El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-10
Goodyear Co. HeadSays Ger
man Cutoff of British Sup
ply Won't Hurt America.

Asked about the probable effect Of
GermauV's blockade Of England on the
crude-rubber supply Of the United
States the president Of the Goodyear
tire and rubber company, who has
just returned from England, said:
Up to the time I left England, on
the Lusitaufa- the English people were
not disposed 20 take Germsny's block
ade declaration seriously There can be
no doubt however, II the blockade plan
is carried out that there VIII be some
interference with shipping 70 the Uni
ted States-and rubber supplies for
America viii come in for their share Of
disturbances. II our supplies through
England are actually cut off We shall
DO as we did before, when the Emden
was creating havoc with English ship
ping in the Indian ocean-get our sup
plies by way Of the Pacific coast.
$50 long as England does not REIN
pose an embargo against the ship
ment Of crude rubber from her pos
sessions 70 the United States we do
not look for a stoppage Of the Ameri-
can supply.
when I left for England. early in
January. the embar.-O was still on. and
the outlook seemed dark for the Amer
lean rubber industry. The Rubber
Club OF America, through the state de-
partment, had failed TO move England
from her determination, and had given
Howeyer, the Rubber Club Of Lon
dOni composed largely OF rubber brok
ers, kept on working and was success
fuL Before the Lusitania, carrying
American rubber men, reached the 9TH
er size, the embargo was off and there
was nothing for US to do except to at
tend to the details Tor our respective
companies"
Practically all makers Of tires have
now readjusted their prices in accord
ance with the downward movement
instituted about a month ago.
Crude rubber is a vegetable product
saInered from certain species Of trop-
ical trees, shrubs. vines and roots It
was first introduced in Europe in 17S5.
It was first used for pencil erasers and
IN waterproof cloth. and finally, in So
luton, in cements. Fulcanizing, or cur
ing rubber, was discovered in 1874, and
thereafter the development OF the in
dustry was rapid-thourh the Industry
was but an infant I'm size, compared
with now, up TO the development Of the
automobile industry.
There are many kinds and grades Of
rubber, and these can today be divided
into two chief cIasses-wild and cuti-
waited.
Production of Rubber.
These are collected from trees that
have grown wild and where there has
been no cultivation process. Such trees
and shrubs are found mostly in north
ern South America, Central America.
Mexico, Central Africa and Borneo.
Inc finest EluDeE IN the world mas
until recently been obtained from the
Amazon region OF South America and is
known as fine para For over a cen
fury this rubber has been gathered in
practically the same way. The native
goes into the forest. selects a tree. cuts
vs. shaped grooves in the bark with a
knife made for the purpose. the
EroDres being cut in herringbone fash
ion AROUND the tree, with one main
groove down the center like the main
T-aaHH ~ a n-# Of H. #aaa
not the sap. flows from the smaller
veins and down the center vein into 6
little cup placed to receive 1T.
When the little cups are full they are
gathered and brought into the rubber
camp. and there the iatex is coagulated
by means OF smoke This is done by
the use of q paddle which is alternate
" dipped into a bowl Of the lateE and
wood or palm-nut fire This smoke
seems TO have a preservative effact on
the rubber as well as drying it out and
causing Il to harden on the paddle, each
successive layer Of the lateN causing
the size Of the rubber ball or biscuit TO
increase. When biscuit u sufficient
size has been coagulated il is removed
from the paddle and is ready Tor ship
ment TO the various countries where
rubber products are manufactured
South American Rubber.
Another important rubber coming
from South America is Eaucho- This
tree grows similar to the Para trees
and the rubber is gathered in similar
manner. but is cured BIZ adding TO the
latex some alkaline solution and allow
ing the whole TO dry out, in almost any
form, In the sun. The value Of this
rubber can be greatly improved BY i'm
proved methods Of coagplation.
From Central Anlerica comes the Cos
tilloa rubber. This rubber Is gathered
from trees In a very similar manner to
Para, and is coagulated by being mixed
with Juices which are obtained by
grinding up a certain plant which
Grows in the Castilloa districts After
being mixed with this plant juice. the
Castilloa is spread out in sheets on
bull hides where il is allowed to dry
in the sun, after which the rubber is
rolled up and is ready for Shipment
Castilloa is gathered from wild trees
but in Mexico II has recently been cui-
tivated to some extent From Cen
tral Africa and from Bornea come
the socalled African gums, such as
Congo, Soudan, NASSAU, Lapori, Mani
coba. Pontianac etc. Some Of these
rubbers are gathered from trees but
most OF them from vines and roots,