The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-05-11
RUBBER INDUSTRY
CROWS IN TEXAS
Being Made From the Guayule
Shrub and Brings Riches
to the State.

AUSTIN, Tex, April 27.-The first
factory for the manufacture of rubber
from the guayule shrub to be estab-
lished in Texas is now being erected
at Marathon. The shrub grows ex-
tensively in the rough region border
ing the upper course of the Rio Grande
and it Is estimated that it is found in
commercial quantities upon more than
20,00OO00 acres of land in this State.
A large part of this land is owned
by the State and it is expected that
a great revenue will be derived from
the sale of the shrub. The money de-
rived from this source will go to the
permanent school fund. which already
amounts to about $40,000,OOO.
The guayule rubber industry has
passed the experimental stage. There
are more than twenty large factories
in northern Mexico, some of them rep
resenting an investment of more than
$500, 900 each.
1t was only three years ago that the
first guayule rubber fatory was estab-
lished in Mexico. Since that time
more than $15,O00,000 has been invested
in the industry in that country, it is
estimated. The Continental Rubber
Company of New York, a subsidiary
branch of the United States Rubber
Company, practically has control Of
the industry in Mexico and it is ar
ranging to establish a large factory in
Texas.
The present output of rubber from
the factories in Mexico is nearly 1,000,-
900 pounds a month, and this amount
will be increased before the close of
the current year by the establishment
of additional factories. The product
is exported to the United States and
Europe.
In Mexico the guayule shrub is SELL
ing for 800 ton Mexican money,
equivalent to $50 United States gold.
The average yield to the acre in Next
co is said to be about two tons of the
shrub. It will reproduce itself every
two years if cut off at the roots.
As result of the discovery that this
shrub is of value the price of land has
increased enormously. Before the
value of the shrub was known land
upon which it grows could have been
purchased for from 20 cents to 30
cents an acre and some of it for 10
cents an acre. This same land is now
yielding it's owners 800 an acre. Men
who were land poor now find them
selves rolling in wealth.
The Madero family of Parras, Next
co. who were already wealthy when
the value of the guayule shrubs was
discovered, have had their fortune
augmented by many millions of dol
lars through this product. This family
are owners of several million acres of
land upon which the shrub grows
abundantly.
James Ribent, an American, went to
Mexico from Austin four years ago. He
was in i'll health and his prime OBJ
iect was to get something to do that
would keep him in the open air as
much as possible. He had $500 and
with this he purchased a tract of 5000
acres in the Torreon district at the
rate of Is cents an acre, paying part
of the purchase price down.
He stocked the ranch with goats and
was getting along fairly we'll when the
discovery of the value of the guayule
shrub was made. His land is in the
very heart of the guayule growing
region and is covered with a profuse
growth of the shrub. Experts who ex-
amined the property estimated that it
would yield an average of not less than
two and a half tons to the acre.
According to a letter which Mr., RID
ent has written to friend here he has
Just closed a deal for the sale of the
shrub at the rate of 800 a ton. lie
estimates that it will bring him not
less than 100000 Mexican money, or
$3.50. 900 United States currency. He
saws that more money has been made
out of guayule in Mexico during the
last two years than was ever made In
oil in Texas.
The guayule shrub grows less pro-
fusely in Texas than in Mexico. 1t is
estimated that the average yield of the
shrub in this State upon the 20,0O0,OOO
acres of land upon which it is said TO
grow will not exceed one-half ton to
the acre. Even at this rate there is
great wealth for the state in the new
industry. The land upon which II
grows is worthless for anything else
except cattle and sheep grazing.
The factory which is being erected
at Marathon will cost about $25O,0OO
Many ranchmen have entered into
contracts to sell the guayule shrup
upon their lands to this factory
The rubber which is manufactured
from guayule is softer than some other
kinds of rubber and does not vulcanize
so easily, but these difficulties are
overcome by mixing it with other