Hancock County, West Virginia          THE CORD TIRE CORPORATION

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 219

THE CORD TIRE CORPORATION. One of the leading indus-
tries of Chester, which, while practically a newcomer to this
section, has already .developed to startlingly large propor-
tions, is the Cord tire Corporation. In the short period of
three years the company has approximately tripled its
original output, and the popularity of its product is in-
creasing daily under efficient management and intelligent
handling of a superior grade of goods.

The Cord Tire Corporation was incorporated in April,
1919, by the following: J. D. Comstock, of Cleveland, Ohio,
president and treasurer; Henry Seigfried, of Pittsburgh,
secretary; E. H. Hall, of New York City, purchasing agent;
and Irvin E. Fair, of Akron, Ohio, plant manager. All of
these gentlemen have taken up their residence at Chester.
This company, which is capitalized at $1,000,000, manufac-
tures the celebrated Superior Cord Tire, for use on automo-
biles. The present plant was used originally as a car barn,
and was then converted into a rubber factory for use by a
previous company.  This concern, however, did not meet
with success, and it was bought by the present company,
who began operations in May, 1919. Its success has proven
most gratifying, its capacity and output having increased
from 150 to 600 tires daily, while there are now 250 em-
ployes and the semi-monthly payroll amounts are in excess
of $18,000.00. The product has met with a cordial recep-
tion, and the name Superior seems to have been a happily
chosen one, as dealers in this product are to be found in
every state in the Union. The plant covers some five acres
of ground and the annual consumption of crude rubber is
about 650 000 pounds, while almost 300,000 pounds of cord
and 65.000 pounds of fabric are used in manufacturing the
finished article. Five commercial travelers are in constant
personal touch with the trade, while the mail orders have
assumed large proportions.

Irvin E. Fair, the efficient manager of the mechanical end
of the company, and who is responsible for producing a
product that measures up in every way to the high stand-
ards set by the concern, is a practical tire man, having spent
seven years with the B. F. Goodrich Rubber Company at
Akron, where he mastered every detail of tire management
before accepting his present position. He is a native of
Somerset County, Pennsylvania, born September 22, 1885,
and received a good practical education in the high school
of his native community and at the Chicago Technical Col-
lege. Mr. Fair married Miss Ida M. Tayman, of Somerset
County, Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of one son,
Orville R., a student in the high school at Chester.