Guide to the Brice P. Disque Papers
1899-1957

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Overview of the Collection

Creator: Disque, Brice P., 1879-
Title: Brice P. Disque Papers
Dates: 1899-1957 ( inclusive )
Quantity: 12 linear feet (11 containers)
Collection Number: Coll. 115
Summary: The Brice P. Disque Papers contain the personal and professional records of General Brice P. Disque. The collection contains manuscripts, personal and professional correspondence, business dealing records, scrapbooks, and photographs. This collection was organized by Disque and contains a "201" file, which is personal letters of special importance. The photographs are separated from the papers collection and are one of the six official sets of U.S. Army photograph collections in existence.
Repository: University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

Languages: Collection materials written in English. 
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical Note

General Brice Pursell Disque (1879-1960) is best remembered for his distinguished service as the U.S. Army officer in charge of the Spruce Production Division of the Bureau of Aircraft Production, and as the President of the United States Spruce Production Corporation, 1917-1919. Under his leadership the chaos that characterized seasonal spruce production in the Pacific Northwest was transformed into an orderly operation. A high degree of organization was necessary to meet the needs of the United States and the needs of the allied nations for ship and railway timber, commercial lumber, shingles and aircraft frames. Disque consulted with the woodworkers and the Proceedings of the Lumberman's Protective League show he established the eight hour working day, formulated regulations for governing labor conditions, and participated in arbitration of disputes. Equal representation of employers and employees on all councils was also established. The Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumberman (LLLL) was formed, thus resolving Industrial Employees Union which emerged with the AFL. For his service with the Spruce Production Division Disque was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

In his civil career, General Disque served as president of a number of corporations such as the Anthracite Equipment Corporation, G. Amsinck and Co., and the Sulphide Ore Process Company. He also served on various private and public boards and commissions such as the Anthracite Institute and the Solid Fuels Administration for War. In 1917 he served as Warden of the Michigan State Prison. He corresponded widely, particularly in touch with many of his associates of World War I days. General Disque died in 1960.

Content Description

The Brice P. Disque Papers reflect both his military and civil careers. General Disque was a careful preserver of his major papers, particularly the records of his Spruce Production service, and his life is well documented. The papers, which consist of correspondence, business records, public speeches and radio addresses, autobiographical drafts, and photographs, have been retained in the file order devised by Disque.

The bulk of the collection is arranged alphabetically by individual, organization, or subject and consists largely of correspondence and business records. Major subjects within this series are the Coal Consumers Protective Association, labor relations, the Solid Fuels Administration for War, the U.S. Army, and U.S. Spruce Production Corporation. U.S. Spruce records include monthly records of the wood shipped to United States allies during World War I. Correspondents of interest include Fred G. Clark, Merwin K. Hart, Robert B. Dresser, Herbert Clark Hoover, Fiorella La Guardia, Edward A. Rumley, Wendell Wilkie, Theodore Roosevelt, and Samuel Gompers and conservative political organizations such as the American Economic Foundation, the Committee for Constitutional Government and Sons of the Revolution. This general series is contained in seven boxes ending with a chronological sequence of correspondence in several folders designated "Miscellaneous" by Disque, meaning less than a folder's worth of material on each topic.

Following is a series of Disque's speeches and radio addresses made between 1905 and 1940, arranged chronologically. Subjects covered are commerce, labor, industry, history, military preparedness, poverty, prisons, and international trade. A 1933 speech to the House Ways and Means Committee contains testimony on the equalization of the tariff.

The collection is rounded out by two boxes of what Disque considered personal material. Box 9 contains an assortment of material, including two small series of correspondence separated out from the main series by Disque. First in the box is a file containing handwritten drafts of an autobiography and a scrapbook. Next comes the first series of correspondence named by Disque "Personal. General Correspondence." It covers matters such as the privately financed aspects of the volunteer cavalry. This correspondence is arranged chronologically, 1910-1917. There follows a second series of correspondence which Disque designated the "201 File." It contains letters and telegrams apparently of special significance to Disque, several of which are listed in the Conservative and Libertarian Name Index: one from Theodore Roosevelt regarding the Voluntary Cavalry forces, one from Herbert Clark Hoover discussing the U.S. Food Administration regulations, and one from Samuel Gompers, AFL. The box also contains miscellaneous items such as a carved wooded plaque from the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen and a resolution of the LLLL bearing the seal of the organization. There follows a box which contains a series of nine numbered scrapbooks of news clippings about Disque and his career.

A final box of material was received in 1967. This addendum contains manuscripts of addresses and articles, and correspondence. A list of the titles of the writings and of the correspondence is included in the inventory. Three additional folders containing letters pertaining to Disque's resignation from the Anthracite Institute and from the Solid Fuels Coordination Office conclude the collection.

Nine photograph albums of the U.S. Army Spruce Production Division, loose photographs showing the construction of wooded framed airplanes, and two glass negatives have been removed to the Photograph Collection under call number PH159. They are one of six official sets of U.S. Army photographs in existence.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use :  

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation :  

[Identification of item], Brice P. Disque Papers, Coll. 115, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

Collection is organized into the following three series: Series I. Alphabetical Listing of Files; Series II. Scrapbooks; Series III. Addenda Acquired in December 1967.

Separated Materials :  

The photographs are stored separately under call number PH159.


Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Inventory
Container(s)
box
folder
1 1

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Series I:  Alphabetical Listing of Files
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
1 2 Committee for America Self-Contained 1933-1934
1 3 American Crusaders 1954-1959
1 4 American Economic Foundation (Fred Clark) 1954-1955
1 5 G. Amsinck & Co., Personal Correspondence
1 6 G. Amsinck & Co., General
1 7 G. Amsinck & Co., Profit Sharing
1 8 Robert Armstrong Andrews 1944-1955
1 9 Anthracite Equipment Corporation, New York 1934-1936
1 10 Anthracite Institute: Committee Planning
1 11 Anthracite Institute: Analysis of Coal Veins
1 12 Anthracite Institute: Code Committee
1 13 Anthracite Institute: Program Committee 1932-1934
1 14 Anthracite Institute: Committee Work 1935
1 15 Anthracite Institute: Committee Work 1931-1933
1 16 Anthracite Institute: Letters 1932
1 17 Anthracite Institute: Letters #1 1933
1 18 Anthracite Institute: Letters #2 1933
1 19 Anthracite Institute: Members
1 20 Anthracite Institute: Constitution
1 21 Anthracite Institute: Dealer Account Systems
1 22 Anthracite Institute: Dealer Margins
1 23 Anthracite Institute: Executive Committee Letters
1 24 Anthracite Institute: National Industrial Recovery Act
1 25 Anthracite Institute: Plans 1933
1 26 Anthracite Institute: Plans 1932
1 27 Anthracite Institute: Reorganization
1 28 Anthracite Institute: Research Pamphlets
1 29 Report: Operating Costs of Certain Coal Dealers in New England October 10, 1933
2 1 Anthracite Producers
2 2 Anthracite Institute: Operators-Del. Lack. & West.
2 3 Anthracite Institute: Glen Alden Coal Co.
2 4 Anthracite Institute: The Hudson Coal Company #1
2 5 Anthracite Institute: Lehigh Navigation Coal Co.
2 6 Anthracite Institute: Madeira-Hill & Co.
2 7 Anthracite Institute: Philadelphia Reading Coal & Iron
2 8 Aviation Corporation 1929
2 9 Newton D. Baker 1931-1932
2 10 Bruce Barton 1931-1933; 1937; 1952
2 11 Bernard Baruch 1940; 1944
2 12 Ezra T. Benson 1955
2 13 Oliver W. Birckhead 1926-1958
2 14 Charles A. Blaney 1918; 1933; 1942
2 15 Patrick J. Boland 1933; 1936; 1942
2 16 Brazilian Ore 1938-1940
2 17 Bricker Amendment 1953-1954
2 18 Citizens Public Expenditure Survey, NewYork State 1953-1959
2 19 Fred Clark 1959
2 20 Coal Consumers Protective Association, Inc. 1943-1951
2 21 Committee for Constitutional Government 1948-1949
2 22 Constitution and Free Enterprise Foundation 1959
2 23 J. Cheever Cowdin 1923-1925
2 24 Willis D. Crittenberger 1951-1952
2 25 Everly Mahin David 1952-1953
2 26 Brice P. Disque Jr., College
2 27 Brice P. Disque Jr. 1925-1944
2 28 J.J. Donovan 1917-1921; 1925; 1931
2 29 William J. Donovan 1931
2 30 Carroll B. Dotson 1932
2 31 Robert B. Dresser 1949-1950
2 32 Hugh A, Drum 1942-1950
3 1 Frank D. Eamon 1917-1922; 1932-1946; 1958
3 2 Hanson E. Fly 1926-1927
3 3 Harold C. Eustis 1917-1945
3 4 Fighting Funds for Finland, Inc. 1940
3 5 Felix Frankfurter 1918-1919; 1933; 1941
3 6 Edward W. Freeman 1919; 1923; 1941
3 7 Michael Gallagher 1930-1935
3 8 Michael Gallagher 1933-1938
3 9 Michael Gallagher 1935-1936
3 10 Michael Gallagher 1942
3 11 W.E. Gilmore 1920; 1929
3 12 Margaret P. Gordon 1932-1939
3 13 William N. Gordon 1921-1926
3 14 Governors 1941; 1951; 1959
3 15 Merwin K. Hart 1948-1958
3 16 Herbert C. Hoover 1940; 1952; 1959
3 17 Charles F. Euber 1932-1933; 1947
3 18 Johnson-Cowdin-Emmerich, Inc. 1923-1925
3 19 Johnson-Cowdin-Emmerich, Inc. 1923-1925
3 20 Johnson-Cowdin Turnover Control
3 21 George F. Kearney 1917-1921; 1934; 1945
3 22 Labor Relations 1955-1957
3 23 Fred W. Leadbetter 1918-1921; 1927; 1934
3 24 Fiorello H. LaGuardia 1944-1945
3 25 John L. Lewis 1940
3 26 William D. Loucks 1931-1935
3 27 Alexander McAndrew 1921; 1923; 1930
3 28 Magazines and Miscellaneous
3 29 Journal-American, New York
3 30 Hearst Papers
3 31 Herald-Tribune-New York
3 32 Times-New York
3 33 Wall Street Journal-New York
3 34 World*Telegram-New York
3 35 Irving A. Manacher 1943; 1944; 1953
3 36 Marshall Plan 1948-1954
3 37 Clippings-Marshall Plan
3 38 Jackson, Michigan Papers
3 39 Michigan State Prison, Jackson, Michigan Miscellaneous 1917-1921
3 40 Michigan State Prison-Clippings
3 41 George V.H. Mosely 1918; 1921; 1931-1932
3 42 Fred E. Moskovics 1942-1956
4 1 New York City Bureau of Smoke Control 1950-1954
4 2 John McA. Palmer 1923-1924
4 3 Mason M. Patrick 1923-1925
4 4 Pattison & Browns, Inc., Board of Directors
4 5 Pattison & Browns, Inc. 1933-1936
4 6 Pattison & Browns, Inc., Letters
4 7 Pattison & Browns, Inc., Pittston Company
4 8 Pattison & Browns, Inc., U.S. Barge Company
4 9 Edward E. Payne 1920-1925
4 10 William C. Potter 1918-1929
4 11 George Powell 1920; 1933; 1942-1943
4 12 Presidents Industrial Conference 1919-1920
4 13 Henry T. Rainey 1933-1934
4 14 J.D. Reardon 1918-1919
4 15 Paul Reize 1929-1931; 1943-1945
4 16 Republican Party 1932-1953
4 17 Republican Party Funds Committee
4 18 Jackson E. Reynolds 1931
4 19 Edward A. Rumeley 1954; 1958-1959
4 20 John D. Ryan 1919-1925
4 21 Mott Sawyer 1919-1922
4 22 C.A. Seoane 1927-1959
4 23 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Anthracite Shipments
4 24 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Correspondence-Dealers and Operators
4 25 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Correspondence-Personal
4 26 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Directory
4 27 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Harold L. Ickes
4 28 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Roper Survey 1942
4 29 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Salary Receipts
4 30 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trading Area Survey
4 31 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Allentown, PA March 24, 1943
4 32 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Anthracite Region July 29, 1942-July 30, 1942
4 33 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Baltimore, MD January 4, 1943
4 34 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Boston, MA March 17, 1943
4 35 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: New York City March 24, 1943
4 36 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Newark, NJ February 18, 1943
4 37 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Pacific Northwest August 1942
4 38 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Philadelphia, PA March 2, 1943
4 39 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Providence, RI December 10, 1942
4 40 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Washington
4 41 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Springfield, MA November 24, 1942
4 42 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Wilmington, DE January 4, 1943
4 43 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Glen Alden Coal Company
4 44 Solid Fuels Administration for War: The Hudson Coal Company
4 45 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Lehigh Navigation Coal Co., Inc
4 46 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Susquehanna Collieries Co.
5 1 Solid Fuels Administration for War: New England Coal Dealers Assocation
5 2 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Baltimore, Maryland Coal Exchange
5 3 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Delaware State Coal Club
5 4 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Fuel Merchants Association, Brooklyn, New York
5 5 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey
5 6 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Merchants and Manufacturers Association of Washington D.C.
5 7 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Pennsylvania Retail Coal Merchants Association
5 8 Solid Fuels Administration for War: Retail Solid Fuel Merchants Association of New York
5 9 Sons of the Revolution I
5 10 Roderick Stephens 1944
5 11 Sons of the Revolution II
5 12 Charles A. Stone 1921; 1925; 1932
5 13 Sulphide Ore Process Company: George A. Ellis 1941-1948
5 14 Sulphide Ore Process Company: F.A. Eustis 1949
5 15 Sulphide Ore Process Company: George A. Ellis 1949
5 16 Sulphide Ore Process Company: George A. Ellis 1950
5 17 Sulphide Ore Process Company: F.A. Eustis 1948
5 18 Sulphide Ore Process Company: F.A. Eustis 1950
5 19 Sulphide Ore Process Company: F.A. Eustis 1951
5 20 Sulphide Ore Process Company: F.A. Eustis, re: SOP stock
5 21 Sulphide Ore Process Company: Waldo C. Holden (sec)
5 22 J.B. Umpleby 1942-1945
5 23 Army Advisory Board Correspondence
5 24 Army Advisory Board Lists and Orders
5 25 Army Appointments
5 26 Army Advisory Board Meetings
5 27 Fort Levenworth 1904-1907
5 28 Miscellaneous Letters 1901-1910
5 29 Miscellaneous Letters 1915-1916
5 30 To Chief Staff, Land Forces 1916
5 31 Army Correspondence 1937-1951
5 32 Army Correspondence 1952-1955
5 33 Army Correspondence 1956
6 1 Army Cavalry Militia 1911-1912
6 2 Record of Service 1898-1948
6 3 Army: United Spanish War Veterans
6 4 Army: Disque Mobile Force 1940
6 5 Army: Reserve Officers Association of the U.S.
6 6 Army: 61st Cavalry
6 7 Army: 151st Cavalry
6 8 Army: 301st Cavalry
6 9 Army: Distinguished Service Medals
6 10 Army: Decorations
6 11 Army: Periods of Service
6 12 Army: Pine Camp Military Reser.
6 13 Army: War Department
6 14 Funes Surrender
6 15 Army: Army Exchange Service
6 16 Army: Resignation
6 17 Congress: House of Representatives
6 18 Congress: Senate
6 19 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 1-40 1917-1918
6 20 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: General Order No. 1 with corrections
6 21 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 41-80 1918
6 22 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 81-120 1918
6 23 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 121-140 1918
6 24 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 141-160 1918
6 25 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 161-200 1918
6 26 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 201-240 1918
6 27 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 241-280 1918
6 28 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 281-308 1918
6 29 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Special Orders: 1-26 1919
7 1 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Bulletins 1917-1918
7 2 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Memoranda
7 3 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Memoranda 1918-1919
7 4 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Daily Reports
7 5 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Specifications
7 6 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Daily Reports, Signal corps cut-up plant (Vancouver Barracks cut-up plant)
7 7 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Statement by Brice P. Disque
7 8 U.S. Spruce Production Corporation: Timber Locations
7 9 U.S. Steel Corporation 1950-1951
7 10 Universal Military Training 1940
7 11 Charles Van Way 1917-1929
7 12 Journal November 30, 1917-June 19, 1918
7 13 Journal June 20, 1918-February 17, 1919
7 14 James W. Wadsworth Jr. 1932-1944
7 15 Edward S. Wallace 1958
7 16 Jesse B. Warriner 1933-1951
7 17 Harrison Williams 1921
7 18 Wendell L. Wilkie 1940
7 19 I.D. Wolf 1919; 1921; 1954
7 20 Wood Motor Parts Corporation 1930-1933
7 21 Robert R. Young 1946-1947
8 1 Addresses 1905; 1912; 1916; 1918; 1919
8 2 Memoranda issued by General Disque
8 3 Addresses 1923; 1927; 1931
8 4 Addresses 1932; 1933
8 5 Addresses 1934; 1935; 1936; 1938
8 6 Addresses: Our National Defense Problem
8 7 Addresses: Politics Prospers on Poverty
8 8 Addresses 1940; 1942
8 9 Addresses: Broadcast from WEAF 1944
8 10 Addresses: Spring Valley July 4, 1941
8 11 WLW (Radio Station) General
8 12 WLW Broadcasts, No. 1-7 June 7, 1940-June 28, 1940
8 13 WLW Broadcasts, No. 8-17 July 5, 1940-August 2, 1940
8 14 WLW Broadcasts, No. 18-23 August 6, 1940-August 23, 1940
8 15 WLW Broadcasts, No. 24-33 August 27, 1940-September 27, 1940
8 16 WLW Broadcast Extras
8 17 Fan mail
8 18 WLW Transcript Requests
8 19 WLW Fan Mail, Letters
8 20 Selective Service
8 21 Scrapbook of newspaper clippings regarding Disque
8 22 Scrapbook of newspaper clippings regarding Disque
9 1 Biography
9 2 Brice P. Disque: Personal, General Correspondence
9 3 Personal Correspondence January 1910-July 1911
9 4 Personal Correspondence August 1911-December 1911
9 5 Personal Correspondence January 1912-March 1912
9 6 Personal Correspondence November 1913-March 1914
9 7 Personal Correspondence April 1914
9 8 Personal Correspondence May 1914-July 1914
9 9 Personal Correspondence August 1915-December 1915
9 10 Personal Correspondence January 1916-June 1916
9 11 Personal Correspondence August 1916-December 1916
9 12 Personal Correspondence February 1917-July 1917
9 13 Personal Correspondence August 1917-December 1917
9 14 Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen, Plaque
9 15 Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen, Seal
9 16 "201" File November 1899-October 1953

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Series II:  Scrapbooks
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
10 1 Scrapbook #1, newspaper clippings 1919
10 2 Scrapbook #3, newspaper clippings 1917-1918
10 3 Scrapbook #4 1918-1919
10 4 Scrapbook #5, newspaper clippings 1919
10 5 Scrapbook #6, newspaper clippings 1919-1927
10 6 Scrapbook #7, newspaper clippings 1931-1941
10 7 Scrapbook of newspaper clippings 1941-1950

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Series III:  Addenda Acquired in December 1967
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
11 1 Manuscripts
11 2 Manuscripts
11 3 Correspondence
11 4 Correspondence-Anthracite Institute 1931-1937
11 5 Correspondence-Solid Fuels Coordination Office 1942
11 6 Correspondence-Solid Fuels Coordination 1943

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Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

  • Personal Names :
  • Disque, Brice P.--Archives
  • Corporate Names :
  • American Economic Foundation
  • Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
  • Subject Terms :
  • Airplanes, Wooden
  • Conservatism
  • Forest products industry
  • Labor disputes
  • Labor laws and legislation
  • Labor laws and legislation
  • Prison wardens
  • Spruce--Northwest, Pacific
  • Form or Genre Terms :
  • Photographs
    • Other Creators :
    • Dresser, Robert Bartlett, 1880-1976--Correspondence  ( contributor)
    • Hart, Merwin Kimball, 1881-1962--Correspondence  ( contributor)
    • Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964--Correspondence  ( contributor)
    • Rumely, Edward A. (Edward Aloysius), 1882---Correspondence  ( contributor)
    • Anthracite Institute  ( contributor)
    • Committee for Constitutional Government  ( contributor)
    • G. Amsinck & Co  ( contributor)
    • United States Spruce Production Corporation  ( contributor)
    • United States. Bureau of Aircraft Production. Spruce Production Division  ( contributor)
    • United States. Solid Fuels Administration for War  ( contributor)

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