Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-08-13
COL. S.P. COLT,
MAKER RUBBER
TIRES, IS DEAD
Was Big Factor in Develop
ment of Rubber Indus
tries in America
(By The Associated Press)

PROVIDENCE, r. J., Aug. 13-
Colonel Samuel p. Colt, chairman of
the board of the United States Rub
Der Co, died at his Bristol home this
afternoon, death following severe
paralytic shock suffered week ago.
Development of the rubber bust
ness in this country, record rs in
teresting as that of steel, changed
Colonel Samuel Ponieroy Colt, Of
Bristol and Providence, R. L., from
a successful lawyer TO a captain Of
industry" He was the organizer OF
the United States Rubber Company.
consolidation of numerous con-
Germs with n combined capital of
S75, 100000 and about 10000 .em
ployes in Massachusetts,. Rhode Is
land and Connecticut.
Colonel Colt, after years of service
as a lawyer. member of the Rhode
Island assembly and attorney general
Of that state. saw the possibilities OF
rubber and its modern development
as. one of the great industries IN the
world and undertook the study of its
culture and manufacture.
"The first rubber seen in Ameri-
ca. he once said. ''was brought BY
Yankee sea captains plying between
Salem, Mass. and South American
ports. They had 40 idea that those
humps of black gum were of any par
ticular value: indeed. they often used
them as ballast. But about 1920,
some forgotten sailor took to Salem
and Boston as a speculation mum
ber of rubber shoes made by natives
along the Amazon. People quickly
discovered that they kept out the wet
and, crude as the snoes We're, there
was soon a lively demand for theni
at 81 and IS pair.
The trouble with them, however.
was that they melted in summer and
froze in winter and 1t remained for
someone to discover means to over
come this defect. Charles Goodyear,
Of Connecticut. in 1892 invented the
process Of vulcaniZing and this was
soon followed by the formation OF
several companies for the manufac-
ture of rubber shoes. A spirited and
famous lawsuit grew out Of the Good
year patents in which Daniel Web
ster took one side and Rufus Choate
the other but Webster won for Good
year"
In 1888. Colonel Colt consolidated
three rubber shoe factories and cal
led them the National India Rubber
Company. Four years later he ANAL
pamated these with other concerns
under the name Of the United States
Rubber Company with a capital stock
of $4,000. 900 and in 1905 this was
increased so percent. Originally its
legal adviser. Colonel Colt become
president of the new corporation IN
1901 and served in that capacity un-
til 1918 when he became chairman
of the board az directors. Colonel
Colt was a director also IN about 40
other organizations, including BANKS
railroads. and steamship companies
Born in Paterson, \. }. January
10. 1912 and educated at the Mas
sachusetts Institute Of Technology.
he passed year in travel in Europe
and then came To New York TO at
tend the Columbia Law School from
which he was graduated in 1876. A
brother. United States Senator lie
Baron V. Colt, Of Rhode Island, was
a former Federal Judge. Colonel Colt
on January Il. 1881, married Mss
Elizabeth 3. Bullock. They have two
sons. Russell G. Colt and Roswell I.
Colt. The first named married Ethel
Barrymore, the actress.
Colonel Colt suffered a nervous
breakdown AT his home in Bristol IN
June last (1921). On August ne
suffered n paralytic shock.