August i, 1905.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



385 



OBITUARY. 



AMASA A. MARKS died at his home in South Beach, 

 Connecticut, on the morning of July 19, in his eighty- 

 first year, of heart failure, induced it is supposed by the ex- 

 treme heat. Mr. Maries was the founder of the artificial limb 

 industry based upon the use of rubber, his business in this line 

 becoming known all over the world. Mr. Marks was born 

 April 3, 1825, at Waterbury, Connecticut, being descended 

 from early settlers of New England, including among his an- 

 cestors many who in their day were useful and honored citi- 

 zens. First working on a farm, he embarked in the milling 



business for himself 



at the age of 18 years 

 at Milford, removing 

 later to New Haven, 

 and finally to New 

 York city, each re- 

 moval being marked 

 by an increase in his 

 business. 



In 1853 he became 

 a partner with his 

 I older brother. David 

 B. Marks, who in- 

 vented and obtained 

 a patent on an arti- 

 ficial leg, but on ac- 

 count of the slow 

 progress of the busi- 

 ness the brother be- 

 came discouraged 

 and withdrew. In 



1863 A. A. Marks obtained a patent on a rubber foot which 

 was an entirely new feature in the prosthetic industry, and for 

 that matter one of the earliest uses of India-rubber. The 

 merits of the invention speedily known and appreciated ; in 

 fact, it was the rubber foot that gave Mr. Marks' business its 

 first important impetus and from that time he met with the 

 most encouraging success. 



From time to time additional patents were obtained by Mr. 

 Marks for improvements on the rubber foot and later for a rub- 

 ber hand — discoveries which brought Mr. Marks prominently 

 before the medical and surgical professions and the public gen- 

 erally, and gave him a world wide reputation in his line. In 



1864 he received a contract from the United States govern- 

 ment to furnish artificial limbs to the unfortunate soldiers and 

 sailors of the civil war, and he has since carried a perpetual 

 contract to renew those limbs as required. The American In- 

 stitute in its palmiest days acknowledged him as the authority 

 in his profession and the Franklin Institute and other scien- 

 tific bodies have awarded him medals recognizing his inventive 

 skill. [See the article on " Artificial Legs and Arms of Rub- 

 ber " in The India Rubber World, May 10, 1896, page 228.] 



In 1850 Mr. Marks married Miss Lucy A. Piatt, daughter of 

 Charles Piatt, of New York, and of their seven children four 

 survive : Charles A., who is an Episcopal clergyman ; George 

 E. and William L., who entered into partnership with their 

 father in 1885 (after which the father retired from active con- 

 trol of the business), and Anna A. Mr. Marks resided in New 

 York city from 1852 to 1871, during which time he was actively 

 interested in public matters and devoted to the success of the 

 Republican party. Later for twelve years he served as school 

 visitor in Greenwich township, Connecticut, being for most of 

 the time chairman of the board, besides being for a number of 



years justice of the peace. He was an active member and lib- 

 eral supporter of the Sound Beach Congregational Society and 

 a member of Manitou Lodge No. 106, F*. and A. M. (New 

 York), the New England Society of New York, Veteran Ma- 

 sonic Association, Riverside Yacht Club, Sound Beach Country 

 and Golf Club, and many other institutions. 



Although in his eighty-first year, Mr. Marks was up to the 

 moment of his death remarkably vigorous, physically and men- 

 tally. He took a very active interest in local affairs and gave 

 much thought to the beautifying of his estate on Long Island 

 sound. It was a pleasure to him to note the remarkable pro- 

 gress made in the development of Sound Beach as a residential 

 spot. He had good reason to be proud of what had been ac- 

 complished, for he was the pioneer in all substantial progress 

 at that delightful place. He will be sincerely mourned in 

 Sound Beach and among a wider circle of friends throughout 

 the country who appreciated his high personal character. 



» » * 



Theodore C. Weeks, who died at his home in Melrose, Mas- 

 sachusetts, on July II, was born at Vineyard Haven, in that 

 state, in 1840. When he was four years old the family removed 

 to Colchester, Connecticut, where at an early age he became 

 employed in the rubber shoe factory of the Hayward Rubber 

 Co., organized by the late Nathaniel Hayward, whose daughter, 

 Louisa, Mr. Weeks married in 1859. Later the "Red Mill," 

 Stoneham, Mass., once used by the late Hon. E. S. Converse in 

 grinding dyestufTs, was converted into a rubber factory operated 

 by the N. Hayward Rubber Co., which afterward became the 

 Haywardville Rubber Co. This business was organized by 

 Nathaniel Hayward, in connection with his brother Daniel and 

 other members of the family, and Mr. Weeks was connected 

 with it at various times in different capacities. He was there 

 as early as 1862 and took part in the winding up of the Hay- 

 wardville Rubber Co., seven or eight years later. There was 

 an interval between the two companies named here, when the 

 Stoneham factory was operated by the Rubber Sole Shoe Co., 

 of which Mr. Weeks was treasurer. The mill finally became the 

 property of Mr. Converse. Afterward, during a number of 

 years Mr. Weeks was a broker in Boston. 



THERMALITE" IN GERMANY. 



AS indicated in the issue of this Journal of June 1, 1905 [page 

 305], the article marketed in the United States as the 

 " Thermalite " bag, in competition with the rubber hot water 

 bag is made under the system which is the basis of the Deutsche 

 Thermophor-Aktiengesellschaft (Andernach, Germany), 

 founded in 1899. The business report of the German com- 

 pany for the last business year, according to the Lhtvimi-Zet- 

 tuttg (July 7), shows a decreasing amount of business. The 

 sales on the rubber goods were 7446 marks less than in 

 the preceding year. The total sales were : Rubber goods ac- 

 count, 47,258 marks [ = S' 1,247.40] ; metal goods account, 16,816 

 marks [—$4002.21]; muscle invigorator account, 1459 marks 

 [=K$347.24]. " The report calls it a fortunate occurrence that 

 the company, after extended efforts, succeeded in selling the 

 American patents for $40,000. The year 1904 showed a loss 

 of 28,942 marks [=$6888.20], after deducting 51,649 marks [ = 

 $12,292.46] for the sinking fund." The capital of the German 

 company is 743.000 marks [=$176,834]. At the end of the 

 business year the company owed 194,922 marks [ = $46,391 46] ; 

 there was owing to the company 90,184 marks [=$21,463.79]; 

 and it had in hand 1062 marks [=$252 76] in cash and bills 

 of exchange. The patents have been included in the assets 

 at a valuation of 374,028 marks [ = $89,018.67]. 



