The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-02-27
Our @liu.
An Iron City Beside the Ruhr.
From an article in Harper's Magazine
for March, by Moncure D. Conway, with
the above caption, we take the following;

FROM an dTIlcle Ill Ildl pei Q Ah"5"NilN
for March, by Moncure D. Conway, with
the above caption, we take the following:
THE KRUPP WORKS AT ESSEN.
In the beginning of this century only
town of 33,490 souls stood where now dwell
nearly 10000. The surrounding district
has also been made populous, chiefly by
Essen. A wonderful and impressive scene 4!
Around the many-storied edifces with their
high chimneys that make the iron works
there must be at least hundred such
the vast plain is dotted as far as the eye
can reach with buildings of the innumer-
able iron and coal mines, with chimneys
floating white banners of smoke. The
landscape is variegated with pretty hamlets,
glimpses of rivers, endless poplar avenues
along white highways, and everywhere
moving lines of shining cloud where trains
of the three great railways that encompass
Essen speed perpetually and in all direc-
tions. Frederick Krupp, belonging to an
old Essen family, started his works in 1910,
but he suffered by ten years lawsuit,
which, though won, burdened him with
debt. After his death, in 1926, his widow
barely managed to secure for her Alfred
good education, and when he was called
to the works, in 194S, he found, to use his
own words, "three workmen and more
debts than fortune" 1t is he, now hale
and hearty gentleman Of seventy-three
years, who has built up the Krupp works
to their present immensity. The firm name
is still 'Fred. Krupp," but the works do
not belong to a company, nor yet, as some
suppose, to the government, but to this one
man, Alfred Krupp, who thus owns prob
ably the largest business in the world de-
pendent on an individual. The works
within the town cover more than 500 acres,
half of which are under cover. According
to a census taken in September, 1881, the
number of hands employed by Mr.. Krupp
was 19,605, the members of their families
1916, making s., ,381 persons supported
by his works. OF the laborers, II, ,211
were engaged upon the works in Essen, the
rest being employed in the surrounding
mines, the branch works at Neuweid and
Sayn, and the mines in Spain (Bilbao),
from which, though less extensive, the
finest ores are brought. Mr.. Krupp owns
SAT iron mines in Germany. He owns
four sea-steamers, and there are connected
with his Essen works 42 miles Of railway,
employing % locomotives and SS3 cars, SO
horses with 191 wagons, and 40 miles OF
telegraph wires with 35 stations and 80
Morse apparatuses. The establishment
possesses a grand chemical laboratory, a
Photographic and photographic atelier, a
printing Office with 3 steam and 6 hand
presses, and book binding room. The
establishment even runs hotel-an excel
lent one, as 1 have good reason to know
in Essen; and three years ago, for the ad-
vantage of the population he has gathered,
Mr.. Krupp erected large central supply
store, connecting with it many branches,
extending its benefits to all parts of the
town and to the colonies he has built for
his workmen in the neighborhood. Of
these stores and of the colonies more must
be said presently. Although rumors have
gone through the world of the vast extent
of these works, it is difficult from mere
printed statistics to estimate the impressive
ness of this great industrial centre until
one has looked upon it from some height,
and attempted to wander through and
around it.
To the general world the name "Krupp"
has almost ceased to be personal; it signifies
particular implement of destruction. Two
thirds of the work here are devoted to
things belonging to the arts of peace-all
the parts of steam-engines, locomotives,
iron axles, bridges, rails, wheels, tires,
switches, springs, shafts for steamers, mint
dies, rudders, and parts of all varieties of
iron machinery, are prepared here for
manufacturers. That is, they are not
combined here; al! the iron parts of loco
motive may be obtained here, but not
locomotive, although nearly all of the loco
motives and engines used in the works are
made in them. Both Brahma and silva
are in the employ of Mr.. Krupp, but the
creative power preponderates, and if the
destroyer is more famous it must be attrib-
uted to the worlds keen interest in fight.
Krupp is king. Iron is master of the
situation. When an ancient king displayed
his gold, sage said, "But if another comes
with more iron than you, he will be master
of all this gold The late co-German
war is a modern instance. 1t has just been
discovered that although NJ. Theirs declared
proudly to the victorious Germans, "YOu
may have all our money, but not foot of
our territory nor stone of our fortresses,"
privately he had advised differently "Bet-
ter surrender our provinces than our money,
for our money can buy back our provinces. "
He had to part with both, and Berlin has
grown magnificent with French millards,
The French also find that money can not
always buy iron. For no amount can they
purchase Krupp guns, This patriotism is
in notable contrast with the impartiality of
Englishmen. Wherever Englishmen are
killed, in Africa or in the East, it is with
English guns. In the Indian Museum in
London there is an organ representing
tiger devouring an Englishman; it was con-
structed by Birmingham house for Eng
lands chief enemy, Tippoo Saib, who was
won't to have it set going during his meals
that he might listen with delight to the
tigers growls and the Englishmans groans.
Mr. Krupp has no objection to selling guns
to England, but is shrewd in that direc-
ton. Recently England wished to pur-
chase one or two of his latest and best
cannon, but Mr.. Krupp said he would not
sell them less than million pounds worth.
Should they obtain one or two they would
presently be copying them at Woolwich,
Just as the Russians have long been copying
Krupp originals at Aboukhof. Ii the
English would give him million pounds
order, under condition that the guns
supplied should fulfill every test at
S6oeburyness, they might then repro
duce them as much as they liked Eng
land declined; and it must have been
with curious sensations that its Ministry
learned that Turkey has inst signed con-
tract for f700,000 worth of Krupp guns.
KRUPP HAMMERS.
There is a curious personality in ham
mers, and workmen like to give them names.
There are 80 steam-hammers in the Krupp
works, of from 400 pounds weight to 90
tons. The largest is "Fritz, whose 5O