The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-08

L. Phillips died in 1904. I. A. Saw
yer died in 1909. John N. Irwin, gov
ernor of two territories, minister to
Portugal. lauded orator, scholar and
diplomat, permanently in Keokuk's
hall OF fame, died in 1905. Of the
SIX original stockholders, w. S. Phil
ups remains as yice-president, and
Welis M. Irwin is active as presi-
dent Of the company. But the old,
original names are continued in the
third generation. John R. Irwin is
an executive in the place of his
father, John N. Irwin; Stephen Irwin,
Oh the third generation, is assistant
secretary and assistant manager; H.
M. Phillips, as well as w. S. Phil
lips, is actively in the business. Sons
and daughters and grandchildren
hold a large majority of the stock
among them. 1t is still largely
family concern.
Growing Up In the Business.
Some years after incorporation,
John N. Irwin was president; Wells
M Irwin was vice-president and
treasurer; Phil Meyling, for years
the best known expert accountant Of
keokuk, was secretary. Then Wells
M. Irwin became president; w. S.
Philips was made vice-president;
Phil Meyling continued as secretary
until his DEATH, when he was sue
ceeded by Claude Erdman who had
been his understudy for some years,
and all these are officers of the COM
pany today.
AS the business grew to really big
proportions, others than the three
original families became part of it's
large organization. and some of them
advanced to responsible positions
and finally to stock ownership.
John Peterson, now head of the fac
tory goods department, was travelling
salesman. A second was E. E. Coombs,
recognized as one of the best under
wear and hosiery buyers in the coun-
try. J. w. McAndrew, head of the
piece goods department, came to the
old firm when a boy in knicker-
bockers and, like John P. Peterson,
never worked for anybody else.
Frank Nagel, in charge OF receiving
and shipping goods. has been with
the house thirty years.
The Present Owners.
The present stockholders of Irwin
Phillips company are Mrs. Mary l..
Irwin and John R. Irwin, widow and
a son of John N. Irwin; Wells NJ.
Irwin and Stephen Irwin, his son;
Hazen I. Sawyer and Mrs. T. r.
Board, son and daughter of l. A. Saw
yer; w. S. Phillips, H. M. Phillips
and Mrs. Ella M. Ives, sons and
daughter of c. e. Phillips; the Phil
Meyling estate, Claude Erdman,
t. e. Erdman and Mrs. Eliza
beth Erdman, John p. Peterson and
Mrs. Hattie Peterson. E. E. Coombs
and T. A. Smith The directors are
Wells M. Irwin, John R. Irwin,
Stephen Irwin, w. S. Phillips, H. NJ
Claude Erdman, E. f.
Coombs and John P. Peterson. In
addition to the company officers, the
executives Of the organization are:
Wells M. Irwin, manager; Claude
Erdman, Office manager; R. P. Kerr,
manager; H. M. Phillips,
w. S. Phillips, no
ions: ]. P: Peterson, factory; ]. Fl.
McAndrew, piece goods; z. e.
COMBS, underwear.
Increased a Thousand Per Cent.
Kramer, Irwin & Co. started in
keokuk with about $4,000 to $4,000
n the business over sixty years agu.
Today Irwin-Phillips Company is
,ated by Bradstreets at between
100000 and 100000 of net assets.
The capitalization Of the company is
and every dollar of stock
certificates represents dollar ana
lalf of property.
When the house came to Keoltujl,
md for some years thereafter, its
customers arrived on steambpats
Town the Des Moines river. long
ince become too small for boats, or
N stages which maintained a more
II less regularity of trips betwe IN
leokuk and Des Moines and beyond.
Now Irwin-Phillips company has
nineteen travelling statesmen fitting |
,ver five states-Iowa, Illinois, Mis- !
;ouri. Nebraska and Wisconsin-by |
amid transit. Soon after coming 10 !
Seok,,k. the old firm opened a branch |
,ouse in Saint Louis which was later /
bandoned. Today, 1rwin-Ph.llips |
ompany has offices at 72 Leonard |
treet. New York, with Walter J.. |
lowell as resident buyer. and has |
cling offices at 232 Century build |
no Des Moines. 1t does business I
+ about two and three-quarter mil
ions annually.
Sells All Around Competitors.
This jobbing business extends far
her from Keokuk than seems pos
ib1e TO those not informed. 1t sells
nv goods south of Saint Louis. west
f Omaha, near Kansas City in Mis-
ouri and Nebraska, and even north
{ Chicago. Ability and pluck
ompose the answer to this paradox
f business.
But the iobbing business Is only
ne part of that done by Irwin-Phil-
ns today. It manufactures IN a
,rpe scale. A quarter of century
go its business in certain lines had
Town so large that it became advis-
hIe TO make as we'll as to sell these
Gods.
shirts. overalls and jackets are the
nos manufactured there since 1890.