Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-10-07


the longest staple, and thousands of bales
are consumed in this way every year. We
import great deal of Egyptian cotton 10,
the purpose, and there is one comnanv
here which has its own n1antaton !, A.;
iona and IS raising cotton there. The
amount planted this year was more than
lo,ooo acres. Another company has cot
ton mill OF its own. 1t wants to exnerj-
ment and will take the cotton from its ou,,
flelds into its own mill and make its own
TIRE fabric. This new cotton mill ;s IN New
England not far from Providence, R. I.
1t already employees 1900 hands.
Inc rubber industry has made Akron one
OF the booming towns of the United States
| mere is no special reason for it except the
enterprise, push and brains of the men at
the mead OF the business The CITY is thor
sands OF miles from where the rubber trees
grow. 1t has no waterways to connect i
with The ocean, and the raw material and
!he manufactured goods have to pay heavy
lre'Shts coming and going Nevertheless
the output is something like $225OOOOO0
a year and 65,OO0 men and women are kent
employed making nothing but r,hhe-
They get the highest of wages. The door.
est OF hands when they are under going
their apprenticeship, get thirty-two cents an
hour, and the factory payrrolls now amount
10 more than SlOOOO,O00 year. The cap;-
ta1Zatlon OF the various rubber companie,
IS about $2OO,O00,OOO.
All TINS has made Akron grow fasterthan
the gourd that shaded the Prophet Jonah
seven years ago it had less than 10000 peo.
pie. 1t has now about 10000 and there
are not enough homes to house all of the
Workmen. The various rubber comnanies
and the real estate companies are remedy.
ing this as fast as possible. Each of th,
lSe companies has some plans to better
the sanitary conditions and lives of its men
a great deal of industrial service work is
gong on. The men are saving money and
% per cent OF them now own their own
homes. One company is building 1900
houses Another has plan by which its
employees have become stockholders an
share in the profits of the business. and
less welfare work for its employees Indeed.
| know OF no place where the labor seems
to be more contented, and is more uniyer-
sally prosperous.
tInd also high degree of patriotism
exhibited IN connection with the war both
on the part OF the companies and of the
men IN their employ. The larger factories
have subscribed extensively in the liberty
loan big percentage of the men buying
the bonds on the installment plan. The
companies are working together and assist
ing each other to get out the war orders.
Shortly after our declaration OF war one of
the largest plants here was asked to supply
thousands OF certain article, the name of
which | am not permitted to give within
seven days, in order that they might be
given to Gen. Pershings army when It
started to Europe. The article had never
been made in this country but the factory
took the patterns and turned out the order
within SIN days although it had to shut
down tive OF its busiest departments to do
SO. A few weeks later the government Sent
out an order for several hundred thousand
OF the same article, distributing it among
a number OF factories in order that no par
tality might be shown. The company tina.
filled the first order not only did not object
to this but it sent its skilled workmen and
specialists to aid It's competitors in starting
their work on the government orders
have talked with officials of the chief
plants here They tell me that the rubber
industry is modified and that it will worx
together throughout the war. They say
that there will be no famine in rubber and
that the world supply will be ample for