Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-02
Their Use in Augusta Is Rap
idly Increasing.
The Process Of Manufacturing Them
Has Interesting Points.
Secrets in Chemicals Used Are Very Closely
Guarded by Manufacturers.

factory here in this city the subject is
Of interest to the Journal readers
Less than five years ago rubber
tired vehicle in this city was rare
sight. So seldom was one seen that it
attracted attention whenever it passed
quietly along over the paved streets.
Early in 1899 it was said that there
We're in the United States 100000
vehicles of different descriptions fitted
with rubber tires from the pony cart
to the heavy mail wagon. and sfrom a
light two-wheeled racing sulky to the
heavy automobile or fire engine. Year
by year the demand for the rubber tire
assert that it is but a matter of few
years before the old-fashioned heavy
steel and iron tire will be thing of
the past.
To the use of rubber tires on bicycles
and the many improvements that have
been made on them in recent years is
mainly attributed the placing of rub
Der tires on vehicles Of all kinds. Al
though it is over Is years since manu-
facturers began to equip bicycles with
cushion tires it was not until five
years ago that rubber tires were used
even to nominal extent on carriages.
1t is true that in England some
vehicles We're fitted with rubber tires.
to be troublesome and did not come
into general use. They We're known as
the "Old English tire" A steel rim
was attached to the wheel and the
edge of the rim turned up in half
circle. Into this groove, thus made.
the rubber tire, which was shaped
provision was made for joining the
ends of the tire where they met and
of annoyance. Any unusual jolt would
loosen the ends from the steel retain
ing band to be later replaced by
wrench made especially for that pur-
pose.
Generally speaking. there are three
kinds of rubber tires as used on
vehicles. namely: The pneumatic,
which are used on bicycles, autonlo--.
biles and racing sulkies; cushion,
which are round tires. attached by a
single wire and used in carriages of
the lightest kind. and the solid rubber
on pleasure carriages of all kinds,
cabs. coaches, doctors gigs. etc. 1t is
of the last named variety that this ar
tiCle has to deal
Many varieties of rubber are used in
the manufacture of the tire. but one
product the Para. is said to be the
most suitable of the many fine va
rieties which come from Brazil,
Guiana. Peru. Africa and the East In
dies. The rubber or caoutchouc, is
made from the milky juice from
number Of trees, the juice having been
thickened to a consistency consider
ably firmer than jelly, by evaporation.
The trees are tapped in the morning,
and during the day the fluid is re-
ceived in clay vessels. The natives
then dip sticks into the fluid. to which
it adheres in large chunks 1t is then
evaporated over fire of burning
leaves and carried to the exporting
companies on the seaboard. Owing to
the fact that no white laborers can
exist long in the locations where
Caoutchouc is obtained. and to the dis
inclination of the natives to work any
more than is necessary. the product is
rather expensive. Two years ago fine
Para caoutchouc was quoted in this
city at 80 cents pound: now the price
is $1.09 per pound. The exporting COM
panies are careful to keep it as moist
as possible. and consequently the buy
ers have to stand a large loss in it's
drying on the way here. 1t loses dur
ing the time consumed in transporta-
ton from IS to 81 per cent: of its value.
At factory where rubber tires are
manufactured the crude caoutchouc is
first placed in large vat of water and
thoroughly washed Quantities weigh
ing from 10 to 20 pounds are then
thrown upon a machine with corrugat-
ed cylinders, between which it is fiat
tened out into rough and ragged
sheets. and it is then thoroughly
washed again, this time by attempting
to work the material while it is from
a considerable height. After the sec
ond washing process the substance
looks not unlike dirty wool. 1t is run
through the "fiattening' machine sew
eral times. and is then taken to a
similar machine. which has smooth in
stead of corrugated cylinders. The
smooth cylinder machines produce an
enormous pressure which packs the
pieces together in the form of a mat.
When the mat is sufficiently pressed
by several passages through the ma