The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-12-29
THE BIG kRUPP FACTORY.
LIFE IN THE GREAT IRON AMI
STEEL WORKS AT ESSEN.
Nearly IL. 600 Men Employed-How
the Employees Of This Gigantic
Workshop Are Governed

about lJUo acres land in which u. 211
men are employed in the production OF
steel, and also IN the manufacture q,
countless different articles. such rs ayles.
wheels, etc, for locomotives and rail.
road carriages; rails, switches and slecp.
ers for railways, tramways and mining
railways; springs spiral and leaf-foI
locomotives and carriages; parts of all
kinds oil machinery used for any purpose
bridge material and rolls mater i for
large pumps as used in mines; all .eoui
site steel and iron material for the build.
ilg OF ships of all sizes. for war and
commercial purposes; caunonS of every
caliber-the production of them having
exceeded 20,o00-dnd last. gun cart.
ridges, artillery wagons and shots.
The gross production of iron and steel
averages $50, 900 tons per annum.
For accommodations of traffic and
shipping in the establishment are used
% locomotives with $50 freipat car
riages. About % miles of narrow and
broad gauge railroad lire is aid through
the establishment. One chemical labora
tory, one photOgra' hic and one litho-
graphic studio, one printing office and a
book binding estab .ishment are at work
for the sole use of the firm. Telegraph
and telephone communication goes all
over the factory and an engine company
with * tiremen and IS fire alarms is also
there for the benefit of the establish
ment.
The entire establishment is surrounded
by high wall or fence. There are
Only certain gates where the workmen
are allowed to enter. Tn s is done for
the purpose of having them under
thorough control. The relationship be-
tween the firm and the workman cannot
be letter illustrated than to compare it
with large family. hrupp and his
officials assume the right to shape and
regulate the entire doings and existence
OF their woTkmen, not only in the
factory. but also al home, and this is
how it Is done. At Il \. VI. the men
have TO be at work. Every one is pro-
vided with check. on which is his num-
ber When he enters the gate where lie
works he puts this number into large
box. Does he happen 20 be one or two
minutes late, he has an hour deducted
from his work. Is he an hour late. he
loses a quarter OF day. and so forth.
Punctuaiity has TO he observed and ey-
eUses are not accepted, except in uu-
usual cases.
The working hours are, on the average
thirteen a day, with reduction for
dinner from II O'Clock uatil - O'Clock.
The men get paid by the day. or else
they are engaged in piece work. but in
either case the wage, are about the
same.
A man who works by the piece cannot
make a. much as he wants to. You see,
il seems to lie the principle Of the firm
tina. no employe shall make any more
wages than he wants in order to maintain
himself and his family, if he has one
Therefore. the man does not get paid &C
cording TO his ability, but more so accord
ing to what he wants. Ii is hard to de-
termine the wages of the employees on
this account, in order to compare them
with American wages. Living is re-
markably cheap in Germany, and the
diet is totally different from what it is in
America. But should Judge from diff
ferent inquiries which made OF a num-
be. OF workmen engaged at different
places IN krupp's establishment, that %
cents day is about the average pay
OF an emplOye at krupp's.
AT T.. Il. great bell is tolled in the
WORKS. which can be heard for mics
around, and then the workman goes
home, and If you will follow me YOU will
see how the members of this large family
are kept depending on their great
iather, the mighty KIupp. 4 number
Of stores are situated all around in the
reighborhood, where the workman can
send his wife or his children to buy
goods on card. Eeady money is not
required OF him. The clerk looks at the
card and puts the amount of the bill /
against the purchasers name in a large
book, and the next payday the amount
taken oil the mans wages, that settles
It. In these stores anything may be had .
ior money-clothing. shoes, dry goods, /
millinery goods, house furniture, grocer .
les, meat, etc.
Now then, the workman hiss come
home, which is again in house belong
ing to Knapp, in the immediate vicinity
Of the works. whtre has been erected a
pretty little village. The street are wide
and lined with beautiful beeches on
zach side. The houses are each sur
iounded by large garden and each is
Jour stories high. In every house dwell
I'VE tamil ,es, each home being completely
Ncluded from al others. The accom-
1odations are perfect, all modern i'm
proVements of comfort are TO be enjoyed,
n ana the people could no; wish for any
.IIng better. The rent is always de-
oacted from the husbands wages ON
every pay day, and the worry of an ap-
p'oaching rent-day never troubles him
very much. A small strip of a garden,
were few vegetables may be raised,
SSelongs to each home too, and the people
NJ not pay any extra for this. Every