New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-24

OF rolling hill and pleasant vale fruitful and Well
watered. Within three miles of Minden Is WIDE
rent in the unduating chain Of mountains through
which the river Weser descends into the North
German plain. This rent is called the Poria
Westpbaca. Through this rent pass both :" the
broad and gentle Weser" and the ColOgne-Minden
Railway, which, after passing the gate, branches
off to Belefed. thence via Dortmund and Ddssel-
dorf TO Cologne OF the charms of this district an
old Minden monk sang in Latin many centuries
ago:
"There are gliding brooks and fountains
Waters sweet, and stately mountains,
Pastures rich for lowing kline;
Many wife and c0ney maiden
Rich with grace and goodness laden,
Decks the Weser's silver line"
Saws Barring Could: "Her place at the mouth of
the great gate assured prosperity to Minden"
Charemagne made Mnden the seat of a bishop in
500. Bieleleld was less fortunately situated and
owes its modern prosperity 10 the Cologne and
Minden Railway. which supplies it with cheap
Goals from the DOrtmnnd district for its many
linen weaving factories. IL Is now the centre OF
the Westphalian linen trade and contains extensive
factories and blcach-feds Though The railway is
the basis of the latterday prosperity of Bieieeld,
the place has been for centuries noted for It's linen
The town was known early as the ninth century
as Belanved, and rose into importance In the
eleventh or twelfth as the capital Of the county OF
Ravensberg 1t joined the Hanseatc League IN
1870 and about the same time began to engage In
the linen manufacture, which was greatly extended
during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
by number of refugees from the Netherlands.
In appearance Bielefeld is n queer mixture of the
ancient and modern. On the height above the
town the old castle of Sparenberg seems TO grow
from the summit OF the rock, time having almost
covered its gray walls with rich green foliage.
.h; ,I,i of
a bird's-eye view can be had of modern Bielefeld
Some of the fax mills very handsome structures,
especially the Ravensberg Mill and the spinnerei
Vorwarts. which, combined, work over $4,000
spIndles about half the total number of spndes in
operation in all Prussia twenty-five years ago.
There are many other fine modern buildings in the
town and good supply of new and comfortable
dwellings for the operatives, who. IN my opinion.
are better off than those engaged In the linen IN
dustry in either England Ireland. Scotland or
France. For example. asked what large, taste
fully built. red brck building surrounded. with hno
large trees and grounds used for. and was told
ooh, that is occupied by couple of hundred of
Siesian girls who. are employed in the RavensDerg
Mill"
"Are you Obliged to import operatives thenP
"Yes, we find it difficult at times to get supply
of experienced weavers and spinners. and we pay
higher wages tn an IN Southeastern Germany"
what do you pay the girls who live in this es-
adjustment
They receive l mark 80 pfeunigs a day, or
0 marks l$2 % a week, and lodgings free
This one OF the superintendents of the mill told
me. The majority of the operatives, who were not
provided with lodgings received p marks IS 50
for twelve days work. II will be observed that
this is about the same amount of wages as the
operatives in Ciarks and COats's Cotton Thread
Mills at Paisley earning and this to-. under
very similar Surroundings. Bielefed, though
manufacturing town. having the advantage OF
delightful surrounding country. 1t Is also equal to
# not more than the operatives in the linen iacto-
res Of Dundee. Belfast aud Leeds earn. as shall
presently show the authority OF the British
Board Of Trade. In the working quarters of the
city found that a great many of the worS-pcope
owned their houses especially in Cantonstwo. three
and five. Herr Max Kempel. who employs 200
hands, told me that from thirty-iye TO forty of
them owned their own houses and gardens Good
mechanics were earning marks or about 81 day.
Those who rented houses could obtain comfortable
homes outside Of the city limits at from 175 to 200
marks per year SO TO 500.
At Belefeld are made shirts collars and cuffs by
the thousand dozen-3,000 sewing machines arc
daily at work on these garments. The larger pro-
portion supply the home market. bat some are eX-
ported. The inhabitants of Belefed are mostly
Protestant They form n light-hearted and SEEM
Ingly prosperous community. Dancing. singing
and music the nightly amusements, and there
are "A large number Of social clubs and societies.
The city has excellent schools and great pains
are taken in the ordinary branches IA well az
in industrial education. for which the town has
provided an industrial college. The surrounding
= 40 ,ft1 md ful
drives The main thoroughfare of the new part Of
the town is shaded by avenue of trees not yet.
however. very large. A couule of Gothic churches
several quaint houses characteristic OF the old Ger
man style of building and the CASTLE make odd
mixture Of the Old and new which is far from pro-
duciDg any unpleasant effect.
About seven miles from Bieefeld is IIerford whore
500 years ago there was q famous nunnery the
abbess Of winch was entitled to a seat in the In
peral Diet This town also given to textiles
and besides fax mills 1T boasts immense
iutc factory employing 5000 hands.
Both Germany and Austria have always been
famous for their linen. Bohemian linen Is one of
the Oldest industries in Europe. 1t hourished in
the fourteenth century and still maintains promi-
ncnt place. though of recent years the exports are
decreasing. In Germany over century ago
Sesian linen was famous 1t found ns way into
all parts Of Europe and South America, from Arch
angel 10 Peru. The quantities sent into Hungary
and Poland were considerable Russia profit
able outlet. In 1892 the linen exports from Siesia
amounted to more than So, 100000. But the wars
OF Napoleon gave a serious blow to the linen indus
try of Slesa, it did 10 many other German indus
tries Thousands of honest. industrious people were
brought to ruin. young Silesian weaver said to
John Russell. English traveller. when he visited
Hirschberg in 1929 when Butcher ordered us to
I'll