History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 157

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Mr. Lee is also president of the Nu-Way Dry Cleaning Company. He founded this in 1910 as owner, and subse- quently incorporated the business. This is a local estab-

Wetter w Pouch

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

lishment employing fifteen persons, with three places of business, and handling dry cleaning and shoe repairing. Mr. Lee is also associated with the Faulkner Realty Company, the Fair View Land and Development Company and the Val- ley View Realty Company. These are organizations for the development of some high class residence seetions around Charleston.

Mr. Lee is a charter member of the Rotary Club and is active in the Chamber of Commerce. He is a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner and a deaeon in St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Mr. Lee is a comparatively young mau for all his busi- ness achievements. He was born at Charleston in 1879, son of Charles K. Lee, who at one time was on the police force and later a merchant, but is now retired. Mr. Lee had a public school education. He married Helen Joachim, of Charleston, and their four children are: William E., Vir- ginia Elizabetb, Mary Katherine and Robert E.

WALTER WARREN POINT, M. D. A member of the medical profession of Charleston since 1914, Doetor Point is a physician and surgeon with the modern training and equip- ment for his work, and has in addition that experience in- volved in three years of duty with the army forees in the capacity of a surgeon.

Doctor Point was born at Huntington, West Virginia, July 3, 1887, son of W. W. and Dorothy Ann (Hagan) Point. He had a common and high school education and also attended Marshall College in Huntington, and gradu- ated from the University of West Virginia with the A. B. degree in 1910. He pursued his medical studies in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore, where he was graduated in 1913. For fourteen months he was a meni- ber of the surgical staff of Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, and for three months was assistant superintendent of Sydenham Hospital in that city, a hospital devoted to minor infectious diseases.

In June, 1914, Doetor Point began his independent pro- fessional career in Charleston. While at the State Univer- sity he was a member of the University Cadet Corps, sub- sequently was commissioned second lieutenant in the Na- tional Guard of West Virginia, and after completing his medical course was commissioned lieutenant and later eap- tain of the Medieal Corps in the National Guard. With that rank he went to the Mexican border in August, 1916, as regimental surgeon of the Second West Virginia Infantry. With his eommand he returned to West Virginia early in April, 1917, and on the 7th of the same month was trans- ferred to the federalized military service, his regiment, the Second West Virginia, becoming the One Hundred and Fiftieth Infantry, Thirty-eighth Division. Later he was promoted to the rank of major in the Medical Corps, and October 3, 1918, went with his command to France, and was transferred from his regiment to Base Hospital No. 108 at Mesves. February 4, 1919, he was transferred to the Second Division in the Army of Occupation on the Rhine, and assigned to duty as surgeon of the Ninth Infantry of the Division. August 1, 1919, he arrived in New York, receiving his discharge September 3d, and soon afterward resumed his practice at Charleston. Thus for over three years his professional skill was utilized by the military establishment of his country. It was a patriotie duty performed un- grudgingly, and at the same time it constituted a valuable experience that is counting for substantial achievement in his professional work at Charleston. He has a large and busy practice in that eity and is a member of the County, State and American Medical associations. On September 2, 1921, he was commissioned major of the Medieal Corps, West Virginia National Guard.

Doetor Point is commander of Kanawha Post No. 20, American Legion, at Charleston. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, and has inter- ested himself in several eivic and social organizations. He married Miss Maud Lore Brown, a native of Kingwood, Preston County, and a niece of Governor Dawson of West Virginia. Doctor and Mrs. Point have one son, Walter Warren, Jr., born in August, 1921.

JESSE A. BLOCH. For a number of years the City of Wheeling has boasted of one of the largest tobacco fac- tories in the world. This institution is due to the enterprise of two brothers who started the manufacture of tobacco on a very modest scale forty years ago. For some years past the Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company has had an immense plant at Wheeling, employing a normal force of 500 lands, and its output is a factor in international as well as domes- tic trade.

The first vice president of this company is Jesse A. Bloch, son of the founder. His grandfather, Simon Bloch, was a native of Germany, and by reason of his participation in the revolutionary movement of that country came to America and settled at Wheeling in 1849. He was a wholesale merchant at Wheeling. His son, Samuel S. Bloch, was born at Wheeling in 1850, and has spent his life in this eity. For a number of years he was associated with the wholesale grocery business of the family, but in 1880 he and his brother Aaron Bloch established a small tobacco factory, then employing only ten persons. In 1884 the brothers discontinued the wholesale grocery business, and have concentrated all their energies upon the tobacco in- dustry. The company was incorporated in 1891, with Aaron Bloch as president, Samuel S. Bloch as vice president, and A. O. Maxwell, secretary. For some years the plant was at 1501-03 Main Street, but the company now uses the entire block between Thirty-ninth and Forty-first streets, and has a plant for handling leaf tobaeco in other states. Bloch Brothers were the originators of the scrap or ribbon coarse eut tobacco, and one of the most widely used brands of chewing and smoking tobacco is the "Mail Poueh," manu- faetured by Bloch Brothers. They also make the Arrow and Wizard brands of cigarettes. The present officers of the company are: Samuel S. Bloch, president; Jesse A. Bloch, first vice president; Harold S. Bloch, second vice president; W. M. Tiernan, third viee president, who beeame superintendent of the plant in 1885; and A. O. Maxwell, secretary.

Samuel S. Bloch is a republican, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and for many years has been one of Wheeling's liberal and publie-spirited citizens. He married Bertha Prager, who was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia. They have two sons and two daughters, the sons, Jesse A. and Harold S., both being officials of the company. Medalyne is the wife of Eduard Ziegler, a prominent business man now living in Paris, France. Miss Dorothy is at home.

Jesse A. Bloch was born at Wheeling, November 2, 1879. attended the local public schools, Linsly Institute, prepared for college in Phillips-Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, and had a technical training in the Woreester Polytechnic Institute at Worcester, Massachusetts. Mr. Bloch left eol- lege in 1900 and returned to Wheeling to enter his father's business, and has given it his full time for over twenty years.

He is also prominent in West Virginia politics. He was a member of the State Legislature for two terms, being elected in 1912 and 1914 and serving in the sessions of 1913 and 1915. In 1913 he introduced the Workmen's Compensation Bill, which became a law. Mr. Bloch in 1918 was elected a member of the State Senate for the four year term from 1919 to 1923. Senator Bloch was at one time mayor of Pleasant Valley, now a suburb of Wheeling. He is a republican, a member of Wheeling Lodge No. 28, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Phi Gamma Delta college fraternity, the Wheeling Country Club and the Fort Henry Club. He was prominent in all the local activi- ties at Wheeling in behalf of the vigorous prosecution of the war, serving on the executive committees for the Liberty Loan drives and assisting with the Red Cross and other local campaigns.

In 1905, at Wheeling, Mr. Bloch married Miss Jessie Moffat, daughter of Thomas C. and Blanche (Quarrier) Moffat. Her parents live in Wheeling, her father being connected with the Engineering and Equipment Company of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Bloeh have two children, Thomas M., born February 13, 1907, and Betty, born in May, 1908.

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WEIRTON STEEL COMPANY. In May, 1905, there was char- tered under the general laws of the State of West Virginia the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company with officers of J. R. Phillips, president, W. H. Baldridge, vice president, E. T. Weir, secretary and general manager, and capitalized at $250,000.

This organization purchased the plant of the Jackson Sheet and Tin Plate Company located at Clarksburg, West Virginia, which transaction took place in 1905. The plant of the Jackson Sheet and Tin Plate Company consisted of eight stands of rolls usually termed "mills," three of which were for rolling sheets and five for tin plate. This plant was not in very good condition, the buildings were in need of repair and the machinery well worn. Considerable diffi- eulty was experienced by the organizers in putting the mill in condition to operate satisfactorily and turn out a prod- uct which would be acceptable to the users of tin plate and sheets.

As a further obstacle for the new organization to over- come, their president, J. R. Phillips, met his death within a month or two after the company was organized, he being unfortunate enough to have been in the Harrisburg wreck of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1905.

E. T. Weir was then elected president of the company ; W. H. Baldridge remained as vice president and D. M. Weir was appointed treasurer. This organization of course was added to at various intervals up to the present time, so that the principal officers of the present Weirton Steel Company which was formerly the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate consist of E. T. Weir, president, D. M. Weir, W. Il. Baldridge and J. C. Williams, vice presidents.

As previously stated the original plant at Clarksburg consisted of eight mills. In 1908 an additional four mills were added making the Clarksburg Plant a twelve mill proposition. In 1909 the company was re-capitalized on a basis of five and a half million dollars and they purchased several hundred acres of ground at Crawford's Crossing or what might be said a part of Hollidays Cove, West Virginia. At that time the property at Hollidays Cove consisted of farm lands lying in the valley in which Hollidays Cove is located.

In this valley the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company in 1909 erected a ten mill tin plate plant, built a few houses for the benefit of those employees that might have to come from other points than the small towns surrounding this district and established a town by the name of Weirton.

In 1910 an additional ten mills was added to the Weirton Plant making a total of twenty mills and in December of 1911 the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company purchased and took over the plant and equipment of the Pope Tin Plate Company located at Steubenville, Ohio, which con- sisted of a twelve mill tin plate plant.

In 1914 four additional mills were added to the Weirton Plant and also another two mills added in 1915 bringing the total number of mills at the Weirton Plant up to twenty-six. This then gave the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company twelve mills at Clarksburg, twelve mills at Steubenville, and twenty-six mills at Weirton, West Vir- ginia, making a total of fifty mills which then put them in the position of being the largest independent manufacturer of tin plate.

In 1915 the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company took over the plant and equipment of the Weirton Steel Com- pany located at Weirton, West Virginia, which constituted a Cold Rolled Strip Steel plant which was built in 1913 and the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company then procceded to increase the capacity of the former Weirton Steel Com- pany Cold Rolled Strip mill so that it would be in position to not only produce a greater tonnage of cold rolled strip steel but also to make their own raw material which eon- sisted of hot rolled hoops and bands. This change was brought about by the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company building two hot mills for the production of hot rolled strip steel.

Believing that the name "Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company " was a misnomer the name on August 1, 1918 was changed to that of the Weirton Steel Company as it was thought this change in name would cover the proposed

varied products which they expected to manufacture. Wit the change in name the capitalization was raised to $30 000,000.

In 1919 a modern 600-ton blast furnace was complete and placed in operation. Also in 1920 there was complete and placed in operation an up-to-date steel plant consistin of seven 100-ton open hearth furnaces, a 42-inch bloomin mill and a 21-inch and 18-inch continuous rolling mill This blast furnace and steel works was also erected & Weirton, West Virginia, on a part of the property originall purchased in 1909.

In 1919 they purchased iron ore property in the Lak Superior region and likewise coke ovens in the Connellsvill District, the latter to take care of their requirements o coke for the manufacture of pig iron.

The preceding explanation sets forth to some extent th very abnormal growth of the organization formed in 190. and as a summary it shows the original Phillips Shee and Tin Plate Company capitalized at $250,000 in May 1905, operating in a very difficult manner an eight mil plant at Clarksburg, West Virginia, employing some 501 or 600 people and producing tin plate and sheets totaling approximately 25,000 to 28,000 tons per year, whereas ove a period of seventeen years or up to the present time they are now capitalized at $30,000,000 or 120 times the origina capitalization, employing some 7,000 people not including the iron ore mines or the coke ovens and with an annua production of various commodities approximately as fol lows: Pig Iron, 250,000 tons; Steel, 600,000 tons; Ho1 and Cold Rolled Strip, 250,000 tons; Tin Plate, 225,000 tons.

The former Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company 01 what is known today as the Weirton Steel Company is therefore now placed on a basis of self-maintenance from the raw materials to the finished produet.

In 1905 they depended upon manufacturers of sheet bars for the operation of their Clarksburg Plant. Today they depend on none for their major raw materials, being self- supporting from the origin of the iron ore and coal, through to the finished tin plate and sheets, also hot and cold rolled strip steel.

Outside of the enormous development at Weirton, West Virginia there has been very little change at Clarksburg, West Virginia, or Steubenville, Ohio from the original plant except the increase of four mills at Clarksburg, as explained heretofore, but at Weirton the farm lands of 1908 consisting of some three or four houses and as many as probably fifteen or twenty inhabitants, the town of Weirton today consists of 2,000 houses and almost 12,000 inhabitants.

E. T. WEIR was born in 1875 of Scotch-Frish parentage. In 1890 he entered the employ of the Braddock Wire Com- pany of Pittsburgh and one year later he became identified with the Oliver Wire Company which operated wire and nail mills on the South Side, Pittsburgh. He was with this concern until 1898, serving in various capacities, con- stantly on the alert to acquire knowledge of the manufac- turing business to equip himself for the opportunity he ever dreamed of. In 1899 he joined the ranks of the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company and in 1901 was appointed manager of the Monongahela Tin Mills of that company; in 1903 he was made manager of their Monessen mills.

With J. R. Phillips, who was district manager of the American Company Mills, he organized in 1905, the Phil- lips Sheet and Tin Plate Company and started operating a small tin mill at Clarksburg, West Virginia. Since that time as the chief executive of the company, which now bears his name, Mr. Weir has realized, in part at least, the dreams of his early business career.

Mr. Weir resides in Pittsburgh but except when away is daily at his office in Weirton actively engaged in coun- seling with the large organization he is still leader of, not only concerning operation of the present plants but planning for the future growth of these mills and the Town of Weirton.

Mr. Weir is married and has three children. In addi-

B.F. Murphy

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on to his duties as president of the Weirton Steel Con- any he is president of the Bank of Weirton and the Teir Improvement Company. He is a director in the dgewater Steel Company of Pittsburgh and the Bank of ittsburgh, N. A.

He is a member of Duck Island Club of North Caro- na, Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh, Union Club of Pitts- urgh, Pittsburgh Athletic Association, Fort Henry Club : Wheeling, Pittsburgh Country Club, Pittsburgh Field lub, Westmoreland Country Club of Pittsburgh, Longue ue Club of Pittsburgh, Triton Club of Quebec, Canada, merican Iron and Steel Institute, Pittsburgh Chamber : Commerce, and Woodmont Rod and Gun Club of Mary- nd.

D. M. WEIR was born in 1880. After graduating from te public schools he started his business career with the liver interests in Pittsburgh and for five years worked ligently in various clerical capacities. In 1899 he entered e employ of the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company weighmaster at their South Side mills and at the age : twenty-one was made chief clerk of that works, a credit- ole distinction indeed, he being the youngest man to cupy such a responsible position the company had ever hosen. In 1905, along with his brother and Mr. Phillips, went to Clarksburg as purchasing agent for the tin mills ey purchased at that location.

Mr. Weir's long experience particularly in the commer- al end of the tin plate business peculiarly fits him for e responsibilities of the important offices he holds in the ifferent enterprises he is connected with. There is no reater booster than he for the town of Weirton and the elfare of the workmen in the different mills.

Mr. Weir has been vice president of the Weirton Steel ompany for many years; he is president of the Weirton nprovement Company-secretary and treasurer of the Teir Improvement Company, president of the Weirton evelopment Company and Weirton Home Building Com- any.

He is also director of: Bank of Weirton, National Ex- mange Bank of Steubenville, Union Building and Loan ompany of Steubenville, The Children's Bethel of Smith- eld, Ohio, The Ohio Valley Hospital of Steubenville, and Test Virginia Manufacturers' Association.

Mr. Weir is also vice president of the Y. M. C. A. of teubenville and is deeply interested in that work. He is member of: Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh thletic Association, Traffic Club of Pittsburgh, Americus lub of Pittsburgh, United States Chamber of Commerce, ittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Steubenville Chamber E Commerce, American Iron and Steel Institute, Steuben- ille Country Club, Weirton Business Men's Association, Westmoreland Country Club of Pittsburgh, and Longue ue Club of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Weir resides in Steubenville, Ohio, is married and as two daughters.

JOHN C. WILLIAMS. As an associate of the Weir rothers, since the incipiency of the Weirton Steel Com- any one of the most potent contributing factors in its chievements has been the energy, foresight and leadership f John C. Williams, now vice president of the Weirton teel Company. Mr. Williams was born in 1876 and has een in the Steel business since 1889 principally in the tin late line, for, as many of his friends among the workmen ow employed in the mills under his management will 'stify, he was but a mere lad when he started to work n the cold rolls in a tin plate mill in Wales.

There are many cogent reasons for Mr. Williams' suc- ess and for his remarkable accomplishments as a mill perator but the one outstanding reason is the confidence od faith placed in him by the men in the mills and his bsolute fairness to them.

Mr. Williams does not believe in driving, as for fifteen ears he labored in the mills himself and in all capacities om greaser on the cold rolls to roller on the hot mills ad the strongest bonds of sympathy are entertained by im for the "toilers" and those who labor. He is ever

ready to give encouragement to those who need it and utmost consideration to those who try to do their best.

Mr. Williams in 1903-4 was assistant to E. T. Weir as superintendent of the hot mills at the National Works, Monessen; prior to that time and for many years he was superintendent of the Champion Iron and Steel Company, Muskegon, Michigan, which company operates har, plate, tin and sheet mills.

Mr. Williams is married and lives in Steubenville, Ohio.

He is vice president of the Weirton Steel Company in charge of operations; vice president of both the Weir and Weirton Improvement Company, director in the Bank of Weirton.

He is a member of Steubenville Chamber of Commerce, Steubenville Country Club, American Iron and Steel Insti- tute, Weirton Business Men's Association, and Clarksburg Country Club of Clarksburg, West Virginia.

BENJAMIN F. MURPHY is a man of thought and action, and has demonstrated in many helpful ways his fine civic loyalty, with the result that his influence has been large and benignant in his home community, his native county and in connection with governmental affairs in West Vir- ginia. He is essentially one of the most progressive and influential citizens of Clay County, and is a leading busi- ness man of the village of Clay, judicial center of the county. Mr. Murphy was born at Ivydale, this county, July 29, 1873, and is a son of Henry H. and Sarah J. (Dawson) Murphy, and he is a scion of one of the oldest and most honored families of what is now West Virginia. His great- great-grandfather, Patrick Murphy, was born and reared in Ireland, and upon coming to America became the first settler in the Elk River Valley of what is now the State of West Virginia.

After having profited by the advantages of the publie schools of his native county Benjamin F. Murphy became a student in the Concord State Normal School at Athens, West Virginia, where he well fortified himself for the peda- gogie profession. For thirteen years he was a successful teacher in the schools of Clay County, and he has continued to retain a most lively and helpful interest in educational affairs. For a time he was a teacher in a private school at Clay, or Clay Court House, which is still the railroad designation of the judicial center of Clay County. Mr. Murphy gained valuable magisterial experience by four years of effective service in the office of justice of the peace, and as county superintendent of schools for four years he gave a most able and progressive administration, besides which he was a member of the state grading board on teach- ers' licenses under the administrations of State Superinten- dents Miller and Shawkey. Thereafter he served one termi as representative of his native county in the House of Delegates of the West Virginia Legislature, in which he made a characteristically excellent record, he having been chairman of the committee of education and a member of other important committees of the Lower House. At Clay le established the mercantile business which is conducted under the title of Murphy & Company and which is one of the important enterprises of the village. Mr. Murphy has had much of influence and leadership in the councils and campaign activities of the republican party in this section of the state, and he has been specially prominent in the furtherance of educational work and service in his home county, he having been the prime factor in the movement which resulted in the establishing of the Clay County High School, of which board he is the secretary. He is a director of the Elk Valley Bank at Clay and of the American Grocery Society in the City of Charleston, besides having other capitalistic interests of important order. He and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for the past several years he has been Clay County secretary in connection with the International Sun- day School Association. He is a past master of Clay County Lodge No. 97, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and a past noble grand of Pisgah Lodge No. 180, Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows.

On the Ilth of January, 1892, was solemnized the mar-

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riage of Mr. Murphy and Miss Emma F. Friend, and of the nine children of this union seven are living: Myrtle N. is the wife of Dr. Thomas H. Fast; H. Mark graduated from the high school and thereafter attended the Mountain State Business College at Parkersburg, and also the Uni- versity of West Virginia; Victor B. graduated from the bigli school, was for two years a student in the University of West Virginia, and is, in 1922, attending the West Virginia Wesleyan College at Buekhannon; Maysel is attending the Clay High School; and the three younger members of the attractive home eirele are Friend Paul, Benjamin C. and Mildred.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 157

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