Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-02-27

Death this morning removed from
mortal life one OF the most promin-
ent figures In the business and in
dustrlal affairs of Martinsburg, when
Mr.. William +. Mulliss, head of the
finishing department and chief hos
iery expert of the interviewer Mills.
passed away about 1876 o'clock at
his home, sos West King street,
Death was due to cardiac nephritis
and the deceased had been critical
ly i'll since last Friday evening, al,
though he had been complaining for
the past few months and failing in
health for year or more. The end,
while not unexpected, came as a
great shock to his loved ones and the
thousands Of employees of the Inter
woven Mills. casting gloom over
these great industries, as well as
countless friends of the deceased in
this community. The funeral ar
engagements have not been cOmplct-
ed, but this sad event will take place
Monday, the hour and place to be an
nOunced later.
1t is a singular coincidence that
Mr. Muliss was stricken with his
final illness, Friday evening, on the
fiftieth anniversary of the day he en-
tered as an apprentice boy upon his
successful career in the hosiery bust
ness, -aking the start in an English
mill. He was born GA years ago In
farfamed Standardization, England
and began his apprenticeship as Il
boy OF IA years. For seven years he
worked industriously, mastering all
intricacies of this branch of the tex
tile business, with the result that
when he arrived at early manhood
he was perfectly competent to un-
dertake the management and did
manage a large mill at Leicester,
England
When a young man he was mar
ried to Miss Alice Dryhurst and in
1890 the family came to this country.
locating in Lowell, Mass. Prior to
this Mr.. Mulliss had made quite a
number of trips TO the United States
for the purpose of selling the pro-
ducts Of English hosiery mills to
large jobbjng interests in this cOun-
try and he was no stranger to Amer
lea and American manners and meth
DDS. The family spent but a few
years in Lowell, afterwards removing
to New Brunswick, n. j., where Mr.
Mulliss operated hosiery mill be
longing to the late Il. Il. KilbOurn,
father of Mr. Charles Kilbourn, pres
ident of the interviewer Mills, Inc.
The plant was known as the XII
bourn Mill, which name was borne by
the local mills until q few years
since.
This mill at New Brunswick was
DESTROYED by fire and it was while
the late Mr.. Kilbourn was consider
ing the advisability of rebuilding
that he was, fortunately for Martins
burg, induced to locate here, As a
result the Mulliss family came to this
city in 1895 and has resided here
ever since. Thus, since the incep-
tion of the mills in this city, his life
has been devoted in a great measure
to the task of assisting in the build
ing up of one OF the greatest indust-
rial enterprises in the country and
he has proudly watched the growth
OF the institution from a most hum
BILE beginning until it now represents
millions in investment, its plants
cover hundreds of acres, II gives EN-
plOyment to thousands Of operatives
and the undertaking is in reality the
backbone of Martinsburg prosperity
and progress. In all of these years
he has contributed his part, being
vastly responsible for considerable