The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-11-08

SS~ - ~
sNEVENTY years ago, an aged
blacksmith in little village in
X Rhentsh Prussia conceived 9
theory of producing cast steel by
AN entirely new process. 1t was not
-decreed that this blacksmith, Krupp
was his name, should ever have the
opportunity to test his theory in prac-
tice; but he was so thoroughly con-
WINGED Of it's great value, that, on his
deathbed, he solemnly admonished his
son Friedrich, never to desist in the
effort until he succeeded in developing |
the theory for practical use. The son
faithfully followed the advice given
him by his dying father. At first he
met with small success only; but, by
e strictly adhering to his purpose, he
finally found sufficient recognition for
the metal produced by him, that he
was enabled to start q steel plant on
small scale. That was in 1857. A few
years later there was great demand
yfor breachloading cannon in Europe,
and it was found that the metal hereto
fore used in making cannon, iron,
bronze and other composites, could not
Withstand the effects an explosion of
the charge would cause to the chamber
and breach of the new weapoB. Fried
rich Krupp, convinced that his steel
would meet all necessary require
ments, then started cannon factory,
and this was the origin of the most
gigantic manufacturing enterprise the
world has ever seen.
Under Friedrich's son, Alfred, the
Krupp works attained their present
expansion. At the time of his death,
two years ago, there were employed in
the home works at Essen $4,000 work
men, in the works at Magdeburg 10000
men, and 5000 others in the Krupp
shipbuilding yard at Kiel, total of
$4,000 men. Besides these, over $4,000
other people were employed by Krupp
in tributary enterprises, principally in
iron Ind coal mines, of which Krupp
owns $50 in Germany alone, while a
fleet of steamers is constantly engaged
in carrying to Hamburg the ore from
This mines in Spain. He also owns
twenty-seven stone quarries and four
teen brickyards. Every vestige of the
little village in which the old black
smith conceived the valuable theory,
has long since disappeared, and on and
around it's site stands now the flourish
ing city of Essen, with its hundreds of
massively built steel works and gigan-
tic smokestacks, with its thousands of
well-built stone and brick houses for
the workers, with it's excellent schools,
churches, etc. tits practically a Krupp
town; for of her 100000 inhabitants
$4,000 are actually employees of Krupp
$4,000 are family members of these
employees, and the balance is made uI
by such people as are necessary in
such large commonwealth.
With cannon, and with the magni
tude of the enterprise, this article hat
nothing to do further than to impress
upon the reader due appreciation ol
the tremendous influence exercised b!
s7the employer of so many men, and O.
the responsibility resting upon tn
shoulders of such an employer, re
sponsibility, which, unfortunately is 81
frequently disregarded by most EN-
ployers, who use their workmen merel.
as means for the furtherance of ego
>istic purposes-for the acquisition o
wealth.
Friedrich and Alfred Krupp mos
rnobly met the responsibilities kin'
providence and their individual energ
had imposed on them. The none
they earned in their business was al
ways invested in the extension of thei
enterprise, and in making comfortabl
and prosperous their numerous en-
ployees. The Krupps never added
new plant to their works without q
the same time providing good, substar
tial and healthful homes for the men {
be employed in those plants. and fe
the mems families. More than tina
the Krupps afforded opportunity fe
every one of their men to perfect then
selves in the higher branches of the
profession, and thereby to get ahead
sthe world. Besides common school
the Krupps have founded number {