurance com- panies, but even after credit is given for this, there is -till a dead loss of perhaps more than $400,000,000. Work of rebuild- ing the city has progressed until the city stands better now than ire the fire but, to accomplish this result outside money was necessary and more of it is still necessary, so that instead of being money proud this city must for some time ''nil upon the money from outside sources. In spite of the long period of monej scarcity, however, com- mercial activity i- rapidly being resumed, and a healthier tone i; everywhere demonstrated, because instead of the retail mer- chants buying everything they can think of, as they did a little over a year ago, they are only ordering what they know they can pay for, and on this basis they are ordering quantities which are constantly increasing, so that indications point to a gradually improving business. The outlook on the coast is good and there is no complaint to be heard from any source. on Tuesday, September 21. the embryonic Western Mechan- ical Rubber Goods Association, of San Francisco and the coast, will hold its first meeting for the purpose of organizing. Mr. Runyan, of the Goodyear Rubber ( i rtain of the necessity for and success of the organization, because there are so many little features about the trade which a common understanding among the dealers will do much to improve upon. It brings the trade into closer relation, give a fitting opportunity for the devel- opment of social relations and for the correction of abuses in the business. Of two things which have given most annoyance the first is the guarantees which are now made recklessly, and which many of the customers take undue advantage of. Also, the question of dating can be discussed. As it is now, orders are so dated that they can be changed by the customer for a long time in advance. The establishments who have been invited to attend the first meeting, to be held at the Tait-Zaitland cafe are as follows : Bowers Rubber Works, Gutta Percha and Rubber Man- ufacturing Co., Goodyear Rubber Co., Gorham Rubber Co., Revere Rubber Co., New York Belting and Packing Co., Lim- ited, The Pennsylvania Rubber Co., The American Rubber Man- ufacturing Co.. The Barton Packing and Rubber Co., The Pacific Coast Rubber Co., The Phoenix Rubber Co., Plant Rubber and Supply Co., Western Belt and Hose Co., The Diamond Rubber Co., Electric Hose and Rubber Co., and Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co. The Sterling Rubber Co. have been making a large exhibit at the Humbolt county fair, held in Eureka. The exhibit consists of 22 rolls of belt, and one big roll in operation, running through water, with two men in charge. This is practically the exhibit made by the firm recently in the Mechanics' fair held in San Francisco, the belt shown being the "Victor" balata belt, and the papers in Eureka have complimented the exhibit very highly. The exhibit there is being made throng H. H. Buhne Co., the rubber goods house in Eureka. Mr. Perkins, manager for the Sterling Rubber Co., states that there is no more guess work about trade conditions. Business hit the bottom mark and now it is picking up. Trade is now good in the southern part of the State, and the northern valley will pick up. Oakland is not as good as it was and San Francisco is still quiet, but showing a little improvement right along. * * * Mr. R. H. Pease, president of the Goodyear Rubber Co., states that general business is much better than it was a year ago, and that they are looking for good business this fall, especially if there are rains in October and November. Mr. Pease believes that the coming Portola festival, which will commence on Oc- tober 19, and last a week, will bring thousands of people to this city and state, many of whom, he believes, will remain, to take advantage of the excellent opportunities offered by the farming communities in the State where the lands are now being sub- divided into small tracts. The festival will also show to the world that San Francisco is now in a position by virtue of its excellent and complete hotel accomodation, to entertain visitors in whate\ 1 r style they desiri * * # Joseph A'. Selby, the Pacific coast agent for the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., has moved from his former loca- tion, Xo. 507 Mission street, to new and more centrally-located offices at the corner of First and Market streets, in the Sheldon Building. The Bowers Rubber Works report that they have received still ler order from the Isthmian canal commission for dredging I hey have recently installed new machinery at the plant. The Phoenix Rubber Co. report that they are having a large run on their Staggard treed auto tires. Inquiries from merchants are increasing in number and this seems to indicate a larger prospective consumption, is the report from the New York Belting and Packing Co., than has been noted for some time. October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 15 The Late Herr Senator Dr. Traun. THE passing of Heinrich Traun removes from the rubber in- dustry one of the most distinguished individuals in its annals, and one whose name was associated in many ways with the cause of progress in the land of his birth and with move- ments for the benefit of human kind in general. Heinrich Traun, born in Hamburg on May 8. 183S, attended the college of Dr. Wichard Lange, after which he was prepared for the university by private tutors. He studied physical sciences at Gottingen and was graduated at the age of 21 as a doctor in philosophy, choos- ing "Kautschuk" as the subject of his thesis. That thesis to-day stands as a good summary of what was known regarding india- rubber a half century ago ; the choice of his subject was influ- enced, doubtless, by the fact that he had been born into the rubber industry, so to speak. Going to London, young Traun was a chemist in the royal dock- yards, where his opportunities to come in contact with laboring men at their tasks instilled in his mind ideas which later were of great ad- vantage to him as an extensive em- ployer of labor. He was employed later in a professional way in Paris, after which, in 1863, he became a part- ner in the Harburger Gummi-Kamm Compagnie (Harburg Rubber Comb Co.), already an important concern, but destined to be greatly developed under his direction. Here the story of the beginnings of this enterprise, with which Dr. Traun's family was so closely connected, may be recited briefly. There came to America in 1842 a son of Heinr. C. Meyer, Jr., the whalebone and ivory manufacturer of Hamburg — a business dating from 1818 — to estab- lish a branch factory, which he did at Jersey City. Shortly he was joined by a clerk from the Hamburg house, Con- rad Poppenhusen, and the firm of Meyer & Poppenhusen resulted, dating from August I, 1843. Heinr. Ad. Meyer returned to Europe the next year, and in time succeeded to his father's position in the business there, but Meyer & Poppenhusen in America continued for a number of years. It was this firm that first recognized the merit of hard rubber a? developed under the patent of Nelson Goodyear of 1851. I pon the licenses granted to them were founded the India Rubber Comb Co., at College Point (New York) in 1853. and the liar- burger Gummi-Kamm Compagnie, organized as a branch of the Meyer interests, in 1856. Ultimately Mr. Poppenhusen returned to Hamburg, where he died ; his daughter married Fritz Achelis, now president of the American Hard Rubber Co., which suc- ceeded to the College Point enterprise. Mention may be made here of L. Otto P. Meyer, a younger brother of the founder of the Meyer business, who came to America as technical adviser of Meyer & Poppenhusen, and by whom many important improvements in the hard rubber manu- facture — the tinfoil process, for example — were patented. L. Otto P. Meyer is still living in Dresden, at the age of eighty-six. Also it may be mentioned that the wife of the late Hon. Carl Schurz, statesman, journalist, and general, was a sister of Heinr. Ad. Meyer and of the mother of Dr. Traun. Altogether, the list includes some notable names, beginning with the founder of the Heinrich Traun. ph. d. [In the robes of a senator of tire free Hamburg.] family, whose work for the development of Hamburg is attested by a monument erected by the people of that city. The subject of this sketch was the son of Friedrich Traun, who married a daughter of the founder of the house of Meyer. As early as 1835 he was admitted to an interest in the business, from which he retired in 1870. As already stated, Heinrich Traun became a partner in 1863. at which time the hard rubber branch was operated under a separate firm style. He had two brothers, Otto Traun, who in 1870 became a partner in the rubber branch, and Max Traun, who in 1873 joined the branch then still carried on as H. C. Meyer, Jr. In 1884 the two branches became definitely separated, Heinrich Traun becoming sole pro- prietor of the Harburger Gummi-Kamm Co. The division gave him not only the works at Harburg a/d Elbe, but extensive prem- ises at Hamburg, all of which have been developed constantly, in keeping with the general growth of the rubber industry. Dr. Traun's knowledge of chemistry was of constant advantage to his firm ; he was the patentee of a number of in- ventions of merit ; and he gave liberal encouragement to develop the crude rubber resources of German Africa. In August, 1902, Dr. Traun admitted to partnership his two sons — Heinrich Otto Traun and Dr. Friedrich Adolph Traun — the firm name becoming changed to Dr. Heinrich Traun u. Sohne, which style is still retained. At the beginning of 1908 Dr. Traun ceased to be an active partner in the firm, leaving the conduct of business to his sons. Later in that year oc- curred the lamented death of Dr. F. A. Traun. To-day the business is in charge of Heinrich Otto Traun, whose preparation for succeeding to such an important position has been most thor- ough, including a year spent in a busi- ness position in New York and travels in the Orient and the rubber country of the Amazon, with a view to giving him an insight to as many phases of the rubber business as possible. In the early part of 1901 Dr. Hein- rich Traun was elected to the position of senator of the free city of Ham- burg, the highest and most honorable office in its government. He was the first representative in the senate of industrial in- terests. His election gave a great satisfaction to the people, to whose interest he afterwards devoted his time and talents almost solely, until, when nearing his seventieth birthday, he retired from office on account of advancing years. In no part of his multifarious life work was Dr. Traun more deeply interested than in the measures for the benefit of the army of employes at his rubber works, in which respect he not only won the appreciation of those for whose welfare he planned, but set a model for other establishments which has been widely copied. In this work he was aided notably by his wife, whose death occurred in November, 1901. For some time all reports regarding Dr. Traun's health were discouraging; his death occurred on September 10. Dr. Traun never visited America, though in close touch with the progress made in this country, and his interests here were represented by the Traun Rubber Co. (New York), with a factory at College Point. 16 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 1 1 1 Recent Patents Relating to Rubber. N UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. E. 1). C. A. C. \> i .New ■ ■ I . ! ■ [ SS 1 ► Al'lrl ! i >. Miillei Rhcii . ! ■ stos pul», sli| ■ I Min Del : Mich., assign K. C. Rogers, Little Kock, \rk. LIST 17, n ■ : . .' i . 93". 17 I i Wis, cle tires. I. ' >. Kii »o K.11 v i - atln r Tire I , both of Milwaukee, Wis, • i \nti skid P. I. Dun (i. J. Adan Chi. ag< innei and outer inn- | i ; foi ■• be. Is. 'I". U 1 i many. '■ i V\ p .ki - to i neage with i carrj mg rim I I . |: !■ | tires. [M i ei ds I H. K. 1 i t i .,« \i i '. ( irj, i i ., I , w ; : i ■ Kan. [SSI i -i 93L71' Felloe.] W. H. Bachti I win til. I'll [ihia. I. V Rowdi n, Los Ai 93z,3*a P Hobokcn, X. T. ' cellular or iati rial foi use as 1 i Fers. thi lil ■ I Pfleumi Dresdi t'.cn to Pflcumal i I ISSUED iCGUS'J 1 ■■ill Fonesboro, [nd. i I | With rubber tin | \\ I Howard Tren- ton, \ I 1 '■ ires. M. A. Li mi til -! I'.n . I ''■ ■■''' F. 1 Imai assignor .■ thirds to \ \1. Flovland and on. third to \ Kelson, all of Minneapolis, Mum. Tra 28,184. X< B Packing G 1 id.. New York citj word Delta . ign I 01 rubbi 1 hose. F5< ting and Packing Co., Ltd., New York citv. I ■ under the representation of a spider, within a triangular border. Foi rubber 42,734. Rcvi re Rubbi r_ G Rosti flu esi ntation of a inai torsi back, I*or mei hanical ibbci \ 42,735- Revere Rubb Ci Bostoi 1 ■ ■ ield in outline. 1 [Note. Printed copies of specifications of l nited States patents n obtaim - fi om Phi I sr*i \ Ri bi ef \\ or t t ■ ■ . ..1 ... GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. PATENT SPECIFICATIONS PUBLISHED, The numbei givi n is that assi Pal til at tin I ling of the Application, which in thi 'Denotes Pa \mcricai ittons. [Abstsai the Illustrated Ofpiciai I " ) I ire in e e sti engl h oi th< mater! to suppoi 1 Hi 1 1 r.ul. | . I . Spong, 1 .1 nidon. (1908). Elastic tire. C. A. Hutchison, Prestwick, Ayrshi - . . .1 In 1 v C190! Goll ball l . Kempshall, London. (190.8) Pin imatic tire with recessed tread. E Kempsli I n THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. PATENTS ISSUED (with Dates of Application Via 1908). S01 ii te pi iui ('Exploitation di 1 A pparatus 1"' ir the e> er gums from lianes, barks, and the like. (Jan z8, 1 9 19 1 F, Bo let. Machine for Fastei . 1 185 1 March ■> G Pou/.el and J. Bardin. Elastic tire. 400,125 (March 3). M. Ritter. Pneumatic tire. 19 (Feb. 13). .1. I >. Prince. 1 mprovements in I 1 1 1 V C. Jenatzy Pneumatic tire with multiple tub [ (Feb. 15) V. E. Ri ullier. Pneumatic tire. (Mai II Ri tigii i R< mi w abh run foi tire: 400,453 I March - v 1 . I' Protective tread foi tires, .;- (March 8). C. Zimmermann. Protecting plates fo pi ai 1 400,466 (Jan. 9), Mine 1 Prince. Improvement in innei tubi 1 60 (March 9). I M VIessinger. Pneumatic tire. 100,574 (June 11, 1908). C ch Rosetti I'm umatic tire, [00,585 (Feb. 6, 1909) .1. C. Barker. Improvements in tires foi : -. (March 10), ( >. Ehuillicr. Protective tread foi i 00,644 '.March to) < , Beau. Protector for tire tubes. 400,712 (March (2), II. W. Pickermy. Pneumatic tire. 1 1 (J u 1 I . Deroclie. Pneumatic tire tread '■i ( March 13, 1909), V ester reicher. Process and apparatus for the manufacture' of rubbei stam is. [Note. Printed copies of specifications oi French patents maj bi oh tained from K. Bobet, Ingenieur-Conseil, 16 avenue de Villier, Paris, *t 50 cents each, postpaid I A RUBBER SHRUB IN CHILE. " I " 1 ! f - United States consul al Valparaiso reports concerning 1 the Euphorbia lactiflua, a rubber shrub discovered b; the botanical section oi the national museum of Chile: "A verj good quality of rubber can, it is claimed, be easjlj made from this shrub, which is found on the mountains and tabic lands of tli.it portion of the interior (if Chile extending from Taltal south to Caldera, a distance oi about 75 miles It is said to be of no other use than for rubber and wood pulp. It is claimed that extracting the sap does not injure the plant, and that there seems to l>e a future for the industry if attention he given to its cultivation. Ii is badly scattered and in many cases difficult of access, but it is claimed that it could easily be culti- vated A company has been organized to develop the industry. and i^ seeking a concession." OCTOBBR I, 1909] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 17 Points On the Cotton Situation. THE superintendent of the New York Cotton Exchange, Colonel William V. King, in his annual report covering the crop season ended August 31, shows a total yield for 1908 of 13,817,516 bales, against 11,441,269 bales for 1907, and 13,539,948 bales the preceding year (also Colonel King's figures). Mr. William Hester, secretary of the New Or- leans Cotton Exchange, another recognized authority, col- lecting his statistics independently, places the total of the la^t crop at 13,825.457 bales. It is admittedly the largest crop on record. The following table, supplied by Superintendent King, in- dicates the disposition of the latest crop, as compared with that of the preceding year: This year. Last year. Southern mill takings bales 2,554,746 2,079,434 Northern mills and Canada 2,815,861 1,089,614 5,370,607 4,069,048 Exports to — Great Britain 3,539,124 2,944,168 France 1,064*747 890,203 Germany and Continent 3.590,690 3.430,038 Mexico 48,769 5,041 Japan, etc 201,593 191,386 8,444,923 7,460,836 Total 13,815,530 1 1,629,884 The same authority refers to the uniformly good quality of the latest crop both as to grade and staple, making it for the spinner one of the most excellent crops produced in point of working quality. This has promoted the rapid ab- sorption of the crop by spinners. The absorption has been further promoted by the fact that the spindles of the world are each year steadily increasing in number, requiring under normal conditions large crops of cotton to supply the de- mand for cotton goods. Government reports and private statistics agree that the growing crop is below the average in point of acreage, while throughout the summer the condition was reported poor. This condition, combined with the increasing consumption of cotton, and the further fact that no other country is showing a larger production, points to the conclusion reached by the New York Journal of Commerce : "The price will no doubt be high relatively, and legitimately so, and the effect will be felt in the manufacturing industry lure as well as abroad." A LARGER "SEA ISLAND" CROP. While the crop of Sea Island cotton for the season ended August 31 was very much larger than for the preceding year, exports (which term embraces deliveries to domestic mills) were larger than the production, so that the current season began with somewhat smaller stocks than were re- ported one year previously. John Malloch & Co.. of Sa- vannah, report that the past year was one of fairly wide fluctuations in price. During the early fall of 1908 the de- mand was light, and the market sagged until "Fancy Georgias" sold at lyli cents first cost. About the middle of October a larger demand sprang up, caused by the plac- ing of yarn orders for automobile tires. The market was pretty well swept of cotton within two weeks and prices advanced until Fancy sold at 2oY 2 cents first cost. Late in November the demand was again slack, and prices declined to iSyi cents. December saw large orders again, and there has been a good business most of the time since, with ad- vancing prices. Messrs. Malloch & Co. reported September 3: "The market opened here at 22 cents first cost for Fancy and there seems to be a sufficient demand to keep prices on the present level for some time to come."' The same firm report the following statistics of the Sea Island crop for the last two seasons, from September 1 to August 31 : 1907-08. 1908-09. Stock beginning of season bales 709 3,223 Receipts 85,024 101,420 Aggregating 85,733 104*643 Exports 82,510 102,303 Stocks end of season 3.223 2,340 Comparative Statement of Crop for Eight Years. 1901-02 bales 78,621 1905-06 bales 123,364 1902-03 102,634 1906-07 58,932 1903-04 76,704 1907-08 85,024 1904—05 102,668 1908-09 101.420 This year's crop is stated to have been in perfect condition up to the middle of July, after which heavy rains and hot weather affected it injuriously. While it is early yet to make an estimate, it is not regarded probable that the pro- duction will be as large as last season. BRAZIL EXPORTS LESS COTTON. The British legation in Brazil reports: "Cotton txports, which average £1,500,000 sterling, and realized £1,750.000 in 1907, reached a value of only £200,000 in 1908. This decrease is put down to the fact that home manufactures are growing. Brazilian manufactured goods may be expected gradually to take the place of British, though the process may be a slow one. The native mills are perfecting their product, and goods formerly imported are now made in the country." APPAREL FOR THE MOTORIST. A WRITER on the subject of apparel for automobile ■**■ use, in The Motor News (London), says that it is no longer necessary for a motorist to advertise himself by adopting a form of covering which is peculiar to the pastime, but it is es-ential that he should deviate sufficiently from ordinary practice as to render himself impervious to the coldest winds that blow and the heaviest rain that falls. The reign of leather, this writer says, is over. It was never a satisfactory material. The saying, "there's nothing like leather." may apply to footgear, but its unsuitability as an outside body-covering has been proved, for it wears rap- idly, or, rather, becomes shabby quickly, and. even in its very finest form, it is ugly and unhygienic. Reference is made in the article to a number of styles of motoring clothes and accessories, more or less waterproof, made by high-class firms. The writer concludes : "One really good motoring coat, obtained from a firm that knows its business, is sufficient, with a well-designed mackintosh for heavy rains to complete the equipment." Rubber as a Substitute for Alcohol. — Dr. Charles Alexander T. MacNicoll, in an address before the American Medical Society for the Study of Alcohol and Other Nar- cotics, at Atlantic City, said: "The mistaken idea that alcohol is' a stimulant dates from medieval times. It has been used as a stimulant for almost every disease known to man. Al- cohol is not a stimulant but a narcotic and a nerve-deadener. Chewing a piece of india-rubber will produce better digestive juices in the stomach than any amount of alcohol." THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD .1 r , ,., ■ THE RUBBER TRADE IN CANADA. /CANADIAN imports of ^-* gutta-percha for the manufactures of india-rul jber and fiscal year ended March 31, 1909. by countrie ffii iallj stated to have been in value as fol- United Great Other Total Duties States. Britain. Countries Value. Collected. Boot- $73,349 $56l $84 $73,994 $18.44-' Belting 30,675 1,825 32,500 8,801 Clothing and wat< i proof cloth 3°-497 86,389 297 117,183 30,363 Hose 55.22° 907 MS 56,272 I9,508 Packing and mats. 63,821 2,507 25 66,353 .'3,028 Vehicle tires 10,732 2 048 109,575 37.432 80,098 33.038 145.608 [15,615 $901,575 898,124 575,89[ 8n,743 825,390 $253,279 247,898 158,244 100,879 213,607 Total $682,919 $183,019 $35,637 Total, 1907-08. . . 666,307 182,360 49,457 a Total, 1006-07 .. 476,444 68,957 30.490 b Total. 1905-06... 680,014 99,695 32,034 b Total, 1904-05... 634,422 164,996 26,071 For nine monl 3 ended March 31, m^r b. For fiscal years ended Jin ( Imports from Germany amounted to $jj.<<\<> for the nine months ended March 31, 1907; to $27,815 in the next twelve months, and $22,209 in the fiscal year ended March 31 last. There may also be noted the following imports, not cla iicd by the customs as "rubbi 1 g Is," but having a relation industry: Other Total Duties Countries. Value. Collected. ?7,94i United Great States. Britain. Webbing, elastic and non-elastic. .$160,792 $33,709 Stockinettes for rubber footwear. 67,852 8,296 Duck for rubber belting and hose • 6,730 .Rubber thread . . . 1,480 23 202, 1 \2 $38,241 76,148 11,096 73.603 I.503 free free Exports of Canadian Rubber Goods. Clothing All other 84.200 Belting $4,302 Hose 5,419 Footwear 14 '.374 Mats and Matting... 538 Total $236,083 Distribution of Rubber Goods Exports. To— Value. To — Great Britain $21,273 British Guiana Argentina Belgium nark Italy British West Indies.. British Fast Indies. . . Value. $238 5i 497 1.347 1-455 147 31 Australia 43,129 Newfoundland 44,344 France 2,218 United States 73,085 New Zealand 47,974 Mexico 8 St. Pierre 94 British Africa 192 total $236,083 Comparison with former Exports. Year ended March 31, 1908 $239,983 Nine months ended March 31, 1907 169,294 Year ended June 30, 1906 266,504 Year ended June 30, 1905 170,359 Imports of R \\\ Materials. Pounds. Value. India rubber and gutta-percha 2,039,108 $1,681,269 Rubber rei rubber substitute; bard rubber in sheets 2,652,704 634.940 Rubber, powdered, and rubber waste 1.433,070 167.361 [908 09 6,124,! ' I 570 RUBBER GOODS IN MANITOBA. An indication of the growth of the rubber goods trade in the western part of the Dominion is the announcement that The Winnipeg Rubber Co., Limited, western selling agents for the Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. of To- ronto. Limited, have made arrangements for largely increas- ing their facilities. Their plans involve the erection of a seven-story building on a lot 50 x 100 feet which they have purchased for the purpose 111 Winnipeg, the building to cost $75,000. Mr. Trumbull Warren is president of the company and Mr. A. A. Andrew- vice-president and general manager. The company have a branch bouse at Calgary. Alberta. CANADIAN IMPORTS OF RUBBER TIRES. IMPORTS of the rubber tires (.for vehicles of all kinds) are reported by the customs service in Canada in more detail than in other countries. The following official statements of value are for fiscal years ended March 31: 1907-08. 1908-09. «,i eat Britain $10,326 $10,732 France 931 1,484 Germany 1,287 564 United 'States 81,555 96,795 Total $94,099 $t09,575 Imports of automobiles and other motor vehicles during the past fiscal year amounted to 533, valued at $585,097. of which the United States contributed 469, worth $474,757. CANADIAN CONSOLIDATED DIVIDENDS. The directors of Canadian Consolidated Rubber Co. Lim- ited, declared regularly quarterly dividends of 1% per cent, on their preferred stock and 1 per cent, on the common, payable on October I. A feature of the Montreal stock market of late has been the marked advance in Consolidated Rubber common shares, which have been quoted as high as 99' RUBBER REDEEMERS MADE HER RICH. [FROM THE NEW YORK SUN, SEPTEMBER 19.] 'T'HERE may be a thousand and one ways of going into busi- *■ ness for one's self, but Mrs. Augusta Matzncr, of New York City, seems to have found the one thousand and second. It was while she was on a trip to Europe a number of years ago that a merchant with whom she was talking at a reception remarked casually that he wondered whether there was any market in America for old rubbers and overshoes. Mrs. Matzner thought this request strange, and on inquiring found that many tons of worn rubber footgear was being thrown away or used for small profit in Europe. When she returned to America Mrs. Matzner had something more valuable than Parisian frocks. It was something on which the custom inspectors could not assess duty, for it was an idea. She made a round of the New York rubber redeemers and manufacturers and learned that old rubber was in demand all the time. She cabled the European merchant with whom she had first talked to send her all the old rubbers he could get. She sold the shipment at a good profit. For two years she did business in this way, depositing her profits always in the same bank. Finally she found she could get the trade of a number of the largest European firm-, and for this she needed much more capital than she possessed. She went to the president of the bank with which she had done business and asked for a large loan If the president had been at all sceptical as to her ability the explanation she gave him of the future of the old rubber trade convinced him and she got the loan. To-day she receives old rubber from Europe in thousand-ton lots and is one of the largest individual factors in the rubber redeeming trade. The Monte Cristo Rubber Plantation Co. (Greeley, Colo- rado) state that on their estate in Mexico they have 900 acres under rubber (Castilloa), all in good condition. They have planted rubber in each year (in June) as follows: Forty acres in 1006. 360 in 1907, 100 in 1008, and 400 in 1909. The first 40 acres, three years old in June last, was reported at the end of August to average 25 feet in height and j inches in diameter. October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 19 Some Rubber Interests in Europe. THE INDUSTRY IN DENMARK. A NATIONAL exposition for Denmark, on rather a large scale, was held recently at Aarhus, the second largest city in the Kingdom, closing about the middle of September. The beautiful location and the splendid buildings alone made the exposition worth visiting, besides which the exhibits were of real interest, both to the people ol the coun- try and to foreigners. The two Danish rubber manufacturing companies, exhibit- ing in the Arts and Manufactures building, both received first-class diplomas (silver medals 1. the highest awards made. Aktieselskahet de Forende Gummi- og Luftringefabriker Schionning & Arve, at Copenhagen, exhibited under a giant diving bell bearing the company's trade mark (elephant's head and the word "Force"), a diver in complete diving outfit, standing on a pedestal of hose and surrounded by four col- umns of alternating white and red pneumatic tires ("Aequa- tor" brand), surmounted by rubber balls illustrating the na- tional colors. The company, formed in 1896, employ about 100 men, and are credited with an annual production of 1.000.- 000 kroner [=r $268,000]. Exports are made to Sweden and Xorway. At the exhibit of Aktiesel-kabet Skandinavisk Gummi- Compagni, of Odeuse, the attention of the crown prince and crown princess was attracted on the opening day by the figure of a footman placed on a high pedestal and wearing a red rubber cap (in Denmark all the royal servants, as well as the letter carriers, are dressed in red uniforms). The company exhibited waterproof raincoats for men and women, as well as Danish army uniforms, wheel tires, and so on. all bearing their trade' mark — the words "Isonandra Gutta.'" with pictures of rubber plantations. Posters announced that the company sell exclusively to dealers. Seventy-five to 100 workmen are employed, and the production amounts to 350.000 kroner. Gutta-percha and india-rubber cable insulations, and plates illustrating the same, were shown by Det Store Xordiske Telegraf- Selskab A.-S. (Great Northern Telegraph Co.), of Copenhagen. The structure in which this company had its exhibit housed made an imposing effect on account of its size and practical arrangement for demonstrating purposes. The rotunda could be reached by a stairway and was topped by a cable buoy. A survey of their cable line could be ob- tained by means of maps, photographs, specimens, and sample collections, showing also instruments and various cable types. The display contained illustrations of the dam- age done to sea cables by the propeller screw- of steamers and fishing gear. (First-class diploma.) Aktieselskabet Xordiske Kabel- og Traadfabriker (North- ern Cable and Wire Works Co), of Copenhagen and Middel- fart, showed cables, wire and other products of their rolling mill. The firm of Simonsen & Weels Efterfolger exhibited sur- gical dressing fabrics of their manufacture. Camillus X'yrops Etablissement, of Copenhagen, purveyors of instruments to the University, showed a similar line of goods of their own manufacture, as well as surgical, hospital and sick-room sup- plies, bandages, and the like. Aktieselskabet Drivremmefabriken "Dana" of Lyngby, showed patented coton canvas belting. Among the testi- monials shown was one from the before-mentioned manufac- turing concern of Schionning & Arve. (Second-class diploma.) Madsen & Giersing. Fabriken Ondulium, of Copenhagen, manufacturers of paper board and corrugated board, exhibited a novel air cell insulation or covering for superheated steam. made of a compound of asbestos and prepared paper — recom- mended .is cheap, cleanly, and durable. C. Ramm. of Copenhagen, exhibited rubber horseshoe pads made in imitation of American patterns. [The preceding de- tails are derived from the Gummi-Zeitung.] IMPROVED CONDITIONS IN GERMANY. [FROM THE "GUMMI-ZEITUNG," BERLIN, SEPTEMBER 10.] The publication of the first balance sheet issued during the current year by a German rubber works was an evenl of unusual interest. It is well known that times have by no means been favorable to the rubber trade since January I. 1909. Unfavor- able fluctuations in the market, general business depression, un- willingness to buy goods, increased taxes, and advances in prices were prominent features of the first si\ months of the current year, m addition to the enormous advance in the price of crude rubber. In view of these conditions it was assumed that the balance sheets of the German rubber manufacturing concerns would show figures exactly of a nature to give cause for re- joicing. It is consequently and all the more pleasant surprise to learn that the Vereinigte Gummiwaren-Fabriken Harburg-Wien, vor- mals Menier-J. X. Reithoffcr intend to move in the general meeting to lie held on October 30, that a dividend of 6 per cent. lie declared. This showing, which may be considered very satis- factory for the rubber trade at large and for the aforesaid com- pany in particular, furnish, grounds for the expectation that the balance sheets of other rubber works will not fall far behind those of previous years. The fact that the Harburg-Wien Company will declare a divi- dend of 6 per cent, proves that conditions have greatly improved and that we may now expect a continued general improvement and the dawning of better days for the shareholders. The amounts deducted for depreciation from the book value of the plant have this year been unusually large, and there is conse- quently reasons to assume tiiat the company is once more enjoy- ing the good old times. In this connection it deserves attention that higher prices have been obtained for the output of rubber shoes, a line which the Harburg works are pushing energetically. According to a recent report, such buyers of rubber shoes as have not as yet covered their requirements by making contracts at low prices, will henceforth have to pay higher rates both for prompt and future delivery. The advance in the prices of crude rubber is a sufficient justification of such a policy, the more so because American and Russian rubber good manufacturers have already advanced their quotations on rubber shoes GERMAN IMPORTS OF SWEDISH RUBBER FOOTWEAR. [FROM THE "GUMMI-ZEITUNG," BERLIN.] The fact that Sweden is interested, to a by no means incon- siderable extent, in the exportation of rubber shoes to Germany, is proved by the following figures, compiled on the basis of the German trade statistics: Rubber Shoes Imported Into Germany From Sweden. Kilos. Marks. Kilos. Marks. 1900 12,900 -4,000 1905 142,800 785.000 1901 51,000 306,000 1906 264,300 1,454.000 1902 44.700 286,000 1007 5,000 20.000 1903 28,400 142.000 1008 77.30O 309.000 1904 15.300 84,000 The large imports during 1905 and 1906 must be attribute the planned increase in the German import duty on rubber shoes, which was expected at that time. During January and February. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD I ' II R I. 1909. done, the imports of rubber shoes from Sweden amounted kil< grams, repi ilui oi 1. (22,000 mark-. The imports during the period March December, [906 were, rj insignificant. mports from Sweden in [905, that country became d in importance as a source of supply for Germany, a place which had up to that tim upied bj the United State-. the 1. if supply being Russia. On the other hand. import- from Austria-Hut nsiderably. At the time of th ons for the commercial treaty between tany and Sweden, the lattet countn showed a ver3 active interest in permanent! G mtlet for its rapidly iping new industry, in which five manufacturing concerns wei .■• 1 ii 11 time ; In ;' .1 would state thai the United State- i- not i American manufai should be allowed to nun- German) on the payment of a duty ■ mark- per too kilog Gla ed rubbet shoes imported from the United State- must, in fact, pay dutj at the general tariff rate-, of too mark- per too kilograms. Imports from the countries of suppl) are, I entitled to enter Germany .meiit of the reduced treaty rate of 80 mark-, in consequence of their just claim to be all. wed the benefit of the "most favored >n" clause. LEYLAND AND BIRMINGHAM RUBBER CO., LIMITED. thi ended June 30, [909, the trading profit was £55-353 [=$!7 2 j045.37], to which has to be added the balance brought forward from last year of £6,337, making a total of £41.100 Depreciation, reserve for discounts, had and doubt- ful debt tnd directors' remuneration amount to £7:374. and an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum paid mbi i I ' absorbed £6,706, leaving .1 disposable balance imend a final dividend at the rate 1 per annum free of income-tax. payable On and after August 18, making, with the interim dividend as the year and to carry for- ward to ni 1 milts £14.196. TAXICABS IN LONDON. The ( iencral ' Li ei pioneer comp my in i ■ the taxicab there from : d oan o f ige debi n with i of rolling ilrji 1 con th of 1 . 1909. £84,560 Thi ■' d, at f - 1,043.713 I 1.017. 'I In • are not listi d in the pi ble The capi- after which it ab- Union M India R ibi r \\ orld, 1 h en ber t, 1 pag '- 1 | | 895,699]. In . n inquir 1!"' Bi itish Ho 1 th the number of taxicabs and of hi 1 1 mr wheeled licensed in the Metropolil Fit t. 1 md July 1. ■ . 1 e as 1908. 1909. Hansom >-;it>- '. heeled cabs 3.379 M toi cabs Ctaxii abs > [, The number of motor cabs licensed at the beginning of this All the taxicabs in London are not operated by the General Motor Cab Co., by a good deal. Motor Traction says The 1 have close on 1,500 cabs m service and will increase the numbi ■ <> within a few months. Everywhere in Great Britain interest in the taxicab is on the increase, and their use is being introduced. The number of taxicabs in Manchester has increased within a year from 53 to 07 The number in Edinburgh has it Erom 50 to 106. The Bedford town council has granted licenses for u. GREAT BRITAIN. Electra Rubber and Vulcanite Syndicate, Limited, registered August 7. with £5.000 [=$24,332.50] capital, tn acquire a sole license to reclaim rubber under the invention of W. II. Hyatt. Registered office: 38 Wilson street, E. C, London. St. Helen- Cable and Rubber Co., I. united Warrington), have appointed Davidson & Blackadder, of Glasgow, agents for the sale of their g I- for the whole of Scotland. I. Frankenberg & Sons, Limited, of Salford, Manchester, have appointed Watson & Whyte, of Glasgow, their agents for the sale in Scotland of rubber-insulated and bitumen cables. RUSSIA. The Russian- French India-Rubber Co.. "Prowodnik," at Riga, are understood to be producing 50 tons of reclaimed rubber per day in three qualities: (1) from the uppers of Russian galoshes; (2) from uppers and soles, and (3.) from all parts of rubber hoots and shoes. Their reclaiming plant is claimed to be large enough to deal with the whole Russian supplj of 1 ild gab ishi - NORWAY. Aktiesei.skarei den Xm-e Remfabfik, established in 1891 as- manufactui lata belting and leather goods at Christiania, are extending their plant for the purpose of taking on the manu- facture of mechanical rubbi r g 1-. RUBBER IN AEROPLANE FABRICS. Till- manufacture of india-rubber proofed aen iplaneand balloon ics ha- been taken on extensively by The North British Rubber Co., Limned t Edinburgh), who appear to be the pioneers in this held in Great Britain. They 1--"'' a lis! ol different . ilane fabrics, widi arying in price from 2s. to,/. I 69 cents] ti go [=$2.13] per yard A iption • 1 the hi d gi tdt refers to its being formed of three plies , w ith rubber coa 1 1 this material « pel square yard. The fabric i- of the In -1 quality thai can bi produced, and i- menti 1 pounds warp and pounds v. eft. On i 11 ti ■ upersaturated atmos phere timi increase 111 weight equal- 71 ' p ■ ; , . ■; ! ;rai aining single ply , ,r both -nli - with rubber, but tin coating 1 to .1 being air proof, and the fabric 1 apab tanding a \ tvy s1 rain. Thi are attached to the machines by mi of gro nn - I taped on. ball iffered bj the same firm are composed of two pli . with three coatings ol rubber, one coating between the plies ami oin < tch Mi;ier side. The outei coating is of red rubber, pn ciallj to prevent decomposition from mois- ture and heat, and to withstand thi actinic action of light. The coating employed for the inside is calculated more espe- cially to withstand thi detiorating action of gases. The internal coatin ol rubber renders the whole practically one fabric. The threads ol the two plies are placed at different angles and, when the whole 1- vulcanized together, it is practically impossible to tear it. and in the event of a rent, this will not continue along the fabric. The weight of this material is g l / 2 ounces per square yard, and the price gs. [=$2.19] per lineal yard 36 inches wide. October i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 21 The Editor's Book Table. ANALYSE DU CAOUTCHOUC ET DE LA GUTTA PERCHA. _ PAR Maurice Pontio- - - • [In the Encyclopedic Scientifique des Aide-Memoire — Leaute.] Paris: Gauthier-Yillars. 1909. [Paper. i6mo. Pp. 170. Price, 2.50 francs.] THE author of this work is an expert chemist in the service of the French office having charge of posts and telegraphs, and the fact of his having been selected to prepare a volume on the chemistry of india-rubber and gutta- percha, in the important series to which this work belongs, is in itself a high testimonial to his professional standing. Be- ginning with a general account of the sources of rubber, of the nature of latex, and the different methods of coagulation, the author proceeds to the discussion of physical character- istics of the leading grades of rubber, after which he takes up the methods of analysis by the leading authorities, to wliich he adds some of his own. The book deals with physical tests as well as chemical analyses, and one-fourth of its space is devoted to gutta-percha, which is natural in a work from this source, on account of the importance of this material in electrical insulation. LECTURES ON INDIA-RUBBER. BEING THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT of the Proceedings of the Conference Held in Connection with the Inter- national Rubber and Allied Trades Exhibition, London, September, 1908. Edited by D. Spence, ph.d., f.i.c. - - - London: International Rubber and Allied Trades Exhibition, Limited. [1909.] [Cloth. Svo Pp. 334. Price, 10/6, net.] The notice of this book in the last India Rubber World was based upon advance sheets, without having before us the title of the book, which is here reproduced for the sake of having it in the record, so to speak. In addition to the features of the work mentioned already in these columns, Dr. Spence's compila- tion embraces reports on the social functions in connection with the International Rubber Exhibition, most of which were men- tioned currently in The India Rubber World. These affairs particularly merit a record in this stately volume, since they con- tributed so conspicuously in aiding the representatives of so many rubber planting countries to become personally acquainted — by- no means the least valuable result of the Rubber Exhibition. RUBBER SHARE HANDBOOK. DETAILS OF COMPANIES OWNING iber and Other Produce Properties in Ceylon, the Malay Peninsula. i: Nortl Borneo, Sumatra. Java. Africa and South America. don: Financier aiid Bullionist. 1909. [Boards, irmo. Pp. 317- ' ice, 2 shillings.] Tins, the third edition of a work already favorably com- mented upon in these pages, is the best book of its class which has yet appeared, both because it is the latest in the field and because it contains details in respect of more companies than any preceding compilation. Statis- tics are given of 290 companies devoted wholly or in part to rubber planting, the same being located in a score of colonies and countries. The work appears to leave nothing to be desired in respect of accuracy. The directors of each company are named on the page devoted to the company, and at the end appears a directory of directors — 483 names in all — with the companies with which each i- connected. We notice that there are individuals connected with the boards of nearly a score of companies each. MANUEL PRATIOUE DE LA CULTURE ET DE L'EXPLOITATION des Essences Caoutchoutiferes Indigenes et Introduites au Congo Beige. Brussels: A. Lesigne. 1909. [Cloth. 8vo. Pp. 126.] This work, issued under the auspices of the Belgian minister of colonies, is an elaboration of a manual issued under a similar title several years ago. It relates in detail to (i) rubber trees, (2) lianes, or vines, and (3) caoutchoucs des herbes, or "root rubber." Following a brief description in plain language of each species is an account of the habitat, including conditions of soil and the like, with suggestions for propagating the species, and for its cultivation. Finally are suggestions based upon practice for collecting latex, whether from trees, vines, or roots; the coagulation of the same, preparation for market, and transportation. Experi- ments in rubber cultivation in the Congo country, particularly at Coquilhatville and Eala, not to mention work done on rubber concessions, have been carried on to an extent which provides not a little material for a practical manual such as this is designed to be. Prominence is given in this book to the native Funtumia and Hcvca among trees, Landolphia Klainei among vines, and Landolphia Thollonii of the "root rubber" species, though the cultivation of several other species is regarded with favor. The interest and value of the book are enhanced by the introduction of 29 plates, illus- trating botanical specimens and methods of tapping and the like. ANNUAIRE UXIYERSEL DU CAOUTCHOUC, DE LA GUTTA- Percha, et des Industries qui s'v Rattchent Paris: La Caoutchouc et la Gutta-percha. 1909. [Paper, Svo. Pp. 167. Price, 6.50 francs.] Our excellent contemporary, the organ of the rubber trade in France, lias brought out the second annual edition of its Universal Dictionary of the rubber and allied indus- tries. The general character of the work is the same as last year, but it appears in a more convenient form. By increasing the number of entries on each page the work has been brought into smaller bulk, which is an advantage. Nat- urally the lists are fullest for France, but manufacturers and dealers are included for the other leading countries of Europe and the United States of America. The editor has not always distinguished properly between makers of goods and dealers, and the book bears evidences of having been set up by printers unfamiliar with the languages in which some of the firm names are expressed. We do not doubt, however, that the trade will accept the invitation to suggest corrections where any may be needed, and that the work will become increasingly valuable with each new edition. Strangely enough, no American manufacturers are mentioned under" tlie heading of Tires. The fullest department, per- haps, is that of firms in the crude rubber trade, the list of which, filling 16 pages, relates to every country or colony now producing rubber commercially. DE BALTA-INDUSTRIE IN SURINAME rSURIXAM: 1909.] [PAPER. Svo. r cix.i This is a government publication, which has grown out of the interest in the products of Dutch Guiana, stimulated by the ex- hibit made at the International Rubber Exhibition of 1908, where the colony was represented by a subcommittee of the Netherlands committee already mentioned at length in The India Rubber World. The secretary of that subcommittee was Dr. J. Sack, who is chemist at the Surinam experiment station of the colonial department of agriculture. Dr. Sack is the editor of this brochure on balata, which is devoted to the history of the de- velopment of this product in general and in Surinam in particu- lar. The existence of Mimuscps balata was recognized in the colony practically as soon as in any other region, but the expor- tation of its product was not developed without considerable delay. The exports have grown from 166 kilograms in 1881 to 454.194 in 1908. The history of the concessions system is given, and the regulations adopted at various times for encouraging the industry while conserving the supply. Chapters are devoted to the botany and chemistry of balata. THE VISCOSITY OF INDIA-RUBBER AND INDIA-RUBBER SOLtJ- tions- With Special references to its Bearing on 'he Strength or "Nerve" of Crude Rubber. By Dr. P. Schidrowitz and H A, Golds- brough. [Reprinted from the Journal of the Society of Chemical In- dustrv, London Section, January 15. I9°9-1 [Paper. i2mo. Pp. 14.J 22 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [October i. i k> "7-LEAGUE" RUBBER BOOTS. IN the ci Ity hi rubber footwear, with 1 sewed leather soles, the vamp lining of the I t, as well as the counter lining, instead of being turned in under the foot, as is done ordinarily in making rubber boots, is turned out over the welt. A v. I two layers of canvas with rubber between them is then pi I on thi il of the boot, and on the outside of the boot a strip of canvas extending about an inch above the sole is placed all the way around the loot. This also extends out over the out turned upper, and is forced into Mil by a blind stitcher. The shell is thus vulcanized, which it is stitched with a stitching machine, the stitchi ins,' down through tin out turned canvas strip and out turned any lenj • red, and in width up to i_» feet, but as a matter of fact, no mat of this kind should bi i wide, and even 3 or | feet is a much more practical si "7-League" Krr.BER Boot. vamp and counter lining the welp sole and the wearing sole. In this maimer the threads pass through four thicknesses of canvas, making a juncture so strong that no nails are necessary in the sole of the boot to hold it fast to the upper. Of course, nails are placed in the heels to hold fast the lifts and top piece. The illustration is intended to give the idea of a mag- nifying glass showing details of construction. These hoots are patented — United States No. 895,284 — and other designs and patents are being applied for. The name of the hoot is protected by copyright. The rubber part of these boots is made by one of the principal rubber shoe factories. They are placed on the market by the owners of the patents. Mulconroy Co., Incorporated, Philadelphia. THE MERIT OF RUBBER MATS. A N important rubber firm specializing in the line of goods •** referred to states: "No other form of floor covering so thoroughly and satisfactorily fills the bill as rubber mats and matting. They are sanitary r , noiseless, odorless, durable, eco nonical and attractive, thereby filling every requirement of a modern floor covering. No other material combines these neces- sary and desirable features. - - - These goods arc especially- adapted for use in public and private buildings, institutions of all kinds, libraries, schools, churches, office buildings, banks, rail- road stations, elevators, carriages, automobiles, boats, and in fact wherever a serviceable, sanitary and economical covering is desired." The same company advise their patrons: "When ordering lettered mats, do not use too much wording. A mat filled with letters is not effective. Letters smaller than 3 inches long do not show to advantage. In order to calculate how many letters you can place 011 a line, bear in mind that a letter occupies a running space about equal to its height, and that s inches on each side and at either end is taken up by the border of the mat. - - - We are frequently asked how long and how wide we can make perforated mats. We can make them THE AMAZON RUBBER SYSTEM. [FROM rHE "BULLETIN OF Mil-: AMERICAN REPUBLICS."] AX intelligi nl survej of " I he Rubber System of the Ami as published in The India Rubber World for July 1, 1900 [page 347], 1- made by Gusta\ Heinsohn. Primarily designed as a clear statement of the writer's views in regard to the so- railed rubber valorization project, many instructive facts as to the gathering and marketing of this valuable commodity are furni It also corrects a mistake too prevalent abroad that "Amazon rubber is obtained by haphazard methods by ignorant denizens of the fori Si " To support the contention it is asked: "If it were not for a well organized system how could Para show a certain and well sustained and annually growing export of rubber?" FOUNTAIN SYRINGE IMPROVEMENT. PATENTS have recent l\ been granted for an improved foun- tain syringe bag, which will be appreciated by users, and no doubt interest rubber sundries manufacturers. In recent years there has been an increased demand for bags with larger openings or inlets, in order to permit of cleansing the inside, also to facilitate easy filling from a pitcher or other ves- sel. For hospital or general use, physicians advise bags with large inlets. Most bags made heretofore, whether with small or large openings, have been limp at the top, making it necessary^ to hold them open when being filled. If made with a wide inlet the sides hang down, often spilling a portion of Pearl's Bag Distending Rings. the content-. The Pearl patents cover distending rings hinged to the inside of the bag, opening the ring readily folding down into the hag when the syringe is boxed, as indicated by the dotted hues in Fig. I. When in use the ring is drawn u> firmly into the bag neck, forming a rigid edge, as shown in Fig. 2. Distending rings are also made in various sizes so formed that they may be sprung into the bag inlet and firmly held without being hinged. These rings are made of nickel plated wire, celluloid, hard rubber and aluminum, also wire covered with rubber tubing, depending on the quality of bags fitted. These hag distending rings are the invention of Eugene Pearl, No. _>.l Union square. New York. The president of Brazil, on August 5, signed decree No. 7485, authorizing the operation in that republic of Deutsch- Siidamerikanische Telegraphcn-Gesellschaft. A.-G., formed in Germany with 4,000,000 marks [=$952,000] capital, to lay a cable from Borkum to TenerifTc, and thence to Brazil. i ' ober ;. 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 23 A NEW TYPE OF VACUUM DRYER. A \ improved vacuum drying apparatus recently designed is herewith shown. It lias been customary in the past, with dryers as large as this one, to use a circular boiler plate shell, witl rectangular heating shelves, which required a large floor i> and caused much waste space between the shelves, and 1I1. shell had to be evacuated each time the dryer was put in operation. On the smaller size dryers it lias been the custom tn make the chambers rectangular, of cast iron, built up in sec- tions. This necessitates many joints which have to lie main- tained, each joint causing additional danger to the maintenance of a high vacuum, and that a high vacuum is necessary is ^lii iw 11 by the fact that the higher vacuum obtained on the A New Vacuum Dryer. apparatus the quicker the drying can be accomplished. The vacuum chambers on the dryers here shown are cast in one piece. The chambers are made of "air furnace iron," which is an exceedingly dense, homogeneous metal, having a tensile strength of approximately 36,000 pounds per square inch. As will be remembered, ordinary cupola iron rarely exceeds 23,000 pounds per square inch. Because of the great density of air furnace iron, manufacturers of ammonia and high pressure cylin- ders are using it on account of being able to maintain a higher pressure in cylinders, due to the fact that the air cannot get through the molecules of the metal. It will therefore be seen that a higher vacuum can be obtained in the drying chamber if casings are made from this iron. This vacuum dryer is made by the Buffalo Foundry and Machine Co., of Buffalo. New York. FIRE FIGHTING IN NEW YORK. THE chief of the fire department of New York, Edward F. 1 Croker, a member of the service for 25 years, in a recent interview in the New York Herald, expressed the highest appre- ciation of the high pressure system now in vogue in New York. ind the use of water towers. "Have fire-fighting methods improved much since you first came to the department?'' the interviewer asked. " I he development of methods of fighting fires." said Chief Croker, "has reached a point where, for a time, I do not expect them to go much further. More attention should now be given to fire prevention. Asked if he favored limitation in the height of "skyscrapers," Mr. Croker said: "Yes, I do. Fires cannot be surely controlled at any higher than 75 feet. No building should be allowed that goes any higher than seven stories,. or they are liable to be dangerous." At the same time the fire chief pointed out the advantage which Ni w York possesses in the matter of water supply, and the liberal provision of apparatus, enabling 200 engines to be concen- trated on any point within an hour. The matter of fire hose was not mentioned in the full-page article from which these quotations are made, but it would appear from the tone of his interview that the best hose yet made by the rubber manufacturers will not. in the opinion of Mr. Croker, together with the best apparatus yet designed for use in con- nection with it, insure a reasonable degree of safety for buildings above a certain height. And yet buildings several times 75 feet tall are being erected every year. The hope of the future, then, as he says, is fire prevention. GOOD RUBBER FROM MEXICO. I ' 1 1 E production of rubber has begun on the plantation "Dona Maria," of Tapachula Rubber Co., at Escuintla. Chiapas, Mexico. A recent report was that they had ready for shipment over 3 tons of rubber, coagulated in thin sheets and pressed into blocks of 25 kilograms, and branded "Dona Maria." A specimen sent to The India Rubber World is clean and otherwise very desirable rubber. The American domicile of the company is at San Francisco. HEALTH IN THE RUBBER COUNTRIES. I X a lecture on "The Panama Canal," at the West India Com- * mittee Rooms in London, on March 25, before a meeting presided over by the Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, Vaughan Cornish, F. R. G. s... an engineer of note who had devoted much study to the Canal Zone, said : Whatever may be thought of the engineering principles involved in the present plan of the Panama canal, there can be no doubt whatever that the sanitation work of the United States has been a magnificent success, and that it has most important bearings on the future of the white race in tropical lands. This assertion is commended to whoever may be interested in the development of the rubber interest in the South American tropics on a more extensive scale and more economically than in the past. The present Panama canal enterprise is by no means the first attempted in the same region, but the former efforts resulted in failure as much, as for any other reason, on account of the ravages of disease which sanitary science is now able to combat. To recur to the rubber areas, the work "Album do Estado do Para" [see The India Rubber World, July 1, 1909 — page 349] contains some facts of note regarding the improvements which have been made from a standpoint of health in the regions of which Para is the capital. It says: "Even yellow fever, whose name has done so much to cast discredit on our country, has nearly completely disappeared from Santos and Rio de Janeiro. If there are occasionally a few sporadic cases in the north of Brazil, they are now few and far betvveeen, owing to the progress made by hygiene which enables us to counteract the deadly effect of all diseases, whether they occur in Europe, in America, in high or low latitudes." The Para publication continues : "The plain truth is that man lives just as well in Brazil as in Europe," and statistics are given to indicate that the death rate of Para is lower than in St. Peters- burg, Madrid, Venice. Marseilles, or Rome, and not much higher than in New York or Paris. This favorable condition for Para, however, represents a great improvement over what existed when rubber was first obtained from that port, and hut points to the possibilities of making the whole Amazon valley habitable by white men. who. by the way, in the last half century have found the Mi iissippi valley in the United States immensely more de- sirable for home than in the earlier years of the American republic Panama Rubber, Fruit and Lumber Co.. September <>. capital. $2,500,000. To grow fruits and for general farming. H. L. (rani, president; H. P. Sweetser, treasurer: Portland. Maine 24 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [October i, 1909. News of the American Rubber Trade. GROWTH OF THE ELLW00D LEE CO. THE J. Ellwood Lee Co., established as manufacturing chemist- since 1883 at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, are building a new rubber plant at Spring Mill, on the out- skirts of Conshohocken, which they intend to have in opera- tion by January 1. They have planned an up-to-date factory for druggists' sundries, hospital supplies, molded goods, and automobile tires, to be in charge of C. E. Eckrode, superin- tendent of the company's rubber department. The new plant, it is reported, will consist of a four-story building 85 x 410 feet, a two-story building 82 x 90 feet, a one-story power house 82 x 93 feet, and a one-story forge 17 x 50 feet. The company named have long been specialists in elastic and sur- gical hosiery and bandages, to which they have added the products of the New Jersey Rubber Specialty Co., operating formerly at Milltown, New Jersey, under the proprietorship oi Mr. Eckrode. It appears now that the scope of the Lee company is to be further broadened in a factory at once 1 lern, complete, and extensive. RUBBER FOOTWEAR FACTORIES RESUME. I in. two factories of the Boston Rubber Shoe Co., at Maiden and Melrose, Massachusetts, after the annual shut- down of two weeks, resumed operations early in the month, the grinding department starting on September 7 and the other departments in the regular order thereafter. The same schedule was observed at the two factories of the Woon- socket Rubber Co. The boot and shoe making departments of th. Goodyear's Metallic Rubber Shoe Co. and the Good- India Rubber Glove Manufacturing Co., at Naugatuck, Connecticut, started to work on August 31. after the usual shutdown. Work was also resumed at the same date in the druggists' sundries department of the latter, after a brief period of idleness. The factory of the National India Rubber Co., at Bristol, Rhode Island, ended its annual shutdown on August 30. GROWTH OF THE B. F. STURTEVANT CO. Tin: I!. F. Sturtevant Co. (Boston) formerly capitalized at $500,000, have been reorganized under the corporation laws of Massachusetts with $1,250,000 6 per cent, cumulative pre- ferred stock and $1,250,000 of common stock, and the stock has all been taken. John Carr, chairman of the board of di- rectors of the First National Bank of Boston, is president of the company; Eugene N. Foss, treasurer, and E. B. Freeman, general manager. The fan and blower business of the Sturt- evant company, so well known in the rubber industry, has increased to such an extent as to have made necessary during the past year the erection at Hyde Park of a new plant at a cost of more than St. 500,000, and it is understood that the company contemplates addition building in the spring. CONTROL OF THE B. & R. RUBBER CO. \ majority of the stock of tlir B. X- R. Rubber Co. (North Brooklield. Massachusetts) 1- now held by Messrs. Thomas G. Richards and Charles C. Beebe, the founders of the com- pany in [906, and since holders of the principal official posi- tions. These gentlemen wen recently purchasers of consid- erable -lock from individual holders, in addition to which they have purchased the shares held by the North Brook-field Industrial Association — $7,000 in preferred and $3,500 in com- mon stock. CENTRAL CITY RUBBER CO. (SYRACUSE, N. Y.) Tins company, recently incorporated [see The India Rubber World, August 1, 1909— page 403], has been E01 to do a jobbing business in mechanical rubber goods, and automobile, motorcyle. motor boat, and bicycle supp They will also do a retail business in Syracuse. David A. Gould is president, (ieorge II. Lloyd, vice-president and general manager, and John R. Graham, secretary and treasurer — all in the employment of Frank C. How lilt's rubber store for upwards of 15 years. These officers and A. Park Sager and Daniel A. Pierce, all of Syracuse, make up the board of directors. Loca- tion, No. 129 East Water street. RUBBER GOODS MANUFACTURING CO.— DIVIDEND. The directors of the Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co., on September 8, declared the forty-second regular quarterly dividend of 1^4 per cent, on the preferred stock, from net earnings, payable September 15. The amount to be disbursed was $181,149.50. AMERICAN LINSEED CO.— CONDITION IMPROVING. The directors report profits for the year ended July 31, 1909, before deducting interest, of $1,264,184.99, and after deducting interest and depreciation charges of $979,600.82. This has per- mitted them to cancel the former deficit and to carry to r.i practically $100,000. Last year's American crop of flaxseed was not sufficient for the home - demand, owing to unfavorable weather, and for the first time in years seed was imported from Canada and Argentina. The price of seed during the year ranged from $1.20 to $1.80, and the price of oil from 38 to 60 cents. The stocks of both, at the end of the business year, were the lowest since 1901. The outlook for the current year is reported favorable, as to average and condition of the seed crop and the prospective consumption of oil. The capital of the com- pany is $16,700,000 each in preferred and common shares. The last dividend reported was l->4 per cent, on the preferred, Sep- tember 1, 1900. Stock quotations have improved, as follows: Preferred : high 1909, 47.54 ; high 1908, 36J4 ; low 1909, 29 ; low 1908, 17. Common: high 1900, 20; high 1908 17% ; low 1900. 12: low 1908. s 7 A- TRADE NEWS NOTES. The Boston Belting Co. recently made in one contint length 1,170 feet of their Forsyth braided hose. This is thi longest continuous length of hose, it is said, which has ever been produced, and is an indication that the Boston Belting Co. are fully equipped to meet the growing demand for long length hose. For years, efforts have been made to make hose in such lengths as this, but it has only recently been achieved. At the plant of the Electric Hose and Rubber Co. (Wil- mington, Delaware) recently the cement house caught fire, causing an explosion of gasoline which led to damagi oi about $1,600, covered by insurance. Repairs to the build- ing were at once made. The Hartford Rubber Works Co. (Hartford, Connecticut 1 have issued a correction of the statement that they were the purchasers recently of the Pope Tube Works, from the United States Steel Corporation. The tube plant, which was built under the directions of the late Colonel Albert A. Pope and which was acquired by the Steel Corporation several years ago, has been idle for a considerable period, although it has been kepi in excellent repair. The works have been purchased, however, by the Pope Manufacturing Co. The R. H. Smith Manufacturing Co. (Springfield, Massa chusetts) state that the first complete rubber stamp making plant ever exported from the United States was shipped by them to South America in 1873. since which time they have sold their supplies in every part of the civilized world. October i. irk. will be continued under the firm name of Henderson &- Korn. at the same location. Mr. Henderson having associated himself with Mr. Ernest A. Korn, who for a number of years was connected with Hagemeyer & Brunn, of New York, gaining a wide experience in Para grades. Mr. Korn is at present in Manaos on business of the firm. NEW FIRM IN THE WASTE RUBBER TRADE. The two firms, Erie Iron and Metal Co. and B. A. Zacks & Sons, dealers in scrap rubber and other waste materials at Erie, Pennsylvania, have combined their interests and formed a corporation styled Erie Iron and Steel Co., at Twentieth and Ash streets, Erie. The officers are: P. Emerman, presi- dent; P. A. Zacks, vice-president; J. II. Zacks, secretary; 1. H. Emerman. treasurer; Henry Zacks. assist. mt secretary. TIRE TRADE NOTES. The Empire lire Co. (Trenton, New Jersey) have opened .1 branch at Xo. j,-!^ North Broad street. Philadelphia, in which city the trade hitherto had been supplied through a jobbing; house. E. P. Richardson is manager of the new- bra nch. Continental Caoutchouc Co. have located their Boston branch at a new location. No. 895 Boylston street. Mr. E. H. Kidder is the resident manager. % . Morgan & Wright (Detroit. Michigan) on September 1 removed their Minneapolis branch to more commodious quarters, at No. oil hirst avenue. S. R. S. Ireland has been made sole sales manager of the Ajax-Grieb Rubber Co., with headquarters at Broadway and Fifty-seventh street. New York. O. L. Weaver has resigned the position of Cincinnati branch manager of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., which he held for sj N years, to become connected with the sales department of the Overland Automobile Co. (Indian- apolis. Indiana 1. The Diamond Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio), who have not been producing motor cycle tires hitherto, announce that they are about to take on the manufacturing of such goods. With reference to reports .if troubles in motoring due to the heating of tires, the manufacturers of Dixon's flake graphite suggest the use of this material on the inner tube, to lessen the friction of the same on the tire easing. Mr. J. B. Kavanaugh has resigned from the position of New York manager of The Fisk Rubber Co. on account of ill health, with the idea of resting fur a year. He was formerly in the emplo; of I he Hartford Rubber Works Co. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (Akron. Ohio) report their production of bicycle tires to lie more active than for several year- past. They refer to more than 400 dealers — on,- to a town — now handling these tins. They have closed contracts for 1910 equipment with some large cycle manu- fad liters The automobib tire depart: enl of the Republic Rubber Co (Youngstown, Ohio) was reported lately to be expe- riencing the busiest season sinci it; establishment. For SOmi time il had been operated three nights in each week. Hagstrom Brothers Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Lindsburg, K.ni 1 1 ri ntly voted to increase their capital stock from 0,000, particularly with reference to increasing the outpul il the rubber automobile tire sleeves which were illustrated in Tin; India Rubber World in July (page to automobile rubber sleeevs they are planning to put out a tire sleeve of similar description for motor cycles. I I BER I, igcg. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 27 56 53Va 54 - ! s Low Low Low Low Low- united STATES RUBBER CO. S ISSUES. nsactions on the New York Stock Exchange for . en. liny September 25 : Com mux Stock, $25,000,000. [Le-.- $1.344. in treasury of a subsidiarj company.l Last Dividend, April 10, 1900^1%. AugusI 28.. Sales 40,800 shares High September 4 Sale.-. 15.775 -hares High September 11 Sales 11. 300 shares High September 18 Sales 20,850 shares High September 25 Sales 27,360 shares High the year — High, 57%, Aug. 19: Low, -7. Feb. 24. year — High, 37}^; Low, iyVz. First Preferreh Stoi k. $36,263,000. Last Dividend, July 31, 1909 — 2', W . August 28. . Sales 16,150 shares Week September 4 Sales 3.210 shares Week September 11 Sales 1.750 shares \\ 1 ek September 18 Sales 2,600 shares Week September 25 Sales 5.825 shares For tht- year — High, ;:.;_. Aug. 24: Low, 9 Last year — High, 108; Low, 76. Second Preferred Stock, S9.g65.00o. Last Dividend, July 31, 1909 — i 1 -'- INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. Tra week 5, Week Week W Week W< k 1 01 1 -- 5Cs 52 50 5034 5.W High 123', Li IW I I S 1 _- High 120'.. Lo w Ill)', High 120 Low 118' .. High 1 20 >/2 Low u8y 4 High i-'.V J Low [20; i > Jan. 29- Week Week- Week Week- Week For Last Week Week Week Week Week August 28. . Sales September 4 Sales September 1 1 Sales September 18 Sales September 25 Sales Augu-t 28. . . September 4 September 1 1 September 18 September 25 4,425 shares 300 shares 1,500 shares 750 shares 2.590 shares the year — High, SgVz. Aug. 23: Low. 07' 2, Feb. 25. year— High, 75'..; Low. 42. Six Per Cext Certificates, $20,000,000 $15,000,0011 issued. Sales 59 certs. High 105 VL> Sales 62 certs. High 105 '4 Sales 21 certs. High 105A6 Sales 97 certs. High 105J4S Sale- 97 certs. High 105 High 89% Low 87 High 8 7 -H Low 8? 1 /* High 88 Low Ko' s High S7V4 Lou- «7 High 89 Low 87J4 Low Low- Low Low- Li iw 105 105 105 104M 104. s NEW INCORPORATIONS. Union Rubber and Supply Co., August 6, 1909. under the laws of Missouri; capital, $10,000. fully paid. Incorporator--: Joseph S. Tracey (140 shares). Fred W. Brand (40 share-). John Coughlin (.20 shares 1. Location, St. Louis. This business was organized in 1902 as a copartnership, under the style, Union Supply Co.. by Joseph F. Tracy and J. Frank M) rrison. The new corporation has these officers: Joseph F. Tracy, president: John Coughlin. vice-president; Fred W. Brand, secretary and treasurer. Location, No. 410 Market street. A complete stock of mechanical rubber goods is carried, including leather and canvas belting. Rubber Novelty Manufacturing Co.. July 12, 1909, under Ohio laws; capital, $10,000. Incorporators: C. D. Httber, George E. Gorz, F. O. Williams. Clarence A. Lindsay, and H. A. Mykrantz. Location, Vshland, Ohio. Trenton Rubber Manufacturing Co.. July 31, 1909, under Xew Jersey laws; capital. $2,000. Incorporator-: Joseph O. Stokes, William J. B. Stokes, and Francis C. Lowthrop. Location, Trenton. Xew Jersey. The former Trenton Rub- bei Manufacturing Co. recently adopted the name Thermoid Rubber Co [see The India Rubber World, July 1. 1009 — page 370]. and the new- corporation has been formed by the same interest for the sake of more fully protecting their interest in the goodwill of the old corporation. Morgan & Wright, a corporation of Michigan, have quali- fied to do business in Illinois as a foreign corporation, under date of June 2^,. 1909. Charles J. Butler is president and J. P. Weston secretary, both of Detroit, Michigan. West American Rubber Co., September I, 1900. under the laws of California; capital authorized. $50,000. Directors: V. C. Benjamin, William T. Gotbed, Caroline A. Benjamin, John D. Works, Lewis R. Works. Location. Los Ang California. EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. ■ I ' HE following is an official satement of value of exports of *■ manufactures of india-rubber and gutta-percha from the United States ior ten fiscal years, ending June 30: Belting, Ye \k- Packing and Hose. 1908-09 $1,498,445 1907-0S L347-775 1906-07 1,253,369 1905-106 1.221,159 All and 1 )ther Shoes. Rubber. $1,292,673 $3,823,956 1,614,290 3,743,040 1904-05 .. 1903-04 . . 1902-03 . 1901-02 . . 1900-01 . . 1890-1900 994,100 879,476 819,085 634,146 565-7-26 =4 1 ,830 1,231,898 1,505,082 1,214,342 1,086,364 1,056,491 1,046,315 7-4-015 420,746 3,729,643 2,966,144 2,572,375 2.4H9.750 2,299,875 1. 78 1. 94 1 [,727,527 1.405.2 1 2 Total $6,615,074 6,705,105 6,214,910 5,692,385 4,780,817 4.435.590 4,176,351 3,462,402 3,017,268 2,367,788 The exports for the last fiscal year compare with the previous i ear as follows : Decrease in boots and shoes Increase in belting, etc. . . . '. $150,670 Increase in miscellaneous 80,916 $321,617 23 1. 5S6 Net decrease $90,031 Exports of rubber boots and shoes (in pairs) have been as fol- low-, by fiscal years ended June 30:: 1001 1.459,100 1904 2,310,808 1907 2,310,420 1902 2,594,7,08 1905 2,300.539 1908 3,080,253 1903 2,307,401 1906 2,693.670 1909 2,397,435 Exports 1 in value) of reclaimed rubber and of w-aste rubber have been as follows : Reclaimed. Waste [908-og $414,861 $402,897 1007-08 418,738 449.727 1906-07 665, iog 548.6g5 [905-06 511.843 339.507 1904-05 ■ 522,902 204.945 IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES. Years. India-rubber. Gutta-percha. igoS-og $i,39,i,77P ?7i,8ig 1907-08 1.956,590 93,545 1906-07 2.262,783 191.064 1905-06 1,992,413 208.172 1904-05 1,389,064 1 17-735 1903-04 821,562 335.480 1902-03 665,972 225,198 1901-02 449-756 127,780 1900-01 478,663 163,337 i8gg-igco -04.088 254.332 SHIPMENTS TO NON-CONTIGUOUS COUNTRIES. For the fiscal year ended June 30, igog: Belting. Territories Packing. and Hose. Alaska $g6,gog I law.iii 45,031 Porto Rico 0.277 Philippine- 39,6gi Total. $1,463,589 2,050.135 2,453,847 2,200.585 1.506,799 1,157.042 891,170 577.536 642,000 818,420 Total $190,908 Ti tal, 1007-08 162.602 Total, [906-07 197.508 1 otal, [905-06 164,606 Total, 1904-05 107.350 Boots All and Other Shoes. Rubber. Total. $181,132 $20,042 $2gS.o83 H-332 101,092 1 57-4.-5 308 69,936 79,521 2.204 73,652 115.54; $194,976 $264,722 235,044 217.801 615.447 215.630 [67,488 581 >,( i2l 179,210 1 g 1 ,260 495,26 1 110.314 398,874 It is nearly four years since motor fire appliances were first introduced in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, and a recent United Slat.-- consular report state- that "the results have been so -in -factory, from everj point of view, that it is the intenion 1 1 graduallj substitute motor lire vehicle- for steam fire engines, ;o that ultimatelj horse and -team power will be entirely dis- pensed w ith " 28 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [ October i . tgo RUBBER FOOTWEAR PRICES HIGHER. THE United States Rubber Co., under date of September 20, advised the trade of new discounts on rubber footwear, which has the effect of a material advance in prices, which it is stated has become neci sary '>n account of the unprecedented high cost of crude rubber. The change in discounts consist-. of 20 per cent, being allowed now, as against 25, in the initial discount on each item in the company's lists. 11k Hood Rubber Co. have issued new price lists of the same date, with a similar change in discounts. The same is true of the Apsley Rubber Co. It may be stated, indeed, that the advance in foot- wear i~ general, in keeping with the upward movement of for rubber manufactures of all kinds. RUBBER PRODUCTION IN AFRICA. ■'""pi I K Prospects and Possibilities of Rubber Cultivation in *■ West Africa" was the subject of an address before the African Trade Section of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. on July 12, by Mr. J. J. Fischer, who has long been engaged in the crude rubber trade at Liverpool. He is largely interested in trade generally with West Africa, in which region he once spent 20 years, besides which he has made many visits to the coast. Mr. Fischer is now managing director of the West African Rubber Plantations, Limited. Funtumia elastica, a rubber tree indigenous to a large part of \trica. is highly regarded by Mr. Fischer. It yielded a large part of the production of the Gold Coast and Lagos in the days of the greatest export from those colonies. Since then the supply has gradually diminished, because the natives had cut down so many tree-. After the government began to insist upon the trees being tapped, this was done so badly in many cases that the trees soon died. Now Funtumia is being planted in the British possessions, several years after the Germans made a beginning in Kamerun. The United States consul at Durban reports that there are in Natal — in Zululand, for instance, large tracts of land suitable for rubber cultivation, but these are allotted only to persons who Lr< British subjects or who may take out litter- of naturaliza- tion in the colon;.. \t the London Rubber Exhibition samples of Funtumia were shown by Mr. Fischer's company. He said "The rubber was tried on a machine, also on exhibition, and it was found to be the strongest rubber at the exhibition. A strip cut off from a biscuit 5 inches Ion". 1 inch wide, and about Js inch thick, stretched out to 35 inches, seven times its length, before it broke. The attendant at the machine said that he had never tested any rubber yet so strong as this." The Mabira Forest (Uganda) Rubber Co., Limited, Mr. Fischer said, "also exhibited Funtumia rubber at the Rub!. 1 Exhibition. Their rubber was very black, I was told," Mr. Fischer, "and not so strong. Since then they have im- proved the quality and got it paler, and it was sold at the same price recently as Ceylon plantation Para rubber. If we could succeed in getting it still paler — to a bright amber color — it would fetch 6d. more per pound. This, I believe, is possible. Funtumia elastica rubber will, therefore, take the first place, always, provided it is planted and its latex scientifically treated." The planting of Hevea rubber in various parts of Africa is also commended by Mr. Fischer. Several thousands of this species have been planted by the West .African Plantatiot - Limited. The planting of Funtumia in certain districts is prefer- able, because this will succeed with less rainfall than is needed for Hevea. Mr. Fischer devoted some remarks also to "manicoba" rubber . Wanihot). "The Germans in East Africa," he said, "have found that this is the most remunerative for their country, I see now that they have stripped £200,000 worth already." An American consular official at Hongkong stati 'brie would be very little market in China for rubber 1" and overshoes of the patterns sold in the United States, but that if made according to Chinese styles considerabli mand exists at the chief distributing ports of Hongkong, Canton, and Shanghai. The value of the imports of rubbei footwear into the empire during 1907. the last year for which statistics are available, was $244,900. With the Chinese the mark or brand (chop) plays an important part, and Ameri- cans seeking to build up trade in this line should adopt a dis- tinctive mark, registered in the United States as well as in China, and place it on every shoi The highway commission of Massachusetts are at work upon a census of traffic on the highways of that State. Win!. th< turns tire not complete, the commission figure that 45 per cent. of the total vehicular traffic is motor driven. Up to September 1 motorists had paid to the State of Massachusetts in regi tion and license fees $151,635.52, which amount lias been credited to tin road maintenance account. Tut Observer mention- the visit to Colombo oi young Chines.. ( heah Seng Yeah, who ha* a 750-acre plantation oi ber and cocoanuts in Penang. lie was finding difficult} in gain- ing access to the Ceylon rubber estates. Review of the Crude Rubber Market. CURRENT quotations for crude rubber are unprece- stocks assured itniil the crop season is well advanced, there lented. \ widespread impression that prices would can hardly fail to be reduced level of prices. Mi decline steadily after the midsummer reaction from while the cost of rubber goods 1- being put up by manu- ibout $j a pound proved unfounded, and throughout the facturers everywhere. The effect .at prices 01 speculativ. month an idvance has been in progress. Everywhere trading is not easy to point out at any time, and tin the story is tin ager buying at rising prices where- position just now i- more than unusually complex. ever rubber is available. There are reports of busim Arrivals of rubber (including caucho) al Para for thi done in London al ibouf $2.23; .11 the last Antwerp sale three months of the crop year have been: lots wre sold at .." ad 1 franc per kilogram abovi |f| _ ]f|( , s brokers estimations. July tons [,840 1,370 m too It is yet between ... ons for the arrival of rubber from August f>6go 1.500 1.890 J70 the Amazon, and no other region 1- yielding an unusual September 2.070 2.410 2,355 2«o >s4.s 3.13° unusual scale — for consumption would alone tend to put |,, 4, September 28, [909.] up prices at such a time. The effect upon the trade, if , ,,,-,, ' ' ' K "' rH1 u " x Rubber World: in view 01 the prevailing present conditions should long continue, would likely prove lligh prices ,,„. ,.„,,,„, , think ,„.„ ,1„ people in the Amazon regions will very serious. But with increased supplies, and with factory . -.. > themselves this -...-.. to luce an unusually large crop. It.. October i, 1909." THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 20 at Para, however, since the beginning uf the crop year, have been lower than normal, due to unsettled conditions in the buying trade there. Manaos at present I believe to have a good stock of rubber in first hands. As I understand the situation, the exporters at Para, within a couple ot months, expecting a decline in prices with the arrival of new rubber, made sales for forward delivery on a very low basis. They figured on The aviadores, as usual, being in need of money to meet their bills, and ready to sell rubber arriving in the new crop at prices dictated to them. Further- more the buyers reached an agreement to remain out of the market to a ceitain extent, and it is stated that they were able to arrange with the shipping lines to reduce the frequency of sailings t:- F.urope and New York — all with a view to bringing the aviadores (consignees) at Paia to terms. While the result of the action here outlined has been to reduce the export of rubber below the extent which otherwise would have been probable. This condition is not likely to continue. Already the aviadores have been planning to act in concert, and with financial assistance from the Banco do Brazil, the export houses then seem likely to find their control of the Para rubber market much lessened. The success of the aviadores does not mean, necessarily, lower prices of rubber, except in so far as a decline may follow the more prompt forwarding of rubber to the world's markets- September 25, 1909. s. CLAHK. Following are the quotations at New York for Para grades, one year ago, one month ago. and September 30 — the current date — all prices being practically nominal : Air brake hose 4 ■•■ ^ . 1 ( iarden hose 3 (§ Fire ami large hose 3%@ 3V2 Matting 2 @ 2 1 , Statistics of Para Rubber {Excluding Caucho). Xew York. Fine and Medium. Stocks, July 31 tons 203 Arrivals, August 308 Para. 1 stands, tine new Islands, fine, old Upriver, fine new Upriver, fine old Islands, coarse, new Islands, coarse, old Upriver, coarse, new Upriver, coarse, 1 (Id Cameta Caucho (Peruvian), ball. Caucho (Peruvian), sheet Ceylon, fine sheet Ceylon, crepe African. Lopori ball, prime Lopori strip, prime \ruwimi Upper Congo ball, red Ikelemba none lute Oct. 1. 08. 94@ 95 none here 102(0,103 1 06© 1 07 46(0 47 none here 7-''" 73 74d' 75 5-"" 53 63(0 (.4 53 67(0 68 |S',| h, 6 Kg 62 4"'" +7 59@ 60 4 6@ 47 58(3 59 1-"" 1.'. 45'" 44 -'»'" 5" 75'" 76 -7" .'.4 i (5 118 ,1 ici (5 120 none here n J J ,1 12.1 ■11 I 10 S 105 (§ So n 1 1 'j @ 24 o 95 @ 78 5 95 5 83 a n; @ 80 (b> 66 "< 45 Sept. 30. 201 ' .69 .83® .90 ■ 43@ -46 • 5I@ -53 [907. " 1 ■ 1 5 8g 5 .92 1 I Q I -I, .60 (" 62 66 5 .69 Total Total Total jarse. 1909. 1008. 1907. 107 — 192 — 230 500 286 816 290 4^7 Aggregating 431 Deliveries, August 369 Rubber Scrap Prices. Late New York quotations— prices paid by consumers for car- load lots, per pound — show practically no change since last month : Old rubber boots and shoes — domestic i< Old rubber boots and shoes — foreign 10 (Sjio 1 Pneumatic bicycle tires <>'' 1'" Automobile tires 6%(5 7 Solid rubber wagon and carriage tires 9 @ 9V2 White trimmed rubber 10 (S)ll Heavy black- rubber 672® 63. the more so as quantities offered in next month's auction will likely be very moderate. Also we are of opinion that the Para market will not show any >us decline in the near future, as supplies at Para will — as far as can 1»< foreseen at present — remain poor for the next tew months.— ZelleRj Villinger & Co. Ne c w York. In regard to the financial situation, Albert B. Beers (broker in crude rubber and commercial paper. No. 68 William street. New York 1 advises as follows: '"During September the demand commercial paper has continued fairly good, at slightly .mred rates, the best rubber names going at 5@5J/£ per cent.. and those not so well known $$i@6 per cent." IMPORTS FROM PARA AT NEW YORK. The Figures Indicate Weight in Pounds. Vuousi 30. B) the steamer Boniface, from Manaos: Caucho. 200= Importers. Fine. Poel & Arnold 13*400 A. T. Morse & Co 64,100 1 .' m 1 .1 1 Rubbei Co 39»3O0 ! [agemeyer & Brunn C P. dos S.itii is Total 1 t*,' \ ] 1 [him 10,900 t. |00 6,800 300 22.300 Coarse. 67,400 ; ,900 6,900 23,100 700 106,000 4*500 400= Total. 121,900 76,700 56,900 23.100 2,800 281,400 Vugust 27. — B3 the steamer Acre, from Para: . T. Morse & Co 8.000 .... 700 . . . .= 8,700 September 14. — B3 the steamer Maranhcnse, from .Manaos and Para : I '< iel \ Arnold 204,800 New York 1 ommercial ( 0. . . 203,900 A. T, Morst \ Co 1 19,000 Hagemeyer & Brunn (7, 500 i ieneral Rubbei t '0 21 ,200 C. P. dos Santos i 7,500 Edmund Reeks \- Co 1 7,200 2 1,000 'J, (.00 J. I MM ,, .... , I ,4.1(1 1 49,200 77,900 40,100 9,990 2,600 20,700= 8,000= 3,900= Total 617,100 63,100 412,400 32,800= September 14. — By the steamer Napo, from Iquitos : G. Amsinck & 1 ..... . T homsen & Co Neuss, I [esslein \ Co. 3 -.900 4,100 S, III Ml . . . 6.000 I l8,800 = 300 22,100 = 1,900 . = Total 45.ooo 8,200 140,900= [Note. I he steamer Justin, from Para is due about October i, cargo of 650 tons."] 391,900 310,500 190,400 127,500 70,500 28,800 5.800 f.S7.;oo 26,500 9,900 194,100 with a PARA RUBBER VIA EUROPE. Sept. 2. — By the GraHi=Hamburg: New York Commercial Co. (Fine) 7.500 Sept. 7. -By the - fdvflMce=Mollendo W R. Grace & Co. (Caucho) 1 1,000 Sept. 9. — By the New York—London: P <\ Hi Arnold (Coarse) 7,000 Sept. 15- — By the Majcstic=London: Poel & Arnold (Coarse) 33, 500 Sept. 16. — By the LJ«coJM=Hamburg: N. V. Com. Co. (Fine).... 5,500 N. Y. Com. Co. (Coarse) 9,000 14,500 Sept. 20.— By the Cincinnati— Hamburg : X. V. Com. Co. (Fine) 11,500 N. V. Com. Co. (Coarse) .... 9,000 20,500 Sept. 21. — By the Caronia== Liverpool : N". V. Com. Co. (Fine) 40,000 OTHER NEW YORK ARRIVALS. ( ENTRALS. I * l in- sign, in connection with imports oi Cen trals, denotes Guayule rubber.] Aug. 2i. — By the A merika— Hamburg: A. T. Morse & Co 1 1,000 Ai g -■ j H\ the Byron Bahia: J. II. Rosbach & Bros 25,000 ■ ■ *rl 1 immercial Co. . . . .■. 500 47.500 By the Mansanillo~T&mpieo: Ed Maurer . j 1 Bj thi ( \o\ C0I01 1 I '■ ■ ■ Br 10, Piza, Nephew s & Co V R sen thai & Sons Co Mei ke & Co t.ooo 17,000 By the Anti!Ics=Wt w Oi eai A. T Co Aug. 24. — By tl.. I '"i I 8 Arnold 22 ■ V. Hirsch Si Co 15,000 37,500 Galvi 3,00a ' ontini ntal S VI* ic: Rubbi l; . 1 . r. Sambralde S Co Ilo & Blancho .! Id els Kuhlenkampfl Co. . \ Heinlein Aug. 26.— By the Acri ■ \.ii..i . A. 1>. Hitch & Co xico: H. Marquardt & Co 3,000 ■ ' 6 . ■ E. N. Tibbals & Co 1,500 Graham, Hinckley \ Co 1,000 E. Steiger & Co 1,000 Aug. 30. — By the El S»d=Galveston: I.. Boehringer Aug. 30. — By the Monus=Kew Orleans Manhattan Rubber Mfg. Co. 1,500 Eggers & Heinlein 1,000 Aug. 30. — By the Pa»iajna=Colon: Roldan & Van Sickle 4,000 L. Johnson \- Co 2,000 Henry Mann & Co 2,000 Fidauque Bros 1,500 Piza, Nephews t b 1*500 W. R. Grace & Co 1,000 Pablo-( alverl t lo 1,000 G. Amsinck \ Co 1,000 1 >emarest Bros 1,000 Sept. i. — By the Hh gter=Tamp'ico : Ed. Maurer "75,000 Poel & Am.. hi *35.ooo X. Y. Commercial Co !*33, Isaac Kubie & Co "34.000 Sept. i. — By the 7~(7£fflJ=Colombia: Kugelman & Co 4.500 \Y \< ( .race & Co 1,500 J. A. Pauli & Co 1,500 Brandon \- Bros 1,000 Mai tland- Cap pell Co 5,000 Kinilianl & Co 2.000 Cahelhi & Blancho Sept. 4.- — By the Mcrida Frontera: rlarburger \ Stack I ieneral E sporl Co E. Steigei & Co t iiili.in Trading * 1 1 < iraham, 1 1 inkle) & Co. I.ooo 1 ,500 1 1 , Sept. 1. Bj tin El. A Continental 8 M cican Co Sept. 7. By tin C0I01 rose, Julia & Co < i. Amsinck \ Co u R Graci 8 Co A. Rosenthal's Sons £,500 M . ■ i ' . i t 500 ' & C M i \ I ■ ■ I R, I'". Barthold t, \\ j-Kulenkamp Co, ..... Sept. 7 Bj the Voltain =Bahia: J. H. Rossba( I . i I 13 lii' sch S Co. Si i'i 8. B] the ! HJiirm=Tampico: Ed. Maui '■■■ Sept. S By I Galvi 1 onth ican Co ... Ed, Boehringi * i- 6,500 11,500 2.500 16,500 "65,000 Sept. 10. — By the Atliahca=Co\on\ Brandon & Bro 17,000 Roldan & Van Sickel 6,500 L. Johnson & Co 6,500 J. Sambrade S: Co 4.500 A. Santos & Co 3,500 G. Amsinck & Co 3,000 Mecke & Co 2,500 Demarest & Co 2,500 National Seiog Mache Co. . . . 2,000 Elias & Abdoo 1,500 Suzarte & Whitney 1,000 Henry Mann & Co 1,000 A. Rosenthal's Sons 1,000 Sept. 10. — By the Grecian=Bahia: J. H. Rossback & Bros 26,000 X. Y. Commercial Co. 20,000 46,0^0 Sept. 10. — By the Sigismuud=Co]on: H. C, Coleman 2,000 Schulte & Goschen 2,000 A. Held _, 1 Leauz & Co Sept. 11.— By the Esperansa=FTontersi : I Carburger & Slack 3,000 .... 1,500 .... 1,000 .... i.ooo .... 1 ,000 E. Steigei & Co. E. N. Tibbals & Co General Export Co. \ 1 Morse S I *6s,ooo .. . reytown : 8,000 1,500 1 1 . 00 1 .000 Sept. 13. — B> thi ( m»j=New Orleans: A. X". Rotholz 3,000 A. I. Morse & Co 3,000 Sept. m- B3 tin 1 n-n/t>. -<'.c=Tampico: New York Commercial Co, . . *33.ooo Ed. Maurer "33,000 Sept, 14. By the El Dorflrfo=Galveston: Continental & Mexican Co, - , Ed l Eoehringer Sepi i |. B thi S ibiria =C 1 1 Vmsinck & Co Jose Julia S Co Roldan & Van Sickle Pablo-( alvert Co A. Rosenthal's Sons Sept. 1 5. B3 I be 1 1 ■■' <*-- THEODORE HOFELLER & CO, BUFFALO, N. Y. LARGEST DEALERS IN OLD RUBBER IN THE WORLD & & Maltha Hydro-Carbon jjjrt MINERAL RUBBER WHY" PUREST 99,7, PREVENTS OXIDIZATION INCREASES ELASTICITY OF MOULD WORK ABSOLUTELY UNIFORM IN QUALITY DOES NOT STICK TO HOT MILL ROLLS BUY THE BEST AMERICAN WAX COMPANY, - Boston, Mass. ;■*.<" WRITE NOW FOR FREE WORKING SAMPLE , NASI MEXICAN (Guayule) RUBBER I invite inquiries from manufacturers on this rubber. Being the direct representative of large producers, I am in position to quote on various qualities for immediate and future delivery. IM Telegraphic Address. "CRUDERUB" Office, 46 Corflandf Street, NEW YORK CITY Mention The India Rubber World when you write. 32 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [October i, 1909. GUAYULE Made by mechanical process only, of strictly fresh shrub. No chemicals used. The recognized Standard, practically clean, containing less resin and having greater tensile strength than any other Guayule. Prepared from high grade " Parra" Guayule, guaranteed uniform, washed and dried, ready for use. Vulcanizes easily without special compounding. CONTRACTS MADE FOR REGULAR WEEKLY OR MONTHLY DELIVERIES For Samples and Quotations apply to ED. MAURER 97 Water St., NEW YORK Sole Representative of the MADERO interests in Mexico, Largest Producers of Guayule Rubber, Operating Nine Factories. Mention The India Rubber World when you write. October i. 1909.J THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 33 Sept. 17. — Bj the Calif 01 »ta=Mexico: H. Marquardt & Co 6,500 Sept. 17. — By the A/c.ririverpool: Poel & Arnold 10,000 Sept. 20. — By the Zeeland= Antwerp: Poel & Arnold *55,ooo Sept. 20. — By the Manzanillo=T ampico: Ed. Maurer *7o,ooo New York Commercial Co... *33,ooo *i03,ooo Sept. 20. — By the Tenn yson=Bahia : A. I Iirsch & Co 45,000 New York Commercial Co... 25,000 T. H Rossbach Bros 22,500 92,500 CENTRALS NO. 9- Sept. 20. — By the El Maj=Galveston : Continental & Mexican Co *i35,ooo Sept. 21. — By the Pana»ia=Cblon: Piza, Nephews & Co 10,000 W. R. Grace & Co 4,000 G. Amsinck &: Co 3^500 West Coast Rubber Co 2,000 Demarest Bros 1,500 21,000 AFRICAN. Aug. 21. — By the Amcrika=llamburg: A. T. Morse & Co 15,000 Aug. 23. — By the Celtic— Liverpool: General Rubber Co 45,000 Livesev & Co 1 1,500 A. T. Morse & Co 2,500 George A. Alden & Co 2,500 61,500 Aug. 24. — By the Z>e/dnd=Antwerp: General Rubber Co 28,000 Aug. 25. — By the C0r0ttia=LiverpooI: 1 ge A. Alden & Co 11,500 Poel & Arnold 9,000 Livesey & Co Rubber Import Co 7,000 33,000 Aug. 26. — By the DeIphine=lAshon: < ieneral Rubber Co 22,500 Aug. 29. — By the Moltke=Genoa; George A. AJjden & Co 8,000 Aug. 31.— -By the Kroonland Vntwerp: Joseph Cantor W. L. Gough & Co i.H,o 9,000 Sept. 2.— By the G>an(=Hamburg: A T. Morse & Co 58,000 \V. L. Cough & Co 4,500 General Rubber Co 4,500 67,000 Si pt. 2.— By tin i don : Poel .S; Arnold 22,500 Sept. 3. — By the : '■ I • A. Alden & Co 5.500 Sept. 4.— By thi ■ Hamburg: ■ Rubber Co 120 A. T. Morse & Co 11,000 G 4,500 125,500 Sept. 7. — By the Baltic Liverpool: A. T. Morse & Co 20,000 W. L. Gough & Co 9,000 29,000 Sept. 8. — By the Cai*mam'a=Liverpool : >ey & Co 11,000 Geo ■ A. Alden & Co 8,000 19,000 Sept. 9. — By the Pennsyh'ania=Hamburg-: .:■■■ A. Alden & Co 10,000 W. L. Gough is, Co 2,000 12,000 Sept. 10. — By the Hudson Havre: Poel & Arnold 70,000 ( Ieneral Rubber Co 1 1,000 Rubber Import Co 7,000 S8,ooo Sept. 10. — By the Auchc'tt—IAshonz General Rubber Co 68,000 Sept. 13. — By the Irabu Liverpool : A. T. Morse & Co 7,000 George A. Alden & Co 5,000 12,000 Sept. 13. — By the Vaderland=Antwerp: A. T. Morse & Co 210,000 Pnel ^ Arnold 80,000 George A. Alden & Co 34,000 Rubber Trading Co 22,000 Robinson & Co 2,000 368,000 Sept. 16. — By the Linco/n— Hamburg: A. T, Morse & Co 170,000 Poel \ Arnold 27,000 George A. Alden & Co 15,000 Rubber Trading Co 8,000 220,000 Sept. 18. — By the St. .Louis=London. Poel & Arnold 25,000 Sept. 18. — By the Campania= Liverpool: I 'oel & Arnold 60,000 (ieneral Rubber Co 22,500 < leorge A. Aldf n & Co n, 1 II. A. Gould Co 9,000 102,500 Sept. 20. — By the Cincinnati=H.&mb\irg; Geo A. Alden & Co S.ooo A. T. Morse & Co 3,000 General Rubber Co 2,500 13.500 Sept. 20. — By the Zeeland=Antvterp. 1 '1 id & Arnold 90,000 General Rubber Co 22,500 George A. Alden & Co 3,5oo A. T. Morse & Co 2,000 11 S.ooo Sept. 20. — By the Ct-/f /(.—Liverpool: George A. Allden & Co 10,000 \Y. L. Gough & Co 9,000 19,000 Sept. 20. — By the Amsterdam=Rotterdam: Poel & Arnold 100,000 George A. Alden & Co 35. 000 135,000 Sept. 21. — By the C CM(om'c=London: Poel & Arnold "36,000 Sept. 4. — By the St. Paul—London; Poel & Arnold '<•?■ New York Commercial Co.... Sept. 7. — By the M innchalia='L,ondon : A. T. Mors I Co 1 ' CO 00 *20,500 pt, 7. — By the St. Paul==London: Poel & Arnold 10,000 he Mid A. T. Morse & Co Sept. 9. Arnold Poel & Arnold Sept. ii.— By the New y, Sept, 13.— By the Vaderland=Antwerp: Poel & Arnold *25,ooo Sept. 13. — By the MinneapoIi$=London: General Rubbei Co 34,ooo A. T. Morse & Co *22,ooo Sept. 15. — By the 7-Cajama=Colombo : New York Commercial Co.... '13,000 A. T. Morse & Co ■<> *iS,ooo S] pt. 15. — By the Ma./>.sHc=London : Poel & Arnold *i5,ooo Sept. 18. — By the 5VHt?ca— Singapore: 0. 1 sen stein & Co 15.000 Heabler & Co 9,000 24,000 Sept. 18. — By the St. Patrick=Colombo: New York Commercial Co *5i5°o Sept. 18. — By the St. Louis=London: Poel & Arnold *35,ooo Sept. 20. — By the Pa//uin=Sing.q' Heabler & Co 34.000 Poel & Arnold 33. 000 W. L. Gough & Co 13,500 ' ). Isenstein & Co 28,000 108,500 Sept. 20. — By the Minueto>ika=London: General Rubber Co "22,500 Sept. 21. — By the Curt>m'a=Liverpool: Poel & Arnold 9,000 Sept. 22. — By the Occanic=London: Poel & Arnold "90,000 Nev Y. irk ( - imraen tal Co, , "40,000 A. T. Morse & Co "2,500 "132,500 111 1 \ Telutong. Aug. 23. — By the Kennebec=Singapore: Heabler & Co 125,000 W. L. Gough & Co 1 10,000 L, Littlejohn & Co 100,000 335.000 Sept. 17. — By the St. Pofricfc—Singapore: Heabler & Co 150,000 Poel & Arnold 110,000 260,000 Sept. 18. — By the 5V)it , ca=Singapore: Heabler & Co 300,000 VY. L. Gough & Co 175,000 Poel & Arnold 150,000 L. Littlejohn & Co 150,000 D. A. Shaw & Co 65,000 840,000 Sept. 20. — By the Pat/taM=Singapore: Heabler & Co 650,000 Poel & Arnold 265,000 VY. L. Gough & Co 250,000 ] >. A. Shaw \- Co 225,000 \1 Wescnner & Co 225,000 L. C. Hopkins Co 110,000 1,725,000 GUTTA-PERCHA. Pounds. Aug. 26. — By the rValder$ee=fiamburg: E. Oppenheim 1 1 ,500 Aug. 30. — By the Mtnnewa$ka=Tjondon: Heabler & Co 44,5oo Sept. 2. — By the Grant— Hamburg: L\ Oppenheim 14,000 Sept. 18. — By the 5>«£ca=Singapore: Otto Isenstein & Co 15.000 Heabler & Co 15,000 30,000 Sept. 20. — By the Pa*/ia«=Singapore: Heabler & Co 50.000 Sept. 22. — By the BfiemeTa.ra: Ed. Maurer 3,000 Sept. 2. — By the A*ort>Jio=Demerara : A. Alden & Co 9,000 I. A. Pauli & Co 3.000 Smith, Sons & Co 2,000 14,000 Sept. 14. — By the MarowMe=Trinidad: ( i. Amsinck .V Co 25,000 Sept. 17. — By the Marfltca,y=Bolivar: American Trading Co 4o°° I. A. Pauli & Co 4,000 Frame & Co 4.000 Middleton & Co 3.000 15.500 Sept. 20. — By the ( =Demerara: Middleton & Co n, G. Amsinck & Co 4,500 Frame & Co J,5°o 19,500 CUSTOM HOUSE STATISTICS. Port of New York — August. Imports: Pounds. Value. India-rubber 2,399.394 $3, 151.023 25,999 13.241 i mtta-percha 82,371 10,649 lelutong (Pontianak) . 2,289,201 76,295 Total 4,796,965 $3,251,208 Experts: India-rubber 314,202 $324,493 Reclaimed rubber 77ooi 9,67b Rubber scrap, imported 2,063,964 $211,294 BOSTON ARRIVALS. Pounds. July 2S. — By the Ho henfels= Colombo George A. Alden & Co., Ceylon 4-700 \ VG _ 2 . — By the Crostafels=Co\onibo: George A. Alden & Co., Ceylon 1,760 Aug. 12. — By the Kennebec=Singa.pore : Heabler & Co., Gutta-jelutong 258,800 George A. Alden & Co., Gutta- jelutong 250,000 508,800 34 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 1 ii, 1909. GUTTA-PO^ Vol. II. Oi h iBER 1. 1909. No. 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS Editorial: Page. culation in Business 1 Twenty live Cents to Tw, D 2 Three Hundred rons a Month Now 2 Kubbcr in Fit : Fighting. 3 1 1 3 Uiimt 1 dil trials 4 Rubber Fire Hose Forty Years Ago 1. Frost 5 I Willi ; [llustratio The Coming Rubber Congress at Manaos 7 Telegraphing on t lie Amazon 8 French Enterprise in the Amazon Region 8 Notes on Rubber Cultivation [Planted Acreage in Ceylon and Malaya. Castilloa Rubber by the Centrifugal Process. "La Zacualpa" Plantations. Company Notes. Rubber Shares on Change.] [With an Illustration.] The India-Rubber Trade in Great Britain Our Regular Correspondent 11 [The Proofing Trade. High Trices and Substitutes. Balata Belt- ing Patents. Mining Fuse. Progressive Rubber Co. Rubbi Coagulation. Dermatine Co.] The Late Herr Senator Dr. Traun 15 [With a Portrait.] Recent Patents Relating to Rubber 16 [United States, lireat Britain, France.] Points on the Cotton Situation 17 The Rubber Trade in Canada 18 Some Rubber Interests in Europe 19 [The Industry in Europe. Improving Conditions in Germany. German Imports of Swedish Rubber Footwear. Taxicabs in London. Rubber in Aeroplane Fabrics. Company Notes.] Miscellaneous: Successful Rubber Pavement 4 The First Atlantic table a Whiting Found in Mexico 4 Rubber Factories in Australia 4 Vulcanization of Rubber Coated Fabrics 10 Caid from the Murac Syndicate 11 Mexican Rubber Planters and the State 11 A Rubber Shrub in Chile 16 Apparel for the Motorist 17 Rubber Redeemers Made Her Rich 18 "7 League Rubber Boots" (Illustrated) 22 The Merit of Rubber Mats 22 The Amazon Rubber System 22 Fountain Syringe Improvement (Illustrated) A New Type of Vacuum Dryer (Illustrated) 23 I ire Fighting in New York 23 Good Rubber from Mexico 23 Health in the Rubber t 'ountries 23 [ndia-Rubbei Godds in Commerce 27 Rubber Footwear Price Higher 28 The Editor's Book Table 2 r News of the American Rubber Trade 24 The Trade at Akron Our Correspondent 13 The Trade in San Francisco Our Correspondent 13 Review of the Crude Rubber Market 82 London. August 23. — At the regular fortnight auction of August 20 about i?y A tons of Straits and 22% tons Ceylon plantation rubber were offered. The sale not being concluded, it was continued to-day. On the former date prices were slightly below those of the preceding auction, but to-day shows a recovery. Vallambrosa smoked sheet sold up to 8s. l l Ad. [=$1.97.2] and Highlands to 7s. nj^rf. [=$1.94]. Fine lots of very fine crepe sold at 7s. gd. to 7s. gV 2 d. [=$1.89.5]. Hard fine Para sold at 8.?. 3d. [=$2.00.6]. September 3.— At to-day's auction 100!^ tons Straits and 1214 tons Ceylon plantation were offered, a large proportion of which found buyers ai an advance of .1,/ : p last sale quotations The few parcels of smoked si 11 offer were again eagerlj bid for and realized 8s. $d [=$2.06.8], the latter figure being paid for som high- lands sheet. Rosehaugh crepe sold ai &s. $d., and several other parcels of this grade fetched 8s. .;irector. Factory and Executive Offices: inrentiooB kindred to th« Trada and Ideas for development, invited. MONJTPF/M D O Oar Development Department fflvea mUHIKC/AL, f. V". thefle mattW8 Bpeclal attention. Canadian Sales Branches HALIFAX, N. S., MONTREAL, Que., TORONTO, Ont., WINNIPEG, Man., REGINA, SASK., CALGARY, Alta., VANCOUVER, B. C, VICTORIA, B. C. J. 0. NICHOLSON, M. C. MTTLLA3.KY, R. J. YOUNGE, LEONARD D. SHAW, Manager Veohanicai Goods. Manager Footwear Dopt. Salea Manager. Sect.-TT««s. B. LOWENTHAL ®. COMPANY NEW YORK, 48 1 Washington St. DITV Akin ecu ■ — ia»Y a «■». '''"•'' 1 CHICAGO. 162 5tn A^r.nxie. BUY AND SELL Cf*P A D DTTRRITP AKRON. 504 Hamilton Bld e . IN ANY GRADE wSVsJLX/lX 1\ \J m3 LIIwAV NEW YORK. 48 1 'Washington St. CHICAGO. 162 5th Artnue, AKRON. 504 Hamilton Bldg. Cable Address "Gyblowell" New York. Lieber's Code Used. Telephone: 8300 Spring. BUY AND SELL IN ANY GRADE IN ANY QUANTITY " FREE FROM HARMFUL SUBSTANCES " M?R00^ o- if awgo ^ _v Unadulterated Corn Oil Substitute for Rubber USED WITH BEST RESULTS IN MANY PROMINENT RUBBER MILLS CORN PRODUCTS REFINING CO., *Vt**ttEP RUBBER RE PHILADELPHIA, PA. Mills: GERMANTOWN AND KENSINGTON "MERCER BRAND RECLAIMED RUBBER CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED ft ADOLRH HIRSCH ortant business. As has been pointed out in these pages, the business of rubber production on the Amazon recently has shown a tendency toward consolidation in the hands of persons with capital and with a broader knowledge of rubber conditions in general than in the past, so that, with the assistance of the banks as referred to, it is possible that concentration and cooperation may be brought about to an extent which would not have been possible in the days of Vianna's former activity in the trade. But the rubber business, back of the primary markets, remains strangely complex, and he would be a bold man who would claim to comprehend all its conditions. It would seem, however, that the conditions here outlined as hav- ing a tendency to keep up rubber prices are worthy of study. RUBBER AND SLAVERY. There is no new question of ethics involved here. The world needs rubber and rubber must be forthcoming, the same as ivory and innumerable other commercial com- modities, the obtaining of which in the past has involved human slavery. The modern cotton industry depended for years upon human slavery in the southern United States, but it does not to-day, and cotton is now being grown in many parts of Africa — the home of the former American slaves — by willing and well paid natives. Ulti- mately, of course, the same will be true of rubber, though the progress toward the new conditions may be slow. The hope of the civilization of the native rubber pro- ducing regions, whether in Africa or in equally remote portions of South America, is in the development of such scientific treatment of rubber production as is now in progress in Ceylon, for example, and which the owners of capital ultimately will insist upon being carried out whatever rubber trees worth taking care of may be found. We congratulate Mr. Labouchere, of London, upon his expose of the conditions of rubber production in the region beyond Iquitos. In the first place, it will open the way to the correction of undoubted abuses in a specific region. Secondly, it will aid in simplifying the so-called Congo question, in showing that the conditions of rub- ber production in Central Africa are not, necessarily, due to maladministration in any quarter, but rather to the conditions under which business between civilized and uncivilized races must be done before a mutual under- standing is arrived at as to what constitutes right or wrong. Finally — and this point has been stated before in this article — the disclosure of conditions in Peru will help consumers of rubber as a class to understand why rubber constantly becomes more costly rather than cheaper, as is the case of commodities produced under more desirable conditions. THE story on another page of this issue, relating to the conditions of obtaining rubber on the upper Amazon, is worthy of consideration by all users of this material, in that it points to a very important reason why rubber costs so much. It is improbable that any reader of this page would willingly engage in any details of gaining rubber from forest resources in any part of the world. In short, it is a business, or occupation, in many places exceptionally removed from civilized conditions as ordinarily recognized. The regularly established importers of india-rubber at Xew York or Liverpool or Hamburg have no money invested in the production of Amazon rubber; they are content to buy whatever is available at Manaos or Para. Why"' Because the conditions of original production are such as to be beyond the capacity, as yet, of other than the people of the rubber producing countries to compre- hend — or, at least, to control. FAILURE OF A "FIFTH WHEEL." A N editorial in the New York Journal of Commerce, headed **• "Decadence of an Executive Department," relates to the department of Commerce and Labor, at Washington, created some five years ago, in charge of a secretary ranking as a member of the President's cabinet. According to our contemporary, "Ever since the advent of the Taft administration the Department of Commerce and Labor lias appeared to be in a condition of decadence, and in the closing days of the past session Congress without thought struck a severe blow at it." Reference is made here to the tariff commission for which provision is made in the new Payne bill, and which the Presi- dent has ordered to be organized in the Treasury Department instead of that of Commerce and Labnr, although the latter "for a long time has been entrusted with the work of building up our export trade — so far as that can be done by executive or governmental activity— and of making and publishing studies of the tariff question as presented by the action of foreign countries." The same paper remarks that throughout the Taft administration thus far "as soon as some important and signifi- cant work appears in sight," which the Department of Commerce and Labor, under the terms of the law creating it, might be sup- posed to be intended to perform," it is handed over to others, and the mechanism that had been established for these very nwrposer November i, 1909. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 37 is treated as of no worth whatever." The Journal does not criticize the attitude of the nation's new chief executive, but its comments which follow are worth quoting: "There was grave doubt about the wisdom of creating the Department of Commerce and Labor when it first came into existence, and this doubt has been renewed at various moments since then. Originally it was charged that there was no relation- ship between the bureaus which were gathered in the depart- ment, and the problem was then, and has ever since been, whether they could be correlated. But it has constantly been as- serted that an important function, peculiarly pertaining to and justifying the existence of the department, was that of extending and studying trade and the working and application of foreign tariffs, as well as the adjustment of our own duties to them. Had it not been for this argument the doubt would probably have been resolved against the creation of the department. It would never, in fact, have'eome into existence. Now, when there is work of the proposed sort to do, it is placed elsewhere, and the department is even likely to be stripped of its chief dis- tinguishing feature — the bureau of corporations," through which the government may be expected to act in putting into effect the new regulations for taxing corporations. Undeniably some able men in the new department have striven to serve the public well, but always under the handicap suggested in an editorial in The India Rubber World January 1, 1903 (page no), from which we may quote here: A FIFTH WHEEL NOT NEEDED. The proposal now being discussed seriously at Washington, to create a governmental department of commerce, appears to us to be very much in the nature of adding "a fifth wheel to a wagon" — a term widely used to describe an appendage that not only is useless, but is likely to get in the way and thereby impede progress. We are aware that the proposal has the support of men of prominence in business affairs and in political life, but this alone is not proof that the need exists for an additional arm of the government. - - - It is probable, however, that the new measure has received the serious support of some business men because they believe that a department of commerce would help to extend our foreign trade, but it remains to be pointed out what services in this direction could be rendered by a secretary of commerce sitting in the President's cabinet better than by the existing official bureaus at Washington. In fact, all the claims made for the new department have been most vague and unconvincing, nor are the advocates of the measure agreed as to what powers should be given to the new secretary, or what he should be expected to accomplish. - - - In fact, the proposal now being considered involves little beyond creating a new office to which shall be turned over certain statistics now required by law to be collected by several different bureaus, in which event they doubtless would be made available for the public less promptly than now, on account of passing through more hands. The manufacturers and others who look to the government, through the creation of new offices, to sell more of their products abroad, labor under a mistaken view of the laws of trade. At home, a manufacturer seeks first to produce an article suited to the needs of possible buyers: he then works to make them familiar with its merits: he next puts it where they can buy it, and if the price appears too high he manages to remove that objection, through decreasing the cost of production, eliminating middlemen's profits, or otherwise, but without once thinking of asking for help from the government. If the same manufacturer should desire to do business in Europe, or Corea, or Patagonia, precisely the same procedure would be necessary, and not one nor twenty new government departments could relieve him of the necessity of making his own markets if he would sell goods. We should welcome the excision of this superfluous arm of the government, for at least two reasons : To render the public service less complex and costly, and to remove one more tempta- tion to business men to depend upon the government for sup- port instead of standing firmly upon their own feet. The only rubber manufacturing country in the world to place an import duty on crude rubber for consumption is Russia, which country is reported now to tax plantation rubber five fold on the ground that it is a manufactured product. The New York customs authorities, after' considering a similar course, decided that plantation rubber was a raw material in the same sense as forest rubber. But it may be that Russia will in time reach the conclusion that all rubber, in whatever stage, is a manufactured product, since india-rubber, as such, nowhere exists in nature, but is brought into existence with the help of man. An IMPORTANT FIRM OF ENGLISH RUBBER MERCHANTS express the opinion, on another page of this paper, that there appears a possibility of a basis of rubber prices being maintained at least until next summer in the neighborhood of $1.70 a pound. This figure is worth while keeping in mind until some other prophet, able to show better credentials, is heard from. The astonishing information is published gratuitously in the able New Haven Journal and Courier that "The new crop [of rubber] which only recently began to arrive in this country is not suitable for manufacturing purposes until the rubber has been thoroughly seasoned." How is this for seasonable news? Anniversaries. — Concurrently with the India-Rubber Journal's attainment of its Twenty-fifth anniversary, our American con- temporary. The India Rubber World, reaches its Twentieth birthday. We congratulate Air. Henry C. Pearson, its editor, and his staff, and reciprocate the good wishes he extended to the India-Rubber Journal in a recent number of the admirable New Vork monthly. — The India-Rubber Journal ( London). The exports of rubber goods from the United States during the first eight months of this year were greater in value than in any preceding corresponding period, and 60 per cent, larger than five years ago. This is only another straw which shows the wind to be blowing in the direction of prosperity. THE NEW 7 CORPORATION TAX. TNDER the law of August 5, 1909, a tax is imposed on the net *-^ income of corporations, beginning for and with the year end- ing December 21, 1909. Returns must be made not later than March 1 next ; assessments will be made on June I, and payment must be made during June. A tax of 1 per cent, is imposed on the net income over $5,000 of every corporation or joint stock com- pany formed for a business purpose. Messrs. Haskins & Sells, certified public accountants, of New York — and by the way, auditors for the United States Rubber Co. — have issued the fol- lowing statement, covering suggestions likely to be of no little interest, particularly to manufacturing corporations : "The Act imposing an excise tax against corporations, etc., recently passed by Congress, prescribes a method for ascertaining and reporting net income radically at variance with accounting methods generally followed by industrial and trading corpora- tions, with those prescribed for public service corporations under federal and state laws, with accounting methods followed by many insurance, financial, and banking institutions, and with principles recognized by students of accounting. "The language of the law cannot be reconciled with anv proper recording in the form of accounts of those factors which neces- sarily enter into the ascertainment of net income, as it is gen- erally understood, earned in any year. Especially is this so in the case of corporations whose operations require materials and supplies that are not used or consumed concurrently with their purchase; also in the case of corporations engaged in the pur- chase of raw materials, their manufacture, and the sale of the product. The law undertakes to sever the natural relation which exists between proceeds from sales and cost of goods sold. "It seems desirable to obtain from the commissioner of inter- nal revenue, as soon as possible, interpretations and ruling as to what will be required in the returns for the. year ending De- cember 31, 1909, to the end that the reconstruction of accounts or the compilation of data may be completed in time to avoid penalty." 38 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1900. THE RUBBER PRICE SITUATION. T -1 1 1 K continued high price of rubber, with no indication * of an early decline, continues to form the subject of first importance to rubber manufacturers. While there are those who deem the recent fluctuations in rubber merely tem- porary incidents of the trade, to be dealt with perhaps by an equallj temporary advance in decline in the prices of manu- factured products, others regard the present situation as having a deeper foundation. "There is an upward tendency of all prices," said a leading rubber manufacturer to a representative of The India Rubber World. "The constantly increasing rate of gold production renders the buying capacity of the dollar less. Hence there must be a general readjustment of values — a new relation of costs and selling prices, wages, cost of living — a gradual ap- proach to a new economic basis. The higher cost of rubber, cotton, and the other raw materials of our industry are only incidental to the new condition that is unfolding throughout the world. "The present situation in relation to crude rubber is but an illustration of what I have asserted in regard to business in general. It will be admitted by everybody, I believe, that the year 1907 witnessed a reduced volume of business, generally. According to all precedents, there should have been a con- siderable surplus of crude rubber as a result. But whatever surplus of rubber may have accumulated had disappeared within a year, and we have what is nearer a rubber famine than the trade has ever known. The price of crude rubber today alone is proof of this. With a further improvement of business, the prices of raw materials must be further advanced. "The trade need not look for rubber at prices as low as prevailed when most of the rubber manufacturers now active entered the industry. Before a long continued decline to the old level can return the production of rubber somewhere will stop. The theory of the upward tendency of prices carries with it the idea of higher cost of living throughout the world, expressed in terms of money; hence should the market price of Amazon rubber decline to the figures of 20 years ago, for instance, the number of rubber gatherers would be lessened, without regard to the amount of rubber available. "Of course the rubber manufacturers will continue to buy on the best terms possible, and likewise consumers of rubber goods. But both classes will make a mistake if they do not regard the present as the precursor of new permanent condi- tions, for which preparation should be made by increased economies of production, improved systems and methods of administration, and all that sort of thing." * * * To the Editor of the India Rubber World: The present situation of crude rubber is such as to give serious concern to all branches of the trade — importers, manufacturers, and dealers of every kind ; in fact, all interested in any way, shape, or man- ner in rubber goods. As usual, and naturally, during an epoch of high prices, the importer, in the minds of the manufacturers, is the scapegoat of the situation; and the old bugbear, the com- bine for bullish speculation, is held to be responsible for the ills that the trade are. or imagine they may be, suffering from. Doubtless prices, which are at present ruling on crude rub- ber, have already caused, and will in the future infallibly cause, a still greater loss to many branches of the rubber industry. But those manufacturers who find that the present prices of crude are such as to greatly reduce, if not actually eliminate the possibility of marketing their product at a reasonable profit, would do well to bear in mind that the "survival of the fittest" is the absolute rule in this as in all mundane affairs. Either by chemical or factory research and experiment, by possible improvement in the science of compounding, or by more eco- nomical factory and selling costs, much will undoubtedly be effected toward meeting the situation created by the increased cost of crude rubber, and the sooner the trade in general recog- nize tlie undoubted fact that a permanent materially higher level of crude rubber prices is here to stay, the sooner will the necessary readjustment in the industry be satisfactorily ac- complished. Those branches which cannot profitably operate will have to disappear, and those interested in them devote their energies and capital in other more profitable directions. We are disposed to believe very firmly that the present high prices of crude are the direct result of the "laws of supply and demand," and not of undue speculation on the part of dealers or importers. In fact we are convinced that those laws have more absolutely governed the present situation than at any other period in the past of extremely high or low prices. So long as the automobile industry continues to develop as at present, so long will the supply of fine Para be barely adequate for the needs of the world's industry, and while un- doubtedly considerable relief will be experienced from the steadily increasing output of the eastern plantations, the increase from them will not be sufficient or rapid enough to prevent a very high level of prices for Para rubber for several years to come. The situation on the Amazon certainly is one which does not hold out much hope for lower prices. In- one respect this region disproves the almost universally true theory that high prices must inevitably cause a larger production. The labor question there is such that notwithstanding every effort on the part of producers to take advantage of existing prices, the Para rubber crop for the first three months of the present crop shows a shortage of over 5 per cent, as compared with the corresponding period of last year and the drought which has been experienced there during the past two or three months has kept most of the rivers so low that the crop movement has been greatly retarded. Undoubtedly this drought will cause a reduced flow of latex but this may, at least in part, be com- pensated for by the greater opportunity for gathering afforded by the dry weather. To sum up the whole situation, we have every confidence in the intelligence of the rubber manufacturers to meet successfully not only the present but far more difficult emergencies. New York, October 27, 1909. AN IMPORTER. * * * The following expressions are from letters from two rubber manufacturers to the Editor of The India Rubber World: "I am short of rubber, and losing money on every contract I fill. I have raised prices as far as I can. Am turning down business right along. Of course I was 'warned' that rubber was going up. Have been warned all my life by those who wanted to sell. Sometimes they were right and sometimes not. I did not have the cash or the nerve to go in largely, and am not a speculator anyhow," "The goose that lays the golden eggs (the rubber manu- facturer) is being slaughtered. It may he that there is no specu- lation on the part of the wealthy and far-sighted handler of crude rubber, hut who profits by the high prices, and who loses? Somebody (the importer?) or something, (the law of supply and demand?-') is jeopardizing the trade to an unbearable degree." The sale is reported of rubber from the Chilian Exploration and Development Syndicate, Limited — a London company with plantations in the Mexican state of Oaxaca — between January 15 and October 5, of this year, of 6458 pounds of rubber, at prices ranging from 3 shillings [ = 73 cents] to 5 j. 4 u 2 d. [= $i.3oJ4]. The latter price was realized for the first results from the new season's tapping, which began on August 5. November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 39 The News of Aerial Navigation. WRIGHTS AEROPLANE AT NEW YORK. THE most notable feat in aviation in America so far was that of Wilbur Wright, at New York, during the Hudson- Fulton celebration. Mr. Wright had agreed with the celebration commission to bring his aeroplane to New York during a specified period, but it was left to his dis- cretion whether he should make a flight, all depending upon weather conditions. He distinctly declined to enter into con- tests for which prizes were offered. With the exception of a trial trip encircling the statue of Liberty, in New York harbor — in itself a noteworthy event — his only flight was made on October 4, when he started from Governor's Island, the military headquarters at New York, and proceeded up the Hudson river, passing the international naval fleet at anchor there, and flying over some of the war- ships, then turning and landing again at the point of starting. The New York Herald quotes Mr. Wright as saying as he started: "I'll land there by the end of the rail [the "monorail" 120 feet in length, used in making the ascent]. Have the soldiers keep the crowd away from'there. I'll be back in 30 minutes. Let her go!" The distance from the starting point to where he made the turn up-stream, and back to the start, is 18.6 miles [=30 kilometersl. but it is considered that the whole distance covered, by reason of the course followed — he followed the east side of the river going up and the west side on coming down, beside which the curve at the turn is to be considered — was at least 20 miles, or about the breadth of the English channel where crossed by Bleriot. The time in the air was 33 minutes 33 seconds, of which 20 minutes 30 seconds were occupied in the outward flight and only 13 minutes 3 seconds inward, at which time the breeze was in his favor. The ex- perts are agreed that Wright's task was more difficult than that of Bleriot, who had open sea and steady winds, while \\ right had a harbor cluttered with shipping, besides a thou- sand disturbing air currents caused by the tall New York buildings and the sea winds sweeping up the Hudson and the parallel East river. Wright started on his course direct without preliminary circling and landed in the same manner, within a few feet from the spot he had indicated, and practically within his 30 minutes specification. He was encouraged by his success to agree to make a much longer flight later in the same day, but while he was arranging to start, and while surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd, a cylinder head blew out of the motor of his aeroplane, making it necessary to send the machine to the factory, at Dayton. Ohio. This was the last day of his scheduled stay in New York. It is estimated that part of the flight was made at the rate of 50 miles an hour, and the altitude reached varied from 25 to 300 feet. What particularly attracted attention throughout the event was Wright's apparent complete control of his aeroplane. Admiral Sir Edward Hobart Seymour, of the British navy, and the official representative of King Edward at the Hudson- Fulton celebration, said, according to the New York. Ameri- can : "The thing that impressed me most was the steadiness of the machine. After seeing Mr. Wright's exhibition, I am sure that the aeroplane is here to stay." FLYING MACHINES AND THE CUSTOMS. While there is no specific provision in the new American tariff law for the assessment of duties on imported flying machines, it is assumed by those interested that such imports WILBUR WRIGHT IN HIS BIPLANE OVER NEW YORK HARBOR. Photo, by Brown Brothers. 40 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [ November i, 1909. will be dutiable at 45 per cent, ad valorem under the metal schedule. The Payne law provides that a duty of 45 per cent, shall be levied on articles of which metal is the com- ponent material of chief value. As an aeroplane consists of the wooden framework, the propeller, and the canvas or balloon fabric planes, in addition to the motor, the latter seems to be the part most valuable, and thus liable to duty under the metal schedule. MR. FONT FINANCING THE WRIGHTS. Among the American enthusiasts in the matter of aerial navi- gation high place must be given to Mr. Charles R. Flint, of New York. Mr. Flint was mentioned in the newspapers as being present at all the principal contests in aviation in Europe during the sum- ..--. mer, following his careful attention to the trials made by the Wright broth- ers prior to their sale of a biplane to the United States government last - year. During the past month Mr. t Flint returned 1 home to New York, after having made plans, it is understood, for an international com- pany for making and marketing the Wright flying ma- chine. It is stated that Mr. Flint has been financing the Wright brothers for two years past, but was desirous of not having this generally known until the success of their machine was demonstrated. Mr. Flint, who has great faith in the value of the aeroplane for military use, thinks that the United States government should have bought the secret of the Wright broth- ers' invention and thereby have obtained control absolutely of the most successful flying machine in the world, instead of forcing the Wrights to go abroad for recognition. Mr. Flint will be remembered in the industrial and financial world from his connection with the organization of the United States Rubber Co.. which, at its inception, was the largest in- dustrial corporation in existence. The company has grown since hut in some other industries, involving more capital, by the application of the ideas on which Mr. Flint based his work, larger corporations have come into existence. Charles R. Flint. Mr. Flint has Glenn H. Curtiss's Biplane. [Winner of a Trophy at Rhcims. 1 long been a student of industrial consolidation, and if the flying machine trust, as some people care to express it, is to be formed, Mr. Flint would appear to be particularly fitted to direct the work, particularly since in late years he has formed important financial connections in Europe. Factories for the Wright machine have been planned or estab- lished in St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Paris, as well as in the United States. The Wrights have patents in this country, Europe, Australia, and South America, and Mr. Flint considers that they have a monopoly in the way of a practical biplane. Mention has been made in these pages of the infringement suits brought by the Wright interests against the makers and users of the Curtiss biplane. The Cie. Generale de Navigation Aerienne, owners of the Wright patents in France, secured a technical attachment on all the biplanes on exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris during the past month, on the ground of alleged infringements. It is understood that the Wright brothers have decided not to make further flights for exhibition purposes. "Every time we go into the air," Wilbur Wright is quoted as saying, "we make a study of some part of the mechanism or some peculiar weather condition with a view to improving our machine. We could not do that as hired attractions." Wilbur Wright was paid $15,000 by the Hudson-Fulton com- mission for appearing at New York during the celebration. He went next to Washington to complete his instruction of army officials in the use of his aeroplane sold to the United States government last year. Thence he expected to go to his home at Dayton. Ohio, where his American aeroplane factory is located. AUT0M0BILING AND FLYING IN THE AIR. The close relation in interest as between automobiling and aviation is suggested in part by an expression from Mr. Wilbur Wright on the occasion of his last appearance in New York. It was to the effect that the further improvement of the biplane must depend upon his ability to obtain better motors. Then it Bleriot Crossing the English Channel The Santos-Dcmont Machine. November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 41 may be noted that at the Paris aero show in the Grand Palais during the past month the principal interest was shown in motors rather than in aeroplanes. The planes for the most part were of standard models such as have been making flights for more than a year and are fairly well known to the public. There were new features in motors, however, and these were closely studied both by professional aviators and those who are looking forward to owning flying machines. It is natural that the manufacturers of automobiles or of automobile motors should be among the first to enter the field for supplying motors for aerial machines. Another reason why flying machines and automobiles are so often mentioned together is that in the case of the former as well as in the latter the development, at least in the beginning, was largely because a new form of sport was introduced. Auto- mobiling as a sport still has a strong hold in France, but the same element is taking an interest in flying machines, and it is announced that the Automobile Club of France, in addition to its automobile Grand Prix, will undertake the organization of aeroplane races next year. This decision has been arrived at on the proposition of Marquis de Dion, president of the club. The rubber manufacturers form another class which have reason to be interested alike in the automobile industry and aviation, since rubber is scarcely less essential for balloons and flying machines than for tires and other accessories of motoring. AMERICAN PROGRESS IN AVIATION. In the various contests in aviation which have been made dur- ing the past few weeks in Europe and in the United States the enterants from the latter country have won a notable share of honors. The Messrs. Wright have attracted much favor-able at- tention abroad, as well as at home, and machines of their con- struction in the hands of others have made a good showing. During the month some important balloon races have been held, notable one starting from Zurich, Switzerland, in which the chief prize was won by Edgar W. Mix, an American. In connection with the recent centennial of the incorporation of the city of St. Louis, the local aero club organized a balloon contest, in which some interesting results were attained. America seems likely to figure largely in next year's events in aviation, since the two most important international trophies, won this year by Americans, must be contended for next year in the United States. The trophies referred to were won by Glenn H. Curtiss, with his biplane, at Rheims, and by E. W. Mix, in the Zurich ballooning contest. The situation is such as to make probable the bringing across the Atlantic of the world's leading aviators, and the best products of Europe in the shape of aeroplanes and dirigible balloons. And all of this will stimu- late development in the United States in the same field. Mention has been made in these pages of the activity of European manufacturers in supplying rubber proofed balloon and aeroplane fabrics. It is true that rubberized fabrics have not been used uniformly for these machines, but one effect of the recent contests would appear to be a growth in popularity of the rubber goods in aviation. And it may be added that in the United States the results attained by rubber manufacturers in this field, although they took up the matter later, are likely to compare favorably with the best that has been done elsewhere. RUBBER TIRES FOR FLYING MACHINES. A feature of the new interest in flying machines that may prove worth while to the rubber trade ultimately is the use of small pneumatic tired wheels in connection with them. The machines which the Wright brothers are using are not provided with wheels, but are balanced on a monorail and are shot thence into the air by the falling of a weight; but practically every other type has wheels for contact with the earth, and needs tires. A NEW STEAM PLATE PRESS. U"OR many years hydraulic steam plate presses have been used in the process of vulcanizing rubber, and it would seem that there could be little chance for improvement in so simple a machine, but the illustration herewith shows a steam plate press that is referred to as having some novel features. The base of the press is a steel casting machined on the bottom, which gives a broad bearing surface on the floor or foundation, and at the same time removes the packing as far as possible from the heat of the steam plate, so that it is kept cool. Leather packings car* be used if desired, and can be easily kept lubricated. The gland A New Steam Plate Prfss. holding the packing has a gutter or saucer around the edge to catch and carry off any oil or water, should the packing ever leak, and the packing can be removed without removing the ram from the cylinder. The rods are large, threaded on their lower ends, and screw into the base. The ram is hollow, with the upper end cored out, allowing a free circulation of air. The platen and head are very strongly ribbed, thus making them very rigid. The steam plates are so cored as to drain towards the outlets, keeping them free from condensed water. The work- manship is claimed to be first class and the sizes run from 12 x 12" to 30" x 30". with any number of plates or openings de- sired. This press is manufactured by the Boomer & Boschert Press Co., Syracuse, New York. A FELT TRUST IN CANADA. Send for a free copy of the Index to Mr "Crude Rubber and Compounding Ingredients," edition is on sale at this office. Pearson's book, of which a new ■"THE Canadian Consolidated Felt Co., Limited, is the name of a *■ new concern which has come into being by the merger put through at Berlin, Ontario, by D. Lome McGibbon, president of the Canadian Consolidated Rubber Co., Limited. The concerns forming the felt combination are the Berlin Felt Boot Co., and the Kimmel Felt Co., of Berlin, and the Elmira Felt Boot Co. The corporation will be capitalized at $2 000,000. The officers are: D. Lome McGibbon, president; George Rumpel and A. J. Kimmel, vice-presidents. Oscar Rumpel will manage the Berlin Felt Boot Co. plant and A. J. Kimmel the Kimmel and Elmira plants. T. H. Rieder, of the Merchants' Rubber Co., and H. D. McKellar, of the Berlin Felt Boot Co., are also financially interested in the new concern. 42 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD | November i. The Progress of Rubber Planting. A VIFWS OF A CEYLON COMPANY'S CHAIRMAN. Ml IRE than ordinarily interesting address on rubber plant- ing was made by Mr. Francis A. Govett, chairman of Rubber Plantations, Limited, at the fifth annual meeting of that company, in London, on September 29. It filled three newspaper columns. Hi said that Ceylon has recognized that the conditions under which rubber planters work there are not as good as where the rainfall is more regular, and the growth of the trees must neces- sarily be more slow. He thought Ceylon eighteen months, or possibly more, behind the Straits Settlements and other similar ions in point of growth. But when the trees did become tappable, the yield was just as good. Likewise, the altitude of his company's plantation was less favorable to the early develop- ment of rubber trees than lower levels. Mr. Govett chose to deal with rubber yields per acre rather than per tree. He thought that the yield per acre would be about the same, no matter how many trees were planted; the fewer trees the greater the growth and the larger the yield per tree. "In any closely planted field," he said, "at least half the trees are going to be behind the other half, while some are liable never to mature at all. You have an example of this in the 31-acre field, where some 3,900 out of 6,400 trees are being tapped. Now these are old trees; nearly nine years old. Of these, 1,500 others are gradually coming into tapping, but the rest will probably never be of any use at all." The current high prices of india-rubber the speaker regarded as nothing short of a calamity, since the effect was likely to be such a deluge of new capital invested in rubber plantations as to lead to over-production, and consequent smaller dividends on plantation shares. However, he did not think the danger point would be reached earlier than 1915, and it might be that the expansion of the demand for rubber might even then be sufficient to keep prices up. "I admit," said Mr. Govett, "there are certain safeguards. Many of these companies are sure to be mismanaged. A large portion of the land may not be suitable. Labor is likely to be wholly insufficient. Production is liable to be delayed by prema- ture tapping, and so forth." As to the tapping system followed on the company's estates, Mr. Govett said : "We have tried full spiral, with the worst re- sults, and half spiral, which is less trying to the tree; but our present method is that which is known as the half-herrir.g-bone- four year system. The tree is divided into two parts vertically, and one side is tapped up as high as possible at intervals of 12 inches. After 6 inches have been used up, the year's work is done. Xext year the other side is tapped. The third year the original side is finished, and the fourth year the cycle is com- plete." The company referred to is not yet a large producer of rubber, but has more than 1,800 acres planted, in addition to productive fields of tea and cocoanuts. The share capital issued to date is £55,000; there were outstanding already £ 10,000 in 5 per cent, debentures, and at the recent meeting it was voted to issue ad- ditional debentures of £11,000, in order to hasten as far as possible the development of the rubber plantation, in order to make it all productive before the era of possible over-production men- tioned by Chairman Govett. The name of the company was changed to Dangan Rubber Co., Limited, since the former name was not considered sufficiently distinctive. CIOFIY ESTATES AFFAIRS. The favorable report of results of the Cicely Rubber Estates Co., Limited, presented at the last annual meeting [see The India Rubber World August 1, 1900, page 399! is supplemented by -"me figures presented at a recent special meeting of the company in London. There had reached London from the estates in the Malay peninsula during four months of the new fiscal year 22,595 pounds of rubber, of which 13.815 pounds had been sold, realizing 7s. 2d. [ = $1.74.3], gross and 6s. g l / 2 d. [ = $1.65.2], net, per pound. The company's £1 shares are being split up into 2 shilling shares. The Cicely issues of late have been quoted at more than eleven times their face value. The company has suffered a deep loss in the death of one of their directors, Mr. H. W. Brett. Herbert Wilfred Brett, of London, who died suddenly on September 28, is described by The Financial News as "one of the most prominent men in the rubber world," reference being made to his membership on the hoards of no less than seventeen rubber plantation companies, some of them — Anglo-Malay, Cicely, and Pataling, for example — being among the most important in existence. SUMATRA PARA RUBBFR ELANTATIONS, LIMITED. The company reports net profits of £16,231 4s. yd. [=$78,989] for the year ended June 30, after charging to revenue one-half the administrative expenses, although the latter really relates in larger proportion to the portion of the estate not yet productive. The actual cost of producing rubber is stated at less than 6d. [ = 12 cents] per pound, against 13.87^. [=28.1 cents] last year. The average price realized for rubber during the year was 6s. 6d. [=.$1.58.1] gross, or 6s. i.22d. [=$I.48K'] net. The dividend is 15 per cent. The company have adopted the policy of planting only ico trees {Hevea) to the acre. This they recognize to be the most suitable number, as trees so widely planted probably yield more later, are better grown, and the bark renewal is more satisfactory than on estates where close planting is practised. AN INQUIRY REGARDING "LANDOLPHIA." To the Editor of the India Rubber World: I am greatly interested in a Landolphia plantation and I am advised, in view of labor difficulties, that the best means of handling the same is to cut the plants three feet from the ground, remove the bark from the cut portion and by means of a decorticating machine, obtain the rubber, which I am told is better and cleaner than tapped rubber. I am informed that the cut portion will grow again, and that Hevea and other trees can be grafted on to the stumps. Is that so? Are there any plantations where Landolphia is being cut and is growing again, or where other trees have been grafted on to the stumps, or where the decortication of Landol- phia has been a commercial success? s. goldreich. ;t>, Cornhill, London, October 6, 1909. [If any reader is aware of the treatment of Landolphia vines as here referred to, whether with successful results or otherwise, The India Rubber Would will be pleased to have a report on the same. — The Editor.] CEARA RUBBLR IN GERMAN EAST AFRICA. The East Africa Rubber Plantation Co., Limited, has been formed in London, with £90,000 [=$437,985] capital, to acquire three plantations of Ceara rubber {Man ihot Glaziovii) in German hast Africa, now represented to be Hearing a tappable stage; also, certain uncultivated land on the adjacent "Lewa" estate, which latter is already producing rubber. "Lewa" estate is the property of Deutsch-Ostafrikansche Plantagengesellschaft A.-G. of Berlin, founded in 1886, with 2,000,000 marks [=$476,420] capital. The prospectus of the new company states that "Lewa" is now producing at the rate of more than 100 tons a year, and that the product— Ceara rubber— has sold at prices almost equal to fine Para. At the London auction of September 21 some of it realized over 9 shillings [ = $2.19] a pound. The three November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 43 developed plantations to be taken over by the new company are stated to have about 250,000 trees ready for tapping, while the number ready for next year is estimated at 580,000. These plantations are on a railway running from the seaport Tanga, just south of Mombasa, the starting point of the railway which is opening up Uganda. BRITISH INVESTORS IN RUBBER SHARES. In a list of shareholders in Rubber Plantations Investment Trust printed in London Financial News appear several well- known names connected with the crude rubber trade, and also rubber goods manufacturers. For example: Shares. Heilbut, Symons & Co.. rubber merchants 10,000 v Figgis (S. Figgis & Co., rubber merchants) 1,500 W. Symington (William Symington & Co., Limited, rubber merchants) 1,000 P. B. Cow (P. B. Cow & Co., rubber manufacturers) 1,100 Some of these have become connected with the Investment trust through their holdings in plantation companies in the East. Among those interested in the Investment trust is H. R. H. Princess Lcuise, Duchess of Argyll, a sister of the King, credited with 1,000 shares of £5 each. Most of the holdings in the Investment trust are in the names of plantation in- vestors, which leads the Financial News to remark that "the rubber share market, like other great departments of city activity, tends to centralization, even where its ramifications are most widely extended." Most of those mentioned above share in the recent im- portant issue of shares in connection with the Plantations. Limited. The latter list includes 1,000 2-shilling shares issued to the Edinburgh Investment Trust, Limited, of Edin- burgh, a concern capitalized at £1,000,000 [=$4,866,500]. At the same time it may be mentioned that £50,000 in shares in the Edinburgh Trust are held by the important Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Society. Limited; that is the Scot- tish insurance company have become interested in rubber plant- ing shares. PLANTING PR0CRESS IN MEXICO. The annual report of the Orizaba Rubber Plantation Co. ( Chicago), to the certificate holders, by the president, Mr. J. B. Sanborn, dated October 1. 1909, contains details of the progress made on their estate in Chiapas, Mexico, based upon observations made during his visit in August last. The growth of their Castilloa continues excellent, and their condition would appear, judging from the photographic views in this pamphlet, all that could be desired. The company have made a small beginning in the way of tapping, among some of their six year old trees, and a view is given of the rubber produced on the plantation on a commercial basis — a pressed block weighing 60 pounds. Mr. Sanford mentions that on a neighboring private planta- tion, near Huimanguillo, owned by Mr. Adolph G. Weiss, tapping will be begun this fall on the eight year old trees. Mr. Sanford reports meeting a Mr. Gonzales, a Mexican planter near San Juan Bautista, with 120,000 rubber trees 14 years old, who is satisfied with V2 pound per year from one tapping. "He says he will not take any chances with his trees ; that they are too valuable, and it takes too many years to raise, to experiment with them." ST. PAUL TROPICAL DEVELOPMENT CO. In connection with a mention of the exhibit of crude rubber hy the St. Paul Tropical Development Co. at the recent Min- nesota State fair in The India Rubber World, October 1, 1909 (page 10), the company state that their exhibit did not em- brace plantation rubber of their own production, as they began planting only last year. They have a considerable number of wild trees, however, and have tapped them and sold the rubber. Their exhibit at the fair embraced forest rubber as prepared by the natives, "creamed" rubber from neighboring plantations, and a supply of late, the latter being used in daily demonstrations of rubber coagulation which were watched with great interest by the public. The company likewise displayed tropical fruits, hard woods, and Mexican curios. A similar exhibit was made by the company at the Northwestern Iowa fair, at Mason City. Iowa. The St. Paul Tropical Develop- ment Co. have 300.000 Castilloa rubber trees planted on their "El Rosario" estate in Soconusco, Mexico, and intend planting 800,000 next year. Their plantation manager, Air. L. A. Ostien, is a scientific agriculturist of much tropical experience. FRAUDS IN THE NAME OF RUBBER. An illustration of how rubber mad some British speculators have become is found in a story which Truth, of London, relates in detail in its issue of September 22. The story has to do with a company registered thirteen years ago as the Rubber Exploration Co., Limited, with a nominal capital of £200,000 [=$973,300], in £1 shares. Prior to 1901 only 7 shares were issued — one to each incorporator. In that year 98,751 shares were issued as "fully paid" to another corporation, equally un- known to the financial world. There is no record of the Rubber Exploration Co., Limited, having engaged in business in any way, but recently the company began advertising that it was in a position to buy and sell or finance rubber plantations. Truth relates that a Stock Exchange broker received commissions from one Mr. Leach to buy the company's shares, amounting all told to 1,000, the broker paying for the same £1,150 2s. 9d. [$5,597.14]- Mr. Leach tailed to pay for the shares, and the broker sued for the amount and obtained judgment. But it does not follow that he will get his money. Meanwhile he had on hand shares which nobody will buy from him. The point, according to Truth, is that Mr. Leach assisted holders of shares which represented no investment and no value to realize cash for them. The in- ■ timation is that a good many other shares of Rubber Exploration Co., Limited, may have been disposed of in the same way. RUBBER IN GERMAN COLONIES. The following figures relating to the acreage planted to rubber in the German colonies are credited by the Ceylon Observer to an official source : German East Africa (mostly Ceara, lately Manicoba, and some Hevea ) 7.4 10 Togo and Kamerun (Ceara, Manitoba, Ficus, Castilloa, and Hevea ; the latter of late on a large scale) 4-94° New Guinea (mostly Hevea) 3-"°5 Samoa (mostly Hevea) 2,470 Total acreage 18,525 BRIEF MENTIONS. The receipt is mentioned, at the royal botanic garden of Ceylon, from Mr. Frank J. Dunleavy, manager of the Boston and Bolivia Rubber Co., of Sorata, Bolivia, of seeds of a new species of Hevea rubber, discovered in the Kaka river region in Bolivia. The seeds are described as being about one-third the size of Hevea Brasiliensis. An actress popular on the New York stage has given to the local press a letter requesting her photograph, signed by the manager of a widely known rubber plantation on the Malay peninsula. The letter states that the writer is an Englishman who has been "boxed up" for some years, "quite cut off from civiliza- tion and the world." A picture of the actress appeared in an American periodical which strayed into the rubber planter's hands, and he was filled with a longing to have the lady's photograph to adorn his bungalow wall. It is stated that the coveted photo- graph was sent, together with "a little note of cheer." PERSONAL NOTES. The correspondent at Buitenzorg of the Java Bode reports that Professor M. Treub, director of the department of agricul- ture, has tendered his resignation. Under his administration a great incentive has been given to the culture of india-rubber and gutta-percha in Java. 44 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1909. 44 Red Rubber" in Eastern Peru. THE authors of the most shocking stories of atrocities prac- ticed upon the rubber collectors in the Congo Free State must now feel abashed since the Right Hon. Henry La- bouchere, r.c, m.f., has printed in his important London weekly paper, Truth, the series of articles headed "The Devil's Paradise." He has eclipsed all the narrators of horrors who have gone be- fore. And "Labby" has been dealing with rubber, too. Having in mind that the most bitter critics of "Congo misrule" have been Britishers, like himself, he tells his readers that the real rubber Hades is under British control — not in a British colony, but in an extensive South American domain owned practically by a cor- ; i" 1. n ion registered at Somerset House, London, the directorate of which is dominated by English gentlemen. Whoever buys rubber at $2 a pound and more may readily ap- preciate the suggestion that when the stuff is so expensive its production is not work of a kind that is exceedingly pleasant to those engaged in it. Do people rush into the rubber fields of any country — wild or forest rubber fields, that is to say — to become busy in producing "fine" or "coarse" or any other grade? THEY DO NOT. If civilized people anywhere insist upon having automobile tires, or hard rubber combs, or dainty rubber footwear, there will be capitalists ready to provide the necessary rubber — but what about the laborers in equatorial forests who bring the precious stuff to the primary markets? How do they live? How are they induced to go out of their way to gather rubber? What redress have these workers, thousands of miles from civilization, against real or fancied abuses at the hands of their masters, who themselves are on the ground, not through' motives of philanthropy, but to fill their own pockets well within the brief time they are willing to be exiled from comfortable homes? The cauchero in Peru naturally is not in the position of a clerk in a Wall street office who is working to become ultimately such a master of finance as was the late Edward Henry Harriman, the railway "king." This, by the way, was Mr. Hariman's start in life. The man who gathers rubber up the Amazon is apt to be too poor to be able to leave his occupation at whatever time it may prove uncomfortable. And the manager of a rubber camp is there to GET RUBBER. The point of Henry Labouchere's story is that he does get rubber, and the devil take the poor fellows who are under his control, in a region beyond the pale of law or government. The India Rubber World has no intimate knowdedge of the conditions of which the editor of Truth has portrayed in type. But the character of the gentleman named, and of his publica- tion, together with the nature of the evidence which he quotes, all appeal to the man of civilized instincts as worthy of con- sideration, even if in the end the story may prove to be exag- gerated. There is not space in these pages for even a summary of what Henry Labouchere feels called upon to say about the outrageous treatment of the employes of The Peruvian Amazon Co., Limited, organized in England with ii.ooo.ooo [=$4,866,500] capital, to take over the business and possessions of the Peruvian firm of J. C. Arana y Ilermanos. [See The India Rubber World, January 1, 1909 — page 146.] These are the people who are responsible for the important output of Hevea rubber nowadays from Peru, the shipment which makes necessary a line of steamers from Iquitos to New York and several European ports. Of late years the growing demand for rubber tires, rubber insulation, rubber hose, and a constantly increasing number of articles of rubber manufacture, has en- couraged English and other investors to give their attention to what Truth calls "a sort of no-man's-land" between the upper Am- azon and Putumayo — a rubber producing area of hundreds of square miles, sovereignty over which is claimed by Columbia, Peru and Ecuador. Peru, however, is in effective possession, and has the advantage of ocupying a commanding position at Iquitos, the up- permost port on the Amazon. As Truth says, it is "a country where every man is a law unto himself, and there is absolutely no check upon the exercise of his most brutal instincts and passions. The likelihood of such abuse is increased enormously when the earnings of the employes are made dependent upon re- sults." And "employes" in this sense refer only to company agents, and not to the men who "cut" rubber. With reference to the requirement that the company agents ship the maximum amount of rubber possible, Truth says : To do this, the Indians have either to be paid or punished. If paid, the payment must be enough to tempt a placid, indolent savage to con- tinuous exertion ; if punished, the punishment must be severe eaough to extract from his fears what canjiot be obtained from an appeal to hit cupidity. Mr. Labouchere does not stand alone as the author of his statements. He names various individuals, including Mr. W. E. Hardenburg, "a young American engineer," as supplying facts ; likewise quotations are given from two newspapers published at Iquitos and one in Manaos. Well, how does rubber come down to Iquitos? Accotding to Truth, the pacific indians of the Putumayo are forced to collect rubber "without the slightest remuneration;" "they flog them in- humanly until their bones are laid bare"; "they do not give them any medical treatment, but let them linger, eaten by maggots, till they die, to serve them afterwards as food for the chiefs' dogs" ; "they mutilate them, cut off their ears, fingers, arms, and legs" ; "they torture them, by means of fire, of water and by tying them up crucified head down" ; the agents even "souse them with kerosene and set fire to them, to enjoy the desperate agony." There are other details in Truth's story which, if repeated here, would exclude The India Rubber World from the United States mails. As for the company's agents, Truth would have it understood that they are themselves practically prisoners in the upriver districts, and compelled to follow the customs which have grown up in the collection of rubber by the great company mentioned in this article. Space has been given here to Henry Labouchere's story for the reason that England has been the home of the most extreme stories of outrages perpetrated upon rubber collectors in the Congo, and because this particular member of parliament has recognized that Englishmen are not doing better in domains under their own absolute, if not official, control. It is possible that Truth's story will be controverted in full; at the same time Mr. E. D. Morell, of The African Mail, may also find himself without support in his criticisms of conditions in the Belgian Congo rubber districts. IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT. In the house of commons, on September 29, Mr. Hart-Davies asked the foreign secretary whether his attention had been called to the proceedings of an English company called the Peruvian Amazon Co. ; whether any report as to the alleged ill-treatment of British subjects from Barbados had been made by the English consul at Iquitos; and whether he would call for a report on the doings of this company from the local English consul at Iquitos. Mr. McKinnon Wood, in reply to this and a similar question by Mr. Cathcart Wason, said : "I have not heard of the ex- istence of the company, and have no information about it. I will ask for a report on the subject." Mr. Hart-Davies asked whether the honorable gentleman November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 45 was aware that the American consul had also made a report to his government on this company, and whether he could see his way to get hold of that report. Mr. McKinnon Wood: "I was not aware of it." AN OFFICIAL DENIAL. The publication in the London paper of the charges which are here referred to, elicited a communication from the Peruvian charge d'affaires in London, as follows : To the Editor of Truth — Sir: In the issue of your valuable paper of 22nd inst., appears an article entitled "The Devil's Paradise." in which you narrate the atrocities which are alleged to have been perpetrated against the aborigines of the Putumayo region by the Peruvian Amazon Co., Limited. This legation categorically denies that the acts you describe, and which are severely punished by our laws, could have taken place with- out the knowledge of my government on the Putumayo river, where Peru has authorities appointed direct by the supreme government, and where a strong military garrison is likewise maintained. The territory of Putumayo is not a sort of no man's land, as described by you, and is in direct communication, by steamer and other rapid routes, with Iquitos, the capital of the important Department of Loreto. Iquitos. on the other hand, is connected by telegraphic and wireless installations with Lima and the whole of the republic, and it is impossible to admit that acts of the nature described could have been committed without the guilty parties being promptly and severely punished by the authorities. The quotation referred to, from the two local newspapers, La Felpa and La Sancton, should not be given the least credit, as both papers were started by the same editor, and were short lived. The said papers published fantastic crimes alleged to have been committed by the employees of the firm of J. C. Arana y Hermanos, and when the em- ployees of this old and well-known house commenced proceedings for libel against the editor he disappeared in order to evade the grave responsibility he had incurred. These facts are well known at Iquitos. There are other English rubber companies in Peru — as the Inambari com- pany, for instance — who can speak as to the treatment always given to the natives, and who will certainly not confirm the information contained in your article. Besides, is it possible to believe that traders, anxious to secure abundance of labor, should commit iniquitous acts of the nature described, and only conducive to the annihilation of the very hands of which they are in such great need? 1 must, therefore, repudiate in the most deliberate manner the ac- cusation contained in the said article, and I protest most emphatically against the suggestions therein made, that soldiers of the Peruvian army could be capable of committing the acts of inhumanity described by Mr. Hardenburg. - - - E. LEM'BECKE, Charge d' Affaires. Peruvian Legation, London, September 25, 1909. ALL AMAZON RUBBER NOT "RED." There is visiting in New York a gentleman long resident on the Amazon, at one time a journalist and again in the crude rubber trade, to whom the articles in Truth were referred by The India Rubber World. "The details in Mr. Labouchere's articles do not differ ma- terially from reports current on the Amazon not so long ago. I had reason to desire to get at the truth in this matter, but neither principals in the Peruvian company nor representatives of the Peruvian government with whom I came in contact would make definite statements, either negative or affirmative. From my knowledge of the rubber situation, however, I do not doubt that the story in the London publication has a very solid basis in fact. "Does it follow that Amazon rubber in general is the product of such cruel labor conditions?" "Oh, no. The greater part of the Amazon production comes from districts in which rubber gathering has become a fixed industry, whereas the development in Peru is recent, and there has not been time for system to be organized. "But that is not the chief consideration. In Brazil, including the Acre territory, rubber is extracted mainly by workers from Ceara and other southern Brazilian states. Originally they made an annual migration from their homes up the Amazon, returning home at the end of the rubber season. Gradually these workers began to make settlements up the Amazon, so that a permanent rubber gathering population is coming into existence. The Indians of Brazil never have figured much in the rubber interest, and so have not become subject to such outrages as are charged in the Putumavo district. "In other words, the Brazilian Indians, generally savage, and sometimes cannibals, cannot be brought under control as rubber workers. For that matter the Cearenses — white men — cannot be brought under control. They never lose sight of their rights, and will brook no unfair treatment. From what I have seen on up- river seringaes, I should say that the Italian laborer has no such readiness with the stiletto as the Cearenses, and it would fare badly with a rubber estate manager who attempted any treatment of them which they might regard as unfair." "Then how about the Peruvian Indians?" "They are wholly pacific by nature," was the answer. "They are different in every way. Their country has been invaded by seekers for rubber, in which material they felt no interest before, and they have been placed in a condition of involuntary servitude, as indicated by the London newspaper's articles. The Indians in the rubber districts of Bolivia are also pacific, as a rule, and capable of control to an extent which makes many of them, no doubt, absolute slaves, though no stories of atrocities such as alleged in connection with Peru have been reported from Bolivia. Yet I remember a story of how Nicolas Suarez. to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of the natives, sent his agents out on a punitive expedition which resulted in the death of 300 of them. [See The India Rubber World. April 1, 1905.] "But no outrages are likely to be heard of as being perpetrated upon Brazilian white men — the emigrants from the state of Ceara, for instance — for reasons which I have mentioned already." LIBEL SUITS IN THE CONGO. The American missionary, the Rev. W. H. Sheppard. on trial at Leopoldville, charged with "calumnious denunciation" and libel by representatives of the Cie. du Kasai [see The India Rubber World, July 1, 1909., page 345], was acquitted on October 5. The Rev. Dr. William Morrison, another American mis- sionary, was also named as a defendant when the actions were first instituted, but the charges against him were withdrawn. The company sought to recover $6,000 from Mr. Sheppard. The latter is described by the Richmand Leader as a colored man, a native of Virginia and highly respected in the State. He is men- tioned also as having done much to create British sentiment in respect of alleged atrocities practised upon native rubber gath- erers in the Congo. A later report is that the Kasai rubber syndicate will appeal from the decision in the Sheppard case. RUSSIAN DUTIES ON RAW RUBBER. ENGLISH exporters of raw rubber have, through the Lon- don Chamber of Commerce, according to The India- Rubber Journal, pointed out to the Anglo-Russian Chamber in St. Petersburg that raw rubber imported into Russia from Africa and the Amazon territories is subject to a duty of I rouble 50 copecks per pood — or id. per pound — whilst for Ceylon and general Asiatic produce the duty levied is 8 roubles per pood — or 5a!. per pound. The difference in the rate is explained, says an official journal, by the fact that Asiatic rubber is counted not as raw. but as wrought material. The English merchants argue that this is an error, for the Asiatic product is just as unwrought as rubber from other parts of the world, and if it happens to be of superior quality that is due only to special selection. In view of the fore- going, since the market value of African and American rub- ber, on the one hand, and of Asiatic, on the other, is tht same, the latter is shut out from Russia, which is known to be one of the largest consumers of raw rubber in the world, and both English merchants and Russian consumers would benefit by an equalization of the duties. The Anglo-Russian Chamber will consider the point on an early date, and will invite representatives of Russian manufacturers of rubber goods to the consultation. 16 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1909. An Official View of Amazon Rubber. TIIK formal yearly report on the trade of Brazil for the : 1908, Erom the British legation at Rio de Janeiro, is signed by Mr. Cheetham, secretary to the legation. It con- tains some very interesting statements regarding the crude rubber interest in that country. He says tlu rubber trade of the Amazon valley is in many respects one of the most remarkable commercial movements in existence. It the value of the product put on the world's mar- kets be compared with the trilling expenditure of human energy involved in its collection the contrast is an extraordinary one. The whole of this valuable trade is gathered, in the first place, by a handful of illiterate, untrained men who, taking their lives in their hands, enter the vast uncultivated wilderness of the upper Amazon forests and, on behalf of distant aviadores and 1 in;, I fori t owners, tap the trees and smoke the rubber that later on figures as the second asset in Brazilian commercial and financial prosperity. Deprived of her rubber output Brazil would lose one-third of her purchasing capacity. Vet, Mr. Cheetham states, although the source of so large a part of her national income, Brazil as a whole does nothing for her rubber producers, and these, in equal disregard of great responsibilities, do little or nothing for their rubber trees. The whole of the vast wealth of the Amazon rubber output is drawn from the virgin wealth of uncultivated forest products, the prod- uct being obtained by the crudest methods from the natural wilderness of rubber-giving trees. Were the rubber industry of the Amazon valley, Mr. Cheetham add , established on organized lines of cultivation and scientific development, the number of persons actively employed in rubber production (now officially and inaccurately given as 5,337) would he one of many hundreds of thousands. But the methods of production have shown no advance during a period of twelve years, while the cost of production must have greatly increased. That Para rubber, he continues, as it is today exploited can con- tinue successfully to compete when once the East India planta- tions have attained a large area of development seems highly improbable. The cost of the bare necessities of life, to say nothing of the comforts of existence, has greatly increased, and the absence of these things renders the weary lot of the Amazon rubber ex- tractor one of the most depressing in existence. Half submerged in a swampy forest, he has few or no companions and no social lifi .it all A stranger from far away, he makes no home, but squats where he can best tap the surrounding trees. The owner of the estate neither resides on it nor pays an absentee tax. His ownership restricts itself to taking out papers of registration before someone else has obtained them, and then leasing the right to find and tap what rubber trees the undefined vagueness of this "estate" may afford the hardy Ceara or Maranhao ex- plorer who acts as his tenant. There is little likelihood of Amazon rubber being exhausted. The area is so vast, the supply of trees so constantly self- renewing, that it is most improbable that while demand continues and profitable prices are obtained the supply from this region will fall off. The real danger to the Amazon industry lies in tin competition of cultivated rubber. Tf this can be shortly pro- duced on a large scale and the demand does not keep equal pace prices must fall. The Amazon forest on the present lines of Brazilian taxation and expenditure can only be worked if the price of rubber remains high. The expenses are so great, the taxes imposed so onerous, that any permanent fall in the price of rubber would mean not alone the cessation of Amazon rubber production, but a very serious financial problem for the whole of Brazil to meet. Rubber cultivation in Ceylon, the Malay peninsula, and, no doubt, elsewhere, can be profitably carried out, and by annually improving the methods, at a rate of expenditure that would be wholly insufficient to tap the wild forest trees of the Amazon basin. Considerations such as these, while they should stimulate rub- ber production within the British empire, should not be lost sight of (Mr. Cheetham points out) by those who may be disposed to invest money in the purchase and exploitation of so-called rubber estates on the Amazon. The excessive import duties and the heavy export taxes must never be lost sight of ; for they affect every aspect of commercial, industrial and individual life in Brazil. While it may be held as unquestionable that Amazon rubber is a wild product obtained by the least expenditure of labor necessary to its crude production, and with no resort to cultivation, there is a growing export from other parts of Brazil of inferior kinds of rubber which may in the near future attain large proportions. This rubber, moreover, is to some extent the product of cultivation. In five years, the report says further, the quantity of these inferior kinds of rubber shipped from Brazil, has more than doubled, and it is probable that with the largely increased demand and higher prices which have ruled throughout the last six or seven months the export of these lower grades of rubber will show a considerable development in the course of the present year. The report apparently is the result of much intelligent study of the Amazon rubber situation, and is deserving of attention. At the same time there is reason to believe that a new era in rubber is opening in the region referred to, and that improvement is being made, however slow its progress. The opposite side from what the British official has seen is well stated in Mr. Heinsohn's article in The India Rubber World, July 1, 1909 (page 347), as the result of an experience of many years on the Amazon. NEW CONDITIONS ON THE AMAZON. "TV ) the Editor of the India Rubber World: An interesting ■*■ fact in connection with a recent shipment of india-rubber from Para deserves mention as bearing upon the new conditions of rubber exportation outlined recently in your paper. For instance, you have mentioned the incorporation of the Alves Braga Rubber F.slates and Trading Co., Limited, succeeding a long established Para firm of aviadores and latterly producers of rubber on a large scale. [Sec The India Rubber World, Sep- tember 1, 1909 — page 421.I It seems that the company have now engaged in the exportation of other rubber than that produced on their own seringaes. The steamer Antony, bound from Manaos to Liverpool, stopped at Para on August 20, and took on board 282,880 kilograms of additional rubber. This was credited on the manifest to nine firms, including the leading exporters at Para, but no less than 1 12.010 kilograms, or about 40 per cent, of the whole, were shipped by the Alves P.raga Rubber Estates and Trading Co., Limited. As T wrote in your paper a month ago, the buyers of rubber at Para were remaining out of the market, as a means of "bearing" prices, and here comes a local, or Brazilian, firm, prepared to buy and ship rubber without reference to the foreign houses. As your readers know, the Alves Braga company are large producers of rubber up-stream, but when they have to do with shipments from Para it means they have bought rubber there from producers nearer seaboard. s. cxark. October 4, 1009. November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 47 THE RUBBER TRADE AT AKRON. BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. A STOCK dividend of 100 per cent, was declared at the annual ^ ^ meeting of The Diamond Rubber Co., held at the offices in Akron, on October 19. This increases the capital stock of the company from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000. The regular 10 per cent, dividend was also declared on the old stock. In anticipation of the stock dividend, it is stated that shares sold as high as 335 before the meeting. The stockholders reelected the following directors: F. A. Hardy (Chicago), O. C. Barber, A. H. Marks, W. B. Miller, R. C. Lake (Chicago), O. S. Hart, and A. H. Noah. The directors met and reelected the officers, as follows : F. A. Hardy, president; A. H. Marks, vice-president; W. B. Miller, secretary ; A. H. Noah, treasurer. The treasurer reported to the stockholders an unusually prosperous year. The directors decided to build new buildings at once, with a view to increasing the factory floor space by six acres. More room is desired for the expansion of the automobile tire, insulated wire, and mechan- ical goods departments of the factory. The company already have under construction a six-story building 103 x 371 feet, for factory purposes, besides the new office building and laboratory. It is expected to have these buildings ready for occupancy by January 1. Definite plans for the buildings decided upon in the annual meeting have not been announced. It may interest some readers to have recalled the first mention of The Diamond Rubber Co. in these pages. It appeared as a "Trade Note" in The India Rubber Wcrld, April 15, 1894 (page 27) : — A new mechanical-rubber concern at Akron, Ohio, is called the Diamond Rubber Co. It was incorporated under the laws of the state on March 26, with $50,000 capital. * * # To help in securing labor, The Diamond Rubber Co. have opened an office on South Main street, in which an employment agent will be stationed at all hours of the day. Heretofore the company have employed men only during a few hours in the morning. Under this plan it was found impossible to meet the demand of the factory for new help. A new tire sales branch has been opened by The Diamond Rubber Co. at No. 1633 Court place, Denver, Colorado. Here- tofore the tire business of the company was controlled through the Overland Rubber Co. as agents. The manager of the new branch is Charles F. Collins, formerly a partner in the Overland company. The branch in the Boston building for the sale of mechanical goods will be continued as before. The Diamond Rubber Co. have closed a contract with the Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Co. for 7,000 sets of tires for Maxwell 1910 cars. Other large contracts for 1910 business have been secured by the company. The 1909 sales season came to a close with the conference of Diamond branch managers called for November 1 in Akron. The Diamond Rubber Co. call attention to the fact that the two winning Lozier cars in the Brighton beach races held during the last month were equipped with their tires. The first car broke all former records for a 24 hour race by 29 miles. Paige L'Hommedieu, chief clerk in the hard rubber goods de- partment of The Diamond Rubber Co., has taken a similar position with the company's New York branch. * * * The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. were successful in secur- ing a restraining order from the United States court in Colum- bus, Ohio, late in October, to enjoin The Rubber Tire and Wheel Co. and the Consolidated Rubber Tire Co. from suing the customers of the Goodyear company. The injunction is a sequel to the litigation involving the Grant solid tire patents, in which both sides have won victories in different courts. Judge Sater, of the Columbus court, in granting the injunction delivered a lengthy opinion in which he laid down a new law of importance to manufacturers. He held that manufacturers who have de- feated a patent may protect their customers from being sued, even though the customer does not buy the complete article from the manufacturer. A decision by the United States supreme court had previously offered the same protection, but only to- customers who bought the complete article. Large orders for automobile tires have been received by The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., including an immense contract for the equipment of Buick cars, so that it will be necessary for the company to greatly increase the capacity of their pneu- matic department. Mr. Charles W. Seiberling, vice-president of the company, says that the output, which is now 600 tires a day, will be increased before January 1 to between 1,400 and 1.500 a day. In order to bring this about night shifts were put on in a number of departments November I. Orders have been given fur five new vulcanizers, and several washers and mills. Four new tire making machines, like the four already in opera- tion, are in process of construction and more are to follow. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., after conducting extensive experiments in pumping water from Blue pond, a body of water one mile from their plant, have abandoned the project. The object was to secure pure water, free from substances injurious to engine valves, but it was found, after pumping from the pond, that the water fell rapidly, indicating that the body of water would ultimately be pumped dry. * * * The report of the city board of tax review filed during the last month shows that during the year ending April, 1909, rubber companies have made improvements aggregating in value $450,000 on their properties in Akron. Nearly two-thirds of this amount is represented by new buildings erected in the course of recon- structing The B. F. Goodrich Co.'s factory. Buildings torn down by the Goodrich company were valued at $32,000. During that year the Buckeye Rubber Co. constructed a building valued at $30,000; two others were constructed by the Goodyear company valued respectively at $44,000 and $21,000; one by the Firestone company worth $12,000; four by The Diamond Rubber Co. valued respectively at $26,000. $9,000, $21,000, and $21,000; additions by the Miller Rubber Co. valued at $4,500, and by the American Hard Rubber Co. valued at $1,800. * * * Detailed descriptions of the Goodrich tire making machine, mentioned in this correspondence in the September India Rub- ber World, will not be ready for publication until next spring, according to the general manager, Mr. E. C. Shaw, who says that patent arrangements will not be completed before that time. In the meantime the company are adding to their equipment of the machines. Between 30 and 40 are now in use. * * * The following officers and directors of the North Western Rubber Co., Limited, of Liverpool, England, were reelected at the annual meeting of the company, held in the Akron offices of The Diamond Rubber Co.. on October 19: Arthur H. Marks, of Akron, president; William Alexander Smith, of Glasgow, vice-president and treasurer ; E. E. Buckleton, of Liverpool, sec- retary and managing director. The additional directors are Ohio C. Barber, of Akron, and Dr. Joseph Torrey, of Liverpool. Mr. Buckleton attended the meeting and expects to sail back No- vember 3. He said that no changes will be made in the business of the company. * * * The Buckeye Rubber Co. have started work on the recon- struction of the building destroyed in their recent fires. Rein- forced concrete fireproof construction will be used throughout, and the structure will be built three stories high instead of one and a half as before. It will be used for the mill room, the drying room, and probably for the manufacture of inner tubes. The ground dimensions are 40 x 91 feet. 48 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1909. The Aluminum Flake Co., of this city, have let a contract with an eastern manufacturing concern for the purchase of sufficient machinery to double the output of the plant Work has also been started on tin- remodeling of the buildings, to afford more room. Mr. Frank Reifsnider, general manager of the company, s;i_\s that he has orders already that will more than double the sales of the company during the coming 12 months, one contract with an eastern concern being for 1,200,000 pounds of aluminum flake. * * * The Goodrich, Diamond, Goodyear, and Firestone companies are preparing to have representatives at the Atlanta automobile show, to be held November 6 to 13. This is the first .-•how of the season, and the first large show to be held in the south. .Mr. E. I!. Williams, manager of the tire department of the Stein Double Cushion Tire Co.. has resigned, to take a position with the Swinehart Tire and Rubber Co. THE RUBBER TRADE IN SAN FRANCISCO. BY A RESIHENT CORRESPONDENT. T OCALLY, the business of the rubber goods houses has been '—' interfered with to a considerable extent by the big Portola festival, which opened on October 19 and continued for a week. There had been so much preparation to make the celebration a success, and so much time was taken up by it while it is in progress, that it put a damper on the city trade. There were big crowds in the city and the festival undoubtedly will have good results for San Francisco. It was in a manner the open- ing or coming ( ut day for this city, displaying to the world that it has practically recovered from the effects of the earthquake and fire of 19C.6, is a reconstructed city, and can accommodate all .if the visitors who may care to come, with the best and must modern cafes and hotels. Business conditions have not developed in a manner to greatly elate the coast rubber trade. It is still the same story of waiting for better times to turn up, with indications always favorable for good business. There continues to be sufficient grounds for a flourishing season, the country districts are prosperous, the city is forging ahead in the building line, and there are no ob- stacles in the way of progress, but the expected never quite happens and the results each month shows a tendency towards better commercial conditions without any great demonstration of activity. Progress is sli w, but it is unquestionably sure and all of the linns are doing enough to keep them from being dissat- isfied with the trade. The first organization meeting of the Pacific Coast Rubber Manufacturers' Association was held at No. 168 O'Farrell street on September 21, and the organization was affected. It is in reality a reorganization of the Western Mechancal Rubber Goods' Association, which died with the old city. Mr. W. F. Bowers, of the Bowers Rubber Works, was elected president ; Mr. Joseph V. Selby, of the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., vice- president; Mr. H. C. Norton, of the American Rubber Co. treas- urer; and George Didion, secretary. The executive committee chosen is as follows : F. T. Sargeant, with the Gorham Rubber Co.; C. F. Runyan, with the Goodyear Rubber Co.; W. D. Rig- don, with the Revere Rubber Co.; and F. S. Winslow, with the Pacific Coast Rubber Co. Mr. R. H. Pease, president of the Goodyear Rubber Co.. states that tin- advance on all kinds of rubber goods looks seri- ous for the consumer, and yet the only thing left for tin manu- facturer is to raise his prices to correspond to the increased cost of crude rubber. This the manufacturers on the coast have generally done, and it looks as though the prices would con- tinue, for the above reasons and also owing to the fact that buying has become easier in keeping with the increasing pros- perity, and all through the country the demand is strong for mechanical goods as well as for automobile tires. The busi- ness of his firm is better than it has been for a long time, and there is evident improvement in all lines. Like others they are meeting with difficulty in placing goods at the high prices, particularly miners' rubber boots, but they insist on maintaining 1 Ik present quality ami the consumers will gradually come over to the increased price. Mr. W. J. Gorham. of the Gorham Rubber Co., has returned from bis extended trip to Los Angeles. W. B. Heckman, with this firm, has returned from his eastern trip. He came by way of Seattle and spent some time taking in the exopsition there. Mr. W. Henry Sayen, Jr., passed through San Francisco last week, on a tour of the coast. He is treasurer of the Mercer Rubber Co., of Hamilton Square, New Jersey. He will be through this way next April, not so much in the interests of his firm, as it will be his honeymoon trip. Mr. E. E. Torrey, Pacific coast representative of the Penn- sylvania Rubber Co., has returned from his eastern trip, and is again at work with his usual optimism. He has been selling a great deal of garden hose this season. Mr. Gregory, manager of the New York Belting and Packing Co., Limited, No. 133 First street, states that the manufacturers on the coast are generally raising their prices all along the line. There is a better feeling noticeable in the trade. A report from the Pacific Mill and Mine Supply Co. shows that the country business is very good, although they cannot say much for the city trade for the past month. They are looking for a gradual improvement in business The Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. report that the past month has been a little quiet on account of the Por- tola activities. Mr. C. H. Brown, with this firm, has been up through the northern territory and met with very satisfactory results, showing that business is picking up, especially from the lumber mills. The Argus Co., a corporation at No. no First street, formed recently for the purpose of recovering typewriter platens, have completed their plant and are now actively at work. It is the first firm of its kind on the coast which does this work ex- clusively, as heretofore the business of platen covering lias been conducted as a side line at the factories. Mr. Bill Reagan, the practical man in charge, covered the first typewriter platens that were covered on the coast, and he is well adapted to accomplish the success which be has achieved for the firm. They are now getting business from all of the coast cities from Seattle to Los Angeles, and are doing very well. As an innovation they are using three colors, green, maroon and a black, for the different grades — soft, medium and hard, and this takes well with the trade. Mr. C. A. Tracy, traveling for the Sterling Rubber Co., has returned from the Nevada country, where he found business fair, but not what it used to be. In San Francisco it is quiet, but the surrounding country is good, especially through the southern part of the state, where business has shown a remark- able increase. Mr. E. B. Steers, manager of the Seamless Rubber Co., of New Haven, Connecticut, is now visiting the coast in the interest of his firm. Mr. J. O. Stewart, with The Diamond Rubber Co. in San Francisco, has returned from a trip through the San Joaquin valley, where he did a big tire business. E. L. Redding has been sending in good reports to headquarters from Portland and the north. Mr. U. S. Grant, with the Eccles & Smith Co., states that there is reason to believe that conditions will be excellent for the coming season, although as to the present business is only fairly good. The West American Rubber Co. has been incorporated in Se- attle. Washington, with a capital of $50,000 by V. C. and C. A. Benjamin, W. T. Gothed. and J. D. and L. R. Works. November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 49 Some Rubber Interests in Europe. THE INDUSTRY IN PORTUGAL. UNDER the heading "A Doubtful Bargain," La Chronique Coloniale (Brussels), comments as follows on Compagnie du Caoutchouc, of Lisbon, the reorganized rubber manu- facturing company in Portugal : "Our readers are aware that this recently organized company lias acquired for a consideration of 700,000 francs [=$135,100] in fully paid up shares of stock, the assets of the Compagnie du Caoutchouc, Monopole du Portugal, in liquidation, which latter concern owned the monopoly right for the manufacture of rubber g;oods in Portugal during a term of 10 years. In this connection we would state that the said monopoly right expired 18 months ago, and that the new company will consequently not derive any benefit from the same. "This would not in itself be a serious matter, were it not for the fact that manager and chief accountant, vexed by annoyances to which they had been exposed, have recently left the service of the company for the purpose of establishing another works in competition with the same. "This cannot fail to prove a serious injury to the interests of the Compagnie du Caoutchouc, inasmuch as no one is m"re thor- oughly acquainted with the trade and its requirements than the company's former manager, who is, moreover, an exceedingly capable man. The trade, furthermore, practically ignores the company, since it has been accustomed to deal only with the local representative or representatives of the same, who will retain their custom whatever happens. "These facts are not likely to serve as a balm for healing the sore spots of the stockholders of Monopole du Portugal who were fleeced in the manner known to our readers." TRIBUTE TO THE LATE SENATOR DR. TRAUN. The Centralverein Deutscher Kautschukwaren-Fabriken has published the following tribute to the late Senator Dr. Traun, signed by Louis Hoff, president, and Dr. Soetbeer, secretary : "Senator Dr. Heinrich Traun, of Hamburg, senior member of the firm of Dr. Heinr. Traun u. Sonne, formerly Harburger Gummi-Kamm Co., departed this life on September io. His fellow citizens who conferred upon him the highest position of trust in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, all of his fac- tory employes, and the entire rubber manufacturing industry, join his relatives in mourning the death of this excellent man. He not only developed his own factory into one of the most prom- inent rubber works in the world, but also had the common in- terest of this branch of industry very much at heart and did his best to further it. He was one of the founders of the Verein Deutscher Kautschukwaren-Fabriken ( Association of German Rubber Manufacturers) organized on September 17, 1895. and was shortly afterwards elected a director of the same, re- taining this office even after the association was consolidated with the Vereinigung Deutscher Gummiwaren-Fabriken (Association of German Rubber Works) under the name Centralverein Deutscher Kautschukwaren-Fabriken (Central Association of German Rubber Works), until his election as Senator compelled his resignation. He was a man of great foresight and extensive experience, of strong character, and kind hearted. He will con- tinue to live in our memory as a noble and commanding personality." It is announced that the Hamburg firm of Traun, Stiirken & Co., importers and exporters, will continue as before the death of the principal member, Herr Senator Dr. Traun. Their busi- ness was largely the importation of crude rubber from German East Africa, though not confined to this region. The firm Heinr. Ad. Meyer, of Hamburg, mentioned in con- nection with the career of the late Dr. Traun, in the last India Rubber World, is still maintained, importing ivory from German Africa. DISTINCTION FOR A RUBBER MANUFACTURER. The late director of Continental-Caoutchouc-und Gutta-percha- Compagnie is now Herr Dr. Professor Prinzhorn. The confer- ment upon him of the degree of doctor of engineering was re- ported recently in these pages ; his new title of professor is a recognition from the government of his services in the develop- ment of the india-rubber industry. RUBBER GOODS PRICES IN GERMANY. In connection with the meeting held on July 7 last in Berlin, the opinion is expressed among rubber goods manufacturers that it would be advisable to hold a further meeting in the near future, for the purpose of discussing the situation of the rubber industry, in view of the high prices asked for crude rubber, and of debating the measures to be taken by the manufacturers to meet prevailing conditions. At the instance of Director General Hoff ( Harburg-on-the-Elbe) and Kommerzienrat Seligmann ( Hanover) invitations have been sent out to attend the proposed meeting, to be held on November 5 at the Hotel Kaiserhof in Berlin. THE GUAYULE INTEREST. CRUDE RUBBER PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES. DURING the past month the production of guayule rubber on a commercial scale in the United States has been defi- nitely commenced. Mention has been made in these pages of the Texas Rubber Co., incorporated April 10, 1907, under the laws of Texas, with $100,000 capital, to operate a guayule fac- tory at Marathon. Texas, which factory has just begun opera- tion. Mention has been made also of the Big Bend Manu- facturing Co., incorporated August 27, 1907, under the laws of Delaware, with $25,000 capital, which latter company was the successful bidder for all the guayule shrub existing on the state school lands in Texas, under the law of 1907. It is understood that control of these two corporations has been gained by Mr. William H. Stayton. who recently resigned the presidency of the Continental Rubber Co. Mr. Stayton is a former United States naval officer who, on leaving the service, became a mem- ber of an important legal firm in New York, in which connection he was led to study thoroughly the rubber situation. Texas is the home of the guayule shrub as well as Mexico. It may be recalled that the first scientific study of the plant Parthenium argentatum was made north of the Rio Grande by an American scientific expedition. A large amount of the guayule rubber produced in Mexico thus far has been the result of the investment of United States capital, and altogether there would appear to be no reason why guayule should not be successfully produced in the United States. GUAYULE RUBBER BY A NEW PROCESS. Mr. E. Delafond, civil engineer, whose excellent work in connection with guayule has long been known, is producing rubber from this shrub by a new "pliysico-mechanical" process, at the "La Victoria" works, hacienda de Sierra Hermosa. at Catorce, state of San Luis Potosi. Mexico. An analysis, by Jose de Morales, chemist, is as follows: Pure caoutchouc 88 P er cen '- Resin 7 per cent. Moisture -_^_ P er cent - Total 100 per cent. Mr. Delafond, by the way. is experimenting with the cul- tivation of guayule, it is said, with excellent results. 50 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 190Q. Recent Patents Relating to Rubber. N UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ISSUED SEFTEJOER, 7. 1909. O. 9^3. °49- Vehicle wheel [with pneumatic tire], A. E. Beall and C. F. Skellenger, Iowa. 933.069. Hose rack. II. Gibbs, Chicago, assignor to W. D. Allen Mfg. Co. 933.' '<>. Tire tread. C. L. Rempes, Akron. 933.290. Reel operated hydrant. W. J. Clay, Cotton Valley, La. 933,422. Spring wheel. T. Dee, Randolph, Mass. 933.464. Nozzle for garden hose. I. G. Kasjens, Peoria, 111. 933,490. Syringe. C. Remhof, Brooklyn, New York. 933.5i6. Connecting hose for railway cars. E. Witzenmann, Pforzheim, Germany. 933.551- Pneumatic heel cushion. W. L. Cordon, Deal, N. J. 933. 5/8. Syringe nozzle. J. W. Perkins, Everett, Mass. 933.7 ' 5- I 'neumatic tire for automobiles and other vehicles. C. A. Lewis, assignor of one-half to W. A. Diboll, both of Denver, Colo. Trade Maries. 30,118. The Mechanical Rubber Co., New York city. The word Buckeye. For water bottles and syringes. 40,424. Turner Brothers, Ltd., Rochdale, England. The word Permanitg. For packing of rubber and other materials. 43.356. The Rossendale : Reddaway Belting and Hose Co., Newark, N. J. The words Black Bird, For woven or fabric belting and hose. ISSUED SEPTEMBER 14, 1909. 933.74?- Tire protector. D. Day, Hume, Ohio. 933.868. Combined press and vulcanizer. J. K. Williams, Akron, Ohio, assignor of one-half to The Williams Foundry and Machine Co. 933-947- Inclosed hose rack. W. D. Allen, Chicago, assignor to W. D. Allen Mfg. Co. 934,103. Closure for jars or vessels. Gray Staunton, assignor to W. S. Potwin, both of Chicago. 934.125. Piston packing. H. A. Young, Chicago. 934,130. Truss. G. W. Bell, Kansas City, Mo. 934,187. Detachable wheel rim. C. Kinderscherf, Hanover, Germany. assignor to the Continental-Cauotchouc- und Gutta-Percha Compagnie. 934,341. Wheel for road vehicles. G. S. Ogilve, Woodbridge, England. ISSUED SEPTEMBER 21, 1909. 934,472. Tire. [Pneumatic with separate solid tread.] J. S. Stevenson, Detroit, Mich. 934.627. Piston rod packing. H. P. Rhodes, Galveston, Texas. 934.639* Tire. [Pneumatic with special tread.] E. V. Van Cantford, Akron, Ohio. 934-773- Vehicle wheel. J. H. Van Arsdale, assignor of one-half to H. Luedinghaus, Jr., both of St. Louis. 934,862. Removable rim for vehicle wheels. G. S. Van Voorhis, Boston. Trade Mark. 43,445. New York Leather Belting Co., New York City. A blue band. For balata belting. ISSUED SEPTEMBER 28, 1909. 935.033- Vehicle tire. C. H. Knecht, Akron, Ohio. 935,048. Coupling for the inflating valves of pneumatic tires. C. McNellis, Chicago. 935,086. Hose construction. C. M. C. Baird, Evanston, 111. 935.089. Cushion heel. J. Cairns, London, England. 935-093- Vehicle wheel tire. H. M. and T. J. Deeth, Toronto, Canada. 935.126. Tire [protector], D. W. McLean, Mount Hutt, Methven, New Zealand. 935.192. Tire. [Solid segmental.] C. F. Dinkle, Carlisle, Pa. 935,245. Wheel for road vehicles. [With pneumatic tire.] S. M. Brown, Mich Road, Wood Green, England. 935.295- Vulcanizer [with clock combined]. H. D. Bultman, assignor fco Consolidated Dental Mfg. Co., all of New York city. 93 5-33"- Anti-slcidding device. E. B. Stimpson, assignor to Edwin B. Stimpson Co., all of New York city. 935.332. Tire protective rivet. Same. 935.396. Tire. [Consisting of alternating layers of fabric, on edge, and rubber.) I.. M. Nelson, Douglas, Wyo. 935. 4'4- Rubber. [As a rew article of manufacture, a hard rubber pro- duced by coagulating the sap by a flourin containing substance, said coagulated product beine pressed and vulcanized under heat with a mix- ture of sulphur and litharge, the product being elastic, inodorous and containing no appreciable quantity of sulphide of lead.] D. Sandmann, Berlin, < li. i many. 935.613- Tire. [Pneumatic; armored. 1 G. W. Sharpe, New York city. [Note.— Printed copies of specifications of United States patents may be obtained from liif [ndta Rubber World office at 10 cents each postpaid.] GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. PATENT SPECIFICATIONS PUBLISHED. The number given is that assigned tn the Patent at the filing of the Application, which in the case of these listed below was in 1908. * Denotes Patents for American Inventions. [Abstracted in the Illustrated Official Journal, September 1, 1909.I 9,683 (1908). Inhaler. G. M. Thomson, London. 9,706 (1908). Pneumatic tire. W. B. Hartridge, Seaford, Sussex. 9,835 (1908). Spring wheel with pneunatic tire, outside of which it .1 metallic rim carrying a solid rubber tread. H. P. Forster, Johannes- burg, South Africa. 9,956 (1908) . Vulcanization process. [Rubber is vulcanized in solution by the addition of an iodine solution, for example iodine dissolved in carbon tetrachloride. It is particularly adapted as a covering for the skin for surgical purposes.] Degen & Kuth, Duren, Germany. 9,981 (igo8). Solid rubber tire, single or dual, retained by means of metallic insertions vulcanized in the base. H. Kuhnen, Kyffhauser, (lei many. [Abstracted in the Illustrated Official Journal, September 8, 1909.] 10,234 (1908). Pneumatic tire tread with sheet of chain mail embedded. W. B. Giesen, and K. T. Ryan, Wellington, New Zealand. 10,322 (1908). Rubber tapping knife. T. H. Hill, Ringwood, Hampshire. 10,451 (1908). Tire with rubber core. C. Farrer, London. 10,456 (1908). Resilient tire comprising a wire spiral in a cover of rubber or other material. C. Dore, Hyde, Cheshire. r o.459 (1908). Puncture preventing band of treated linen for tire tubes. J. Cox, Tutbury, Staffordshire. 10,482 (1908). Sparc rim with pneumatic tire, to be carried with tbe permanent wheel on an automobile. F. J. Kemp 1 , Birchfield, Birmingham. 10,500 (1908). Paste for tire repairs. W\ H. Paull, Birmingham. 10.620 (1908). Attachment of detachable rims to wheels. Continental- Cauotchouc- und Gutta-Percha-Compagnie, Hanover, Germany. 10.621 (1908). Process for attaching leather treads to rubber tires. A. Ernst, Langenhagen, Germany. [Abstracted in the Illustrated Official Journal, September 15, 1909.] 10,724 (1908). Wheel in which a pneumatic tire supports wooden tread blocks euided between side plates. F. Baker, North Brighton, Victoria, Australia. 10,731 (1908). Substitute for hard rubber obtained from waste horn or other gelatinous materials, pulverized and treated with an alkaline solution. E. Torrini, Omrbevoie, France, and two others. 10,920 (1908). Puncture preventing band for tire inner tubes. W. Leather- barrow, Earlstown, Lancashire, and two others. 10.948 (1908.) Rubber tire tread built up of segnemtal pieces of leather or other material, with rubber p-oured between the segments so as to accumulate in a continuous band around the canvas lining of the tire, the whole then being vulcanized. J. L. Villard, Lyons, France. 11,015 (1908). Pneumatic tire with leather tread band. A. Bonnet, Paris, France. 11,199 (1908). Mold for tires. R. and C. H. Wallwork. Manchester. [Abstracted in the Illustrated Official Journal, September 22, 1909.] 11,342 (1908). Rubber tapping knife. [Supplementary to No. 10,322.] T. H. LI ill, Ringwood, Hampshire. n.358 (1908). Pneumatic tire with special tread. L. W. Cox, London. 11,624 (1908). Pneumatic tire. A. M. Wolber, Vailly-sur-Aisne. France. [Abstracted in the Illustrated Official Journal. September 29, 1909.] 11,774 (1908). Boot waterproofed by means of india-rubber in the space between the insole and sole. J. E. Chater, Northampton. 11,872 (1908)). Spring wheel with sectional solid rubber tire. E. C. R. Marks, London. (M. A. Hodgson, Toronto, Canada.) 11.949 (1908). Composition for paving, wall covering, and the like. Con- sists of india-rubber, sulphur, heavy oil of tar, Portland or other cement, and sand, or stone dust; the mixture is rolled between heated cylinders and finally vulcanized. F. G. d'Aloe, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. # n,970 (1908). W r heel with two or more tire rims side by side. E. T. Burro wes, Portland, Maine. 12,001 (1908). Ink stand. R. Penkala, Budapest, Hungary. * 12,022 (1908). Puncture preventing fibrous shield for pneumatic tire treads. J. L. Maitland, Garfield, New Jersey, and two others. * 1 2,083 (1908). Method of retaining rim for pneumatically tired wheel. H. C. Gibson, New York city. THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. PATENTS ISSUED (with Dates of Application). 400,817 (March 15, 1909). W. Doyle and J. M. Collins. Vehicle wheel. 400,823 (June 25, 1908). D. Lance. Elastic tire. 400,835 (June 26). E. Veil Picard. Elastic tire. 400,962 (March 11). L. Gaucher ami & Co. Tire protector. 400,967 (March 16). Lecuyer, Piat and Perriche. Rubber cover for hats. 400,931 ("March 17). VV. Waegmann. Toy balloon. 401,025 (July 2, 1908) . Bonnet and Lecerf. Protective band for tir« inner tubes. 401,087 (March 22). A, Mans. Wheel tire. 401,071 ( March 20). J. Lick. Process for manufacturing rubber rings. 401,149 (March 23). II. von Eickey. Tire protect m 3. 401,235 (March 25). V. Richer. Elastic wheel. 401,269 (March 26). G. Ferrando. Elastic tire. 401,324 (March 19). Cab ill and Peraun. Wheel tire and means of at- tachment to rim. 401.330 (March 25). J. Buchli. Elastic tire. 401,303 (July 17, 1908). E. Poizot. Process of manufacture of -a spongy core for tires. 401,403 (March 30). P. G. Legrain. Appliance for footwear. November i, 1909. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 51 The Obituary Record. THE LATE CHARLES A. H0D3MAN. A CONNECTION of fifty years with a single important business concern is an experience which falls to few, and one worth making note of. In modern Germany it may ob- tain a decoration from the Emperor, and. by the way, doing good work for a half century would seem to afford a better reason for honors from a sovereign than most of them have been based upon. Charles A. Hodgman, who passed away on October 5. was in "his sixteenth year when, in 1859. ' le began work in the rubber factory, at Tuckahoe, near New York, owned by his father, Daniel Hodgman, one of the pioneers in the industry. He re- mained in connection with the business, taking part in its growth to large proportions, and filling successively every position in the corporation into which it developed. The story of Daniel Hodgman's beginnings in the rubber in- dustry and of the success he attained has been told in these pages. When he died, in 1874, his son Charles had had the benefit of association with him in business for fifteen years. It was allotted to the son, when the founder had passed away, to assume control of the factory management, while his slightly younger brother, the late George F. Hodgman, took general ■charge of the business administration. This division of affairs existed so long as both lived. When the Hodgman Rubber Co. was incorporated, in 1885. Charles A. Hodgman took the office •of secretary ; on May 16, 1889. he was elected vice-president ; and after the death of his brother, in October, 1906, he became president. This position he resigned in January last, on account ■of failing health, being succeeded by his nephew, George B. Hodgman. While Charles Hodgman was in charge of the factory, he "kept in close touch with the selling and administrative depart- ments of his company's business, by reason of which he came "to be considered as one of the best known and most thorough rubber manufacturers in the country. The subject of this sketch was born September 25, 1843, m New York city — in what would now be called very far down- town. His father has been mentioned; his mother was Margaret De Frate. From the time he entered the factory his residence was in Tuckahoe. During the civil war he enlisted in the Union forces and served in the field for a short while. On December 13, 1865, he married Miss Mary E. Dusenherry, daughter of James Dusenberry, of Tuckahoe. His wife survives, with a daughter. Miss Marie L. Hodgman. and a son, Frederick A. Hodgman. the latter succeeding his father as manufacturing manager of the company, and filling recently the office of vice- president. In business, outside of the rubber industry, Mr. Hodgman was a director in the Westchester Fire Insurance Co. He was long prominent in Masonic circles. At the time of his death he was a thirty-second degree Mason, a Knight Templar, and a Mystic Shriller. For many years he was treasurer of Bethlehem Commandery, No. 53, K. T., and it was only upon his refusal to accept the office longer that a successor was elected. Mr. Hodgman was active likewise in church affairs, being a trustee of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church at Tuckahoe. He long had been a member of the Union League Club, of New York; the American Geographical Society, and the New York Athletic Club. Funeral services were held at the late residence of Mr. Hodg- man on the afternoon of October 8. The interment, which was private, was in Kensico cemetery. THE LATE GEORGE M. ALLERTON. The death of George M. Allerton, at Allerton Farms, Nauga- tuck, Connecticut, on October 16, followed an illness of several months, which his friends confidently hoped he would recover from during his sojourn during the past summer in the Adiron- dacks. This hope was not realized, however, and toward the end his constant longing for home led the physicians to decide that it might be best for him to return. OZ THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [XoV KM HER 1. lOXKJ. I lie deceased was born 49 years ago, in New York city, being the son of George Milton and Lois Mabbett Allerton. His father, early in life, had become employed by the Goodyear's India Rubber Glove Manufacturing Co., in their New York store, in Fulton street. He soon had charge of their New Y'ork busi- ness, and in 1856 took over the management of the company. In 1867 he removed to Naugatuck, where the factory is located, the New York end of the business being taken by John D. Ver- meule, who today is president of the company. The elder Aller- ton was largely instrumental in building up the "Goodyear Glove" company from a small beginning to the most important propor- tions and standing which it now has. When he died (Decem- ber 2, 1882), he had been connected with the business for nearly 30 years, and filled the office of president of the company. The elder Allerton was a man of unusual breadth of view. He was active in other business affairs than the rubber industry, as instanced by the mention, in the last India Rubber World, of his connection with the early manufacture of steam fire engines. An illustration of the enterprising character of Mr. Allerton is to be found in his belief that the rubber trade should have an organ, and with this idea in view, when such a journal was first pro- jected, he spent thousands of dollars in its promotion. The Rubber Em, by the way, was the pioneer journal devoted to the general rubber trade. It was established in New York, Septem- ber 25, 1880, and published weekly for a little more than two years. The rubber trade was small in those days as compared with its extent today, and the paper never had a very liberal support. George M. Allerton, Jr., worked for some years at the fac- tory of the India Rubber Glove Company, under his father's supervision, and later, going through various departments until he became secretary of the corporatino. When the sale of the Allerton interests to the United States Rubber Co. occurred, in April, 1893. he became a director in the latter company, which position he held until the annual meeting in 1896. About that time he sold his shares and bought an interest in the Seamless Rubber Co. (New Haven, Connecticut), of which he was there- after the active head. Under his intelligent effort the business of the Seamless company grew steadily, until the factory grew to be one of the best equipped in the druggists' sundries branch. At the time of his death Mr. Allerton was vice-president and general manager of the Seamless company. It may be mentioned, in passing, that this company has had a most interesting history, having numbered among its presidents such distinguished mem- bers of the trade as the late Joseph Banigan and the late George A. Alden. Mr. Allerton was connected in an important way with the management of the Newton Rubber Work'; ( Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts), manufacturers of rubber tires, prior to the merger of this company, in 1800. with others to form the International Automobile and Vehicle Tire Co. In (lie organization of the Rubber Sundries Manufacturers' Association, in September, 1898, Mr. Allerton, as representative of the Seamless Rubber Co., took an active part, and he was thereafter an important factor in the success of this organization, serving generally as a member of the executive committee. Mr. Allerton, on June 20. 1883. married Miss Josephirc Web- ster, of Waterbury, who survives, with two daughters arid a son — Mrs. Ralph Bristol, Miss Lois Mabbett Allerton, and George Milton Allerton. He is survived also by two brothers, Charles A. Allerton, of Waterbury. and Robert Allerton, of Orange. Funeral services wen- held in Hall Mem.. rial Chapel. Riverside cemetery, Waterbury, on October 18, being conducted by the Rev. John X. Lewis, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, of the same city. The interment was private. Personally, George M. Allerton gave every one the impression that he was a wonderfully strong man. He was florid, ener- getic, apparently robust, always in the best of spirits, full of the joy of life. Few in the trade thought his illness as more than a temporary indisposition and his passing came as a great shock. Warm-hearted, optimistic, friendly, energetic, he leaves a host of friends and sincere mourners. THE LATE COLONEL THEODORE A. DODGE. The death was announced on October 26, at the Chateau des- Rozieres, in Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, of Colonel Theodore Ayrault Dodge, one of the foremost figures in the American colony of Paris, in his sixty-seventh year. Colonel Dodge had distinguished himself during the American civil war and in later military service and he was a brilliant historian, besides having had a notable business career. Theodore A. Dodge was born May 28, 1842, at Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His generation was the eighth in descent from William Dodge, who settled in Salem in 1629. His father was a well-known writer, N. S. Dodge, who went to England a& commissioner to the Great London Exhibition of 1851, and for some years remained abroad with his family. The subject of this sketch first went to school in Belgium and later in Berlin, and finished a course at Heidelberg. It was his plan to study law and practice at the American bar, but on his return to the Til Theodore A. Dodge. United States, in 1861, the war having broke out, he volunteered as a private soldier in the army of the Potomac. Young as he was, he had received a military training under Major Gen- eral Von Frohreich, of the Prussian army, which proved of such advantage that at the age of 21 he was in command of a regiment. He was in every battle in which the army of the Potomac engaged, from Fair Oaks, on; he was wounded at Manassas and Chantilly and lust a leg at Gettysburg. Colonel Dodge received four brevets for gallant service and was finally placed on the retired list on account of his wounds, in 1870. Colonel Dodge was the foremost American writer on mili- tary subjects, his work including an eloborate and scholarly "History of the Art of War," in several volumes. He lec- tured at Harvard ami Lowell Institute, made many public ad- dresses, and trawled throughput the world to view the battle- fields of great captains, having crossed oceans more than eighty times. He was also an authority on horsemanship. In 1S70 Colonel Dodge became treasurer and manager of the McKay Sewing Machine Co.. and during the ten years that he held that position the company paid dividends of over $500,000 November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 53 a year. While he was still treasurer he purchased the patent controlling the Tapley burnishing machines and realized for its owners from royalities on them some $2,000,000. Indeed, this latter enterprise grew so large that he resigned from the man- agement of the McKay company to care for his own interests. In the meantime, in connection with the late Robert E. Cowen, he had been experimenting with a new process for the manu- facture of rubber lined multiple woven cotton hose, at Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. In 1880 was formed the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., which in 1884 was incorporated as the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., which has become one of the largest mechanical rubber manufacturing concerns in the United States. Colonel Dodge was for several years the active head of this company, during which time it became prominent in the bicycle tire manufacture. It was in this period that the "single tube" tire was de- veloped, and Colonel Dodge was one of the founders of the Tillinghast Tire Association, the first purpose of which was the protection of the patents on this type of tire. While the litigation which grew up, which was in progress, the patents were in the hands of Colonel Dodge as trustee, and his name appeared as (he plaintiff in the principal tire suits. On November 21, 1899, following closely upon the final decision in the Till- inghast suits, the Single Tube Automobile and Bicycle Tire Co., with $1,000,000 capital, filed articles of incorporation in New Jersey. This company has continued to exist, with Colonel Dodge as president, and with an interest held by the Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co., which concern in 1905 was merged with the United States Rubber Co. Thus the latter, which for four years fought the validity of the Tillinghast patents, came to share materially in the profits of the single tube tire monopoly. Colonel Dodge owned a handsome estate in Brook- line, Massachusetts, but when abroad his American address was 42 Broadway, New York. Most of his time for several years was spent in Paris, where he maintained a residence at 96 Avenue Kleber. The late George Pomeroy Dodge, president of the Mineralized Rubber Co. (New York), who died in 1902, was a younger brother of Colonel Dodge, and like him was educated in Europe. He was connected at one time with the rubber works of Charles Macintosh & Co., Limited, in Manchester, and later established a business for himself in America. He was in a way interested in the tire patent litigation and at one time mentioned to the writer of this sketch having contributed $90,000 to its expenses. THE LATE FRANK REIFSNIDER. Frank Reifsnider, vice-president and general manager of The Aluminum Flake Co., at Akron, Ohio, died on October 27, from a stroke of apoplexy, in the office of his company, aged 64 years. In 1894 The India Rubber World said: "Mr. Reifsnider has been connected with the rubber manufacturing business for 20 years, with the exception of a period spent in journalism." In that year The Diamond Rubber Co. was established in Akron, being incorporated on March 26. Mr. Reifsnider was the first president. Connected with him were seven brothers named Sherbondy. three of whom were directors of the new company. The Sherbondys had lately been employes of The B. F. Good- rich Co. — with which Mr. Reifsnider had at one time been con- nected — and they at once took up the manufacture of tires, in which the Diamond company in time built up so great a business. Two years later Mr. Reifsnider assisted in organizing and be- came manager of the Akron India Rubber Co., which later was called the India Rubber Co., and finally was merged with the Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co. For the past three years Mr. Reifsnider has been marketing in the rubber trade a com- pounding ingredient called aluminum flake, for which purpose the company headed by him was formed. The office of presidenr was filled by a brother. WILLIAM 3. CORBETT. William J. Corbett, proprietor of the Danversport Rubber Co. (Danversport, Massachusetts), died on September 23, of heart failure, at his apartment in Worcester street. Boston. Mr. Corbett was 66 years old. For a great many years he was a prominent junk dealer in the part of Boston known as the South Cove, and a large handler of waste rubber. Some 17 years ago he bought a tide mill at Danversport and started manufacturing reclaimed rubber. In the meantime he moved his junk warehouse to A street, South Boston, his principal business there being in paper waste. Mr. Corbett for many years lived the life of a recluse, rarely seeing visitors outside his office, and shunning all social life. He is said to have left an estate valued at about $300,000. His immediate relatives are Frederick Barlow, a half brother, John Barlow, of Montreal, Canada, and James J. Corbett, who is at present in the West. * d/t * Mrs. Celia Bachrach, w^ho died in Brooklyn, New York, on October 25. in her sixty-second year, was the widow of Joseph Bachrach, a former manufacturer of rubber goods in that bor- ough, whose death occurred five years ago. They are survived by three sons, two of whom are lawyers well known in Brooklyn, and three daughters. INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. /"\FFICIAL statement of values of exports of manufactures ^^ of india-rubber and gutta-percha for the month of August, 1909, and the first eight months of five calendar years : Belting Boots All Months. Packing and Other Total. and Hose. Shoes. Rubber. August, 1909 $167,840 $234,984 $284,971 $687,795 January to July 996,859 637,090 2,393,563 4,027.512 Total $1,164,699 $872,074 $2,678,534 $4,715,307 Total, 1908 813,383 927,084 2,371,374 4,111,841 Total 1907 920,715 908,440 2,702,777 4,531,932 Total, 1906 800,245 788,966 2.094,098 3,683,309 Total, 1905 755,988 767,775 1,918,481 3,442,244 RUBBER FOOTWEAR IN PERSIA. Persia is stated to have imported, during the business year ended March 20, 1907, galoshes and rubber shoes of no less extent than 1,222,077 kilograms [ = 2,688,569 pounds], credited as fol- lows: Russia, 1,155.022 kilos; Austria-Hungary, 50,500; Turkey, 5,841; France, 2,930; Germany, 1,665; Great Britain, 700; British, 674; not specified, 4,735. DEMAND FOR RUBBERS IN SAXONY. The United States consular agent at Markneukirchen, in Sax- ony, reports that in that as well as in other mountainous parts of Germany the winters are severe, with snow generally from the end of November until Easter. The sale of American rubber shoes has become extensive and he points out that a larger trade might be done in rubber boots. RUBBER FOOTWEAR IN SPAIN A steady increase is reported in the importation of rubber footwear into Spain, as indicated by the following figures : 1906. 1907. 1908. Weight (kilograms) 6,982 31,041 44.242 Value (pesetas) 1 18,694 465,615 676,626 These goods are supplied chiefly by the United States, Austria, Germany, France, and Sweden, a very small share coming from Great Britain. The United States, by the way, do not appear to have maintained their standing in the Spanish market for rubber footwear, as indicated by the official figures for exports from this country for five fiscal years ending June 30, 1904—107,704 pairs; 1905 — 43,541 pairs; 1906 — 89,344 pairs; 1907 — 6,984 pairs; 1908 — 20,816 pairs. 54 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1909. News of the American Rubber Trade. A RECEPTION TO PRESIDENT COLT. IT was a notable tribute which the citizens of Bristol, Rhi de Island, paid to Colonel Samuel P. Colt, on his arrival in that town on the evening of October 12, alter an absence from his home there for more than two years. Within that Home," outlined in electric lights. The various officials of the company and the other representatives of the rubber industry in Bristol were active in the reception plans. It has been an open secret f r the last two years that Colonel Colt was far from well. In spite of bis magnificent physique, he time Colonel Colt had been very ill, but his recovery bad been had always been an exceedingly hard worker, and he went so made evident by bis ability again to give active attention to his po ition of president of the United States Rubber Co. The reception was one in which all Bristol joined enthusiasti- cally. Without any advance notification to Colonel Colt, a parade had been arranged, the route of which was decorated and brilliantly illuminated, extending from the railway station to Colonel Colt's residence, in front of which was an arch electri- cally emblazoned with the legend, "Welcome Home." On arriv- ing at Bristol, Colonel Colt was greeted with cheers by the waiting fellow townsmen, after which he was escorted to a carriage in which he rode with his brother, Judge Le Baron B. Colt, of the United States court, followed by carriages contain- ing other leading citizens, and a parade which embraced the greater part of Bristol. There were town officials, the local militia, and representatives of about all the organizations of whatevetflpnd in Bristol. More than 1,000 employes of the National India Rubber Co., vyith which Colonel Colt for so long has been identified, marched in companies, representing the various departments. There were also companies of boys from the Colt Memo- rial High School, founded by Colonel Colt in memory of his mother. All the bands in town assisted in furnishing music. The parade halted in front of the porch of the Colt school, where the Hon. Augustus O. Bourn — ex-Governor of Rhode Island, and himself a veteran rub- ber manufacturer — spokesman of the re- ception committee, made an address of welcome, in the course of which he pre- sented Colonel Colt with a framed picture of the new Memorial School, will; an ex- pression of the appreciation of tlr; people of Bristol for this magnificent gift. He extended congratulations upon Colonel Colt's recovery from his illness, and an assurance of the pleasure of the whole town over his return home. Colonel Colt, in replying, said that words did not suffice to ex- press his feelings upon bis return to the home of his boyhood, under such circumstances. While his return had not been planned with this fact in view, this date happened to be the birthday anniversary of bis mother, in whose memory the school had been founded. For nearly a half century be bad seen in Bristol the rising and setting of the sun, and here he expected to pass the remainder of his days ; it was here that his ashes would repose. After Colonel Celt had repeated two stanzas of "Home, Sweet Heme," the members of the parade- filed by, bowing then welcomes. Thence Colonel Colt was escorted by the Bristol Train of Ar- tillery, of which be is an honorary member, to the Hotel Bel- videre, where a largely attended reception to the business men of Bristol was held. All Bristol was decorated in honor of Colonel Colt, but men- tion may be made here of the illumination of the works of the National India Rubber Co., including the words "Welcome Colonel Samuel Pomerov Col - ; .tit United States Rubber Co.] near to the limit of his strength that his condition for more than a year was serious. The fact that he is really well again and his old energetic, capable, courteous self is something upon which the whole trade may congratulate itself. THE COMING AUTOMOBILE SHOWS. The first American automobile show of importance this sea- son is to be held in Atlanta, Georgia. November 6-13, under the auspices of the National Association of Automobile Manufac- turers, or practically the same management as the ninth annual Chicago show, to be held in February next. The fact that an automobile show on a larg scale is to be held so much farther south than hitherto, and in a city not in the first rank in the matter of population, is not only a tribute to the enterprise of Atlanta, but an indi- cation of a recent great increase in in- terest in automobiling in the southern United States. This has occurred hand in band with a growing interest in good roads, and in actual improvements in roads. Recently the New York Herald and the Atlanta Journal joined in an auto- mobile survey, so to speak, of the high- ways between the two cities named, with a view to marking out a good automobile route, and this has been most favorably received in the states through which the route runs. The result can hardly fail to be most helpful to road progress, which of course leads to more automobiles, and more rubber tires. The earliest "big" show in New York will be at the Grand Central Palace, be- ginning on New Year's eve. The second, that of the Association of Licensed Auto- mobile Manufacturers, will open a week later at Madison Square Garden. The Chicago show is scheduled lor February 5-12, and that in Boston March 5-12. The Olympia show, in I. on. Ion, is down for November 12-20. Pans will have no auto show this winter. TIRES FOR THE CARRIAGE BUILDERS. Ix connection with the thirty-seventh annual convention o£ tin 1 arrwrge Builders' Association (Washington, October 19-21) was held -the customary exhibition of all sorts of parts and ac- cessories for carriage and automobile builders. The leading tire makers were represented by creditable exhibits, in the hands of important members of their staffs. The rubber carriage cloth makers also were repesented. NEW JERSEY CAR SPRING IN CHICAGO. The New Jersey Car Spring and Rubber Co. (Jersey City, New Jersey) announce the opening of a new- office and sales- rooms in Chicago, at No. 1337 Michigan avenue, in charge of C 1. Race. '1 In- company will carry a complete stock of their mechanical rubber goods at their new address, and in addition their new "Carspringco" automobile tire. November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 00 THE GOODRICH NEW YORK HEADdUARTERS. One of the most admirably equipped buildings in existence for the handling of rubber goods, and especially automobile tires, has lately been completed and occupied by The B. F. Goodrich Co. of New York, at Nos. 1780-1782 Broadway. The structure, erected for and owned by the company, is a notable addition to the business buildings of that neighborhood. The location is on Broadway, near the corner of Fifty-seventh street, and includes an ell of nearly equal extent at Nos. 225-227 West Fifty-seventh street. The illustration here shows the Broadway front in the foreground, as well as the Fifty-seventh street extension. The building includes twelve floors and the basement. Provision is , ■jjji. ^ — "1 * ^"" " ... ... "■ •■' "*?. t"~ •'• ,B > "• }"' ;;;apwg^ at ... L, ... ITT m th f The B. F. Goodrich Co. in New York. made for the storage of tires in great number, for salesrooms, for the receiving and shipping of goods, for the entertainment of customers, for tire repairs, and for the Goodrich mechanical rubber goods and other products of their Akron factory, and of course offices for the manager and salesmen and employes generally. The exterior of the building is white and green marble, with bronze capitals and decorations for the first two stories. Above this the material is pressed brick, with white stone trimmings. Mr. W. H. Yule is the general manager, with Mr. H. C. Miller in charge of the automobile tire department. SUIT REGARDING RUBBER HEELS. The Foster Rubber Co. (Boston) have filed suits against va- rious parties, to test the validity of their patent No. 846.387 covering the manufacture of a rubber heel with a friction plug. The following companies are licensed to manufacture plug heels under this patent: Morgan & Wright, F. W. Whitcher Co., B. & R. Rubber Co.. and Elastic Tip Co. Notice is given that any other companies making similar goods will be proceeded against in an action for infringement. RUBBER GOODS ON THE PACIFIC COAST, Dealers in rubber goods at Spokane. Washington, held a meet- ing recently at the offices of the Washington Rubber Co.. when it was agreed to charge higher prices for articles of good quality rather than substitute cheaper grades at the old prices. An agreement was reached as to advances to be made on automobile tires, rubber footwear, surgical goods, mechanicals, and so on. Mr. W. C. Smith, of the Washington Rubber Co.. who presided at the meeting, made an address on the causes of the present comparative scarcity of crude rubber and the consequent in- crease in prices. In addition to the growing automobile tire industry, Mr. Smith mentioned the large requirements of rub- ber for fire department use, a demand which is constantly grow- ing. He also pointed Co the increase in the export of American rubber goods of 38 per cent, within five years. Mr. Smith said : "In the absence of a rubber combine, the situation looms as one of the natural courses of events and no plausible promise of relief can be given by the big buyers and manufacturers, wdio are all entered independently in the fight for options on the supply for years ahead." UNITED STATES RUBBER CO.'S ISSUES. Transai RONS on the Xew York Stock Exchange for four weeks, ending October 23: Common Stock, $25,000,000. Week October 2 Sales 9,500 shares High 54% Low 53^ Week October 9 Sales 13,900 shares High 53 Low 49 Week October 16 Sales 7,550 shares High 49^ Low 46 Week October 2s Sales 2,820 shares High 49^4 Low 46 For the year — High, 57 %, Aug. 19; Low, 27, Feb. 24. Last year — High, ;rJi; Low, 17J4. First Preferred Stock, $36,263,000. Week October 2 Sales 3,100 shares High 122 Low 121 Week October 9 Sales 1,600 shares High 121J4J Low 121 Week October 16 Sales 1,500 shares High 121^ Low H9J4 Week October 23 Sales 1,100 shares High II9/4 Low 118 For the year — High, 123^, Aug. 24; Low, 98, Jan. 29. Last year — High, 10S; Low, 76. Second Preferred Stock, $9,965,000. Week October 2 Sales 1,010 shares High 88^ Low 8754 Week October 9 Sales 500 shares High 88 Low 87 Week October 16 Sales 650 shares High 86V2 Low 84J4 Week October 23 Sales 600 shares High 85 Low 83J4 For the year — High, 89H. Aug. 23; Low, 67^, Feb. 25. Last year — High. 75M; Low, 42. Six Per Cent. Certificates, $20,000,000. Week October 2 Sales 164 certs. High 105^ Low 104J4 Week October 9 Sales 46 certs. High 105^ Low 105 Week October 16 Sales 70 certs. High 10534 Low 10434. Week October 23 Sales 62 certs. High 105J4 Low 1045&I * * * The directors of the United States Rubber Co., on October 7, declared from net profits the regular quarterly dividends of 2- per cent, on the First preferred and i l / 2 per cent, on the Second: preferred shares, payable on and after October 30. The dis- bursement covered $218,708.75. suits for personal injuries. In the suit for personal damages of Lola Pierce 7'. American Hard Rubber Co., at Akron, Ohio, a jury awarded the plaintiff $i2,oco. The injury which was the basis of the suit was alleged to have been caused by a hard rubber ball which was being finished in the buffing room striking her in the eye. In the case of Hamilton v. Boston Rubber Shoe Co., tried in the superior civil court at Lowell, Massachusetts, the jury re- turned a verdict of $2,100 for the plaintiff, who alleged a serious injury to one hand, due to negligence on the part of his em- ployers. EBERHARD FABER— "FAST AND PRESENT." The firm Eberhard Faber. in connection with the Hudson- Iulton celebration, distributed to their customers compli- mentary copies of ■'Palmer's Views of New York, Past and Present." supplemented with views at different dates of their own plant, at which are now employed 1.000 hands, making lead pencils, penholders and rubber bands and erasers. The pictures of the "past" go back to the time when the present site of The India Rubber World — a fifteen-story building on crowded Broadway — was a region of little farms, with Dutch windmills. This same site, by the way, is part of a six-acre tract which, when offered as a gift to Trinity Church Cor- poration, about [806, was respectfully declined, as "not worth enough to put a fence about." The growth of the firm of Eberhard Faber. the first lead pencil makers in America, doubtless was helped by the fact that it never had a fence put about it. 56 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1909. THOMAS A. FORSYTH, PRESIDENT. Something like forty years ago there came into the rubber business an exceedingly brilliant young man who more than anj other was able by invention and industrial foresight to set his impress upon the mechanical goods industry. 'Ibis boy had a brother who worked with him through all the years of his accomplishment, who was his close friend, counsellor, and loyal assistant. Of the two brothers, James Bennett Forsyth and Thomas A. Forsyth, tin- former has passed away to the great beyond, his mantle falling upon the one of all others whom he would have chosen to succeed him. As president and general jnanager of the Boston Belting Co., Mr. Thomas Forsyth brings to the position forty years of experience, during which he was in the closest touch with every phase of the business. In the latter years, to be sure, his brother was almost constantly in the Boston office, while lie was at the factory, but every evening at the Touraine, where they lived, factory and office met, so that every detail of the great business was known to both. It is because of these conditions that the new president confidently states that the set and established rules created by James Bennett Forsyth are still in force and will be carried out. The new pri sident of the Boston Belting Co. is very much like the late James Bennett Forsyth. He is fortunate, however, in being a stronger man physically, and while he evinces the same conscientious attention to business detail, his love of art and his knowledge of paintings give him the relaxation that every one needs who successfully administers any great business. CHANGE IN THE UNITED AND GLOBE. At the annual meeting of shareholders of United and Globe Manufacturing Cos. (Trenton, New Jersey, October 11). Well ing G. Sickel was elected president, suc- ceeding \V. H. Linburg, and Aubrey Love was elected secretary and treasurer, suc- ceeding John S. Broughton. Two members of the new board elected are Stephen B. Elkins, a United States senator from Vir- ginia, and Martin Maloney, of Philadelphia, a director in the Consolidated Rubber Tire Co., and sometime of the Electric Vehicle Co. This enterprise is an outgrowth from the Globe Rubber Co., established at Tren- ton in 1878 for the manufacture of mechan- ical rubber goods, and incorporated in 1897. Throughout this period the company have made a specialty of railwaj supplies, particularly airbrake hose, for which they have now a capacity for 6,000 pieces, and supply some of the leading railway systems of the country. The United Rubber Co. came into existence a little later, not as makers of goods, but as high class jobbers in mechanical rubbers. Their sales were largely of Globe Rubber Co. products, and in 1899 the two companies were combined as United and Globe Rubber Manufacturing Cos., with $250,000 capital. The growth of the business since the consolidation has been constant and rapid, until the company have today a factory that is among the largest in the country, while none is more modern or complete. Mr. Sickel, who now becomes president, after having filled other positions with the company, is one of the best known men in the rubber trade, having traveled north, south, east and west for the past thirty years, lie is likewise a prominent citizen of Trenton, of which city he was at one time mayor. MEMORIAL TO COLONEL POPE. A suggestion made by the Bicycling World that a memorial be erected in honor of the late Colonel Albert A. Pope seems to Thomas Alexander Forsyth [President Boston Belting Co.] have been favorably received. Several former officials and employes of the Hartford Rubber Works Co., at the time the ^ainc was controlled by Colonel Pope, are mentioned as having contributed to the proposed fund. Several of these gentlemen are now in the automobile trade. By the way, Elliott Mason, after a connection with the Pope interest for 30 years, during which time he became so widely known in connection with the marketing of bicycles, and later of automobiles, retired from business on October 1. THE LATE JOSEPH DAVOL. At a special meeting of the executive committee of the Rubber Sundries Manufacturers' Association, held in New York, the following resolutions were adopted: Whereas, Mr. Joseph Davol, formerly president of this Association, and an active member of the executive committee for many years, departed this life on July 5, 1909, and, Whereas, 1 1 is deep" interest, able advice and sound judgment in behalf of the Rubber Sundries Manufacturers' Association as presiding officer and a member of the executive committee, and, Whereas, His genial personality and noble character has endeared him in the affection and admiration of all members of this Association, he it. Resolved, That the members of the Rubber Sundries Manufacturers' Association through the death of their late associate, Mr. Joseph Davol, has suffered a great loss, and be it further Resolved, That in commemoration of the love and esteem in which he was held by all mem- bers of this Association and as evidence of their sorrow and their deep sympathy with the bereaved family, this preamble and resolution be spread upon the Minutes of this Association, ami that a copy be forwarded to the family of our deceased associate and beloved friend. II. C. Burton, President. E. E. Huber, Secretary. H. E. Raymond, ( I. 1!. IIodgman, I ,, _ ,. ,, T Lxecutive Committee. 1-. H. Jones, 1 G. M. Allerton, TRADE NEWS NOTES. The Marion Insulated Wire and Rubber Co 1 Marion, Indiana), with $100,000 capi- tal, have been authorized to do business in Illinios as a foreign corporation, the capital employed in Illinois being $5,000. The estimates for the United States war department for the next fiscal year, to be submitted at the coming session of congress, will not provide for the appropriation of $500,000 for aeronautics desired by General James Allen, chief signal officer of the army. It is hoped by friends of the cause, however, that President Taft's interest in aeronautics may serve in some way to bring the subject before the congress in another form. The American rubber tire output this year is estimated by Mr. H. S. Firestone, president of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. 1 \kron, Ohio), at nearly $30,000,000 in value. He predicts for next year an output as large as $45,000,000 or $50,000,000. M. S. Long has been elected secretary, and W. W. Wildman, Treasurer, of the United Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio), succeeding S. E. Connor, who formerly filled the position of secretary- treasurer. The Hood Rubber Co. (Boston) are reported to be about to erect a one-story concrete building 80 x 100 feet, being the second building on the land purchased by them between the Bos- ton and Maine railroad tracks and Arsenal street, Watertown. St. Louis Rubber Cement Co. (St. Louis) have purchased the entire business of the National Rubber and Chemical Co. (In- dianapolis, Indiana), together with their good will and contracts taken for next year. The St. Louis have increased their capacity and are putting up a special building for their new department, so as to keep it separate from their shoe cement department. November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 57 Hon Augustus O. Bourn. BIRTHDAY OF EX-GOVERNOR BOURN. The custom of observing the anniversary of his birthday by the Hon. Augustus Osborn Bourn, ex-Governor of Rhode Island and treasurer of the Bourn Rubber Co., was not overlooked this year. On the evening of October I, at his home, "Seven Oaks," Bristol, Rhode Island, he entertained a number of prominent citizens of his state at a birthday party. The decorations were the Italian colors and the menu was Italian, including specially imported Italian wines. An Italian orchestra played Italian operatic selections during the dinner. These distinctive charac- teristics were in remembrance of the host's association with the United States dip- lomatic service in Rome for some years. Many con- gratulatory letters and telegrams were received by Mr. Bourn. Among the guests were Colonel Samuel Pomeroy Colt. ex- Governors George H. Utter and D. Russell Brown ; Chief Justice Ed- ward Dubois ; Judges William H. Sweetland, Arthur L. Brown. O. L. B o s w o r t h, and John P. Reynolds ; Colonel Arthur H. Watson, Colonel Alfred C. Landers, Colonel Joseph E. Fletcher, Colonel John Twee- dale (Washington, District Columbia), Colonel B. Thomas Potter, Colonel Albert A. Baker, Rev. Edward F. Sanderson (Cleveland, Ohio), Senator Harry H. Shepherd, Hon. Henry W. Hayes, Dr. Alfred M. Merriam, Dr. C. J. Hasbrouck, Hon. F. W. Eastland, Hon. H. A. V. Joslin, Hon. Edward B. Pierce, Captain Augustus O. Bourn, Jr. (Xew York), Colonel Stephen W. Bourn; Messrs. F. E. DeWolf, Walter H. Barney, H. H. Bedell, and William A. Harris. Governor Bourn became interested in the india-rubber industry in 1855, immediately after his graduation from Brown University, joining the company in which his father, George Osborn Bourn, was interested, and upon the death of the latter, in 1859, became the head of the business. The birthday dinner, therefore, practically marks the semi-centennial of Mr. Bourn's connection with in the industry as a proprietor. A.TAX-GRIEB— INCREASE OF CAPITAL. At the annual meeting of the Ajax-Grieb Rubber Co., early in the month, it was voted to increase the capital stock from $400,000 to $1,000,000. The business of the company during the year was the largest in its history, and they hope to double the business within another year, in view of the increased capital and the extended facilities now being provided for at the factory in Trenton. The officers were re-elected — Horace DeLisser, pres- ident; William G. Grieb, vice president; and Harry Grieb, treas- urer. The company was incorporated under the present name in September, 1906, with $400,000 capital. It was the result of the merger of the Ajax Standard Rubber Co., a tire manufactur- ing company formed in New York in 1905, and the Grieb Rub- ber Co., of Trenton, which dated back to 1899. RUBBER FACTORY AT LOS ANGELES. West American Rubber Co., at Los Angeles, California, was incorporated under the laws of that state September 9, 1909 ; capital, $50,000. The company has acquired the rubber manu- facturing business conducted formerly under the style Gotbed- Herron Co. John D. Works is president; V. C. Benjamin, vice- president and manager, and William T. Gotbed, who for many years was connected with Morgan & Wright, factory super- intendent. The new company will confine its operations to me- chanical and plumbers' supplies. Their location is No. 409 East Seventh street. HOSE IN •■CONTINUOUS" LENGTHS. The Electric Hose and Rubber Co. (Wilmington, Dela- ware), referring to a mention in the last India Rubber World of hose made of lengths of 1,170 feet, say: "This com- pany makes their garden hose in continuous lengths of 1,000 feet always, and have made it 1,500 feet long; this is double fabric hose. We had on exhibition in Atlantic City in June, at the Master Car Builders' convention, a piece of triple fabric J4-inch hose 1,250 feet long." TRADE NEWS NOTES. At the annual meeting of the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., on October 5, Mr. George E. Hall, who has been general manager of that company since July, 1907, was elected as an additional member of the board of directors. Mr. Clay Baird, representing the Eureka Fire Hose Manufac- turing Co. in the sale of hose of fire departments, has resigned his position as manager of the company's Chicago office, taking effect on October 1. He has been succeeded by Mr. George F. Hand, connected formerly with the Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. The blowing out of a cylinder head in the engine room of the Fairfield Rubber Co. (Fairfield, Connecticut) occurred while the president of the company, Edward W. Harral, and the chief engineer, Mr. Young, were standing near by, and it is felt that they had a narrow escape from death. The factory is mentioned as being rushed with orders, having been in operation at night for several months. The Pope Manufacturing Co., since the reorganization on December 24, 1908, the directors report, earned a net profit up to July 31 last of $482,866.76. Dividends have been paid on the preferred shares. President Albert L. Pope reports that "the prospect of business for the coming year is most encouraging" and that "increased sales of bicycles are looked for." Mr. A. E. Lumsden, the representative in London of The B. F. Goodrich Co. (Akron, Ohio), after a two months visit to the United States, returned early in October. The factory of the Converse Rubber Shoe Co. (Maiden, Massachusetts) is planned for a daily production of 4,000 pairs of footwear, but they are reported lately to have been producing 5,000 pairs, by working some departments on day and night shifts. MR. WHITMORE MAKES A CHANGE. The news that George P. Whitmore had severed his connec- tion with the Boston Belting Co. of more than 30 years standing was one of the trade hap- penings that always come with a bit of a shock. If there were no changes, however, in officers and corporations, the trade would soon become lifeless. Mr. Whitmore left his old company possessed of the esteem of all and with flat- tering expressions of regret from all, from the president down, and with sincere wishes for success in his new position with the Re- vere Rubber Co. which he is sure to fill most credit- ably. 58 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [ November i, 1909. RUBBER FOOTWEAR TRADE IN CANADA. Prices of rubber footwear in the Dominion have been ad- vanced a) about the same rate as in the United States. The dian Shoe and Leather Journal comments: "The feeling prevails that with the manufacturing season at its height and the equent demand for supplies larger than at any other time of the year, there will lie no disposition to relax, but the con- trary tendency will rather prevail. In the meantime fall or. lei, are being filled and dealers who failed to anticipate their full irements will have to pay for their shortsightedness. A good snow flurry this month would pretty well clean up stocks of the lighter grades and a good stiff fall would pretty well exhaust the goods ordered by dealers who depend, as a rule, upon supple- menting their requirements about November or December. The increasi d cost of raw rubber seems to be the natural result of the demand largely exceeding the supplj RUBBER MILLS DISMANTLED. The rubber machinery in the factory of the Para Recovery Co. (Bayonne, New Jersey), has been purchased and removed by M. Norton & Co., dealers in second-hand machinery, at Charlestown, Massachusetts. The Para Recovery Co. was in- corporated .May 20, 1905; a receiver was appointed December 9, 1907; and the business was sold by the receiver February 11, 1908. Norton & Co. have also acquired the machinery belonging to tin- Lake Shore Rubber Co. (Erie, Pennsylvania), which com- pany was liquidated recently through a receiver. NEW INCORPORATIONS. Bridi.e Web Tire Co., licensed to open books of subscription to the capital stock August 16, 1909, under the laws of Illinois ; capital proposed, $2,500. Incorporators: F. H. Drury, S. Lewis, and E. II. Clegg. Location, No. 2962 Prairie avenue. Chicago. Commercial Rubber Co., August 31. 1009, under the laws of Illinois; capital, $25,000. Incorporators: William Holmes, E. J. McGinnis, and Frank H. McCoy. Principal office, No. 5614 La Salle street, Chicago. Continental Rubber Works, licensed to open books of sub- scription to the capital stock August 5, 1909, under the laws of Illinois; capital proposed, $1,000. License issued to Fred A. Bangs, No. 522 First National Bank building, Chicago. MR. WADBROOK HONORED. Mr. Elston E. Wadbrouk, on taking leave of Boston to assume his new position with Poel & Arnold, in New York — which change was mentioned in these pages last month — was the re- cipient of many honors. Among them was a dinner tendered h\ a Masonic lodge of which he was a member; various club luncheons; and a dinner by the Victorian Club, of which he was the former president, where a beautifully inscribed testi- monial was presented to him. He was elected an honorary mem- ber of the club. CANTELLA GUM. A new product that is now being put upon the market is known as Cantella gum. It is said to be especially valuable as a sub- Stitute for chicle in chewing gum, and can be used in a great variety of rubber compounds where plasticity and adhesiveness are required. The gum is white in color, free from moisture, and thoroughly clean; indeed, it is ready for use in rubber com- pounds as shipped. The new product is marketed by William II. Scheel, No. 159 Maiden lane. New York. PERSONAL MENTION. \MONG recent visitors to the United States was the head of the German colonial service, Herr Bernhard Dernburg, who came to study American methods of growing cotton. lie was quoted as saying that the production of cotton, in German West Africa, particularly in Togo, had grown from 165.000 bales in 1906 to 285,000 bales [ast year. Me expressed the belief that cotton growing in the German colonies will be developed until Germany will no longer find it necessary to import cotton from the United Slates Mr. J. Austin Pharaoh, of Worcester, Massa< imsetts, who for several years, beginning in 1901, was engaged in exploit- ing rubber in Peru and Bolivia, being at different times gen- eral manager for the Bolivian Rubber Co. and the Inambari Para-Rubber Estati Limited, is mentioned is the president of the Santo Domingo Mining Co., with Boston headquar- ters and silver mines in Mexico reported to be very extensive. Mr. James C. Harvey, one of the best known rubber planters in Mexico, both as proprietor of "La Buena Ventura" planta- tion, in the state of Vera Cruz, and a recognized expert on Castilloa rubber, was a most welcome visitor to The India Rubber World offices during the month. Dr. John C. Willis, f. L. s., of the royal botanic gardens in Ceylon, is on a visit to the United States. An important social event in Trenton, New Jersey, was the wedding, on October 21, of Miss Emily M. Roebling, daugh- ter of Mr. Charles G. Roebling, president of the John A. Roebling's Sons Co., to Richard MeCall Cadwalader, of Philadelphia, in Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church. Miss Mabel Catherine Gertrude Watson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Jay Watson, of Jamestown. Rhode Island, was married on the evening of October 19 to Mr. Abbott Allerton Chandler, of Hartford, Connecticut. The bride is a sister of Mr. John Jay Watson. Jr., treasurer of the United States Rubber Co., and president of the Rubber Goods Manu- facturing Co. TRADE NEWS NOTES. The Ohio Rubber Co. (Cleveland and Cincinnati") have filed with the secretary of state of Ohio a certificate of increase of their capital stock from $225,000 to $250,000. The newly incorporated Rubber Novelty Manufacturing Co., at Ashland, Ohio [see The India Rubber World, October 1, 1909 — page 27], has been formed for the purpose of making rubber toys. The Cincinnati Rubber Manufacturing Co.. in order to take care of a heavy increase of their business, have been obliged to double their boiler capacity and to make material increases in machinery equipment in several departments, and the outlook for trade with them is very promising. The B. & R. Rubber Co. (North Brook-field. Massachusetts) on one day during the past month made shipments of 20 tons of rubber heels, matting, and horseshoe pads. KoKOMO Moioi; C\ . I E TlRE. [This is a new rubber studded tread lire, with considerably mere rub- ber in the tread than thi regulai typi of tire. In this tire four plys of woven Sea Island cotton an used, with en.- extra ply in the i,, id, Made he the Kokomo Rubber Co., Kokomoi Indiana.] In regard to the financial situation, Albert B, Beers (broker in crude rubber anil commercial paper, No 68 William street. Yew York), advises as follows: "During October the demand for commercial paper has fallen off. as usual, at this season, and rates are firm at about 5 1 ,/, per cent, for the best rubber names, and 6 per cent, fi r those not so well known. This con- dition is likely to continue for the balance of the year." November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 59 A REMINDER OF VIANNA. SELF-FILLING FOUNTAIN COMB. ' I 'HE recent high prices of rubber lead to occasional re- •*■ minders of the "Vianna corner," some twenty years ago, when prices at Para readied a higher level than had ever been known before. Whether or not Joao Gongalves Vianna, holder of the title of Baron de Gondoriz from the king of Portugal, his native country, was or was not re- sponsible for the bold speculative measures in Amazon rub- ber at the time mentioned it is doubtful whether the series of transactions enriched him very much. For a short time the Baron went to London in the rubber interest, but for several years he has again been in Para, where he is a mem- ber of the important and long-established firm of Mello 8c Co., aviadores and exporters of rubber on an important scale. Vianna's standing in the mercantile community is indicated by the fact of his having been for sixteen years a member of the Para commercial association. He is also an occasional contributor to the local press on subjects connected with the rubber trade. A sketch published in an earlier number of The India Rubber World would indicate his age at present to be about 59 years. 'T'llE invention here illustrated relates to improvements in hair A combs, the object being to provide a reservoir in a comb, adapted to contain hair oil, air tonic, ami the like. A further object is to provide means for filling the reservoir with hair oil, and also means for ejecting the same as desired by the user of the comb. The body of the comb is cylindrical and each tooth E3=32j| A Self Filling Fountain Comb. is provided with a minute perforation to permit access of the liquid or other contents of the comb to the hair of the user. A rubber bulb forms a part of the device. The reservoir is filled or emptied through the nozzle at the opposite end from the bulb. This comb has been patented in the United States and Canada. [Julius Swanberg, No. 1718 Roscoe Boulevard, Chicago.] A i;ook for rubber planters : Mr. Pearson's "What I Saw in the Tropics." Review of the Crude Rubber Market. WHILE quotations at this date are slightly lower than a month ago, the condition of the market remains un- settled, and no indication is apparent of a substantial decline in prices in the near future, at least. It seems unneces- sary to go into further details in this column, especially in view of the numerous references in other departments of this issue of The India Rubber World to matters having a bearing upon the crude rubber market. Arrivals at Para of rubber of all grades (including caucho) since the beginning of the crop season, on July 1. have been less than for the corresponding period for several years past. The figures are: July-October, 1906 8,630 tons July-October, 1907 8,480 tons July-October, 1908 9,005 tons July-October (to the 28th), 1909 7,750 tons Following are the quotations at New York for Para grades, one year ago, one month ago, and October 29 — the current date — all prices being practically nominal : Para. Nov. i, '08. Islands, fine, new 103 @ io 4 Islands, line, old (5 to8 Upriver, fine, old 109 @iio Upriver, fine, old 112 ©113 Islands, coarse, new 53/4@ 54 Islands, coarse, old @ 60 Upriver, coarse, new 83 (5 84 Upriver, coarse, old none here Cameta 55 (5 56 Caucho (Peruvian), ball.. 77 ©78 Caucho (Peruvian), sheet.. 50 @ 60 Ceylon, fine sheet 1 18 @Iig Ceylon, crepe African. Lopori, ball, prime 91 @ 92 Lopori, strip, prime 76 @ 77 Aruwimi Upper Congo ball, red Sierra Leone, 1st quality... 87 (g 88 Massai, red 87 Soudan niggers 58 Cameroon ball 53 Benguela 47 Madagascar, pinky 77 Accra flake 19 Centrals. Esmeralda, sausage 69 Guayaquil, strip 54 (5 (5 5Q a 54 (S ,s @ 78 i i 20 @ 70 <§ 55 Oct. 1. '09. 20K" -'(._' none here 2i3f./ 214 214(0)215 "8@ 79 82@ 83 13"" [32 none here 96(a) 97 ii8@H9 9°@ 91 none here 2l8@220 I28(a [30 none here 1 14(5 1 1 5 125(6 [26 123(5 i_'7 126(11 [27 112(5 1 [5 Sgfti 1 10 8i@ 82 97(a) 98 23® 24 1000/ ro2 85(0 86 Oct. 29. i8s 79 England. 1909. 1908. 295 375 855 7io 833 660 173 1907. 625 600 IT 50 IO85 1225 82S 800 675 Stocks. September 30. . 755 440 572 325 2S5 550 1909. 1908. 1907. World's visible supply, September 30 1,637 1,831 2,383 4,720 4,870 4,720 820 840 610 none 1.060 383 415 920 705 Para receipts, July 1 to September 30. Para receipts of Caucho, same dates Afloat from Para to United States, Sept. 30 Afloat from Para to Europe, September 30. African Rubbers. New York Stocks (in Tons). September 1, 1908 133 April 1, 1909.. October 1 134 November 1 134 December 1 179 January I, 1909 156 February 1 157 March 1 . 200 Rubber Receipts at Manaos. During August and two months of the crop season, years [courtesy of Messrs. Scholz & Co.] : 178 May I 268 June I 156 July 1 268 August 1 130 September 1 123 October I 67 for three From — 1909. Rio Purus-Acre tons 400 Rio M.uli ira 280 Rio Jurva 193 Rio Javary-Iquitos 168 Rio Solimoes 32 kio Xegio -August.- 1908. 498 299 97 241 39 1907. 443 300 90 269 62 -JULY-AUGUST- 1909. 1908. 190 704 591 149 249 50 768 575 21 I 207 36 708 482 122 Total 1,073 Caucho 302 1,174 280 1,164 232 1,396 1,799 616 1,743 423 1,634 333 415 2.166 1,967 Total 1,375 ',■ Liverpool. William Wright & Co. report [October 1] : Fine Pari. — gs. 2d. paid f,,r hard fine, gs. 2d. for smoked plantation sheet; one feels with the costermonger there is no "langwidge" for it. Present prices and the necessities of the trade seem as utterly opposed as are the two eminent Arctic explorers. There is, however, no use ignoring the fact that at present there is a scarcity of supply, owing to the low state of the rivers; this of course will be rectified in time, but what seems to us more important is the fact that at present discount for future delivery, American manufacturers are buying in quantity, and although we do not anticipate prices will remain at present level throughout the crop, still at present there seems to be a possibility of a ys. [=$1.70] basis being main- tained. Throughout the month there has been a strong and active market, mostly speculative. At the close there is no indication of a setback in values. Antwerp. Zeli.er, Villinger & Co. report [September 23] : We have to report record prices paid in to-day's auction here. Never before have such high prices been obtained — for example. Red Java 14.95 francs 1= $2.84], k-quateur 14.55 francs [ ~ $2.76!, and Plantation light crepe up to 24.90 francs [ = $4.72] per kilogram. The prices paid average by about o per cent, above valuations. Next auction here will be held on October 21, and likely include about 170 tons only, same quantity as offered to-day. As a fact, arrivals from the Congo territories have much lowered lately. Also receipts at Para will likely remain short for some time to come, owing to the want of water in the Amazon river and its tribu- taries, whereby a good quantity failing shipping possibly is detained. Under these circumstances, we do not see any chance to expect cheaper prices for next two months or so. Rubber Statistics for September. Details. 1909- Stocks, Aug. 31. .kilos 244.851 Arrivals in September 40S.469 Congo sorts 334.265 Other sorts 74,204 1908. 1907. 1906. 1905. 874,514 740,514 686.867 558,202 189,424 562,889 318,778 339.575 1+2,743 490,090 259,072 240,891 46,681 72,799 59,706 98,684 Aggregating 653,320 1,063,938 1,303,403 1,005,645 897,777 Sales in September... 255,866 409,777 584,398 438,962 331,042 Stocks, September 30 397,454 654,161 719,005 566,683 566,735 Arrivals since Jan. 1 3,571,153 3.663.163 4.064.354 4,252,505 Congo sorts 2,659,293 3,095.954 3,476,334 3,257.915 Other sorts 911,860 567,209 588,020 994,590 Sales since Jan. 1 . 4.059,248 3.152.184 907,064 3,769,434 4,015,896 4.003,533 4,421,009 4,033,874 Medium. Coarse. Caucho. Total. 51,600 133,200 23,300 = 508.200 66,300 83,400 500 = 314,700 9,400 52,900 20,400 = 159,700 9.500 43,800 150, goo 16,300 31.500 6,900 = 1 17,800 4.300 29,700 69,700 1,400 3.300 12,200 1,500 = 7,400 IMPORTS FROM PARA AT NEW YORK. [77;,- Figures Indicate Weights in Pounds.] September 28. — By the steamer Justin, from Manaos and Para: Importers. Fine. Poel & Arnold 300,100 General Rubber Co 164,500 A. T. Morse & Co 77.000 Hagemeyer & Brunn 97,600 New York Commercial Co. . . 63,100 C. P. dos Santos 35. 700 Edmund Reek & Co 7.500 F. Rosenstein & Co 5,900 Total 751,400 158,800 377,800 52,600 = 1,340,600 October 14. — By the steamer Ccarcnsc, from Manaos and Para: New York Commercial Co. . . 185,300 Poel & Arnold 85,700 Henderson & Kohn 153,800 A. T. Morse & Co 37.100 General Rubber Co 18,600 Hagemeyer & Brunn 40,000 C. P. dos Santos 22,400 L. Johnson & Co 15.500 Czarinkou, McDougal Co.... 12,500 Total 570,900 126,000 480,300 24,000 = 1,201,200 60,300 101,400 14,200 — 361,200 19,600 166,300 7.300 = 278,900 33.700 26,000 213.500 3.800 72,400 700 — 1 14,000 2,500 80,900 1,800 := 103,800 2,200 27,000 69,200 3.900 6,300 32,600 15.509 — 12,50* PARA RUBBER VIA EUROPE. 33.500 51,000 I I .<<<•<• 22,500 22.500 Sept. 27. — By the Cc. (Coarsi \ Sept. 30. — By the Teutonic— London : Toel & Arnold (Coarse) Oct. i.— By the Mauretania Liverpool: New York Commercial Co. (Fine) Oct. 4. — Bv the Bn/fiY=Livei t 1: Poel & Arnold ( Fine ) Pounds. Oct. 4. — Bv the . ///i'anrajiito= Galveston : Continental-Mexican Rub. Co. * 100,000 E. Roehringer "4,000 "104,000 4.500 6,000 Sept. 24. — By the JUondrtvy^Frontera: Harburs;er & Stack 3)500 E, Steiger & Co 1,500 Si it. 27. By the (\\/n\— Liverpool: Rubber Trading Co Sept. 27. — By the /7"»c;(»=Tanipico: Ed, Maurer "65,000 New York Commercial Co.... "33,000 Remsche & Helde ^9,000 * Sept. 27. — By the Crown / 3 rii(cr=Ba]iia : Poel & Arnold Sept. 29.— By the Advance—Colon S. Brandon & Bros Ily Mann & Go A. Sandos & Co I : \msinck & Co Audi au rading Co Piza, Nephews & Co Micke & Co Suzarte & Whitney fose J. Julia & Co T. Sambratda & Co 5.500 6,000 5.500 5.000 4.000 2,000 i.=;oo 1,500 1.500 1,000 43.5oo Sept. 29. — By El Dia=GaIveston: Continental-Mexican Rubber Co Oct. 1. — -By the Allcgheny=Co\ombia: Isaacs & Samuels 4,000 J. Sambrada & Co 1,500 November i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 61 "\: r RUBBER FLUX v<. No. 17. Particularly adapted to softening I No. 48. For fluxing pigments in compound- material for tubing machine. Almost univer- ing. A valuable adjunct to the manufacture of sally used for waterproofing wire. | moulded goods as it DOES NOT BLOW UNDER CURE. WRITE FOR PRICES. SJlfiMficAiwett^^^ Sarfiarxs:- WALPOLE RUBBER WORKS . WALPOLE VARNISH WORKS. ELECTRIC INSULATION LABORATORY THEODORE HOFELLER & CO. BUFFALO, N. Y. LARGEST DEALERS IN OLD RUBBER IN THE WORLD Maltha Hydro-Carbon ,\W MINERAL RUBBER *F & WHY" PUREST 99 T ¥o-% PREVENTS OXIDIZATION INCREASES ELASTICITY OF MOULD WORK ABSOLUTELY UNIFORM IN QUALITY DOES NOT STICK TO HOT MILL ROLLS BUY THE BEST AMERICAN WAX COMPANY, - Boston, Mass. XST WRITE NOW FOR FREE WORKING SAMPLE \A/IL MEXICAN (Guayule) RUBBER I invite inquiries from manufacturers on this rubber. Being the direct representative of large producers, I am in position to quote on various qualities for immediate and future delivery. IM Telegraphic Address, "CRUDERUB" Office, 46 Cortland! Street, NEW YORK CITY Mention The India Rubber World when you write. 62 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [November i, 1909. GUAYULE Made by mechanical process only, of strictly fresh shrub. No chemicals used. The recognized Standard, practically clean, containing less resin and having greater tensile strength than any other Guayule. Prepared from high grade " Parra" Guayule, guaranteed uniform, washed and dried, ready for use. Vulcanizes easily without special compounding. CONTRACTS MADE FOR REGULAR WEEKLY OR MONTHLY DELIVERIES For Samples and Quotations apply to ED. MAURER 97 Water St., NEW YORK Sole Representative of the MADERO interests in Mexico, Largest Producers of Guayule Rubber, Operating Nine Factories. Mention The India Rubber World when you write. November i. igog.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 63 G. Amsinck & Co 1.000 De Lima & Cortessa 1,000 Cabello & Blancho 1.000 8,500 Oct. 2. — By the A/cricici=Frontera: Harburger & Stack 4.000 Strube & Ultze 3.000 Graham, Hinkley & Co 1,000 General Export Co 1. 000 9,000 Oct. 4. — By El A/0nro=:Galveston: E. G. Churchill '22,500 Oct. 4. — By the Z?ci/riV=Liverp'ool: Poel & Arnold 4S,ooc Oct. 4. — By the .-J//iauca=Colon: Herzel, Feltmann & Co 4,000 Piza, Nephews & Co.. 2,500 Demarest Bros 1,500 G. Amsinck & Co... 2,000 Hy. Mann & , Co 1,000 Fidanque Bros. & Co 1.000 12,00c Oct. 5. — By the rVrcit— Bahia: J. H. Rossback & Bros 57, 000 New York Commercial Co.... 11,500 A. D. Hitch & Co 6,500 75,000 Oct. 6. — By the Fttffltm^Tampico : Ed. Maurer *i6o,ooo Poel & Arnold *75,ooo *235,ooo Oct. 6. — By El 5»ciiir=Hamburg: Rubber Trading Co 5, 500 Oct. 7. — By the 7fcj/m>i = Bahia: A. Hirsch & Co 38,000 Oct. 8. — By El A r orfc=Galveston : Continental-Mexican Rubber Co '65,000 Oct. 8.— By the Co/on=Colon: J. Brandon & Bros 11,000 L. Johnson & Co 4,500 Hirzel. Feltmann Co 4,500 J. Sambrada & Co 3, 500 Piza, Nephews & Co 3,500 Kunhardt & Co 2,000 A. Santos & Co 2,000 Demarest Bro 2,000 Pablo Calvet Co 2,000 G. Amsinck &- Co 2,000 L. Hagenaers & Co 1,500 A. Rosenthal & Sons 1,000 30,500 Oct. 9. — By the £.s/>£'rci(i~(i=Mexico: H. Marquardt & Co 1.500 American Trading Co 1,500 3,000 Oct. n. — By the .-ira0ic=Liveipool: Rubber Trading Co 25,000 George A. Alden & Co 22,000 Poel & Arnold 5,000 52,000 Oct. 13. — By the Cienfuegos=Tampico: Ed. Maurer 'ioo.ooo Oct. 13. — By the Goycij^Pernambuco: A. D. Hitch & Co 7,000 Oct. 13. — By El Paso— Galveston : Continental-Mexican Rubber Co '90,000 Oct. 14. — By the Proteus=Ne\v Orleans: A. T. Morse & Co 5.500 Robinson & Co 1.500 A. N. Rotholz 1,000 8,000 Oct. 14. — By the Ccarense=Ceara : Emile Boris 38,000 Oct. 13. — By the 5'i0£ , na=Colon : G. Amsinck & Co 7,500 A. Rosenthal Sons 3.500 Hy. Mann & Co 2,500 Brandon & Bros 1,500 Pablo Calvet Co 1,000 Roldan & Van Sickle 1,000 Graham, Hinkley & Co 1,000 18,000 Oct. 14. — By El Si£/t>=Galveston : E. Boehringer *i 1,000 Oct. 14. — By the C/yrfc=Colon: G. Amsinck & Co 3,000 L. Johnson & Co 2,500 A. M. Capens Son 2,500 Hirzel Feltmann & Co 2,500 Piza, Nephews & Co 2,000 W. R. Grace & Co 1,500 Gravenhorst & Co 1,500 R. Gallega & Co 1,500 Demarest Bros 1.500 R. Castillo & Co 1,000 19,50c Oct. 18. — By the A/e.rico=Frontera: Harburger & Stack 5.500 H. Marquardt & Co 3. 500 J. Sambrada & Co 2,000 General Export Co.. E. N. Tibbals & Co. 1,500 1,000 Oct. 19. — By the Prins lVHIelm=Co\on: G. Amsinck & Co 3.000 Mecke & Co 2.500 Eggers & Heinlein 2.000 Pablo Calvet Co 1,000 Oct. 21. — By the Oceanic=London: George A. Alden & Co AFRICAN. Sept. 25. — By the .4wJcriA'a=Hamburg: Poel & Arnold 30.000 George A. Alden & Co 13.500 A. T. Morse & Co 11.000 Sept. 27. — By the CVd>ic=Liverpool : General Rubber Co 11.500 George A. Alden & Co 15,000 Poel & Arnold 45.000 Sept. 30. — By the 7Vu/o»ic=London: Livesey & Co 9,000 Joseph Cantor 5,000 5.500 33.ooo Pounds. Oct. 4. — By the Baltii General Rubber Co.... A. T. Morse & Co =Liverpool: 110,000 2.000 Oct. 4. — By the C/ctWaHcl=Hamburg: Poel & Arnold 40,000 A. G. Rengh & Co 13.500 Oct. 4. — By the Lci/>/aHti=Antwerp: Poel & Arnold 50,000 Raw Products Co 4,500 A. T. Morse & Co 4.500 Oct. 4. — By the ]VaIdersee=Hambiirg: Poel & Arnold 45.000 A. T. Morse & Co 40,000 George A. Alden & Co 8,000 Oct. 5. — By the Carwcim'ci=Liverpool: General Rubber Co 45,000 George A Alden & Co 13,500 Poel & Arnold 13,500 Rubber Import Co 7,000 Oct. 6. — By the Carolina: George A. Alden & Co.... Poel & Arnold :Ha 3S,ooo 9,000 Oct. 7. — By the G)a»f=Hamburg: \ I M01 se & Co 175,000 Poel & Arnold 35,000 George A Uden & Co r5,ooo General Rubber Co 10,000 Rubber Trading Co 6.000 W. L. Gough Co 10,000 Oct. 7. — By the A driatic=London : Poel & Arnold Oct. 8. — By the Cfl/jYornia=Havre: George A. Alden & Co Oct. 9. — By the Cam/>am'a=Liverpool: Poel & Arnold Oct. 9. — By the .SarotV^Havre: W. L. Gough Co Oct. 9. — By the F/c:foria=Hamburg: George A. Alden & Co EAST INDIAN - . ['Denotes plantation rubber.] Pounds. Sept. 27. — By the Mi'"»cfo«ta=London: A. T. Morse & Co '9,000 Robinson & Co 11,000 20,000 Sept. 30. — By the 7Vi<irV/.s=Colombo: A. T. Morse & Co "25,000 New York Commercial Co... "13,500 38,500 Oct. 6. — By the 5iic/i=Singapore: Heabler & Co 23,000 W. L. Gough Co 15.000 38,000 Oct. 7. — By the Granr=Hamburg: W. L. Gough & Co '9,000 Oct. 7. — By the Adriatic==Lonion: Poel & Arnold '135,000 A. T. Morse & Co '27,000 New York Commercial Co... '20,000 182,000 Oct. 11. — By the New Kor*=London: Poel & Arnold..' "30.000 Oct. 13. — By the Vaderland=Antvierp: New York Commercial Co. . '15,000 Poel & Arnold *8,ooo 23,000 Oct. 13. — By the Minneap o/is=London : General Rubber Co '30,000 A. T. Morse & Co '15.500 Robinson & Co 7.000 General Rubber Co 30,000 82,500 Oct. 14. — By the Ma;Vj*ic=London: Poel & Arnold '27.000 Oct. 16. — By the Z5500 Oct. 16. — By the P/in-.s£m=Colombo: A. T. Morse *i5.5oo Oct. 21. — By the OccainV=:London: New York Commercial Co... '40,000 Poel & Arnold "40,000 A. T. Morse & Co '15,000 95.000 Gutta-Jelutong. Oct. 6. — By the Si'A-c/i=Singapore: Poel & Arnold 110,000 Heabler & Co 35.000 145,000 Oct. 7. — By the Minneapolis=London: Heabler & Co GUTTA-PERCHA. Oct. 11. — By the .^rtibiV=Liverpool: Poel & Arnold 140,000 Robinson & Co 9,000 George A. Alden & Co 9,000 Livesey & Co 5.000 163,000 Oct. 11. — By the Facic?Wan=Trinidad: J. A. Pauli & Co American Trading Co Middleton & Co 75.000 Pounds. 40,000 33.500 3,000 1,000 56.500 7.500 CUSTOM HOUSE STATISTICS. Port of New York— Septe ber. Imports: Pounds. Value. India-rubber 6,964.933 $7,049,774 Balata 47.«55 Gutta-Percha 45.033 Gutta-jelutong (Pontianak) . 3.»9".745 19,221 i9,M4 187,393 Total 10,949,566 $7,275,532 50,763 $27,085 ... 104,029 14,84a Exports: India-rubber Reclaimed rubber 81,500 I Rubber scrap, imported 4,069,883 $3*7, 34" 64 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [ November i, 1909. Vol. 41. X( iVEMBER 1, 1909. No. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS Editorial: Page. What 11 tips to Keep Rubber Dear 35 Rubber and Slavery 36 Failure of a "Fifth Wheel" 36 Minor Editorial 37 The Rubber Price Situation 38 The News of Aerial Navigation 3g [With Illustrations of 4 Machines and Portrait of Charles R. Mint.] The Progress of Rubber Planting 42 [Views of a Ceylon Company'9 Chairman. Company Notes in Asia and America. Frauds in the Name of Rubber.] "Red Rubber" in Eastern Peru 44 An Official View of Amazon Rubber 46 New Conditions in the Amazon 5. Clark 46 Some Rubber Interests in Europe 45 [The Industry in Portugal. Tribute to the Late Dr. Traun. Rubber Goods Prices in Germany.] Recent Patents Relating to Rubber 50 [United States. Great Britain. France.] The Obituary Record 57 [With Portraits of Oiarles A. Hodgman, George M. Allerton and Theodore A. Dodge.] Miscellaneous: Thr New Corporation Tax 37 New Use of Rubber in Surgery 38 A New Steam Plate Press (Illustrated) 41 A Felt Trust in Canada 41 Libel Suits in the Congo 45 Russian Duties on Raw Rubber 45 The Guayule Interest 49 fndia-Rubber Goods in Commerce 53 A Reminder of Yianna 5 o Self Filling Fountain Comb (Illustrated) 59 Vpplication Front a Consul 64 Chinamen in Rubber 6 4 News of the American Rubber Trade 54 1 Trade at \kr.m Our Correspondent 47 The Trad. i„ San Francisco Our Correspondent 48 Review of the Crude Rubber Market 59 APPRECIATION FROM A CONSUL. T'lII'". following unsolicited and unlocked for letter from an American consul who long has fitted creditably a position in th< service is evidence of appreciation of very high character. While lli.- letter was transmitted through the department of sill-. a1 Washington, it may be better to omit the name of the writer and the location of his consulate. Specimens of this paper have been sent to the planters named who are not already on the subscription list. The letter follows: To the Editor of The India Rubber World: I beg leave to inform you that the Universal rubber washer, described and il- lustrated in your issue of August 1, has attracted considerable attention among rubber planters here, and they are anxious to learn if the machine has been adopted by planters in other rubber producing regions and if results have been satisfactory. If you can furnish the foregoing information you will confer a favor on rubber planters of this section, who would no doubt employ the washer if it works successfully. Believing that the opportunity is propitious to interest planters in The India Rubber World, I enclose a list of planters and managers of the rubber plantations in this state, and believe it would be to your interest to send them sample copies, calling their attention to such points of interest to them as regularly appear in your publication. I avail myself of this opportunity to inform you that The India Rubber World is regularly received at this consulate, and in view of the extensive and gradually expanding rubber in- terests here, it has been filed in one of the conspicuous sections of the cabinet installed in this office for catalogues and industrial publications, being thus conveniently accessible to planters and exporters who wish to consult it when they call at this consulate. Permit me to suggest that by adding a Spanish section to The India Rubber World its scope would be materially enlarged, and become an important factor in fostering the rubber interests between the United States and the Latin American republics where rubber or kindred products are cultivated and also be instrumental in introducing manufactured rubber articles for which there is a constantly increasing demand throughout Mexico and Central and South America. I will be pleased to serve you here or other points in Mexico in any manner you can suggest, consistent with my official duties. Respectfully yours, CHINAMEN IN RUBBER. U" UROPEAN investors are not alone in their eagerness to ■'— ' put money into rubber plantations ; Chinese capitalists in the Malay peninsula seem equally enthusiastic. At least the Chinese gentlemen around Singapore are active in promoting rubber plantations for other people to put money into. There ccmes to hand at this writing a prospectus of The United Singapore Rub- ber Estates, Limited, got up in regulation European style, both as to printing and the contents, which latter have to do with taking over various estates, with and without rubber, and to do further planting. One property — that of Chop Tiang Guan — is referred to as having 800 acres covered with Para rubber three years old. The capital mentioned is $1,000,000 (silver). The list of directors follows: The Hon Tan Jiak Kim, m.l.c, of Panglima Prang, Singapore; merchant. Lee Choon Guan, Esq., of No. 10 Malacca street, Singapore; merchant. Choa Giang Thye. Esq., of No. 19 Cecil street, Singapore; opium farmer. Lim Boon Keng, Esq., of No. 4,5 Raffles place, Singapore; physician. Tan Chay Yan, Esq., t.p.. of No. 41 Heeren street, Malacca; planter. Se.ui Kng Ktat. Esq., of No. 13 Boat quay. Singapore; merchant. Vow Ngah Pan. Esq., of No. 28 Market street, Singapore; merchant. The chief mover in this flotation appears to be Tan Chay Yan, who in 1906 sold out a rubber plantation to what has become The Malacca Rubber Plantations, Limited, capitalized at ,£300,000 [=$1,459,950], and now producing rubber. At La Paz, on September 17, officials of Bolivia and Peru signed a protocol for the settlement of the differences between those republics over the boundary question. This is an indica- tion that there is to be no war over the important rubber dis- trict of which a map appeared in The India Rubber World, August 1, 1009 (page 397). If you went into a grocery store and asked the price of sugar, tea or coffee, you would be rather annoyed if the grocer told you that the price was 50 cents per pound, less 10, 5 and 2 per cent. You would expect the grocer to figure out the net price himself. We quote all our goods at net prices. — A Rubber Foalivear Manufacturer. IEN THERE IS TROUBLE factory, I can help you. I have ich experience in straightening little difficulties. K J MAYWALD, F. C. S., CONSULTING CHEMIST, St. 'I'honp. S53 John. New York. TABLE OF CONTENTS 104 BUYERS' DIRECTORY 52 f* NOT A p RAIN COAT REGISTERED CIKCTJXAB TEADE- STAMEED ON bra-ft** Edited by HENRY C. PEARSON— Offices, No. 395 Broadway, NEW YORK. Vol. XLI. No. 3. DECEMBER 1, 1909. 35 CENTS. $3.00 Per Year. $3.50 Abroad. CONTINENTAL RUBBER CO. THE LARGEST PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD UAYUL ■ * 0: 0: 0)iQ Regular Brands "CIRCLE" "TRIANGLE" "SQUARE" "TORREON" Other Grades Produced to Suit Special Needs in Rubber Manufacture EXECUTIVE OFFICES No. Ill Broadway, New York, N. Y., U. S. A. Factory: TORREON, MEXICO European Agents— WM. SOMERVILLE'S SONS, 9 New Broad St., London, E. C. CT5 e>/J; E c c r E c LAMPBLACKS ESPECIALLY FOR RUBBER MANUFACTURE SAMUEL CABOT. BOSTON, MASS. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [December t, iyog. MARK OF QUALITY ESTABLISHED 1854 SPECIAL ATTENTION GIYEN TO KXPOHT BUSINESS. CORRESPONDENCE AND INQUIRIES SOLICITED. The Canadian Rubber Co. of Montreal MANUFACTURERS OF LIMITED ALL KINDS OF HIGH GRADE GENERAL RUBBER GOODS AND SOLE MAKERS OF THE Celebrated "CANADIAN" Rubbers We are always open to correspond with experienced Robber men, both for Factory and Executive Work. D. LOKNE McGIBBON, Factory and Executive Offices: inventions kindred to the Trade and Ideas for development, Invited MONTDFAI D O 0ar Development Department five* lMVlllKL.MLt !-• V« these matters special attention. Canadian Sales Branches HALIFAX, N. S., MONTREAL, Que., TORONTO, Ont., WINNIPEG, Man., RECINA, SASK., CALGARY, Alta., VANCOUVER, B. C, VICTORIA, B. C. J. C. NICHOI£ON, M. C MTJLLABKY, H. J. YOTJKGE, LEONARD D. SHAW, Vice-Prei. & Han&ging Director. Manager Mechanical Goods. Manager Footwear Dept. Sales Manager. Bect.-Trea*. B. LOWENTHAL © COMPANY S5rcloo"-.t5'5^" h ^:.° s * buy and sell crpip DTTRRFP AKRON, 504 Hamilton Bid*. IN ANY GRADE JvJ\Al SWJ MJmJMLJmX NEW YORK, 48 1 Washington St. CHICAGO, 162 5th Artnue. AKRON. 504 Hamilton Bid*. Cable Address "Gyblowell" New York. Lieber's Code Used. Telephone: 8300 Spring. BUY AND SELL IN ANY GRADE IN ANY QUANTITY " FREE FROM HARMFUL SUBSTANCES " Unadulterated Corn Oil Substitute for Rubber USED WITH BEST RESULTS IN MANY PROMINENT RUBBER MILLS CORN PRODUCTS REFINING CO., *\$?%S£' Percival Dove, Pres. & Treas. E. R. Barton, General Manager Dove Machine Company 258 Lowell Street - LAWRENCE, MASS. LET US QUOTE YOU ON Novo Steel Knives, Plain & Fluted Tobacco Pouch Blocks, Rings and Formers Aluminum Pans, Bag Formers Seamless Pouch Blocks Moulds and Models of all kinds Bulb Models, Shells and Clamps Healer Cars, Pans and Racks Tube Pans, Dies and Cores Calender Winders and Trimmers ANYTHING IN THE RUBBER MACHINERY LINE ALL INQUIRIES GIVEN IMMEDIATE ATTENTION WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY RUBBER MACHINERY in all its branches for FACTORY and PLANTATION Also Gutta and Bolata Machinery PATENT EQUAL- PRES- SURE HIGH-SPEED HOSE MAKING MACHINE. Adjustable throughout. Made in various lengths for making hose and inner tubes for motor tyres. -o f 1( DAVID BRIDGE ®. CO. PEAR WORKS Castleton, Manchester, England Canadian Rep., Mr. JOSEPH HOLLINS, 160 Bay Street, Toronto, Ont, ADOLF»H HIRSCH & GO. Importers and Dealers In Brazil Manicoba and Sheet Rubber OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS BRIDGE ARCH, 17 Frankfort St., NEW YORK Telephoae 3198 Beekman Cable Address 'Adhlrschko' THE CAINTOiN RUBBER CO. CANTON, OHIO Manufacturers of FIRST CLASS SEAMLESS DRUGGIST SUNDRIES and TOILET GOODS Beat facilities for Regular a n d S p e. c i a I Moulded Work Trade-Mark. Mention The India Rubber World when you write. December i, 1909. THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 65 Published on the 1st of each Month by THE INDIA RUBBER PUBLISHING No. 395 BROADWAY. NEW YORK. CABLE ADDRESS: IRWORLD, NEW YORK. GO., HENRY C. PEARSON, EDITOR. HAWTHORNE HILL, ASSOCIATE. Vol. 41. DECEMBER I, 1909. No. 3. Subscriptions : $3.00 per year, $1.75 for six months, postpaid, (or the United States and dependencies and Mexico. To the Dominion of Canada and all other countries, $3.50 (or equivalent funds) per year, postpaid. Advertising : Rates will be made known on application. Remittances : Should always be made by bank or draft, rostofflce or Express money orders on New York, payable to The India Rubber Publishing Company. Remittances for foreign sub- scriptions should be sent by International Postal Order, payable as above. Discontinuances : Yearly orders for subscriptions and advertising are regarded as permanent, and after the first twelve months they will be discontinued only at the request of the subscriber or ad- vertiser. Bills are rendered promptly at the beginning of each period, and thereby our patrons have due notice of continuance. COPYRIGHT, 1000, BY THE INDIA RUBBER PUBLISHING CO. Entered at New York postofflce as mail matter of the second class. TABLE OF CONTENTS ON LAST PAGE READING MATTER. VERY PRACTICAL OPTIMISM. OUR congratulations to the directors of the Federated Malay States Rubber Co., Limited, for being able to present to their shareholders the most cheerful yearly business report which it has ever been the pleasure of The India Rubber World to review. How many times has one read in the financial papers, in the report of a general meeting of This-or-That Company, Limited, under the presidency of the chairman, the secretary hav- ing read the notice convening the meeting, that the chair- man, rising to offer a few comments on the accounts, pro- ceeded to explain the lack of more definite information on the ground that certain details had not arrived from America, or Africa, or Asia, and that the shareholders must take it for granted that affairs were in good shape, although the figures presented might be subject to a dif- ferent construction. Mails had been delayed, or a man- ager was ill, or returns had not been received for a sale of merchandise, and though the usual dividend could not be declared this year, the prospects of the business were most enchanting. Not so with the report of the rubber planting com- pany referred to, which has its business domicile in Ant- werp and its rubber trees in Selangor. "We have pleas- ure," the report opens, "in submitting ... a profit and loss account largely exceeding our expectations." The figures recording the yield of rubber "exceed con- siderably our estimate." And so the report runs through- out — the most concrete expression of optimism possibly that ever emanated from a board of directors. And con- crete optimism is away ahead of the abstract optimism that is expressed in predictions and promises, rather than distributing a dividend of 24 per cent, to shareholders who never before had received more than 8 per cent, on their shares. Whatever the future of rubber may be, there is no question today that the holders of shares in productive rubber plantations, under good business management, are exceedingly lucky persons, and there are indications that they have not yet seen their best days. At the same time, it seems in order to point out that just as "all is not gold that glitters," every projected rubber plantation may not yield rubber in the days to come. To recur to the subject of management, it is interest- ing to notice in the financial report of the particular rub- ber company under review that their expenses in Europe for the past business year amounted only to nine-tenths of 1 per cent, of the gross revenue of the company, though it must be mentioned that the directors received a percentage of the net profit, which does not seem to be a bad idea. If they have directed well, they deserve to share in the fruit of their labor. 'RESTRAINT OF TRADE." A RECENT decision in a federal court in the United States unfavorable to the Standard Oil Co. — the first institution in the country to become known to the general public as a "trust" — cannot fail to revive in the popular mind the discussion as to the effect of trusts upon the general welfare. This is not a place for a review in detail of the decision re- ferred to, if for no other reason than that is is not final ; it remains to be reviewed by the United States supreme court. It will suffice here to mention that the unanimous opinion of the court of appeals in the eighth circuit, sitting at St. Louis, is that the Standard Oil Co., as a holding company for numerous petroleum refining companies, capitalized at $100,000,000, and with a recent market value for its shares of over $700,000,000, is a combination "in restraint of trade" in the meaning of the Sherman "anti-trust law" of 1890. It remains to be seen whether the highest court in the land — and we believe that the United States su- preme court is held universally not to be excelled in dignity and ability by any other body of men in exist- ence — will confirm the decision of the learned court at St. Louis, one of the nine courts of appeals, in dif- ferent districts, which pass upon important cases before they reach the final court at Washington, if they ever do. That is to say, the ultimate decision may 66 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [December i, 1909. be that in the case under review there has been no violation of the federal law identified with the name of the late Senator Sherman. But more than this, the supreme court, when confronted by the basic ques- tion in concrete form, may hold the Sherman law itself to be incompatible with the constitution of the United States, which is the prerogative of the court. While John Sherman was among the ablest statesmen America has produced, the legislation of any era is but the crystallization of popular sentiment at the time, and liable 1 1) to be repealed by a reversal of the voice of the people, (2) to become a "dead letter" through neglect, or (3) to be invalidated by a decision of the supreme court. The India Rubber World holds no brief for the Standard Oil Co. ; it confesses to not having read the St. Louis decision, or the testimony and the briefs upon which the decision is based. All of this will come out later. But there can be no doubt that the act of which the late Senator Sherman was the author had for its object the prevention of such evils as were aimed at by the ancient English statute of monopolies. In this view, the existence of a monopoly is opposed to public policy, and as we look at it the question whether any existing combination in trade should be dissolved depends upon whether its operation constitutes a true monopoly. The question of combination is another matter. The original thirteen English colonies in North America combined for the common good ; does any publicist in the world hold today that the welfare of the United States would be enhanced by a dissolution of the Union into its component parts? Or that, instead of railway systems which permit a passenger to travel direct from the Atlantic to the Pacific without change of cars, it would be sounder policy for the traveler to be forced to buy one railway ticket — as originally — ■ from New York to Harlem (now in the same munici- pality), another from Harlem to Albany, and so on across the continent? The new rubber regime, to which the whole industry is looking, involves the pro- duction of the raw material, not in hundred-pound lots by people without credit, here or there, but in hundred ton lots, or thousand ton lots, by forest exploitation companies on the Amazon, or by plantation companies in the Far East, based upon financial arrangements which will enable responsible producers to contract for supplying rubber for a year in advance at a fixed price. In no other way can the world's supply of rub- ber ever be produced at a minimum cost and the pres- ent disastrous unsettled condition of prices be done away with. Don't the banking systems of today fur- nish the business world with better accommodations than if loans had to be made from any Tom, Dick or Harry who happened to have a spare $1,000 or so to let his neighbors use? And the same rule holds good with manufactured wares of whatever kind, in large demand, and of a standard size or cost. We repeat that we do not know what will be the re- sult ultimately of the St. Louis decision in the oil case. But courts are man made and made up of men, and as the world moves the ideas upon which they are based are subject to change. And otherwise the world could make no progress. The world has abolished imprison- ment for debt and the death penalty for stealing sheep. Two successful lawyers or two rag pickers are allowed today to form a partnership if they wish, and if popu- lar opinion in the end shall prove favorable to co- operation in the manufacture or sale of commodities which are common necessities, even the courts must bow to that opinion. "Monopoly" in the ancient sense has ceased to exist; and it is a rare thing for a sane business man to work for "restraint of trade." Who is there who doesn't want to see his business grow every year? RESURRECTION OF MR. LEXOW. I T is now several years since the Hon. Clarence Lexow, then *■ a senator of the state of New York, on reading his morning newspaper one day, learned that there were trusts in the land, and became horror stricken. Whereupon he moved for the appointment of a legislative joint committee for investigating the evils of trusts and framing laws for combating them. Ap- pointed chairman of such committee, he brought his fellow in- vestigators to New York, and with power to compel the appearance of persons and papers, he forebore not tor many days to delve into corporate wickedness ; but are not all the evidence he uncovered, and his recommendations in regard thereto em- bodied in Senate Report No. 40, Session of 1897? The text of Senator Lexow's investigation was that "combina- tions of capital in the form of trusts" are "creating monopolies, shutting out competition, displacing labor and driving the citi- zen of moderate means out of business, with the effect that production and price are not regulated by the natural laws of supply and demand." There is no intention here to inflict upon the readers of The India Rubber World a review of Senate Report No. 40, of 1897. It is enough to say that corporate wickedness was uncovered at every step of the investigation. What became of it all, however, we fail to remember. But one paragraph in the Lexow report illustrates the temper of that voluminous docu- ment. It related to that contemporary and companion of the corporate monopoly — the department store. The passage of this recent commercial invention across the mercantile field is marked by the ruin of numerous previously prosperous tradesmen and the desolation of an army of employes. There is no need and no place for such an institution in the com- mercial economy of our State. There is no record of the department store having gone out of existence, in New York or elsewhere, since the Lexow ex- plosion. But even more space in Senate Report No. 40 was devoted to the American Sugar Refining Co., the wickedness of which was dilated upon with great vehemence by Mr. Lexow — and here is what gives point to his resurrection. It happens that at this time the American Sugar Refining Co. also are receiving the attention of the federal courts. On November 22, before a United States circuit judge sitting in New York, former Senator Lexow appeared as counsel for the de- fendants and pleaded for a change of venue, urging as a reason the "inflamed state of public opinion" in regard to trusts. Can it be that Senate Report No. 40, after twelve years, still in- fluences the people against trusts? December i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 67 The fact that the pneumatic tire has been officially recog- nized as just having come "of age" — and before the advent of the pneumatic the now great automobile industry was non-ex- istent — may very properly be regarded as encouraging to the latter day pioneers in aviation, a field in which rubber is hardly less important than in motoring. Just as "the race is not always to the swiftest," the trade may come to realize that the best rubber may, for cer- tain purposes, have to give way to inferior brands. Not that balata gum is an inferior material, when properly known, but for half a century it could not hope to compete with fine Para. "Brazil for the Brazilians'' seems to be the motto of the people who have developed the rubber trade of the Amazon regions. Seeing how generally outsiders have failed to exploit rubber there successfully, it is hard to see how anybody can object to the motto. It may be, after all, that the frenzy of the Britishers to put capital into any sort of company that has rubber planting as its avowed object, is not less well based than the American susceptibility to invest in anything which may be advertised as a gold mine. The prominence of heels in the British rubber trade sug- gested a brief article on our transatlantic brethren being "well heeled" — an expression we have heard somewhere — but the office dictionary fails to supply a satisfactory definition for this term, and the article will have to be postponed. It seems that the Congo natives are to be given the choice, ultimately, between paying their taxes in money or in rubber. Since they have complained so strenuously against having to go to the "bush" to collect rubber for this purpose, they probably have cash hidden in their stockings with which to meet the claims of the tax gatherer. THE AMAZON RUBBER SYNDICATE. ' I '0 the Editor of The India Rubber World: On September •* 28 there was held in Para the first meeting, after their in- stallation, of the associates of the Rubber Syndicate "A Produc- tora Amazonica" [see The India Rubber World, September 1, 1909 — page 422]. The firms represented were: Mello & Co., Freire Castro & Co., Rocha, Silva & Co., Costa & Menezes, Velhote, Silva & Co., Alves-Braga Rubber and Trading Co., Barboza & Tocantins, Cerqueira Lima & Co., B. F. da Silva, Silva, Bastos & Co., A. Motta & Co., and Silva, Ribeiro & Cie. The president of the board of directors, Barao de Souza Lages. of the firm Mello & Co., presented a motion that the syndicate should immediately go into operation, notwithstanding the fact that the government has not yet granted them the privilege of the 4 per cent, duty rebate on the export of rubber. Mr. Simao da Costa, representing The Alves, Braga company, in a well elaborated speech, tried to encourage his associates by explaining that according to the federal and state laws everybody concerned in the rubber industry can belong to the organized syndicate — i. c, not only the proprietors of rubber estates and the aviadores, but even the brokers, salesmen, or clerks of the firms which handle rubber. He gave a description of the great services which a syndicate organized in such a manner can render to its associates. To formulate the rules of the syndicate, Messrs. Simao da Costa, Jose da Rocha Fernandes, and Barreiros Lima were elected. This report corroborates the article of Gustav Heinsohn, pub- lished in The India Rubber World [July 1, 1909], stating that the Para government had not passed the duty reduction law with the view of excluding the foreign exporters from the Amazon market, but only to encourage the producer to export rubber directly to the foreign buyer. The fact that many of the associates of the syndicate are only wholesale provision merchants and consequently cannot comply with the established law of being direct producers of rubber, excludes the syndicate, even if all of them should be Brazilian firms, from the right of exporting the rubber at a lower rate than is exacted under the general rule. From this is evident that the Para government is entirely reliable. If any organi- zation should get the benefits of this duty reduction law, it will only be one of direct producers, and there will be no speculation. s. CLARK. A GERMAN VIEW OF OUR "OPTIMISM." [FROM THE "GUMMI-ZEITUNG," BERLIN.] IN an article on the business situation on the other side of the ocean, The India Rubber World, of New York, says, among other things : The country is prosperous again. The country has been prosperous for a long time. This country cannot be otherwise than prosperous, with so many millions of honest and intelligent people working constantly to im- prove their condition — materially and morally. Would it not be a great blow to civilization if such concentrated effort by so many millions did not yield favorable results? . . . Business conditions in America, measured by every recognized standard, show an improvement over what has prevailed for a year or more past. In other words, business is approaching the normal American condition — that of continued improvement, keeping pace with the constant growth of a population that has a buying capacity not equaled in any other country, in any age. Would it not be well for us here in Germany to become im- bued with some of the healthy optimism shown in this conception of the situation? We assuredly are not unwarranted in doing so, for all indications are scarcely less favorable for us, and con- ditions are at once immeasurably improved when 'belief in an upward trend becomes prevalent. RUBBER IN THE NEWSPAPERS. ' I 'HE able Minneapolis (Michigan) Journal has discovered *■ why some producers of rubber tires can sell for less money than others, the reason being that — "The larger manufacturers were able to buy thousands of dollars of crude rubber when prices were lower. The smaller manufacturers, however, could not afford to buy enough rubber to stock their gum cellars, so they have been forced to make prices from 5 to 15 per cent, higher than more popular and older competitors." Is rubber really scarce? The able Boston American says: "In the forepart of August Elmer L. Corthell, direct from Pari, said that there was an abundance of crude rubber in that district, but that the producers of it were in despair at the prices offered by foreign buyers. The people were told by agents from this country that the panic here had so restricted the use of automo- biles that there was scarcely any demand for rubber tires." How does the able Elizabeth (New Jersey) Journal happen to know this? "Rubber for overshoes is very scarce for various reasons. - - - For this reason a pair of rubbers will cost about the same this year, but their quality will not be as good." Under the heading "Boat Mill to Shut Down" the Boston Post of November 5 reported, under a Millville date line : "The Lhnited States Rubber Co.'s boat mill here will be shut down next week for an indefinite period for the purpose of curtailing production." Didn't know before that the company named were making too many boats. Rubber Contracted by Heat. — Rubber is strongly con- tracted by heating, and Professor S. P. Thompson suggests that it would be possible to construct a heat engine to be driven by the contraction of rubber instead of by the ex- pansion of water or air. 68 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [December i. 1909. THE RUBBER CLUB OF AMERICA. NEW TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT. "TMIH development of the New England Rubber Club, after ten ■1 years of successful existence, into The Rubber Club of America, as determined upon at the last midsummer outing [see The India Rubber World, August 1, 1909 — page 393], has now been accomplished, the last formality being the incorporation of the Club, under its new name, in the state of Massachusetts. It may be of interest to the general reader, as well as the members of the Clnii, in 1. a transcript of the official certificate of in- corporation, which follows: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. BE IT KNOWN. That whereas Henry C. Pearson, J. Frank- Dunbar, George 11. Mayo, Arthur IV. Stedman, Costello C. Converse, Ira Foss Burnhantj Frederic C. Hood, L. Dewart Apsley, Elston F. Wadbrook and Frank D. Baldcrston have associated themselves with the intention of forming a corporation under the name of The Rubber Club of America, for the purpose of social intercourse among gentlemen con- nected with the rubber industry and the furtherance of educational and scientific research in India Rubber production and manufacture, and have complied with the provisions of the statutes of the Common- wealth in such case made and provided, as appears from the certificate of the President. Treasurer, Secretary and Executive Committee of said corporation, duly approved by the Commissioner of Corporations and recorded in this office: NOW, THEREFORE, I William M. Olin, Secretary of The Com- monwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby certify that said Henry C. Pearson, J. Frank Dunbar, George H. Mayo, Arthur IV. Stedman, Costello C. Converse, Ira Foss Bumham, Frederic C. Hood. L. Dewart Apsley, Elston E. Wadbrook and Frank D. Balderston, their associates and successors, are legally organized and established as, and are hereby made, an existing corporation under the name of The Rubber Club of America, with the powers, rights and privileges, and subject to the limitations, duties and restrictions, which by law appertain thereto. WITNESS my official signature hereunto subscribed, and the Great Seal of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts here- [SEAL] unto affixed, this fourth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand, nine hundred and nine. Wm. M. Olin. Secretary of the Commonwealth. A NIGHT WITH THE AERONAUTS. The winter dinner of the Rubber Club of America, known for so many years as the New England Rubber Club, will be held in December, the date being the 13th, and the place of meeting the Algonquin Club, Boston. The executive committee have in prospect what will be one of the most interesting and unique entertainments that the club in its ten years' history has ever enjoyed. Appreciating the worldwide interest in Aeronautics, they have induced the secretary of the Aero Club of America, Mr. Augustus Post, himself an aeronaut for many years, to show some moving pictures of aeroplanes in flight — notably one op- erated by Glenn H. Curtiss wdien he won the Hammondsport prize. These pictures are wonderfully graphic and give one a clearer idea of the graceful and thrilling flight of an aeroplane than any ever taken heretofore. The speakers of the evening are Professor William H. Pick- ering, of Harvard University, president of the Aero Club of New England; Professor A. Lawrence Rotch, professor of meteorology in Harvard University and director of Blue Hill Observatory; Professor Robert W. Wood, the brilliant and witty young physi- cist of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore ; and Edgar Beecher Bronson, aeronaut, explorer and raconteur. Mr. Bronson, by the way, has just returned from hunting big game over the very country which ex-President Roosevelt is still traversing. Other speakers of note have been invited. After the speaking those who are interested will have an opportunity to see a remarkable set of lantern slides showing different types of aeroplanes, dirig- ible balloons, and the like, which will be explained by Mr. Post. Boston and prosperity. — In a review of the existing prosper- ous condition of the United States, the Boston American credits the use of Boston capital and the influence of the financial leaders of that city with an important share in the development of the country at large. The writer says, by way of illustration: "The United States Rubber Co., another example, is controlled and managed by Boston men. and all through the list of directors it will be found that Boston is playing a large part in commercial and financial affairs." •TH) prevent the overhearing of telephone conversations, the ■I transmitter of a desk telephone is enclosed in a box pro- wled with a sound proof lining and with an aperture bordered by a rubber tube, against wdiich the face of the speaker is pressed while talking. The receiver may be hung, as usual, on the switch arm on the transmitter standard, and may be re- moved for use through the talking aperture or through a door; or it may be hung on an arm connected to the switch arm through a U-shaped rod which encloses one of the sides of the sound proof box. 1 he aperture at which this rod enters the box is closed by a flexible membrane, to which the rod is attached. The rubber tube which borders the speaking aperture is provided with a smaller tube for inflation purposes. The sound proof lining of the box may consist of two layers of felt separated by a layer of india-rubber. Invented and pat- ented by E. F. Hutton, Xo. 3s New street. New York. A New York newspaper says: "Hanging on the wall behind the desk at the Holland House is a mahogany box about 2 feet long by I foot wide and deep, with an oval shaped hole in it lined with rubber. If you wait long enough you will see a clerk fit his face into the hole. This is one of those new telephone booths — one of the few that are to be seen about New York, and which it is said the telephone company is fighting. Talking into one gives you an ostrich-like feeling compared with the booth of the cupboard variety, but at the Holland House they say that the result is just as satisfactory as the other kind, and the 'ostrich' booth takes up no room." Telephone At- tachment. MR. INGERSOLL RETIRES. I N mentioning the appearance of the first automobile journal, * The India Rubber World (December 10, 1895 — page 87) said : "Should the motor carriages ever become popular it evi- dently will be a matter of interest to the rubber trade, since most of the specimen machines made up to date are provided with pneumatic tires, indicating that this is expected to be an im- portant feature." The motor carriages have "become popular," and what an "important feature" the pneumatic tire. has grown to be is the most striking fact in modern rubber history. All of which indicates that Ernest P. Ingersoll, wdien he founded The Horseless . Ige — that was before people talked about "automobiles" — he doubtless builded better than he knew. During the fourteen intervening years the paper mentioned has been conducted ably and successfully by Mr. Ingersoll, who during the month past disposed of it, with a view to devoting attention to bis health. Before starting The Horseless Age Mr. Ingersoll had come into contact with the rubber trade as advertising manager for the Mechanical Rubber Co. (New York). It was at that time that he became familiar with the pneumatic tire and impressed with its HAD $30,000,000 TO SPEND. TN a sketch of Mr. Charles R. Flint, the Boston Globe says: * "No single American is today better known in South America. His relations with Chili have existed since the beginning of his business career. He has held many positions of confidence under Chili, and has been its secret agent in many a deal involving the growth of its navy. Russia also has great confidence in Mr. Flint, and when, at the opening of the war with Japan, it wished to strengthen its navy. Mr. Flint was made its purchasing agent. and was handed $30,000,000 to spend in its behalf." Df.ce.mber i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 69 Mr. du Cros and the Dunlop Company. THE PNEUMATIC TIKE IS OF AGE. AN event of more than passing interest to the tire and motor trades was the banquet tendered to Mr. Harvey du Cros at the Hotel Cecil, in London, on the evening of Novem- ber 19, to celebrate the "majority" of the commercial application of the pneumatic tire. In other words, it is just 21 years since the issuance of the first of the patents which formed the basis of the great Dunlop tire company, with which Mr. du Cros has been identified in so important a degree. It is true that a patent was granted to Thomson for a pneu- matic tire as early as 1844, but his tire never met a practical application. John Boyd Dunlop, who obtained a patent in 188S. so far as is known, developed his invention without being aware of the work of Thomson, and though his tire was of a more practical character than Thomson's it was soon recognized that the earlier inventor had anticipated Dunlop's idea to an extent which rendered a patent on the latter of doubtful validity . The company formed to manufacture the Dunlop tire were fortunate in securing other important patents which were brought out soon after the practicability of the pneumatic tire was assured, and these were the real foundation of the Dunlop Pneu- matic Tyre Co., Limited, which attained so much success under the management of Mr. du Cros. Some very prominent cycle and motor traders participated in the cele- bration at the Cecil, where accommodations were arranged for 450 persons. The chair was taken by H. S. H. Prince Francis of Teck, chairman of the Royal Automobile Club. Mr. du Cros was presented with a solid silver gilt casket and a signed ad- dress of congratulation. This banquet recalls to mind another at the Hotel Cecil. On the evening of Sep- tember 16, 1904, a company numbering over 400 assembled on the invitation of the Dun- lop company "in honor of the expiring of the Welch patent" — one of the most im- portant owned by them. Mr. Harvey du Cros, the chairman of the company, pre- sided at that dinner. At midnight the patent was silently consigned to the flames, and Mr. du Cros asserted that it was with great satisfaction, since the company were annoyed by having to protect the patent. MR. HARVEY DU CROS. Everybody knows the Dunlop tire and that, of course, sug- gests Harvey du Cros, or as our English friends write it, "Harvey du Cros, Squire of Howbery Park, Wallingford, and Member of Parliament from Hastings." What Mr. du Cros did in the tire business makes him of interest to the whole rubber trade — not that we want to know in detail all that the English journals have published about him, or rather about his forebears who were signeurs, nobles, and soldiers of the old regime of France. What is really interesting is something about the pres- ent Du Cros. and here it is : He was born in Dublin in 1846 and is part French and part Irish. He was educated at the Kings Hospital, Dublin, and after a short preliminary commercial experience in the firm in which his father was a partner, entered into business relations with a Scotch firm of paper manufacturers and soon became the head of a large wholesale business in Ire- Marvev du Cros, j.p., m.p. I Managing Director of the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., Limited.] no longer to be land. He made money and made it fast, for at 43 he retired from business, and being an athlete spent his time training his six sons, all of whom are experts in boxing, fencing, and general outdoor sports. It was through their cycling interest that Mr. du Cros became interested in tires and in the rubber business. The story of how he secured the Dunlop rights, how the small factory in Dublin grew to a business of great dimensions, and how he established in Coventry and Birmingham, and in France and Germany, great rubber works, are all a matter of history. Our interest, of course, centers in Mr. du Cros's rubber triumphs, but he has also helped build the automobile industry, and is a large stockholder in some very profitable motor com- panies. Besides he is interested in extensive mines in Spain which are worked by his own capital. Personally, Mr. du Cros is below middle height, compactly built, rather quiet, but very alert. He has shown wonderful capacity for detail, and is an excellent judge of character, wdiich perhaps was why he dodged the writer of this sketch and turned him over to a polite and courteous secretary. THE GREAT DUNLOP COMPANIES. The history of the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., Limited, is written too fully in the pages of The India Rubber World to make it necessary to recall the details at this time. It is worth mentioning, how- ever, that at the last annual meeting of the company, on December 17, 1908, Mr. du Cros stated that the company had paid in dividends, since the organization under the present name, £1,595,720 [=$7,765,571], be- sides which he might have dwelt upon the important business which has been based upon the earnings from the original capital not distributed as dividends. In other words, the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., founded with the sole purpose of profiting from the ownership of tire patents, came in time to consider what should be their course after the expiry of the patents, when it was decided to build up a manu- facturing business which should be en- during, and this has been accomplished. Their tire patents no longer exist, but their eminence in the tire trade is still a great asset, besides which the company figure in the manufacture and sale of miscellaneous rubber goods to a very large extent. The corporation already named is only one of several em- braced in the Dunlop system. Their manufacturing business is carried on at Birmingham, under the name of the Dunlop Rub- ber Co., Limited, which is a separate corporation, with net assets stated recently at £832,000 [=$4,048,928]. The average annual profits of the Dunlop Rubber Co. for three years have amounted to £257,758 [=$1,254,379]. In addition to the businesses here named, the Dunlop interests embrace a tire factory in France, one in Germany, one in Canada, and one in Australia, and they profit from the manufacture and sale of the Dunlop tire in the United States, not to mention the sale of the Dunlop tire else- where, in countries where it is not manufactured. Recently they have been planning to establish a factory in Japan. It is to be kept in mind that none of these enterprises to-day is based upon the holding of any patents ; they are only results of the momentum gained by the Dunlop business machine when it really was based upon a patent very essential to it, the validity 70 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [Dei ember i, 1909. of which was confirmed by the British house of lords. Characteristic of Mr. du Cros was a passage in his address at the last meeting of shareholders of the Tyre company (that is the way they spell it in England) : "Another valuable asset this company has is the board of directors, where there has never baen a note of dissent — a board of directors who pursue a settled policy ; it is continuous and that continuity is one of the best assets that this company possesses." Mr. du Cros could hardly have been expected to say so himself, but another might very well have suggested that he is practically the author of the company's policy, and the power which carries that policy into execution. He did mention in his address, by the way, his ownership of one-fifth of the share capital of the Tyre com- pany, but he doubtless controls directly a much larger proportion. DUNLOP INTERESTS IN FRANCE. The separate company which since 1896 has controlled the Dunlop tire interest in France — the Societe Franchise des Pneu- matiques Dunlop — is to be liquidated, its business and undertaking to be acquired by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Limited. The latter company will issue "income stock" to the shareholders of the French company at the rate of £2 for each £1 share now held, windier preference or ordinary, a minimum income of 5 per cent, being guaranteed. The trading profits of the French company for the year ending July 31, 1909, including interest on investments, amounted to £56,019 [=$272,616.46], which per- mitted of dividends of 6 per cent, on the preference and 30 per cent, on the ordinary shares. The sale of the French company to the English company was sanctioned at a special meeting of the shareholders of the for- mer in London on November 7. The solidarity cf the Dunlop interests is indicated by the fact that the managing director of the French company is Arthur du Cros, j.p., m.p., son of Mr. • Harvey du Cros. The capital of the French company is £159,807 [=$777,722.77]. The object of the change is to bring about certain economies through consolidation; also to open the way for the introduction into France of other Dunlop rubber products than tires. Under the terms existing hitherto the Societe Frangaise des Pneu- matiques Dunlop, Limited, had the sole right to trade in France under the name "Dunlop," but by acquiring the good will of the French company the parent company, in England, may trade in France as freely as at home, especially since, by taking over a factory in France, they will not be liable to customs charges on whatever mechanical goods they may market in that country. THE DUNL0P3 AND THE W-IITZT.. The veteran cyclist. R. J. McCredy, who helped so much in popularizing the pneumatic tire, and who is now editor of The Motor News, of Dublin, wrote in his issue for November 13: "Everyone will be delighted to know that Mr. J. B. Dunlop and his son (J. B. D., junior) will be amongst the diners at the Pneumatic Tyre majority celebration banquet on the 19th inst. Nothing could possibly be more appropriate than the presence of the inventor of the tire and its first user, upon this historic occasion. It was feared that Mr. Dunlop would not be able to travel, because he is a delicate man, and a journey to London in the depth of winter is a rather formidable undertaking for a gentleman of his age and delicate health. However, he has de- cided to travel over specially for the functions, and we think that his presence upon the occasion will form the coping stone to the work of the committee. Every one of the directors of the original company will, therefore, be present to do honor to the occasion, and incidentally to Mr. Harvey du Cros, the present chairman of the company." DUNLOP BRIEFS. The Dunlop Rubber Co. (Far East), Limited, have opened a branch in Singapore, at 7, Collyer quay, for the sale of tires of every class, and other rubber goods. The manager is Mr. Thomas Sibray, for many years with the Dunlop company in England. The company are reported to have an extensive trade in the Malay peninsula. In these days of registration of trade marks generally, it is rather odd that the Dunlop tire trade mark was not registered in the United States until October of the present year. The promotion of the present Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., Limited, made Ernest Teralh Hooley famous, his profit from the transaction having been commonly reported at $10,000,000, for only two or three days' work. The most recent newspaper mention of Mr. Hooley was in connection with the reported purchase by Mrs. Hooley of an estate in Northamptonshire for nearly £100,000. In connection with the invention of the pneumatic tire, one of our British exchanges mentions that Air. H. Thomson Lyon, chairman of the highways committee of the Westminster city council, which forms part of the municipal government of Lon- don to-day, is a son of Robert William Thomson, who patented the first pneumatic tire in 1844, though his invention at that time was termed an "aerial wheel." THE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. THE number of letters patent granted by the United States ■*■ patent office during the year ended June 30, 1909, was larger than in any preceding year, the number being 34,332. The number of patents expiring during the year was 22,779, leaving a' net increase in the number of effective patents of 11,553. The total number of patents issued, from the establishment of the office to June 30 last, was 926,719. The office has always been self supporting, and the total of receipts over expenditures from 1836 until now is $7,060,547. The commissioner of patents is desirous of having the government devote part of this surplus to the erection of a new building better fitted for its purposes than the present patent office. The commissioner reports con- tinued improvement in the condition of affairs in the office, permitting a better service to be rendered to applicants for patents. Commissioner Moore has been designated to represent the United States at a meeting in Switzerland next year of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property, to discuss agreements in respect to the reciprocal protection of patents in different countries. It is a singular fact that in 6,763 cases where patents were ready for issue the same were withheld on account of the non payment of final fees, although six months are allowed for making such payments after the inventor is informed that his application has been allowed. A MILLION DOLLARS FOR WRIGHTS. TNDER title of the Wright Co., the aeroplane business of ^ Wilbur and Orville Wright has been incorporated under the laws of New York, the papers having been filed on November 22. The capital, $1,000,000, has been paid in. The directorate, it is announced, is to include Cornelius Vanderbilt, Howard Gould. August Belmont, Allan A. Ryan, Theodore P. Shouts, Morton F. Plant, Edward J. Berwind, Andrew Freedman, Robert J. Collier — all New York men of affairs — and Russell J. Alger, of Detroit. One of the Wright brothers, it is stated, will be presi- dent, and the other vice-president. The Wrights will give their personal attention hereafter to the aeroplane factory already erected by them at Dayton, Ohio. The company have opened offices in New York and are prepared to accept orders for ma- chines. An important object of the new company is the protec- tion of the Wright patents in the United States and Canada, for which work some noted attorneys have been retained. A dinner in honor of the Messrs. Wright, in New York, on the evening of November 23, was largely attended by enthusiasts in aviation from all over the country. Other details regarding the development of aeronautics will be fi und elsewhere in these pages. December :, iooc.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 71 The India-Rubber Trade in Great Britain. By Our Regular Correspondent. THE STATE OF TRADE. RUBBER REGENERATING , CO., LIMITED. IF all rubber goods consisted solely of rubber instead of in so many cases containing only a modicum of it, there is no doubt that a considerable depression would have to be re- ported. As it is, the factories continue pretty busy, in spite of the addition to the price lists. That the situation is a perplexing and difficult one goes without saying, but it cannot be called acute, or even serious. Of course, in this manufacture as in others, the putting of a 10 per cent, or other rise on the price list does not mean that the manufacturer suffers no loss from the abnormal market conditions, because the rise which is put on never takes effect until its cause has had time to operate to the producers' disadvantage. In other words, prices cannot be put up the same day that the raw material is bought at an enhanced price. Perhaps the feature of the greatest novelty in the situation is the fact of rubber being sold six or eight months ahead. A manufacturer of 36 years experience tells me that in the whole of his connection with the trade he has never seen anything like the recent Liverpool transactions for delivery six or eight months ahead. The customary procedure of the past has rarely exceeded two months. The general trade of the coun- try is undoubtedly improving, with the exception of the cotton industry, and the navy extensions recently decided on will mean augmentation of the usual admiralty contracts. A company referred to in the local papers as the Rubber Re- generating Co. of America is at the present time erecting a large factory in Trafford Park, Manchester, where the reclaiming of rubber by the alkali process is to be carried on on the large scale. I have not been able to come in contact with any official in a position to give me any details, but the company is said to be established at Chicago or thereabouts under the man- agement of Mr. R. B. Price. In this connection I may mention that on September 13 a private company called the Rubber Regenerating Co., Limited, was registered in London. The capi- tal is ii,ooo in £1 shares, the business being that of planters and manufacturers of and dealers in rubber, balata, and other gums. The first directors are R. B. Price, H. Kidson and L. D. Kidson. The Trafford Park business, then, may be more than a European branch of the American factory. It is more than probable that the paragraphs in the local papers referring to the effect of the regenerating process being to make old rubber quite equal to new are not verbatim reports emanating from the officials. But allowing for newspaper inexactitude, this second invasion of American reclaimers into Lancashire is not without interest and importance. The former instance is, of course, the North- western Rubber Co., Limited, at Litherland, Liverpool. With regard to the site of the works, I may say that Trafford Park was, from the days of King Canute until recent years, the ances- tral home of the De Trafford family. Now, however, it is the property of the Trafford Park Estates Co., Limited, and is being opened up for manufacturing purposes. The area is about 1,700 acres, and the position, just in the outskirts of Man- chester on the banks of the ship canal, to say nothing of railway facilities, offers exceptional advantages. Among the works al- ready established there are the Westinghouse Manufacturing Co. and W. T. Glover & Co., Limited, the cable makers. The fact that one of the recently bought out companies has arranged to return its capital to the shareholders because the statements in the prospectus have been found to be erroneous is indicative of the rush there is at present to get prop- erties on the market while rubber remains at its high prices. It RUBBER PLANTING. takes time to get a report from an independent expert, so pre- sumably in some cases promoters have been satisfied with in- formation probably not altogether unbiased. With regard to the relative merits of the new Ceylon and Malayan companies, it has been said that the latter are the best investment, because the trees come to the producing stage sooner than is the case in Ceylon. I am inclined to think that this is not quite correct as a general statement. Certainly it is borne out by past experience, but this may be attributed largely to the fact that the earlier Ceylon plantations were on ground previously exhausted of its nutritious properties by crops such as coffee, while the Malayan rubber was planted in virgin soil. Now that the use of artificial manure is becoming more common in Ceylon this disparity may be expected to disappear, and further, the new plantations are to a great extent on soil which has not been exhausted by previous cultivation of crops. So far one hears of no great shortage of labor in the plantation regions, while this remains the crux of the situation in South America. In this respect, indeed, matters are tending to become worse, because occupation of a more desirable kind is increasing — for instance, harbor developments. With regard to speculation in rubber shares, this is rapidly increasing. Probably the shares are used more as gambling counters than as legitimate investments, to judge by the con- tinuous queries one hears as to whether it is time to get out. The persistence of the high price of rubber is proving a source of embarrassment to speculators, who, naturally, don't wish to sell until top prices have been reached, Widespread notice has been attracted to this solvent by the newspaper reports of the proceedings connected with the death' of Miss Horn-Elphinstone-Dalrymple while having a dry shampoo at Har- rod's stores in London. After a pro- tracted hearing, the charge of manslaughter instituted by the Crown against the shop assistants was abandoned before its final stage, but it was announced that any similar case in the future will be very serious for the operators. It is not sur- prising to hear that the liquid is not to be used again at Har- lod's stores for this purpose. A noteworthy point about the prosecution was that the medical experts had just read up the subject, and knew practically nothing about the large trade ap- plication of tetrachloride. Still, as the medical evidence went to show that it had long been known as a strong and rather dan- gerous anaesthetic, it is as well that the rubber, oil-extracting and dry cleaning trades, where it is now extensively used, should take every precaution against accidents. In all probability, if Harrod's had employed assistants thoroughly familiar with its properties the fatal result would not have ensued, though even a trained anaesthetist does not necessarily know anything about the purity of his chemicals. It was mentioned in these notes a few months back that commercial tetrachloride generally con- tained a certain amount of carbon bisulphide as an impurity, and this was found to be the case in the material used for the shampoo, thus increasing its toxic effects. It may be taken for granted that we have not heard the end of the case, and in all probability the employment of tetrachloride in any way will shortly be hedged round with government restrictions. In an- other more recent fatality where two persons lost their lives, an explosion of petrol took place when a dry shampoo was in progress. The hair dresser said at the inquest that he held no license for petrol, which was in increasing use by ladies. It rather looks as if the whole business of dry shampooing, if the demand does not die out after these results, will have to be forbidden in stores and shops and carried on solely in premises CARBON TETRACHLORIDE. 72 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD I December i, 1909. WHITING IN MEXICO. MR. BAXTER'S RETIREMENT. subjected to inspection and by certificated operators. Anyhow, the home secretary in answer to questions put in Parliament, ha^ aid that the operators will be indicted for manslaughter in the event of am further fatalities with carbon tetrachloride. It therefore behooves rubber manufacturers to take, all possible precautions in this connection. Wrrn reference to this topic, mentioned in the October number of The India Rubber World, 1 don't know that it is quite accu- rate to use the term "whiting" for a natural product. It is usual to limit the term whiting to the product which is obtained from chalk by elutriation in water, whereby the gritty particles, sand, and the like, are removed by subsidence. Of course, the new Mexican discovery may be of a purity hitherto unknown, but as a refining plant is being put up it does not look as if it was so very superior to the ordinary chalk of England and France. To the best of my knowledge the English whiting is not obtained, as stated in the article, from a very hard lime- stone, but from the soft chalk which belongs to quite a different geological horizon. I do not know personally of any refining works on the chalk dips of Albion, but across the water in the same chalk strata Taylor & Son, an English firm, are proprietors of the Carrierer du Mont de Caux, near Dieppe, where there is a large purification plant. The price paid by rubber works for their whiting is much less than it was in days I can recall, and the margin of profit cannot be large. Of course, entire absence of grit is a most important desideratum, the color also being a gage of quality. Mr. James E. Baxter has retired from the board of the Ley- land and Birmingham Rubber Co., Limited, and Mr. R. T. Byrne has been elected chairman in his place. It will be remembered that Mr. Baxter, to whose initiative and energy is due the great development of the Leyland factory from a comparatively insignificant concern, retired some years ago from the active control, but resumed his position at a later date by the express desire of the shareholders. Lest there should be any misapprehension on the point, I may state that Mr. Baxter's withdrawal from the board is due to the multiplicity of his in- terests and engagements. These include directorships in two or three rubber planting companies, on the boards of which he can, of course, speak with a knowledge of the trade in all its bearings. The death of Mr. Herbert Wilford Brett, reported in the last India Rubber World, was a shock to his many friends, though he had been by no means in ro- bust health of late. The end came very suddenly, when he was playing billiards with Mr. H. de Courcy Hamilton, at his own house at New- bury, Berkshire. Mr. Brett, who was a clergyman's son, is said to have amassed a fortune in connection with rubber plant- ing companies, being on the boards of a large number. Mr. Hamilton, a relative of General Sir Bruce Hamilton, has had a long experience as a planter, notably in the West India islands. He is now a director of three or four rubber planting companies, and has just left England for Ceylon and Sumatra in connection with their interests. Lord Kingsale, who appeared as chairman on the prospectus of the Ivory Coast Rubber Estates, Limited, is the premier baron in the Irish peerage, the creation dating from 1187, though some authorities put the date of the actual patent some forty years later. He has the hereditary privilege of keeping his hat on in the presence of royalty. Certain statements in the pros- pectus and the previous newspaper paragraphs have been some- what severely criticized by competent authorities, but those who know anything about company flotations will attribute these statements to the actual promoters rather than to the directorate. Mr. Harvey Du Cros is to be entertained at dinner and have a presentation made to him on November 19. at the Hotel Cecil, London, to commemorate the twenty-first anniversary of the introduction of the pneumatic tire. This date is the first day of the Stanley Cycle Show. PERSONAL MENTION. AMERICANS IN SCOTCH RUBBER MILLS- I N the official Daily Consular and Trade Reports, published at * Washington, in the issue of November 15, appears the fol- lowing report by the United States consul at Edinburgh — Mr. Rufus Fleming — in regard to the introduction of American men and ideas into Scotch factories: "( hie of the important industries in this district is the manu- facture of india-rubber goods. The estimated value of the products of this industry (chiefly overshoes and waterproof coats) in the calendar year 1907 was $5,800,000. The principal market for these goods is the United Kingdom, but for many years the manufacturers have made large sales abroad, princi- pally in Russia, China, Germany and France. "The leading article exported has been footwear. American and other foreign competition in the British market and abroad, especially in light-weight rubbers, has had a serious effect upon the Scotch industry, as indicated by the fact that the exports of rubber manufactures at Leith, the port town of Edinburgh, fell from $1,095,390 in 1907 to $464,731 in 1908. For the most part this drop in the export trade was due, I am informed, to a decline in the demand from the Far East. Although the home trade did not suffer nearly so severe a reduction, there was a marked decline, owing to the general financial depression last year as well as to outside competition. "One of the results of this unsatisfactory condition is ob- served in the efforts of manufacturers to reorganize the in- dustry on American lines. To this end they are employing American experts to take charge of the principal departments of manufacture. A prominent rubber company in this city recently engaged three men of long experience in New Engl- land mills, at salaries much higher than the British standard. This enterprise of Scotch manufacturers makes it clear that they recognize the necessity of organizing their establishments on the American plan, if not of copying the American styles of goods." The following note from The India Rubber World of October 1 may be reread witli interest in connection with the report above: Mr. Alexander Johnston, general works superintendent of the North British Rubber Co., Limited, of Edinburgh, was a visitor to the United States during the past month. THE RUBBER INTEREST IN JAPAN. RECENTLY issued official trade statistics of Japan show the value of imports of crude india-rubber and gutta-percha to have been as follows, the figures indicating yen [1 yen = 50 cents, gold] : 1907. 1908. From Dutch East Indies I334&6 335.545 I'r. mi Straits Settlements 31S.265 205,161 From Great Britain 97.684 184,293 I 1 111 United States 145,841 101,291 From British India 53>Io6 35,720 From Germany 1 1,357 8,022 From other countries 13.975 16,546 Total 770.714 886,758 The imports of two lines of manufactures involving more or less rubber were as follows, values being stated in yen : 1907. 1908. Submarine and underground wires 1,333,144 420,277 Insulated electric wires 1,129,568 1,446,852 Under these heads the largest share came from Great Britain, with the United States second and Germany third. The establishment of a rubber reclaiming plant is being con- sidered by an important firm in Japan. I >l i EMBER I, IQOg.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 73 Some Rubber Interests in Europe. REPORT OF THE HARBURG-VIENN A COMPANY. THE directors of Vereinigte Gummiwaaren-Fabriken Har- hv.rg- \\ ien (vormals Menier — J. N. Reithoffer), Aktien-' -1 iellschaft, reporting for the thirty-seventh business year of the company, ended June 30, 1909, call attention to the un- favorable trading conditions of the preceding year, which to a certain extent have continued. Particularly, the weather was not such as to favor the sale of rubber footwear. On the whole, the sales from their three manufacturing plants were 15 per cent, less in money value than during the previous year. The profits, however, were larger, due to the fact that most of the manufacturing difficulties encountered since the disastrous fire [see The India Rubber World, December 1, 1905 — page 55] had been fully recovered from before the beginning of the vear under review. They were, moreover, able to make goods for part of the year from raw materials which had been purchased at comparatively low prices. The Austrian Kartell (trade agree- ment ) operated satisfactorily, although prices in the dual mon- archy still suffered through foreign competition. The report contains some interesting particulars regarding the "participa- tion" of the Harburg- Vienna company in other corporaii 115 : r. Internationale Galolith-Gesellschaft Hoff & Co.. Harburg and Pans. — This company started in the beginning of the business year manu- facturing operations in all the departments of the new Harburg works, located near the wharves. The generally prevailing unfavorable business conditions likewise affected the company's business to some extent, and the total sales consequently have not reached last year's figures. However, the business produced satisfactory results, because the improved technical arrangements exerted a favorable influence on the profits. Although ample contributions were made to the sinking fund, the dividend declared for the current book year again amounted to 10 per cent. Business showed increased activity during the present year, and the outlook for the com- pany's business may consequently be considered favorable. II. The Compania Explotadora de Caucho Mexicano, of Mexico, was this year again unable to declare a dividend, the output of guayule rubbe r having been smaller than last year, in consequence of the necessity of stopping the manufacturing plant on various occasions. The adoption of a new chemical process failed to produce the expected results, and the old process has consequently been used exclusively. In view of there circum- stances, we consider it necessary to contribute a considerable amount to the sinking fund of the Participation Account, and propose that 200.000 marks [= $47,642] of the profits carried forward to new account be used for that purpose. III. Kautschuk-gesellschaft Schon & Co., Harburg. — On account of our participation in this company, we have paid into the said concern, up to July 1 of the current year, the sum of 490,000 marks [=$116,722.90]. The works have been in operation for the past five months, and as they are making a product of good quality, we consider the outlook of this company to be favorable. IV. Harburg and Vienna India Rubber Co. (of Great Britain), Limited. — This company, into which our former London agency has been converted, has likewise suffered from the generally prevailing un- satisfactory business conditions, as appears from the decrease in sales. The company's operations, never- theless, produced satisfactory results. It will lie remembered that last year the company paid no dividend, but devoted the year's profits to strengthening their position in various ways made desirable by the result of the fire and the consequent interruption of trade. This year the net profit is 541,220.90 marks [=$128,816.57], and is dealt with as shown in the next column, including divi- dends aggregating 6 per cent, on the entire capital. The company's assets on June 30 amounted to 20.769.301. S; marks [=$4,943,093.85.] Net profit this year M 541,220.90 Dividend 5 per cent, on the entire capital 300,000.00 Less 10 per cent, commission to the directors. Dividend 1 per cent, on the entire capital. M 241,200.90 24,122.00 M 217,098.90 60,000.00 Balance to 1909-10 M 157,098.90 i he report concludes : "The business done by our works showed in a general way a slight improvement during the first few months of the current business year. Our orders for ex- port, more especially, again showed an increase, and we may expect, therefore, that sales will not fall below last year's figures. We are meeting, however, with considerable difficulties due to the abnormally high prices of crude rubber. Fine Para has advanced to 9 shillings per pound, and there has been a proportional ad- vance in the medium grades. We consider it doubtful whether there will be within the c mparatively near future any material decline from the present abnormally high rates, inasmuch as the world's consumption of rubber, which last year amounted to 62,376 tons, was 71,989 tons during the year covered by our present report, having consequently increased by about 9,600 tons, while the world's production was increased only from 66.379 tons to 70,587 tons, the increase being, therefore, about 4.200 tons. In accordance with these figures, the world's supply shows a material decrease. On June 30, 1909, the total supplies amounted, in fact, to only 5,024 tons, while they were 8,035 tons on June 30, 1908. To what extent we shall succeed in adapting our selling prices to the prevailing rates asked for the crude material will depend on the success of our efforts to establish, in conjunction with our more prominent competitors, adequately advanced selling prices for the staple goods having a large consumption. It would, however, at all events be impossible to establish advanced prices for a number of articles before Janu- ary 1, 1910." VIEW OF A GERMAN RUBBER WORKS OFFICE. Tut illustration on this page shows the interior of the private office of the managing director of Vereinigte Berlin-Frankfurter "FINE fManaging Director UPRIVER PARA" AT A GERMAN RUBBER WORKS. Spannagel, of the Vereinigte Berlin-Frankfurter Gummiwaren-Fabri- ken, at the right.] 74 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD L December i, 1909. Gummiwaren-Fabriken, at Gross-Liciiterfelde, near Berlin. This gentleman is Mr. Emil Spannagel, of whom a sketch appeared in The India Rubber World March 1. 1906 (page 186.). On his right is the technical manager of the company, Herr Kroedel, and they are supposed to be "celebrating the record price of Para at gs. 2d." The specimen of rubber shown, weighing over 150 kilograms, represented a value of over $750. This rubber is especially prepared for the Berlin-Frankfurter company in the upper Amazon region, for their use in the manufacture of cer- tain of their specialties, including the famous "Veritas" billiard table cushions. The lettering on the ball of rubber includes the trade mark of the producer, and the initials of Mr. Spannagel's company. The premises long occupied by the Berlin-Frankfurter com- pany at 70-71 Muhlenstrasse, Berlin, and which they vacated for the purpose of finding more room in Gross-Lichterfelde, have been leased for a long term to Actiengesellschaft Metzeler & Co., of Munich, who intend to erect an asbestos weaving and spinning mill on the property, and to the Chemische Fabrik G. Meyer, Jr., of Einbeck. THE HARD RUBBER INDUSTRY IN GREAT BRITAIN. The liquidation of the Scottish Vulcanite Co., Limited (Edin- burgh, Scotland), under a resolution of the shareholders dated September 12, 1907, has now been practically completed. The various properties involved are to be taken over by a new com- pany with the same name, of which the managing director will be Robert B. Black, long and extensively known in the British rubber industry. The history of the Scottish Vulcanite Co., Limited, which, by the way, was formed by Americans and at the beginning sustained close relations with the North British Rub- ber Co., Limited, was given in some detail in The India Rubber World December I, 1907 (page 75). On the whole, the company had a profitable experience. The net profits for 34 years are stated to have averaged 13 per cent, on the share capital em- ployed, which varied from £25,000 to £70,800. The new com- pany are starting with £50,000 [=$243,325] capital, in ordinary shares of £1, of which 40,000 have been offered for subscription. Mr. Black, who has been mentioned, was connected for a number of years with The Clyde Rubber Works Co., Limited (Glasgow, Scotland), of which he was secretary as early as 1886. He left this connection in 1897 to found The Rubber Co. of Scot- land, Limited (Stirling), of which he was managing director. Since the closing of the Scottish Vulvanite works there has not been in Great Britain any factory devoted exclusively to the hard rubber industry. Mr. Black is convinced, however, that the demand for hard rubber justifies the restarting of the works, and that the former customers show a disposition to revive their patronage. The ground, buildings, and machinery are valued at £63,328 and the whole property has been kept in good order. As in the past, the manufacture of celluloid will be carried on in connection with hard rubber goods. GERMAN RUBBER MANUFACTURERS IN SESSION. [FROM THE "GUMMI-ZEITUNG," NOVEMBER 5.] A meeting of the German rubber manufacturers was held to- day at the Hotel Kaiserhof, in Berlin, a large number being present. The principal purpose of the meeting was to consider the precarious condition of the crude rubber market, a fact well known in trade circles. The exceptionally large advance in the price of crude rubber, compelling manufacturers to agree on a general advance in their prices, has in the meanwhile become even more pronounced. Further advances in the prices of some of the principal manu- factured products are declared to be necessary, considering the state of the crude rubber market, and it is the consensus of opin- ion of . the assembled manufacturers that further advances must be made in the prices of all rubber goods. Dr. Voss, the commercial expert of the German consulate general in Rio de Janeiro, and Mr. D. Sandman, member of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, gave a detailed exposition of crude rubber production and the condition of the rubber plantations. Close attention was paid to their remarks, and these gentle- men received a vote of thanks from the meeting. THE GERMAN BALLOON FABRIC INDUSTRY. The Vereinigte Gummiwaren-Fabriken, Harburg-Wien, men- tioned in The India Rubber World, September I, 1909 (page 427) as prominent exhibitors of rubber baloon stuffs at the recent exhibition at Frankfort o/M., supply this paper with some further information in this connection. They have made balloons for several years at their factory in Wim- passing. Austria, besides which they have made at their factory at Marburg a/d Elbe the following balloons: Alfa 1260 cu. meters [=39,458 cu. feet]. Hansea 945 cu. meters [=29,594 cu. feet . Barmen 1680 cu. meters [=52,611 cu. feet]. Sleipner ... 945 cu. meters [=129,594 cu. feet]. Use 600 cu. meters [=18,790 cu. feet . Harburg 1260 cu. meters [=39,458 cu. feet . Besides, the Harburg-Vienna company mention having constructed the hull of a motor air ship lately completed at Elberfeld, and shortly to make a trial trip. The Continental Caoutchouc- und Guttapercha-Compagnie, of Hanover, are supplying the balloon sheeting for the aero- planes in course of construction at Pau, France, for the Wright brothers. DEATH OF GUSTAV HEYSE. On October 1/14 Mr. Gustav Heyse, manager of the Russian- American India-Rubber Co. "Treugolnik," peacefully departed this life in St. Petersburg, after a brief illness. Mr. Heyse had been connected with the company since its organization, in i860, and held the office of general manager of the works 47 years. The title of Manufakturrat was conferred upon him by the government in recognition of his beneficial efforts. As a mem- ber of the board of directors of various other large enterprises, Mr. Heyse was highly appreciated by all his associates as a busi- ness man of wide experience. In his intercourse with the factory hands under his charge, he always showed a kindly spirit, and they are indebted to his loving care for many humanitarian in- novations. We have lost in him a man of rare kindness of heart and great ability, and his death is mourned as a serious loss by all who knew him. — Gummi-Zeitung. Rubber Sample Room, Weise & Co., Rotterdam. [The establishment from the interior of which this view has been ob- tained was described in The India Rubber World, December i, 1909 — page 90.] December i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD /o Balata and Its Applications. GR0WIN5 USE OF BALATA BELTING. BALATA belting, first used in Europe in sugar beet factories, has gained ground, until it is found in nearly every form of industrial establishments. Its use has also extended to the United States, where it is asserted that several millions of feet are in use, either for driving machinery or in conveying plants. The waterproof character of balata and its capacity for resisting acids give belts treated with this material a great advantage under conditions where leather or canvas would be impracticable. Advantages are also claimed for balata belting over rubber for various purposes. The impregnation of a cotton duck belt with balata involves the solutionizing of the balata, and in this form the gum is forced into the fabric, after which it is allowed to dry. The belts are not vulcanized. Balata belting is in use to-day in very many large factories throughout the United States, in a wide variety of industries — shoemaking, hat making, bleacheries, breweries, wood working, dye houses, slaughter houses, tanneries, and so on. For conveying purposes balata has found a wide use, in mines particularly. For the most part the balata belting used is imported. The European balata industry was reviewed in The India Rubber World, February 1, 1908 (page 150). THE MERITS OF BALATA BELTING. To the Editor of The India Rubber World : The occasional appearance in your pages of references to balata belting for ma- chinery suggests to us that perhaps your readers would be in- terested in something further on the subject. Being probably the largest importers of this type of belting into the United States, the firm now writing you naturally would like to see the widest possible sale of the class of goods referred to. Yet it must be admitted that all the makes of balata belting have certain limitations. For instance, if balata belting be run into a room where there is more or less steam present, it dis- integrates the plies. Balata should not be used in temperature over 100 degs. to give the satisfaction and secure the length that this belting should give. Doubtless users of every make of balata belting imported into the United States have had trouble at some time or other for the following reason : Many American manufacturers seem to think that a belt is a belt. They put it on any old machine, in any old place, and if it doesn't last as long as some other belt specially adapted for the machine, they say the belt is no good. Every belt, the same as every other article in industrial use, is best adapted for certain conditions, and when properly chosen will give better service than any other belt. In many places a balata belt, for example, cannot compete with leather or rawhide ; in many other places a balata is far superior to leather or rawhide. Such balata belting as is now made in Europe we find has a great tensile strength, and such belting, owing to the balata compound with which it is impregnated imparts a surface to the pulley which makes it one of the finest pulling belts in the world. We have made the claim many times that if a cus- tomer would take into consideration the increased efficiency caused by the balata belting giving an extra amount of pulling power from the main shaft to the machine, this element alone would be found almost to cover the cost of the belt. Owing to the balata compound working constantly through the belting the latter clings to the pulley, so that it is the finest running belt that can be found. We have had a balata belt run at a very high rate of speed on 100 feet centers without the slightest waver. One advantage of the balata belt lies in the fact that while there is any belt left no dressing is required, as the balata compound keeps the belt soft and pliable until it is worn out. Most other kinds of belting require a large amount of dressing. For such places as dye works, acid works, ammonia works, and the like, balata belting stands absolutely at the head of the list, for the reason that extreme cold or dampness does not affect it. an importer. Xevv York, November 12, 1909. BALATA RESOURCES OF BRITISH GUIANA. Not only does British Guiana hold first rank in the production of balata gum today, but there are indications that the balata interest in this colony is on the eve of an important development. In answer to the question why British Guiana has not been better developed in respect of balata and india-rubber, it is pointed out that up to the end of 1907 concessionaires for col- lecting balata in the forests were only granted licenses practically from year to year, or at the utmost for three years. Naturally capital hesitated to embark in enterprises dependent upon a tenure of this description. The laws since have been altered so as to grant rubber and balata licenses for 15 years, and as these licenses are renew- able, with the approval of the government, which approval is not likely to be refused, this constitutes practically a freehold tenure. Already an increased output of balata has resulted. Whereas, formerly the exports did not exceed 500,000 pounds in a year average, they have been during the last three fiscal years 634,242 pounds, 973,269 pounds, and 1,090,405 pounds, respectively. In view of the improved conditions of land tenure, mentioned already, and encouraged by the evident growing demand for balata in the industries, the extraction of this material is now being planned under a better system than formerly, through the consolidation of the producing interests, permitting the work to be carried on on a larger scale. A notable new enterprise in this connection is The Consolidated Rubber and Balata Es- tates, Limited, registered lately in London, with £250,000 [=$1,216,625] capital. The purpose has been to acquire the balata concessions held by a number of going concerns, some of them long established, including — Garnet's Balata Co., Limited, who produced 218,112 pounds of balata in 1908; S. Davson & Co., Limited, 150,396 pounds; McKinnon & Co., 141,050 pounds; Downer & Co., 114,256 pounds; The New Essequibo Exploration Co., Limited, and The Balata and Rubber Corporation, Limited, formed recently to acquire the licenses held by six other companies. The latter corporation gathered during the year about 67,000 pounds of balata and over 6,000 pounds of rubber. In the aggregate the balata production of the combination to be effected by the new company was, for 1908. nearly 690,000 pounds, and their plans look to the pro- duction next year of more than 1,000,000 pounds. Among the statements of interest in the prospectus of The Consolidated Rubber and Balata Estates, Limited, is that the balata tree grows in belts, instead of being scattered generally through the forest. Some of the belts are very small in extent, while others embrace tens of thousands of trees, which grow to an enormous size. The tree is best tapped only once in five years, but the yield is 40 or 50 pounds in one season. It may be added here that the terms of the licenses granted include regulations in respect of the method of bleeding the trees. No tree may be tapped which does not measure 36 inches in girth at 4 feet from the ground. A fine of $48 is imposed for any violation of the tapping regulations. Without doubt a great deal of native Hevea rubber exists in British Guiana, and the new company expect to develop an important rubber interest. There is a disposition to engage in planting rubber, which is encouraged by the new land laws. 76 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [December i. 1909. Forward Sales of Plantation Rubber. THE subject of the forward selling of rubber, as now en- gaged in by leading planting companies in Ceylon, has been widely discussed in the press of that colony. The practice and its possible results is one of widespread interest, as having a hearing upon the question whether ultimately rubber consumers may be able to depend upon covering their wants at a fixed price for months or even a year ahead — something which in the past never has been practicable. On this page appear some extracts from The Times of Ceylon, published at Colombo. First is a letter addressed to the editor, which is self explana- tory ; it appeared in the issue of July 24 last : FORWARD SELLING OF RUBBER— ANOTHER COMPLAINT. Sib: I think it is high time that shareholders protested against directors making forward contracts for the sale of companies' rubber crops. What right have directors to speculate with shareholders' property? For it is just as much speculation to sell, because you think that prices may fall lower, as to buy because you think prices may go up. The proof that it is not legal, or considered the correct thing, is furnished by the fact that English companies don't dc it; and I fancy that the directors of some of the Ceylon companies would find themselves m a very awkward position if recalcitrant shareholders took steps to enforce their directors making good the loss the com- panies sustain by such forward sales. Buyers of rubber in large quantities would not be likely to enter into these forward contracts unless they were pretty sure that the prices were going to be higher, and I fancy American experts know more about these things than Ceylon directors. Yours, etc., A Discontented Shareholder. Up-country, Tulv 23. * * * The next article appeared as the leading editorial in The 'I lines 0] ( eylon of October 1, being suggested by a letter from New York which, while unsigned as it appeared in print, evi- dently i-. from the leading American firm buying Ceylon rubber en forward contracts. The article is given below in full, in- cluding the New York letter referred to. * * * FORWARD SALES OF RUBBER. LFROM THE CEYLON PAPER'S EDITORIAL.] We have received from the American firm whose Ceylon agents. .Messrs. C. W. Mackie & Co., put through the contracts for the sale of the 1910 crops of several Ceylon estates, an interesting communication in reply to a letter, condemning for- ward sales, which was published on July 24 in our columns. The grievance of our correspondent was against the Ceylon directors who made Icontrapts forward, and he questioned whether they could not be compelled to make good to share- holders any htsse-s which such forward selling might cause. He contended that the fact that London did not go in for forward contracts supported his opinion that it was not good business, whilst lie thought that the purchaser of the crop forward was hound to be satisfied that he was making a very good bargain. The letter from the American buyer is as follows, name and address being omitted : To the Editor. Times of Ceylon Dear Sir: Referring to the com- plaint "i youi correspondent who, writing July 23 last, used the nom- plume "A 1 iscortented Shareholder," I beg to state that purchasers of next year's rubbei e been actuated mainly by the desire ■ supplies. i li di muni appears to be in excess of the supply, and New York houses have hrul the prudence to lay in stocks in time. Ot course, in so doing they have had to take chances of decline in the market, but thereby they have eased the risk of the planters. As a matter of fact, the rubber has not been bought hy speculators to hold, but has either been bought to cover sales actually made to manu- facturers, or has at least been turned over to manufacturers imme- diately after purchase, and that at a price just sufficient to clear charges and give the purchaser a fair commission. As the larger part of the American purchases of 1010 rubber has been made through ray agency I am in a position t<> speak with some authority. At the same time if planters will refuse to sell forward it will make business much easier fur us. It is much easier to sell rubber for prompt shipment at market prices than to sell futures without knowing what will happen in the commercial world in the meantime. New York, September 2, 1909. This, so far as we are aware, is the first statement of the situation from the point of view of the buyer of crops forward, r.nd it is a thoroughly satisfactory and straightforward one. In the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom and on the Continent — because the sale of Ceylon rubber crops for 1910 has not been confined to one country — manufacturers have for some months past had serious misgivings as to the supply of rubber being equal to the demand in 1910, and they have accord- ingly taken steps to guarantee their own needs being satisfied. This explanation, we are quite well aware, will not be accept- able to a good many people who are firmly convinced that natural causes are playing a comparatively small part in the present state of the rubber market, whilst speculation is the principal factor. But. even allowing that far seeing operators on the rubber market foresaw the possibilities that lay ahead when the United States recovered from its financial prostration, and thus man- aged to some extent to control the situation, there is still an admitted shortage of available rubber, and the manufacturer who takes the leng view and buys ahead can defend his action by sound reasoning. They fully realize that there is a chance ol the market being a cheaper one next year, but prefer to take that risk and be sure of having the stock they require than to stay with the market and stand what they consider to be a con- siderably greater risk. The concluding sentences in the above letter point out the risks which the buyer of forward crops runs, and there is a curious suggestion that it is the wicked planter who is responsi- ble for forward contracts, and that, if he would only refuse to sell crops forward, the buyers of rubber would be delighted, as they are not in love with "futures." * * * The "discontented shareholder" wrote again to the Times, pi tinting out the difference between results of one company this year and what they might have been, had not the company's directors sold rubber ahead, instead of waiting to sell at current prices. The final comment by the editor was : "That sellers of the crops did not do so badly is well brought '■ut in our correspondent's argument, for his whole grievance appears to be that one Ceylon company will only earn 100 per cent for the year, instead of 150 per cent., upon which calami- tous state of things it is clear that the shareholders are entitled to our deepest sympathy." THE RIVAL RUBBER MARKETS. ""THIS is from a leading article in The Times, of Ceylon: •*• "Everything points to the rapid growth of the Colombo rubber market, as the advantages on the side of selling in Co- lombo are in many respects identical with the case of tea. The claims of London in the matter have disappeared with her monopoly of distribution. It is now accepted by a majority of producers that they can get better prices for their tea in Colombo, where it is brought on orders from London, Australia, America, and Russia, than in London. Since rubber is already being shipped direct to Antwerp and Xew York from Colombo there is the same likelihood of a healthier competition here, while the inconvenience and cost of transshipment and, above all, the excessive agents' charges in London, are saved. For the present the growth of the market has been arrested by the large amount of forward selling on contract, but it is bound December i, 1909.] THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 77 to take a leap forward as soon as the supplies increase and the market settles down to its normal state." The entrance of plantation rubber upon the Antwerp market is due to the importance of the investments of Belgian capital in Malaysian plantations, the products of which as naturally find their way to Antwerp as British grown rubber to London. At the November Antwerp auction 36 tons of Malaysian rubber was offered. But as has been seen, not even London attracts plantation rubber from Ceyli n when it is to the interest of planters or merchants there to ship direct to America, as is now being done extensively. The Ceylon papers print regularly details of shipments of rubber direct to New York, and it does not appear improbable that before many years large estates in the Far East will be selling rubber direct to consumers, in what- ever country they may be found, without reference to London. And now comes Mr. W. Shakespeare, one of the Ceylon com- missioners to the London Rubber Exhibition, who says in The Times of Ceylon that "there is every probability of the estab- lishment of a plantation rubber auction" in Liverpool, in oppo- sition to that in London. The freight from Colombo to Liver- pool is the same as to London. MOKE FORWARD SALES. The Periyan Rubber Co., Limited, of Ceylon, have contracted for the sale of their 1910 crop up to 50,000 pounds, for Colombo delivery at 5.40 rupees[=$i./5.2] per pound. The estimated crop for this year, which is not being sold on contract, is 32,500 pounds; next year's crop is expected to reach 100,000 pounds. No dividend has been paid yet, but in view of the facts here stated the company's 100 rupee shares lately were being quoted at 530, with sales at that price. The Grand Central Rubber Co., Limited, have ?old their sec- ond grade crop of 1910 to a local house at 4.50 rupees [=$1.46]. The Uva Rubber Co., Limited, of Ceylon, have contracted for the sale of their 1910 crop of best biscuit, or sheet rubber, Colombo delivery, up to 10,000 pounds, at 5.05 rupees [=$1.63.8]. Mention is made of a sale of rubber at Colombo on Septem- ber 20 at 6.10 rupees [=$1.98]. The Times of Ceylon (September 30) said : "Locally, there is a very strong demand for rubber in small parcels or large. No 191 1 crops have as yet been sold, but this development is soon expected." The Klanang Produce Co., Limited, are reported from London to have sold their 1910 crop of sheet rubber at 7s. Sd. [=$1.86.5] and crepe at ys. [=$1.70.2] — the highest figures for forward sales yet quoted. WHAT "SYNTHETIC" RUBBER LACKS. stitutes hitherto discovered meet these requirements to any great extent." A RECENT issue of The Financier (London) contains a *■ communication from which this pointed extract is made : "I venture to think that people who talk so glibly about the danger to the rubber- growing industry, owing to the fears of a 'synthetic' rubber being discovered which will compete with the natural product, have overlooked several important points in connection with rubber which do not apply to other articles that have been imitated successfully by chemists. In the case of indigo, for instance, that was merely a dye, and it was only the color which the indigo plant gave which rendered it so valuable, until a substitute was discovered. I have talked this matter over with two leading analytical chemists of large experience, and they both agree, that, while it is possible to imitate chemically almost any natural substance that is known, yet that, in regard to rubber (even if the cost were not prohibitive), there are mechanical qualities essential to the successful imitation which cannot be put in artificially, and are only the result of nature's growth. Rubber, to be a commercial success, requires tensile strength, resiliency, elasticity and durability; it is the combina- tion of these qualities which makes rubber so important in the manufacturing world. So far, I understand, none of the suh- THE VISCOSITY OF INDIA-RUBBER. BY PHILI1' SCH1DROWITZ, PH.D.. F.C.S. IN January of this year I published, in collaboration with Mr. H. A. Goldsborough, a paper under the heading "The Vis- cosity of India-Rubber and India-Rubber Solutions" in the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry. The paper had special reference to the bearing of viscosity of india-rubber solutions on the strength of "nerve" of rubber. Since this paper appeared we have carried out a further extensive series of experiments, full details of which will be published later on, but the subject is of such practical importance to the producer of raw rubber and to the manufacturer, that I may be excused for stating briefly the general trend of the further results obtained. In the first place, I may say that the opinions which I expressed regarding the probable practical aspect of testing raw rubber by the viscosity method has been amply confirmed, and the application of the viscosity test in the commercial examination of crude rubbers has become a matter of everyday occurrence in my laboratory. I have no longer the slightest doubt that this method is practicable in its application and practical in its bear- ing. In regard to most crude rubbers, and particularly in regard to the new varieties or forms which are constantly appearing on the market, it is in my opinion the only method which enables one rapidly to ascertain the relative strength or "nerve" of the samples. This is obviously a matter of importance to the mid- dleman or to the manufacturer, who has either not the facilities or not the time to carry out satisfactory vulcanization experi- ments. Again we have found the method to be of considerable prac- tical value where there is a question of differentiating between various methods of coagulation in the case of the raw product, and of selecting the most suitable method. Here again the vis cosity method is the only one which permits of a rapid and prac- tical estimate of nerve. In cases where such determinations can be amplified by vulcanization experiments, so much the better, but in the majority of cases arising in practice I have found that this is out of the question. Again I have found that the test is useful to indicate how washed or crude rubber in stock is be- having, i. e., whether it is improving or deteriorating. The method should, I think, also be of aid to the producer of raw rubber for the purpose of controlling his manufacture. There appears to be a distinct variation between different species of rubbers as regards their viscosities; for instance, whereas we obtain from the finest Brazilian specimens of Hevea viscosities not ranging higher than 14,000, clean African Funtu- mia, if properly prepared, will range as high as 20,000. It is possi- ble that the reason for this is that as Harries has suggested, the actual rubber molecule is different in different species. For the present I think it is advisable in regard to judging crude rubber by the viscosity method from the point of view of ascertaining the strength of the final vulcanized product, to compare only varieties of the same species and not different species with one another, although even as between species and species it will probably hold good, broadly speaking, that rubbers showing high viscosities will give stronger goods than those which give lower viscosities. In addition, I should like to point out that the vis- cosity numbers given in the first paper on this subject (see above) are, for reasons already indicated there, too low. Roughly speaking, I expect for good Brazilian Hevea a viscosity of 10,000 to 12,000; plantation Heveas range from 4,000 up to about 11,000; good class Futumia will give from 15,000 to 20,000. Further details regarding the matters referred to in this brief note will be published later on. London, October 29, 190Q. 78 THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD [December i, 1909. Some Sources of Crude Rubber. AN AMERICAN FIRM IN THE PARA TRADE. THE president of Brazil has signed a decree authorizing the operation in that republic of Leite & Co., Incorporated, a corporation under the laws of Delaware, one of the United States of America. The purpose of the company is to acquire and take over the business of Joaquim M. Leite and Angelo A. Leite, constituting hitherto the firm of Leite & Co., merchants at Para Brazil. The initial capital stated is $3,100, in shares of $100. The duration of the company is not stated. The name of Leite has long figured importantly in the rubber trade on the Amazon, and it may be mentioned that during the last business year the firm of Leite & Co. stood tenth in a list of 101 receivers of rubber taken into account at Manaos, some 620 tons being credited to them. A recent volume of Amazon views shows two steamers, which the firm keep em- ployed in their trade on the Amazon, of 322 and 338 tons re- spectively. It was through this firm and on one of these steamers (the Eurico) that was shipped the enormous piece of rubber mentioned in The India Rubber World, May 1, 1909 (page 298). Leite & Co., originally and still owners of seringaes upriver, and particularly in the Acre district, have be- come important aviadores as well ; they are thus producers of rubber to a large extent, and in a position to export rubber on the best terms possible under the Brazilian customs regulations. In other words, their position is comparable with that of the Alves Braga Rubber Estates and Trading Co., Limited, another Amazon firm lately registered as a public company under the English laws. Firms and corporations wholly Brazilian are not required to secure the sanction of the federal government to do business in Brazil ; this requirement exists only with regard to companies having a legal domicile abroad, as in the case of Leite & Co. and the Alves Braga company. The amount of capital mentioned in the initial papers ($3,100) of course bears no relation to the scope of the business of Leite & Co. PROFITS OF THE ALVES BRAGA COMPANY. The statements w : hich appeared recently in The India Rubber World regarding the new regime in the Amazon regions, under which the crude rubber interest is becoming concentrated and more systematic methods adopted, have further confirmation in the statements made public at the first annual meeting of the Alves Braga Rubber Estates and Trading Co., Limited (London, November 9). This is now an English public company, formed to acquire and continue a long established business on the Am- azon [see The India Rubber World, September 1. 1909 — page 421]. The authorized capital is £440,000 [=$2,141,260], of which practically no shares have been issued except en account of purchase of the business of Alves Braga & Co. The amount issued or to be issued on this account is £300,000 [=$1,459,950], no