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THE INDIA RriBBER WORLD 



[October i, 1902 



OUR OBITUARY RECORD. 



ROBERT COWEN. 



ROBERT COWEN, who had been connected with the 

 Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co. since its original 

 incorporation, in 1880, filling successfully the positions 

 of superintendent, vice piesident, and technical man- 

 ager, after an illness of about three weeks, passed away at his 

 home in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 12. Born at 

 Plymouth, Massachusetts, September 21, 1849, Robert Cowen 

 started early in life as a machinist's apprentice at Worcester. 

 His introduction to the rubber industry was in a little factory 

 opposite the present site of the great plant of the Boston 

 Woven Hose and Rubber Co. in 1873, when, as an expert ma- 

 chinist, he was called to assist James E. Gillespie in perfecting 

 a loom for the weaving of multiple tubular fabrics. This en- 

 terprise was backed by Colonel Theodore A. Dodge, and the 

 experimenting then begun was continued during seven years, 

 in which time $150,000 had been spent 

 in reducing a most intricate machine 

 to a simple practical mechanism. This 

 being done, the Boston Woven Hose 

 Co. was formed for the manufacture of 

 cotton rubber lined fire hose, with 

 Robert Cowen as superintendent and 

 one man and one boy as factory force. 

 It was not long, however, before a 

 large factory was projected, capital 

 added, and a full line of mechanical 

 rubber goods put on the market. In 

 1S88 the company was reincorporated 

 as the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber 

 Co., with Mr. Cowen as vice president, 

 in addition to his other position. As 

 superintendent of the concern, Mr. 

 Cowen from the beginning rapidly 

 grasped the basic facts about rubber 

 in all its branches and became in a very 

 short time an expert rubber man. His 

 knowledge of machinery also enabled 

 him to produce many labor saving ma- 

 chines and devices, many of which he patented. He was an 

 excellent organizer, and while energetic and forceful and work- 

 ing his help hard, he never spared himself, and was fairly idol- 

 ized by his men. Perhaps as high a compliment as can be paid 

 to Robert Cowen is that during all the years he was, as super- 

 intendent, helping to build up this great industry, he never had 

 a strike, a shut down, or a lockout. He was a forceful, active 

 factor in mechanical rubber lines, and was one of the best 

 known superintendents of his day, and to him, in a large meas- 

 ure, was due the success of the company with which he was 

 connected. For a young man — he was only 53 at the time of 

 his death — his reputation as factory manager, inventor, and 

 organizer was remarkable. Perhaps no other quality in him 

 was more conspicuous than his courage, which was of the 

 highest order, and was quenched by no sort of reverse, his last 

 words to his sorrowing family being " Be brave." 



The funeral services were held at the late residence of Mr. 

 Cowen, in Cambridge, on the afternoon of September 16, his 

 pastor, the Rev. Dr. George W. Bicknell, of the First Univer- 

 salist church of that city, and a warm personal friend, officiat- 

 ing. It was Mr. Cowen's wish that the services be e-xtremely 



THE LATE ROBERT COWEN. 



simple, and that wish was respected. They consisted of ap- 

 propriate selections rendered by a quartet, scripture reading, 

 a modest eulogy by Dr. Bicknell, and prayer. A further short 

 service was held at the cemetery, where hundreds of employes 

 of the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co. were in attend- 

 ance. There were present at the house delegations from busi- 

 ness houses, clubs, and Masonic lodges to which Mr. Cowen 

 belonged, as well as leading rubber men from all parts of New 

 England, and more from distant parts of the country. In 

 addition to the board of directors and the heads of depart- 

 ments of the Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., who at- 

 tended the services at the house, were A. M. Paul, general 

 manager; Thomas G. Richards, superintendent; E. H. Hux- 

 ley, Chicago manager; and J. V. Selby, Pacific Coast manager. 

 John H. Forsyth and George P. Whitmore of the Boston Belt- 

 ing Co.; Arthur W. Stedman and H. W. French of George A. 

 Alden & Co. ; C. H. Arnold of Reimers 

 & Co.; Henry C. Pearson, publisher of 

 The India Rubber World; A. L. 

 Comstock, superintendent of the Am- 

 erican Rubber Co. ; Otto Meyer, and 

 many others were also present. 



The floral tributes were magnificent, 

 and came from the employes of the 

 Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co., 

 the New England Rubber Club, the 

 U. S. Rubber F^eclaiming Works, the 

 Plymouth Rubber Co., Cambridge 

 lodge of Free Masons, the Royal Arch 

 Chapter, Cambridge Commandery, the 

 Ten Associates, the Twenty Associates, 

 and many others. The pall bearers 

 were John S. Morrison, Morris Daven- 

 port, Robert C. Harlow, and Fred 

 Ripley. 



The following resolutions, beautifully 

 engrossed, were sent to the family and 

 to the general manager of the Boston 

 Woven Hose and Rubber Co., by the 

 New England Rubber Club : 



Whereas — Death has suddenly removed from our midst our long 

 time friend and fellow member Robert Cowen, we, the members of the 

 New England Rubber Club, are moved by our sense of loss to record 

 the following resolutions : 



Resolved — That in the untimely death of our friend the trade of New 

 England loses a forceful, energetic, and brilliant man, and our Club one 

 of its most enthusiastic and valued members. Strong, courageous, sin- 

 cere, of rare technical and inventive ability, the name of Robert Cowen 

 will be long remembered by us with respect and affection. 



Resolved — That we extend to his family, and to the corporation with 

 which he was for many years so closely identified, our deep smypathy. 



Resolved~'Y\i2X these resolutions be spread upon the records of the 

 Club, and copies be engrossed and sent to his family and business 

 associates. ARTHUR w. stedman 



EUGENE H. CLAPP 

 GEORGE P. WHITMORE 



Mr. Cowen was twice married. In 1869 he wedded Miss 

 Emma Thomas, of Worcester, who died in 1884, survived by 

 one daughter, Mrs. Morris Davenport, of Brooklyn, N. Y. In 

 1891 he married Miss Emma E. Rawson, of Cambridge, who sur- 

 vives with three sons — Rawson R., Robert, Jr., and Theodore 



Committee 

 Resolutions. 



