The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-23
BIG PROFITS PAST
PNEUMATIC TIRE MAKERS NO
LONGER GROW RICH UPON
THE TRADE,
so ABRAHAM WILLIS SAYS,
In SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE
DEMAND CROWDS THEM
STREET CARS IN TORONTO.
so ABRAHAM WILLIS SAYS
They Will No Longer BE Idle, Ac-
cording to M. Tueneau, of That
City.

'"The day of large profits in the manu-
facture Of pneumatic tires for bicycles
has gone past" remarked Abraham
Willis, Of New York, at the Merchants
yesterday.
During the last few years the trade
has changed dts conditions materially.
Like all other branches Of trade and
manufacture, competition and improved
machinery get in their deadly work in
reducing profits. Monopoly on any one
line Of work cannot long exist, when
the real Yankee sets about to improve
and better it. -
1.-The process Is radically different
from that of few years ago. Now
adays, in order to turn out large
order lin a short time, heavy outlay
and investment of money Is necessary.
It Is an expensive undertaking. The
vulcanized moulds in which the tires
are cast are very expensive, and have
to be frequently changed and altered
In order to suit the new styles and sizes
of tires.
Taking the manufacture from the
first point, It lis an interesting process.
When the raw rubber is opened for use,
It Is first thoroughly washed and scrub
bed in hot water In order to remove the
dirt and gritty substances. The rubber
is then broken up and passed between
powerful rollers to come out on the
other side in the form of a thin, clear
sheet, wholly purified. The drying pro-
cess comes next.
'Tt Is q, slow process and requires from
four tn six days. Following this, the
rubber is thoroughly washed. again ana
converted into a thick paste with the
use of naphtha. A sufficient quantity
of sulphur is used in order to have the
proper effect in the process OF vulcanlz-
alton. Then the rubber is spread over
a sheet Of linen, evenly, by special ma
chinery, and then run back and forth
over heated rollers to remove the napn-
tha from the PASTE The rubber hard
ems and becomes firm and solid. STRIPS
about eight inches wide are then cut
from the sheets, and the next process
is the vulcanizattion. It requires great
skill and watchfulness. The linen strips
upon which the sheet Of rubber has
been spread are removed prior to the
vulcaniZation. After being placed III
the moulds the rubber Is subjected to
a heat of 280 degrees for an hour or
two The effect of this treatment is TO
render the rubber permanently elastic
Neither heat or cold Will nave 1urther
effect upon the tires. Great care has to
be taken in the process that the rubber
paste is not too damp. Moisture would
cause blistering in the vulcanizlng
process A tire which is blistered can
never be used for any purpose. The
rubber after being vulcanized, cannot
again be dissolved by the use OF naph-
tha. This is the principal item OF loss
in connection with the manufacture or
tires The tires are sometimes ground
sup and used foe other purposes.
"It has often been claimed that the
use of sulphur in the process OF vul-
canization has an injurious effect upon
the lasting qualities Of the tire. Usual
ly about 8 per cent of sulphur is used,
but it often happens that, through
mistake. a larger quantity is used
Light and air also have bad inf1u-
ence upon the vulcanized rubber, but,
up to the present time, there appears to
be no way of conducting the process
without the use Of sulphur. There Is
d IOIluIS III IL AOA SAAS AAAS~AA ''N~N ''->> -
vent a new way Of doing 1t,
"All Of the factories in the United
States and abroad are overrun with
orders" said Mr.. Willis. "The demand
is constantly increasing. Nothing but
the best kind Of rubber is used, and
this creates a scarcity of the article
for use in other directions"
Mr.. Oueneau, wife and daughter, Of
Toronto. arrived in the city last even
| ing from Spokane on their way East.
M. Queneau is a wealthy Frenchman
living in Toronto, and Is interested, to
a large extent, in the new mining
country Of British Columbia. To a
reporter for the G o b e, Mr.. Queneau
said last evening that he expected great a.
DEVELOPMENTS during the summer
months. He had invested large sums
at Train and Boundary Creek. He
believes that the latter camp will dou-
BILE in population and vaule within
the next few months.
Speaking Of Toronto, Mr.. Queneau
said that matters in Toronto were
quiet, and that real estate could be
bought cheaply. The people Ia that
city are greatly interested in the Sun
day street car car proposition. Such
an interest was taken prior to the re-
cent election that the women asked for
the privilege of voting on the question,
and the request was granted. Mr. Que
neau says that the running Of the
street cars in Toronto on Sunday will
be indorsed by all Of the business men
of the city. Sunday is a very dull and
unpleasant day In Toronto to hundreds
of people whoel desire an outing. In
the summer months the people go by
boatload across Lake Erie and spend
the day at Niagara falls, which is but
three hours ride from Toronto.
Il
Representative D. M. Gum, Of Grand
Rapids, Itasca county, came to ST.
Paul yesterday from his home, and will
leave this afternoon for the Pacific
coast, where he will join his fellow
representatives, Dare, Of Sherburne,
and Ferris, of Crow Wing, who are in
Seattle.
Representative Mcneil, Of Alexan-
dria, also spent yesterday in this city.
w. H. Robinson, of Mayville, is at the
Ryan.
L. S. Judson, of Austin, is a guest at the
Windsor.
James D. Hodge, Of Seattle, is at the Ryan.
G. G. Knapp Moorers; B. Bear, Cincinnati;