The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-26
KINGS TO ATTEND
kRUPP CENTENARY
Great Gun Factory's Birth
day to Be an Interna-
tiOnal Event.
National News Association

BERLIN, April 26.-Today marked
khs centennial anniversary of the birth
fof Alfred Krupp who, while he was not
the actual founder of the great Krupp
Igun works, was the one who gave the
works their international character
and at the time of his death was Ger
Imany's greatest manufacturer. The
father of Alfred Krupp was small
Blacksmith at Essen. Alfred inherited
the family iron forge, employing three
tmen, and which had been in operation
since 1910, and he at once set about
senlarging the business, but had no
money or powerful friends, and his
progress was slow. He saw. however,
the possibilities Of the great exposition
70 open in London In 1851 and decided
to take advantage of it. He had made
important discoveries in the casting of
large masses of Pessemer steel, which
had been an insurmountable task pre-
vious to his time. The exhibit he sent
to the London exposition fairly aston
ished the world, being block weigh
ing forty-five German quintals. 1t at
once established his reputation.
The making of heavy ordnance,
which has made the name Of Krupp ia
smous the world over, was at flrst not
"A prominent part Of the business. But
soon general foundry work and the
making of small arms began to take
second place at Essen, as heavy steel
siege guns and armor plate demanded
more and more attention. During the
past half century krupp ordnance has
roared all over the world. The huge
guns with which the Germans poured
shells into Paris during the siege were
made at Essen. Some of the guns that
fired at Deweys squadron at Manila
came from there. All European ma
tons purchased guns there, France
alone exception, for since the Franco
Prussian war the Krupps have refus-
ed to make guns for France.
10000 Men Employed.
AS the business grew collateral In
dustries developed, and Essen, which
had been a tiny village, expanded into
a large city. Statistics published for
the past year show that the firm en-
ployed nearly 10000 officials, clerks
and workmen. The coal and coke con-
sumption for the year amounted to g.
491, 406 tons. The number of steam
engines in the plant was $50. The firm
has it's own enormous electrical works
and gas works and maintains an indie
pendent telegraph and telephone sys-
tenn with upwards of 400 stations. The
- .&> ~ al i've
OF railway, So locomotives and about
5000 cars. In the development of it's
industry the firm has bought it's own
coal mines. coke ovens, iron mines,
steamships and railroads.
Alfred Krupp died in 1887 and was
succeeded in command of the works
by his son Friedrich A. Krupp. Under
the latter's management the works
continued to prosper and expand. At
the time of his death in 1902 he was
by far the richest man in Germany.
He left the bulk of his wealth, includ-
ing the great steel and gun works at
Essen, the shipyards at Kiel, the gun
and armor works at Nadgeburg and
the coal and iron mines, to his daugh-
ter, Bertha, who in 1906 was married
to. Herr Won Bohlen und Halbach,,
Bertha Won Bohlen und Halbach is pop
ularly called the Empress of Essen
the richest woman in the world-the
most powerful.
Celebrate In August.
Though today was the centennial
anniversary of the birth of Alfred
Krupp, whose discovery laid the foun
dalton for the tremendous business
that has since developed under the
family name, there was no observance
of the day, as 1t has been decided to
combine the celebration with that of
the centenary of the Krupp works. The
dual celebration will take place at Es-
sen next August and will be attended
by the Kaiser at the head Of brilliant
galaxy of his fellow-German sover-
eigns, officers of the army and navy,
and civic dignitaries Distinguished
representatives of the iron and steel
industry in all parts of the world will
be present. Special invitations are to
be sent to Andrew Carnegie and
Charles NJ. Schwab asking them to