[p. 823] expert mechanical engineer, who is general manager of all the plants of the Shelby Steel Tube Company, which include those at Shelby, Ohio, and at Greenville, McKeesport and Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, was born in Switzerland, in 1862, and has been a resident of the United States since 1894.
In his native land, Mr. Stiefel was thoroughly educated, not only along literary lines but in the profession, the pursuit of which was the cause of his coming to America. As a mechanical engineer he worked for twelve years in Switzerland, France and England, coming directly to Ellwood City from the latter country, in 1894. He accepted the position of superintendent of the Ellwood Seamless Tube Company and remained with that concern as such for four years and built the Greenville works and was connected with the Shelby Seamless Tube Company until 1899. He then left the Shelby Company and in association with some friends, erected the Standard Seamless Tube Company's works at Ellwood City, which covered about two and one-half acres at that time. In 1901 the National Steel Tube Company bought out the Standard Company and soon after this purchase, the United States Steel Corporation absorbed the Shelby Steel Tube Company and in that manner all the seamless tube companies came under the dominance of the great corporation. Mr. Stiefel's ability was recognized when he was made general superintendent of all the plants in the country.
In 1906, the plant at Ellwood City was enlarged to cover nine acres. These great works give employment to 2200 men at full capacity and the distribution of money in payment for their services is enormous, contributing in no small degree to the financial prosperity of Ellwood City. All the seamless tube works are now conducted under the name of the Shelby Steel Tube Company.
Mr. Stiefel was married in 1895, to Miss Mary Bowen, a lady with whom he became aquainted in England, and they have two children: R. C. and Josephine.
Mr. Stiefel has been identified with the manufacture of seamless tubes since 1888, before which they were used only for bicycles. It has been only since 1897 that seamless tubes have been in general use in America for boilers. Mr. Stiefel invented a process for the transformation of solid billets of steel into hollow tubes and introduced this wonderful discovery in this country which was the first step in the manufacture of seamless tubes as they are now applied. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He has proved his exceptional business qualifications. He speaks several languages fluently and is a well balanced man in every direction.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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