The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-07
Letter from Germany.
Editor MteMgenccr:

Leipzig ms one nuuuteu huu bl4ty
thousand inhabitants. 1t is situated in q
fat and somewhat sandy but fertile coun.
try, and is surrounded by prosperous
manufacturing towns of twelve to twenty
thousand inhabitants. In Lindenau, a
town OF about twelve thousand inhabt.
ants, within less than half mile from
this city, | noticed eight tall furnace
chimneys within q circumference OF a
few hundred yards, and in Plagwitz, q
CITY adjacent to Lindenau, are large wa.
eon. iron and other manufactures.
Like Goettingen, Leipzig has an old
and new part, though there is no line
here which substantially makes the di.
vision between the old and the new. as
the wall around the older part of Goet-
tiDgen does. However, the observer
needs no such determining feature, The
difference in the style, cost and appear
ance of the buildings, together with the
broader and more regular streets Of the
newer 'rtion, are apparent to every
one. Some of the streets of the older
portion of the city are broader and long.
er than the others, and are, accordingly,
denominated "strasse" (street); Others,
neither so broad nor so long, are denom-
mated "gasse" Qane), and others, still
narrower, by the diminutive of "gasse,"
which is "gaesschen" (ittle lane or
alley).
In some of the older cities of Germa-
nv, it is quite possible for people living
on opposite sides OF these narrowest
"alleys" to shake hands with each other
from their respective houses. But so
great proximity of the houses is found
in but few of the cities of Germany and
in the oldest alleys only. l believe none
of the alleys of Leipzig are so marrow,
I though some are hardly broad enough to
allow wagons to pass persons on foot.
At present, in some of the cities of Ger
many, there are laws regulating the cree.
ton of houses and the width of the
streets, which have in view, not only the
prevention of such narrow streets in the
future, but the widening 80 far as posi-.
BILE of the old, narrow passages. In
Leipzig it is the rule that house shall
not be built higher than the street is
4 broad, provided it is erected Immediately
upon the street. 1t is further-the law
i that the owners of houses, upon some Of
these narrow WAYS, which the city seeks
H. inf ofr rf IL
may not increase the height Of the build.
ings, and that every new building must
be placed far enough back of the old line
Il to afford the required width of street
when all the old buildings on both sides
shall have been removed aad new ones
built. 1t is also required, under certain
a regulations, that if house situated on
the old line becomes 30 old that it must
be taken down, the owner may not build
new house upon the ground occupied
by the old one, but must erect it upon
the new line. This last requisition has
the tendency of keeping many old houses
upon the streets 80 sought to be widened.
j but as the house. in most instances. may
be built taller by being moved back,
there is also counter inducement to
build new house. But there is por.
tion of the city where little change is to
be expected, and where some Of the
= houses ere several times higher than the
atreets are broad. This portion is some.
4 what small, however, and the same fea.
ture is observable in perhaps most of the
Il old cities.
q Much more regard is had at present to
the healthful as we'll as esthetical coudi-
tion of the cities than formerly. In fact,
some of the German physicians have
81 given estimates as to the direction in
which the streets should run in order to
S lave the greatest amount of sunshine
and to be penetrated most thoroughly by
a a tbs most usually prevalent Winds.
TIE manufacturing and educational
= Claims of the city are great.
Situated upon two small rivers, the
Pleisse and the Elster, from which two
canals are conducted through the city, it
has considerable amount of water pow.
or, which is we'll utilized. The principal
motor. however, is steam, and the manu-
factories using steam are always able to
compete with those using water as mo.
tive power.
Leipzig claims TO have the largest bus.
iness in fur goods in the wc7!d. Here it
may not be out of place to remark that
aoft felt hats rarely, if ever, cost more
shan nine marks" or about two dollars
sand quarter. The fur from which this
sSfelt is made is that of the European hare,
Ian animal which / have never seen in
America. It is like our rabbit, but is
a'hree or four times as large, and would,
perhaps, weigh from six TO twelve pounds.
ihe hats made from this fur are not as
"a SsSsmooth saa flexible as our best quality
Ssp' felt hats, but cost only half so much
EEs pome of the cheapest costing about fifty
cen.s. The hare is "a ve:y common ami.
iiaa'' and is often found in the market for
's'e' as an article Of food, though not in
Suca numbers as the rabbits of Balti.
more.
In mentioning this little contributor to
enc hat industry, do not mean, o.
m Al "a q -