The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-12

Special Correspondence Of The Sunday Republic
Berlin. March 3.-Is any American work.
man out OF a job?
If SO. he had better look for another at
home.
As far as I can learn, the labor market
of Europe is overstocked.
There are something like q million idle
wOTkmen in England.
The Industrial centers have many out Of
employment. and in London there are fire.
Quent parades OF the poor.
There is no room for extra workmen in
France. and Germany is still in hard lines.
This country was on the boom Cor thirty
r years
/ It began to grow when France paid
user her millions to Germany. Factories
: Empire.
The people hocked from the farms to the
cities. and the country changed from an
agricultural to a manufacturing one.
Trade was pushed In every direction. The
towns grew and wages rose.
This state continued until about 1900.
when. owing to Misrepresentation, the bal
loon OF prosperity burst, the gas that came
from it asphyxiated some of the banks and
they failed. and factories all over the En-
pire began to shut down.
Within fifteen days ZOO men were dis
charged in Berlin for lack Of work. and the
industrial establishments all over Germany
either dismissed. cut down their forces or
shortened the working hours
This condition OF hard times still exists,
although things are looking up in some
branches. owing to the increased demands
from the United States.
? IN EUROPE'S LARGEST
fENGINE WORKS
4 I have spent a large part of this week m
: come OF the most notable factories of Ger
many.
= I have gone through electrical establish
$1,000 ----f1-s-- - ,-z. --G
have examined. among other works. those
of the BOrsigs. the biggest engine-makers
OF the Continent. having the place in Ger
many that the Bsldwins hold In the United
States The most Of these factories are run
ming with less than their usual number OF
men. and some. which pretend to be full,
are giving short time.
The Borsig factory is one OF the most
prosperous in Germany.
1t has a large foreign trade. and It is
somewhat owing to this that it keeps fits
men busy.
1t is one of the big engine works Of the
world. although not as large as the Bald
wins.
II builds on the average about four loco
motives every week, and II has already
built more than 5000.
These works are situated at Tegel, Just
outside of Berlin
They cover thirty acres and employ about
200 men.
4 The establishment has also mines ana
4 works in Upper SiIesia. which employ 5000
7 hands. so that all together the force IS a
large one.
This factory was founded over sixty years
ago by A Borsig. and it still belongs to his
sons.
In the United States It would be run by
q corporation or trust. but in Germany
some OF the biggest OF such establishments,
such as the Borsig ana Krupps. are owned
in one family.
The two Borsigs who now manage the
works are each under 10.
They are active bsuiness men. and spend
their time in the factory. knowing per-
sonally all that goes on. Indeed, II is said
that either Of them could make an engine
If he had TO.
/ met the younger member OF the firm,
Mr.. Conrad Borsig. during my stay at
the works. and he furnished me an Eng
hsh guide to look over them.
THIRTY-ODD ACRES OF
FACTORY BUILDINGS.
We walked together through the thirty
odd acres of buildings where the steam en-
giues are made. now stopping 20 watch the
men In the foundries pouring red-hot metal
into the moids. and now going through tbs
rooms where the vast boilers are nveted to-
gether.