February 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



259 



OBITUARY RECORD 



THE DEATH OF EDWAHD R. BICE. 



A GREAT shock came to the wliolo rubber trade — and espe- 

 ** cially to those more intimately associated with the foot- 

 wear branch of the industry — when on tlie evening of Wednes- 

 day last, January 29, a telegram was received at the New York 

 office of the United States Rubber Co., announcing the death 

 of Edward R. Rice, at Portland, Oregon. Nothing so unex- 

 pected and startling has occurred in rubber circles for a long 

 time. 



Mr. Rice left New York on January 17, in the same excel- 

 lent health that he had always enjoyed, except that for some 

 days he had been troubled with a painful tooth; but this was 

 extracted shortly before his departure. It was his intention to 

 be gone about a month, in which time he expected to visit 

 the various interests of the company on the Pacific Coast. On 

 reaching Chicago he suffered so much pain that he kept to his 

 room in the hotel for a day, and wrote the home office that he 

 felt much more like going back than like going on, but that he 

 thought it best to continue his journey. 



He reached Portland, Oregon, on tlie 22nd, and still com- 



Edward R. Rice. 



plained of considerable distress where the tooth had been 

 extracted. He telegraphed on the morning of the 29th, that he 

 expected to go into one of the Portland hospitals and undergo 

 a slight operation in the hope of getting relief. The next 

 telegram was received at nine o'clock the same evening from 

 the hospital authorities, saying that while under the anaes- 

 thetic his respiration ceased, and that all the efforts of the staf? 

 to resuscitate him had proved unavailing. 



While Mr. Rice was only in his 57th year, he was 

 one of the veterans of the rubber trade, having been connected 

 with it for forty years. He was born June 21, 1856, and while 

 still a young boy he became connected with the wholesale house 

 of L. P. Ross, Rochester, N. Y., soon developing into a successful 

 salesman. In 1887 he became the selling agent at Buffalo of 

 the Woonsocket Rubber Co., under the firm name of Edward 

 R. Rice. When the Woonsocket Rubber Co. became part of 

 the United States Rubber Co., in 1893, Mr. Rice's Buffalo agency 

 became one of the branch stores of the big corporation. When 

 in 1896 the Joseph Banigan Rubber Co. w-as formed, Mr. Rice 

 was made its manager of sales, remaining in that position 



until that company also became a part of the United States 

 Rubber Co., in 1901, when he was put in charge of the United 

 States company's system of branch stores. He remained in 

 this important position until July, 1906, when he was put in 

 complete charge of the sales of the United States Rubber Co., 

 being appointed manager of sales, to succeed the late E. H. 

 Paine, who had been placed at the head of the company's 

 export department, with headquarters in London. Mr. Rice's 

 appointment to this position — carrying with it the general 

 charge of the sales of over one-half of the rubber footwear 

 manufactured in this country — was a signal recognition of his 

 ability on the part of the directors of the United States Rubber 

 Co. He remained in the position of manager of sales to the 

 time of his death, and had also been on the board of directors 

 since May, 1909. 



Mr. Rice applied himself to the duties of his important office 

 with characteristic energy and unflagging industry, familiarizing 

 himself with all the details in all the various departments that 

 go to constitute the selling system of this great corporation. 

 But he did not permit the exactions of his position — great as 

 they were — entirely to absorb his time and interest. He was 

 an active member in various social and philanthropic organiza- 

 tions. He was a member of the Buffalo Club and the Saturn 

 Club of Buffalo, being at one time its president. He was also 

 president of the Elmwood School, a private educational institu- 

 tion of that city. He was a member of the Union League, the 

 Lotos, and the Economic clubs of New York, and was a 

 director for some years (receiving his appointment from the 

 Governor) of the State Tubercular Hospital at Raybrook, New 

 York. 



He is survived by his widow, a daughter recently graduated 

 from Vassar College, and a young son, now in a preparatory 

 school at Buffalo. While the greater part of his time for many 

 years had been passed in New York, he still retained his home 

 in Buffalo, where the funeral services will be held. 



He was a man of exceptional intelligence, with great power 

 of application. He succeeded because he possessed, to a marked 

 degree, the qualities that make for success. He was a man of 

 unusually fine appearance, and was not only one of the most 

 widely known personalities in the entire rubber trade, but he 

 had a circle of most devoted friends. 



WILLIAM HAGUE. 



It is a great distinction in these days, and a record to be 

 proud of, to have been actively associated with an important 

 enterprise continuously for 52 years, and to have discharged 

 one's duties faithfully and capably during that time. This dis- 

 tinction belonged to William Hague, who died in Tuckahoe, 

 New York, January 15. 



He was born in the North of Ireland in 1845. He came 

 to this country at the age of 15, and secured employment 

 in the factory of the Hodgman Rubber Co., at Tuckahoe. 

 He remained a trusted and esteemed employee of that com- 

 pany up to a year ago, when, after 52 years of service, he 

 was pensioned by the company. He lived during all that 

 time at Tuckahoe, and took a useful part in the civic and 

 religious life of the town, being at one time a trustee of the 

 village, and actively identified for many years with the 

 Asbury Centenary Methodist Church. 



Another interesting incident connected with his career was 

 the fact that he had a brother, Robert, also working for the 

 Hodgman Rubber Co., but connected with their New York 

 store, who, two years ago, rounded out 50 years of service 

 in that position and was also pensioned by the company. It 

 is refreshing in these days of industrial unrest to find in- 

 stances where commercial relations between employer and 

 employed have continued for half a century to the entire 

 satisfaction of both. 



