Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/483

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

streets of that city, and in 1909 opened Stumpf Hotel which he enlarged in 191 3. He was president of St. INIary's Social and Bene- ficial Union, president of the Gesang Verein, of \'irginia, and a member of the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks. In poli- tics he is a Democrat, and in religion a Gatholic. He married Bertha, daughter of Julius and Frederika Schumann. Children: Edward Adam (2) and Maria Louise.

Riverside & Dan River Cotton Mills, In- corporated. In this age of great achieve- ment and marked advance in the industrial world no industry has advanced more rap- idly than cotton manufacturing, and no part of the country has shown greater develop- ment in recent years than the South. In Danville the great prosperity of the people comes from its manufacturing establish- ments and in all the great industries of that city none are of greater importance than the Riverside and Dan River Cotton Mills which were consolidated in 1909 with the Riverside IMills, the parent company. The Fitzgeralds. father and son, have been con- nected with it since its inception in 1882. The father, T. B. Fitzgerald, was the first president of the company, his associates in founding the enterprise being J. H. School- field, J. E. Schoolfield, and R. A. School- field. The company, known as Riverside Mills, began in a modest way in 1882, and under President Fitzgerald's wise manage- ment and through the foresight, untiring en- ergy, and devoted interest of himself and associates, the mills have ever prospered. President Fitzgerald continued at the head of the enterprise until 1899, then retired to his farm at Byrdville, but continued as di- rector in the company to which he had de- voted so much of his time and energy.

President Fitzgerald was succeeded by F. X. Burton, who had a large interest in the Morotlock Mills, taken over by the River- side Mills at a slightly earlier date. Presi- dent Burton died April 3, 1904, and was suc- ceeded by R. .\. Schoolfield, who as secre- tary and treasurer had borne an active, con- .sjiicuous and valuable part in the manage- ment of the company. \\'ith his elevation to the presidency. H. R. Fitzgerald, son of T. R. Fitzgerald, the former president, be- came secretary and treasurer, which re- sponsible position he now holds. He has been connected with the mills since leav-

ing college, and during his twenty-two years of service has filled important positions in various departments. In 1909 the Dan River Mills were amalgamated with the Riverside Mills and a corporation formed, the Riverside and Dan River Cotton Mills, Incorporated. There are seven large mills in the Riverside division, at the Dan River division four mills, the united plants con- stituting the largest textile manufactories of the South and is among the most im- portant individual cotton manufacturing es- tablishments in the United States.

Around these mills has grown up the vil- lage of Schoolfield, practically a part of Danville, but not within the corporate limits, although nearby and connected by an electric railway. The village covers six- teen hundred acres, has a population of be- tween four and five thousand people, with churches, school, fire department and all the requirements of modern American village. No intoxicants are sold, all interests are carefully safeguarded by the company, and nowhere does there exist a more thrifty, prosperous community, dependent ttpon one industry. That this is so reflects greatest credit upon the company responsible for the foundation of the village and for its main- tenance. The company, capitalized at eight and one-half million dollars, pays out in wages an average weekly sum of thirty- seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars, and never for a single week have the mills been shut down, nor has business of the community ever been disturbed by the withdrawal of this large income upon which the business houses depend.

The Riverside Mills are operated by water and steam power, the Dan River plant by electricity and steam. The entire works have a floor capacity of two and a half mil- lion square feet and the plants are complete, bleacheries. dye houses, finishing plants, completing the operations from raw cotton to finished products. These products are known to the trade as plaids, chevoits, chambrays, fancy dress ginghams, bleached and brown sheetings, and sheets and pillow cases in all sizes. The goods are standard and sold to wholesalers and jobbers all over the United States, and are exported to foreign lands.

Over this great plant stands an execu- tive board and a directorate, all but two residents of Danville and men of the high-