Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-22
E. 3. RICE DEAD
0ns Of Wassfbary's Lest KaovA anl
 Most Progressive Citixsns.

One Of Watsfbsry's Best KaowA au1
 Most Progssssivs Citizsns.
 Frederick B. Rice died this morning at his home, 30 Church street, of diiita. I tion of the heart, brought on, 1t ia thought, by hurrying to the fire at the First Congregational church parsonage few weeks ago, when he was taken i'll and had since been lowering be- tween life and death. Mir Rice was born September 30 1S43, at Hudson, O., where his parents had removed for time from Water. bury. Soon after tbe family returned to this city and Mir Rice resided here almost continually since. He received his primary education in the public schools of this town and later took a course at Eastmans business college, Poughkeepsie. His first position was as clerk in the flour and feed businen of l.. D. Smith X Co, and from them he went to the Apothecaries' Hall Co. His father had an interest in botl firms and Mir Rice continued to be identified with the latter concern up to the time of his death, when he was president of the company.
 = He was a mine months" man in tho civil war and spent most of the time in Louisiana under General Banks After the war Mir Rice devoted several years to the lumber business, he and his father having acquired control ling interest in the Waterbury Lumber and Coal Go, and continued 1t with considerable success until they sold out to a syndicate from New Britain represented by F. G. Platt and F. q. Humphrey. Like his father, the lata Archibald Rice, mayor of Waterbury during 1876 and 1877, Mir Rice was democrat, and although having little time to devote to political affairs, ha found time to act as member of tho the sewage disposal committee, the finance committee of the Center school district and also acted on the charter committee. In all these positions ha was prompt ill attendance at meetings and his counsel was invariably tenn. pered with moderation and good hard sense. He worked hard on the commit tee on additional water supply and often used to say after long meeting that he hoped the coming generation would profit by the amount of toll everybody was putting in with view to making ample provision for an abundance of water He was promt nent in the real estate business and built at least 600 structures and sold them to people on easy terms, and during all his dealings in this line l,e never was known to foreclose on a mortgage or take small advantage of anybody, who had business relations with him. His counsel was sought by many who were thinking of making real estate ventures and he alwayi gave it cheerfully and with as much care as if he were getting paid for hii service.
 Mir Rice was a familiar figure on tho streets and he will be missed by ev eryb0dy. He never was out of sorts and always had pleasant greeting fol his acquaintances, rich and poor, il mattered not to him. He travelled great deal and some time ago made tour through Great Britain and Ire land. T tell yOu," he said on his re turn to representative of this paper ''Old Ireland is the incest spot on thu other side just the same, and if .ths people had only half show therl would not be more prosperous coun try in the world. The landlords hav eEerTthRg, tbeir own way there. and il is a. wonder that there does not bl more trouble keeping the people down." He wanted a square deal fol everybody and was indignant at seeing any man or body of men abused. Al ways an employer of labor, he was ever an advocate of fair wages and good treatment. and 1t is safe to state that if all employers were like him in this respect there would be no trouble iu the labor market and the resident ap plicant would not stand around looking for a job while there was anything tl do. Turn up all these strangers and employ our own people," he said witl considerable emphasis one evening al meeting of the committee on an addt tional water supply. Some thought ha didn't mean this, but he followed it ul with argument which soon converted his associates to the belief that it wal the worst kind of policy for any com munfty to employ outsiders to do wOrb especially when good service can b< had at home at a reasonable price.
 In 1866 Mir Rice married Helen Mo Cullough Mintie, who with one son, A E. Rice. survive him. He was mem. and acted with the committee thai chose the Rev c. A. DinsmOre to sue ceed the Rev Joseph Anderson. The funeral will be held Tuesday after noon.