The Winslow mail., 1898-12-17
THE FAMOUS KRUPPS
Providing for War Has Given Them
Power in Peace.
Present Head of the House Has I'm
der His Orders Multitude
of Workmen-Fnmily and
Business History.


Many people know of the Krupp
guns that have played so important
part in modern warfare, but only a
comparatively few know of the now
distinguished family, from which these
deadly weapons derive their name.
The Krupps now enjoy distinction so
long monopolized by the Rothschilds.
1t is that of being wealthier than any
sovereign house in Europe ard eXer-
Cising a power in peace no less than
that they supply in war. The town OF
Essen, which they built and virtually
own, is equal to a small princiPality.
This realm of steel and irCn is gCy-
erEed by monarch without crown CT
scepter. and yet when Prince Nafc-
leon visited it he exclaimed: ~ hy,
this is a state within a state" ami
then fastened to disclaim any intend
ed offense toward any government
that might take umbrage at such a
statement.
AS matter of fact, the present head
of the house has under his orders more
subjects than has the prince of
Schaumburg-Lippe. who married Prin-
cess Victoria. the sister of Emperor
William, and is conceded the dignity
of q dynasty. If the furnaces at Es-
sen were to be suddenly extinguished
and lie kept out of commission for any
considerable time, 81 900 workmen and
$1,000 women, children and aged per-
sons would be forced to take their
ho c4a Il
total of 10000 people acknowledge
the sway of one man and are more
loyal to him than are the subjects of
many a ruler ''divinely" ordained.
The Krupp that laid the foundation
for the family's fortune and fame be-
longed to the old Protestant burghers
Of Essen. At the beginning of the sew
enteenth century one of his ancestors
had been the director of a manufac
tory of arms On the Rhine and trans
mitted to his descendants the secret of
making ''warlike implements which
had time and again been noticed as
hereditary in certain races" After
this descendant had first made some
money as trader in coffee and sugar
he started the modest factory which
has since developed into the colossal
plant over which a descendant now
presides. His sons and all of the male
line since have been trained as engi-
neers.
1t was Krupp that was first to in
troduce into Germany the fabrication
of molten steel, and it was this same
representative of the family that
wrecked its growing fortunes. He car
ried on simultaneously the most cost
y experiments and the most hazard
Gus speculations. He made his inven-
tions and the name of his factory ia
miiiar 20 the world. but he ruined him
self and died in 1926. His son. but IA
years old, without technical knowl-
edge. apprenticeship, money or cred
1t. became the representative of the
house and began the restoration of its
fortunes. He worked day and night.
lived without meat. because lie could
not afford it, sold the family plate to
keep the wolf from the door. fought
with varying fortunes until, at last,
about the middle of the century. he
had won the apparently hopeless bat
tie.
The man who had regained more
than had been lost was Albert Krupp.
History might have had a different
story TO tell had France accepted his
Pro1fer to furnish his improved weap-
ons. The test that she made of them
before declining to adopt them was
what caused Prussia to equip her army
with them. and the guns rejected by
Marshal Soult afterward won Sadowa
and Sedan. Albert Krupp died IL
years ago this month and his sen
Frederick is now the ruler of Essen.
1t was his daughter that the Austrian
heir apparent wanted to marry, i'm
perial Intervention being credited
with preventing the match How
much pride Germany has in the
krupps is indicated by the fact that
her people insisted that it would be
the best thing the Hapsburg blood
eould do to accept an infusion of ro-
bust plebeianism.
But it must be kept in mind and cred
II must be given to the Krupps that
they are plebeians by choice. being
possessed by that sensible democracy
which holds that every man should be
measured by his worth. The heads of
the house. father and son. have con-
sistently refused to be "ennobled"
through the proffered act of gra-
oious sovereign. Now, according to an
unwritten law of the dynasty. the un-
crowned ruler in Essen must remain
M nd l.
They are the only Germans in the his
tory of the race that have resisted the
temptations of title. and nothing else
could have given them such prestige
among the masses of the Fatherland.
Detroit Free Press.