The Delta independent., 1890-09-30
rrHs BRIDGE OF DEBTS.
ms Simple Nay the Tyrolese Have Of Settling
49, What They Owe.

: ---'S 20
. What They Owe.
The ''credit SYSTEM" as it is ordi-
narily known nowadays. appears to be-
long to an advanced state OF society,
and to be- impracticab!e under simple
conditions OF life. but it is in use, new
ertheless, in some very primitive COM
mHnities. In the valley of Possey, in
the Austrian Tyrol, where the Alpine
inhabitsnts lead asimple life, practic-
ally all business and work is conduct
ed on credit, subject to an annual set
tlement Ona certain day in winter
the inhabitants of the valley meet at
the bridge of St Leonard's, place
which is Convenient to all. and the day
is devoted to, balancing accounts.
The first business fn order at these
meetings is the payment OF debts.
Every one pays what he owes; some
depend upon what they collect to meet
(. debts owed to others, but the inhabit-
ants OF Possey are thrifty and honest,
and there is usually money enough to
go around.
The bridge of St Leonardo 8. In otn-
or words. is the clearinghouse OF the
valley of Possey.
After the debts are paid, contracts
: are entered into for the next year.
Labor engages itself and the farmers
crops are often bargained for in ad-
vance.
( If any debtor fails to appear at the
bridge and meet his dues on the
'.squaring-up" day, he is practically
cut off from further dealings with the
other inhabitants of the valley. No
more credit is allowed him. and he is
generally fain to re-establish himself
In the goodwill OF his fellows by pay
ing his debts us soon as he possibly
can. To be able to hold up ones head
on the bridge is the test Of solvency
and honor.
There is a tradition in the Tyrol that
once. a long time ago, after year OF
scarcity and disaster, the Inhabitants
Of the valley Of possey met at St Leon
ards bridge. Each one owed some
one else and each one was owed by
some one else. Consequently each
depended upon being paid by his neigh
Dor whom he owed.
But as no one appeared to have any.
money, NO ones debt could be paid.
The people stood about in despair.
until presently well-to-do miller,
who was known to have money. 9sr-
rived.
= Good" said Hans MelchioF. the
tailor. Here is Wilhelm Gutp( khnie.
He will start the ball rolling. Nhem
do you owe. WilhelmP" III
Z sNo oner' ~ s. :
"SoP Well, will you lend mptforty
) gold thalers until noonp' stG
The miller thought the matt1r over
. moment ~ III
X eyes" he said. II believe you sare
honest Hans Melchior. Iifwill lend
You the money" ss sssf
He advanced forty thalers to Hans.
! who used it to pay his debt to Peter.
the weaver, and Pieter. the weaver.
; passed 1t on to discharge his obliga-
!, zion to another citizen, and so it went
, from hand to hand, discharging the
very moderate debts of the Possey iu-
habitants, until it came. TO the last
/; man. who happened to owe Hans Mel
chior just forty thalers. He paid it.
Of course. and with it Melchior at
once settled his debt to Gutpfennig,
the miller.
l. Now, since the miller had paid him
self out of the grists as he went along,
and was owed by nobody, his forty
gold thalers had paid all the debts in
Possey. and though everyone else had
come to tie bridge in the morning
moneyless. everyone went home in the
afternoon solvent and happyl