The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-17
RUBBER IN ORINOCO
Increasing Supply Comes
Out Of Ciudad BOliYer.
GATHERED ALONG BIG RIVER
Consular Agent Tells How Industry
Might Be Exploited by North
American CaDitaI-Some of the
Difficulties in the Way-NatIve
Methods Are Very Crude.

The increasing cost Of rubber. particu-
larly rubber tires for automobiles and
other vehicles. IN this country IN the last
six months, has led the Bureau OF Manu-
features TO make inquiry at several
points in South America into the posi-
bility OF increasing the supply from ma
tive sources or by the employment of
North American labor 10 gather the
crude material One OF these inquiries
has led to the receipt here OF some in
teresting data relative TO the rubber in
dustry in the OrinOco Valley Of Venez-
uela. The report was sent in by the con
sui at La Guaira, and was written by
Consular Agent Robert Henderson, OF
Ciudad BOliver- In part. this report says:
Two elastic products or two kinds OF
rubber, are shipped from Southeastern
Yenezuela-the Castilloa elastica, rub
Der used where great elasticity is re-
quired. and balata, a class Of gutta
Percha. The prices paid for these pro-
ducts per pound in Ciudad Bolivar ars
g 20 40 cents Tor balaIa and s. cents to
S110 for india rubber.
Brought 10 CIudad BOIiver.
The products are brought from the dis.
trict where they are collected 10 Ciudad
Bolivar either on mule back or in OK
carts. at a cost OF $40 to 81 leo pounds.
To reach the Cassiquiare district a num-
Der Of portages would be necessary. on
account Of rapids Ciudad Bolivar is
closely connected with Port of Spain.
Trinidad. and will soon have direct
steamship communication with the port
Of La Guaira, thus giving It easy COM
munfcatiOn with the United States.
The districts Of Jeres and the OrinocO
delta produce the greater part OF the
balata. while the greater production of
india rubber is from Sucre and the ANA
zonas territory The lands from which
these products are collected belong TO the
government Of Venezuela, although many
concessions have been granted in this
district. some OF which are IN dispute
One entering there for the purpose OF
exploiting either Of these products would
have 10 be careful 70 keep free from tres
pass suits for having worked within the
unmarked boundaries Of some conces-
sionaire
To exploit either rubber or balata. one
must first get permission from the
government Of the state where the pro-
duet is TO be taken. according 70 the law
covering the matter, which fixes the
amount OF local tax 10 be paid the state
by each collector. and requires that the
tapping shall be done In a manner caleu-
| lated 10 prevent injury 10 the tree and
during certain months OF the year, US
ually from April 10 December The bulk
of the output is gathered during this per-
/ iod One man can collect the sap from
! only one belata tree a day. while a days
work among the castlOa or india rubber
covers ten or twelve trees. The balata
/ tree produces three 10 five pounds Of
gutta percha, and the india rubber tree
about half a pound OF dry cOagulated
rubber.
COaguIated by Boiling.
/ Coagulation OF the baIata IS brought
about by boiling; that Of the rubber by
/ smoking or BY the use OF acids. No es-
/ tabEshed formula seems to DO in use by
any rubber hunters
/ The product is sold freely, Is rarely
/ contracted for before gathering, and no
syndicate holds any monopoly Of this
| industry. Concessions granted vary from
( two TO twenty-five square leagues. The
\ rubber hunters usually sell their product
for cash. although where the purchaser
is also merchant good part of the
money Is turned into merchandise.
AS TO the feasibility Of North AIaeri-
cans performing the work OF rubber gath
erers. # is, Of course, necessary TO under
/ stand that rubber and balata usually
are found in the lOwlands. which are apt
10 be swampy infested with infectious
insects, miasmas, sc. Proper care 10
guard from the dangers Of low tropical
countries should. however, make it pos
sible for men from the United States to
work there. 1t is better, however. TO
/ employ native hunters. who are apt 10
be immune from yellow fever and who
have become possessed Of congenital abil-
ity 70 Withstand the rigors Of the climate