Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-01

opened, with the minister's remark: 'Ine
Prussian rifle is so perfect as to make
Improvement unnecessary"
Not a whit daunted. the inventor went
on, showed an improved rifle at Berlin's
first industrial exposition, in 1874. and was
rewarded by getting 1t tried and approved
in Paris. Later on 1t was the Paris ex-
position OF 1867 which established the fame
of his heavy ordnance. The Krupp cannon
dominated the Franco-German war. Two
thousand of his weapons forced Napole-
on to surrender at Sedan, and lie French
could only console themselves with de-
claring they had acknowledged and re-
warded his supremacy three years be-
fore.
At the great international exposition in
London of 1857 1t was the huge steel Krupp
ingot, by which stood the prematurely
white headed inventor, which received the
highest award. This great block opened
broad avenue for a new industry. Krupp's
invention OF the breech block for artillery
did not work so great a change as his
invention of the seamless wheel tire. This
gave an impetus to railway machinery
which has never slackened. The Krupp
steel castings for all sorts of railway
plants are a speciality of the Essen es-
tablishment, while the Bessemer steel pro-
duced by the firm is the foundation of the
railway material OF Germany.
Essen manufactures armor plates of I'M
excelled quality. It's process, discovered
by the Krupp firm, is kept secret, and
America, England and France use it I'M
der agreement with Krupp.
Under the management of Friedrich AL
fred Krupp the scale of operations in all
directions was immensely increased.
Steel works in Westphalis, near Magde-
burg, and at Rheinhausen; four coal mines
in Hanover and other parts Of the en-
pire; iron mines I'm Germany and Spain,
and the Germania Ship and Engine Build
ing company, Of Berlin and Kiel. have all
been brought within Its organization.
But even more distinctive of the head
Of the company who has just died is the
great number of philanthropic enterpri-
SEES in connection with the Krupp works
which he developed and himself initiated.
He erected five thousand family dwellings
in several colonies, with supplementary
hospitals, casinos, schools and other
buildings, while sick funds, old age in
surance and cooperative distribution of
provisions and necessaries of life are sup
piled far in excess Of the German govern
ment requirements. This vast organiza-
ton was pervaded by the real genius Of
Herr Krupp.
ANECDOTES OF THE IRONMASTER.
A German who for long time held a
confidential position in Herr Krupp's
works at Essen and who is now in this
city gives the following details about the
famous gunmaker:
Herr Krupp, owing to a congenital
weakness of the heart. was forced to
leave the German army soon, after he en-
tered the barracks at Karlsruhe.
When his father asked Kaiser Wilhelm
l. for his sons discharge from military
service the emperor replied in acquies-
cence saying: 81 can get many dragon
officers, but only one Krupp."
It is estimated that ne has left fort
une of between 500. 10000 and $250,0OO,OOO
He married the daughter of Herr Won
Ende, a provincial governor, and leaves
a widow and two daughters. The eldest
Of the latter, Barbara, is now sixteen, and
the younger, Bertha, fourteen years old.
His domestic life was very happy. He
was man of simple tastes and strict
daily regimen and very democratic in his
relations with workmen and dOmestics.
In the Schloss hugel he OFTEN entertain
ed royalty, and the air of democracy
which pervaded the castle seemed to af-
feet even the most exalted of persOnages.
He spent his winters In Capri, where he
had built villa
His Office was in the original cottage oc-
cupied by his grandfather and father.
1t was called the ''stammhausS and the
furniture of his predecessors was left
standing Just where II mad STOOD IN their
time. The only new additions were a tel
ephone and e modern desk. Here Herr
Krupp could be approached without for
mality by every workman.
He never would accept title. often re-
marking, Il would rather be Krupp. the
first burgher than Won Krupp. the last
noble. He was feet inches in height,
had a high forehead, was sallow complex
Toned, had an aquiline nose, wore eye
glasses, was portly and did not dress in
the mode. 1t was said of his clothes that
they were made by his grandfather's tai
lor.
In politics he was not so democratic as
in social and commercial life, being
member of the national Liberal party He
was elected to the reichstag three times,
but when last a candidate was defeated
by the Catholic vote, most of his work.
men voting against him. On the evening
of his first election a great throng from
Essen went to the castle to congratulate
him. While Herr Krupp was addressing
them many Of the crowd broke into his
wine cellar and helped themselves to rare
vintages. ''They were connoisseurs," said
Herr Krupp when he surveyed the broken
bottles. "Ah, we'll, I suppose my speech
was dry"
He was a lover of books and had pri-
vate library so large that two professors
were required to superintend it. His IA