The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-29
GOODYEAR CO.'S
AMAZING GROWTH
Began With S12,500 in 1908;
Did Sl3L000,O 900 Bust
ness in 1918

The story OF the automobile tire now
part of the daily life OF millions OF
people all over the world, furnished
one OF the greatest of all industrial
romances.
Although originally invented by an
Englishman. the modern tire is truly
and typically American in it's develop
ment and chief features. 1t has brought
rubber from a lowry place among the
modern Industries TO the front rank, 50
that to-day it stands only n little way
behind steel in the Industrial affairs
Of the world.
Only a few years ago the motorlst
could not start out on a Sunday after
Moons ride with his family without fear
and trembling for his tires. The comic
papers were filed with his tire troubles.
Now. all this has been changed and the
old difficulties are practically eliminated.
The motorist OF to-day may forget his
tires and give himself the peace Of mind
necessary to an enjoyable trip. De
Palma. the speed ace. drove one set of
Goodyear cord tires at Daytona, Florida,
400 TO 500 miles in Official tests at speeds
exceeding $50 miles an hour. breaking
all worlds speed records from one TO
tventy miles. The tires at the end of
the trials showed no sign of wear. This
shows what the tires of to-day will do.
A large part OF this tire development
has been due to the Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Company of Akron. Ohio The
name of the Goodyear company has
come TO be as indelibly associated with
the automobile tire as the name of
Charles Goodyear is linked with the
vulcanization OF rubber. The Goodyear
company towers among the wonders of
American industry
So amazing has been the eompany's
evelopment-doubled in three years
fifteen fold In the last decade-that Il
IS difficult to keep pace with its ire
rnendous growth. Its factories stand
as symbol for the service and quality
OF product that has made the company
leader in the rubber industry of the
world.
Its rarely paralleled expansion is truly
spectacular. From less than $4,000
square feet OF floor space to its present
area Of ninety-five acres exclusive of it's
branches, from 100 employees to APP
proximately S0,oo0-this is the story
or twenty years. From an insignificant
little enterprise in a strawboard factory
bought with borrowed capital to one Of
the worlds largest manufacturing cor
poradons it has rapidly forged ahead.
The mammoth plant which bears the
inventors name, although he had no
part in its inauguration.- was established
IN 1898 during the period that bicycle
tires and carriage tires were the most
prominent rubber product. The growth
OF the automobile industry to sixa BILE
proportions a little later was responsible
for the greater expansion OF the plant.
The growth OF tie company has been
OF sturdy and enduring kind Starting
with an initial investment of only Sl2,-
900, OF which only $500 was in cash
and that borrowed, the plant IL now
valued at nearly $4,000, 600, with an
output in 1918 OF s131, 100000
In 1908 the output of the Goodyear
Company in value had increased to
s2,o00,e00 from a humble start of less
than half million during its first year.
The Goodyear Company was the pioneer
IN the development Of many of the types
Of tires that are now serving TO make
automotive transporta ton a success
Among these the most Conspicuous are
the straightside automobile tire, and the
pneumatic cord tire, both OF which
were brought out in 1904. Goodyear
pneumatic cord tires for motor trucks
have taken motor trucks out of the
slow speed, heavy duty class and
transferred them into the class of high
speed transportation agents
In the manufacture OF tires Of high
quality only the finest of cotton fabrics
can be use1, for II a tire is built I'D
OF fabric containing the slightest defect
It's deterioration in actual service Is
bound TO originate at the point of the
defect, however small The GOODYEAR
Tire and Rubber Company haa long had
its ideas as 20 what TO expect from cot
ton fabric.
oftentimes they were unable to buy
on the open market the kind of fabric
that had the tensile strength consistent
with the Goodyear ideals of manufac-
ture. So a few years ago they secured
their own cotton mills in Goodyear,
Conn, and by developing their own pro-
cesses OF tire duck manufacture they
were able to construct a fabric or can
vas that was stronger than any other
tire fabric on the market.
To carry out the idea Of perfectinE to
the greatest possible extent the raw ma
terials that go into their tires Goodyear
later opened up an immense cotton PLAN
tation in Arizona, developing a 10000
acre project in the Salt River Valley.
on which long staple cotton has been
produced that is better than the long
staple cotton of any part of the world.
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Com
pany is one of the largest users Of crude
rubber in the world. It's last years
operations alone required 10000 tons Of
rubber valued at over $40, ooo. 0oo.' Part
Of this rubber was grown on Goodyear's
own rubber plantation In SumatrA,
where thousands of acres have been
planted 10 the Hevia Braziliensis rubber
tTee-the tree that produces the finest
grade OF rubber.
The output OF the Goodyear factories
- now $4,000 tires a day and It will
he $4,000 day before July 1. The
company recently developed and an
Htunced new plan Of factory manage
ment, which involves broad and COM
prehensive principle OF an employees
council OF industrial relations in keep
Ing with the modern trend of the times.
During the present year the company
is looking forward to a business Of APP
Fortunately |175,0o0.000 gross. with
reasonable assurance that this will be
a ILL.,