The free press., 1893-06-22
CUNMAKER KRUPP.
The Great German Iron Works
And Their Founder.
Seventeen Thousand Work
men Employed in Essen.


ick Krupp of Essen, Westphalia. He
is monarch among gunmakers and
iron founders, immensely wealthy and
of tremendous influence, but he is
personally little known outside of his
own country.
The great works at Essen were es-
tablished by his father in 1927. AT
first the elder Krupp had only two
workmen and the works were con-
Quoted OH the most limited scale; but
under the supervision of the son they
attained their present colossal proper
tions. Herr Krupp is the discoverer
OF the method Of casting steel in very
large masses.
He sent to the London Exhibition
of 1851 block weighing forty-five
German quintals; and at the present
time he is able to cast block weigh
ing more than 1000 quintals. He
manufactures large number of arti-
cles used for peaceful purposes; but
his name is more particularly associ-
ated with the gigantic steel siege-gun
which the Germans used with such
terrible effect against the city of Paris.
In 1864 the King of Prussia offered
him letters of nobility, which he de-
clincd to accept.
Krupp's factories, in which are en-
ployed 1900 workmen, turn out all
the big guns with which the German
army and navy are equipped and most
of the machinery for Germany's ships
of war. To fill up space and time,
steel rails, too are manufactured, and
whereas it is rumored that the German
Emperor is silent partner in the con-
cern, and Germany runs its own rail
roads, the contracts for ali rails and
engines needed are filled by Messrs.
Krupp e. Co.
Essen is situated in the very heart
of that region of Westphalia where
coal and iron are found in abundance.
The process of converting iron into
steel has been and, if am correctly
informed, is still kept secret by tho
firm. But few visitors are allowed
on the premises. They are conducted
around by guide, who shows them
only so much as the firm thinks fit to
let them see, and in the short time in
which the favored guest is hurried
through the establishment, which
covers several square miles of ground,
he can hardly take with him more
than few general impressions, of
which one is the greatness Of the es-
tablishment, another the precision and
order with which the work is carried
on, and third the genial. elaborate
system which makes such an order
possible.
Every system, Je it one adapted for
the management of railroad. fac
tory OF even city or country, is n
growth. 1t found its origin and de-
velopment In the needs of the time as
they sprang up, one after the other,
and had to be dealt with. No one
human being could have issued forth
at once the system which meets all the
wants of this immense composite Or
ganism. Half century ago the firm
was small concern and old
Mr.. Krupp mere blacksmith. Re-
turning from his travels he is said to
have brought home with him or in
vented a recipe how to change molten
iron into steel lie made use of 1t for
various purposes. was successful in
ITS adaptation for the manufacture of
steel guns, and since that time the es-
tablishment has grown from year TO
year until 10 is now the largest and
wealthiest of its kind la the world.
There is, however, another item
which makes the Essen works the
most noted in Europe. if not III the
world. IL is the care with winch the
laborers are treated. Although nomi'
nally every laborer is free TO quit
after having given two weeks notice,
a privilege which also is accorded to
the management if il wishes - dis
charge u man who docs not give satis-
faction. changes rarely take place.
There have never been strikes smong
the employees Of Krurp nor lockouts
The management (Which is rather of
military kind) has always endeavorcd
to adjust wages with The purchasing
po yer Of the money.