Howard Richard Eye born in Virginia 12/01/05 and died 7/29/86 age 81. Plant worker and later office manager of the Pocahontas Tanning Company of Wheeling, West Virginia which was later owned by the Howe’s Leather Company of Boston, Mass. Wife: Blanche Wilfong Eye.

Mr. Eye was interviewed at his home near Frank, West Virginia where the tanning plant was located and still existed. Today, it has been closed, but was one of the largest sole tanning plants in the United States. The information concerning the beginnings of this operation can be found in the Fowler papers and the Jim Wilson tape, which appears as a part of this collection.

The talking in the background of this tape was my wife Jacqueline and his wife Blanche; hence, the quality of the tape was impaired.

Mr. Eye is included because often the timber was peeled of its bark before it went to the sawmill. The bark was sold by weigh and used in the tanning process. Mr. Eye’s account of the operation and history of this phase of the timber industry lends a wider understanding to the inter-connecting relations and the various economic satellite activities.