Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-01
The Development Of Berlin

ment of their prosperity as modern Berlin. In
the last year, especially, the progress has been
marvellous. AS though a golden food had
deluged it, saws a correspondent of a London
paper, this sandy and sterile region becomes
suddenly productive of untold wealth. For a
twelvemonth banks and commercial companies
of every description have been springing up
here like mushrooms after rain. Hundreds of
millions Of thalers have been invested in new
shares, and huge sums realized by the rising
tendency of the market. Though the movement
continues with undated vigor, the public are
ever willing to take up fresh securities and
| there seems to be no end to the gains of found
ers and dctonnoires. Already the Berlin banks
| have become nearly as numerous as those of
| London. The shareholding companies extend
| to every class of manufacture and commerce,
and, being mostly based upon the purchased
| good will of old and respectable firms, promise
safe returns. Their energetic activity is riyaed
| by private speculation, consumption increasing
| in the same ratio, and many more orders
coming in than can be executed. The working
man shares in the advantages of this industrial
revival, and receives from nifty to one hundred
per cent higher wages than was the case six
years ago. The price of provisions and rents
have likewise gone up with extraordinary swift
ness.
Owing to the steady influx of wealthy people
from the provinces elegant houses in this city
are now worth twice, nay, thrice as much as
three years ago, and even the poorest of the poor
have to pay at least fifty per cent more than in
1869. | think | am keeping within bounds when
| say that the rent eXacted from the middle and
lower classes is half as much again as the pres
ent London standard. Other indications like
wise show the increasing demand for the luxu-
ries of life and better means of satisfying it,.
The consumption ofgas has nearly doubled DUR
ing the last two years. Market halls, an old de-
stderdtum, are about to be erected in all parts
of the town. The sewerage is at last to be per-
| fected, Notwithstanding the immense cost it will
occasion, in level plain, and at such distance
| from the sea. The number of equipages and
| vehicles of every kind is prodigious in COMPARE
| son to what it was, and every daily necessary
| from great coat to a sprig of parsley, has adj
| ditiona value attached to it by the vendor.
Last not least, the budget of the city, from four
million thalers in 1868, has risen to between six
and seven millions, and, if improvements con-
tinue at the present rate, will soon attain an even
| higher figure.
Writing under this head the correspondent of
the Manchester (England) Guardian at Berlin,
| saws:
Joint stock companies are springing up daily
like mushrooms, and for every conceivable branch
of industry. Mines, railway stock, breweries,
| gutta- perCha, new streets, and new suburbs
| sewing machines, chemical works, &C., offer a
| wide field for the choice of investors; but some
| men, and those none of the most foolish, look
| grave and ask where all this is to end. Under
| any other circumstances a fearful crash would
1
| yet unpaid may come in time to stem the evil
| unless, indeed, they only increase it, which i:
| also one of the contingencies on the cards The
| Berlin exchange, one of the largest and hand
| soonest in Europe, is no longer nearly big
enough for the immense increase of business
and is to receive considerable additions.
| will conclude this subject with little anec
| dote A milkwoman, living in the neighbour
| hood of Franzosich Buchboltz, a few miles from
Berlin, owned a considerable piece of land for a
| poor peasant woman, but grew only
a few potatoes on part of it,
| leaving the rest falow. Not long AGO
| a handsome carriage stops before the door
of her cottage, and gentleman steps out of it,
asks if she is the owner of the plot of gro und,
and whether she will sell it. The woman is
rather taken aback, and before she can answer
and we will not make many words about the
bargain. viii you take 10000 thalerSP Had
he offered 500 she would probably have closed
at once; but the liberality OF the!offer made her
hesitate. 4 must first consult my son in Ber-
lin was accordingly the reply. The son, who
keeps beer shop, is consulted, and says,
Mother, smell rat. You may get twice The
sum if you stick out for it, The next day the
| gentleman repeats his visit and offers 10000
thalers. WELL says the woman 4 must CON
| suit my son once more The son, on hearing
! that the offer had really been doubled shakes
| his head more wisely than before, and advises
| his mother TO refer the intended purchaser to
| himself On the later appearing next day at
the beer shop the willy landlord says, 'Ah, sir
| you have come just too late. sold the land to
| company yesterday for $4,000 thalers to build
| mandatory on, and am TO sign the agree
ment tomorrow But if give you 10000 tina
| lers, what then2 Why, then, Of COURSE you
have the preference The bargain was struck
| at once"