Rubber

Images document all manners of both the American and foreign rubber trade and the manufacturing of products associated with its use. Many of the images show all aspects of work on rubber plantations including clearing the land in places such as Sumatra, Ceylon, Singapore, and the Congo. Other activities include tapping rubber trees, collecting rubber latex, weighing rubber, and washing latex cans. Factory and warehouse work include images of washing, drying, grinding, and preparing washed rubber and compounds for mixing. Images of products made from rubber and their intended use is also illustrated. Most of the images are of the manufacture of tires but also include footwear for outdoor workers, farmers, engineers, railway construction workers, medical staff, outdoor gaming, and navy personnel. Other products made of rubber include air hoses used for drilling fine holes in ornamental stone blocks, in coal mines, and railroad repair shops. Rubber belting for United States Post offices and power transmission are also included. Rubber covered cables in automobile repair shops, in the movies, and telephone exchanges are examples of other products. In addition, rubber flooring, bags, heels, fabrics for raincoats, gloves, hot water bottles, and battery jars are also found among the materials. Materials are arranged in subjects identified by staff and include subseries 2.6.1, coke rubber rails; subseries 2.6.2, rubber -- general, set number one 1-70; subseries 2.6.3, rubber -- general set number two 1-131; and subseries 2.6.4, rubber -- general.