The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-01-02
HELPS THE RUBBER MARKET.
An Enormous Amount Used for Ri.
cycle Tires.

cycle Tires.
The spread of the bicycle fever has
had marked effect on the rubber trade
in this country within the past year or
two, and especially within Il few
months. The rubber required for the
tires Of bicycles amounts in the aggre-
gate to hundreds of tons annually. and
the demand for it increases almost in
geometrical progression, for as soon as
Il member Of a family buys a wheel
the others, as a general thing. soon do
likewise. The demands of the bicycle
factories We're not felt particularly in
the United States until last year, when
the extraordinary rush to buy wheels
caused the manufacturers to call for
large quantities Of rubber for use In
the manufacture Of tires for the new
wheels In the first instance, and then
for more to supply the place of tires
punctured. Then, as the wheeling fad
still extended itself, came further calls,
until it is said by a well-known rubber
man that the bicycle business has made
a difference within eighteen months Of
probably $4,000 900 to the crude rubber
trade.
Previous to that time the sales to BIZ
cycle men attracted no special attention
here, among the many industries in
which rubber Is used, but it is probable
that in Europe the gradual growth in
the demand has been felt somewhat
earlier. When the demand vas felt
here in it's full strength during the pres
ent year it drew on some of the old
stock. The year 1894 vas Il poor bust
ness year, and at the end Of December
there We're more than 100000 pounds
Of Para rubber ON hand in the United
States. Old stock in the rubber trade
does no mean the same as it @ in
some other businesses. Old rubber is
more valuable than new. being record
ed at present at so cents a pound, while
the price Of new rubber is II cents. The
tire manufacturers require the best
rubber, that Is, Para. For the outer
rim the finest grade is not used, as one
that takes up more amalgam serves
better, but for the air tube the best
rubber Is essential.
"a 10 tJ W NlC aCSo ~ Wv
bicycle factories are difficult to get at,
but it is estimated that they Used 1,OOO,-
900 or /, 100000 pounds more during the
past year than in the previous year.
Some importers have endeavored to
get data to the probable consumption
by these buyers during the coming
year, but they find this not easy to do.
Apparently. the bicycle makers are not
giving out much about their business.
1t Is estimated, however, that the in
crease in the consumption by these fac
tories this coming year will be double
the increase Of last year. The factories
are getting ready now for the 1896
wheels, but not many Of them are buy
ing rubber for those wheels, as the tire
Is about the last thing they put IN
place. They are buying rubber for the
immediate Deliveries, which are large.
The price of rubber has advanced 7
or 8 cents a pound since June, but the
bicycle makers do not seem to be pay
ing much attention to that. Some Of
them think the advance may continue,
but others look for a decline. In this
latter view they are not encouraged by
the sellers, but it is said that the dispo-
sition to hold off and buy only as needs
require Is pretty general. Rubber was
down to 81 cents in 1889, and has varied
between go and 70 cents up to this year,
but some rubber manufacturers point
out that the price has been pushed high
owing to various causes in other times,
only to fall again suddenly. 1t is said
hat most Of the rubber bought by the
bicycle makers now is for the immedi-
ate orders and the replacing Of used-up
tires, but at the same time the makers
have begun work on the next seasons
wheel output much earlier than usual.
It has been the custom, It Is said, for
the manufacturers to wait until the bi-
cycle show in Madison Square Garden
in the winter before beginning to turn
out the following seasons supply Of
wheels, but they were caught so short
this past year that they have begun al
ready preparations for the 1896 output.
The worlds consumption of rubber
Is about 10000 tons annually. and Of
this amount about $4,000 tons is used
in the United States, 1t is said. OF the
Para production this country gets more
than half. Para's total exports of rub
Der in 1894 amounted to 4O.S1O.OOO
pounds came to the United States
New York Sun.
Novel Postal Service.