El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-19
LITTLE LUBBOCK
NOW GERNANY'S
PRINCIPAL PORT
Lies Beyond the Danger of
Blockade on the
Baltic Sea.
is SMALLEST OF
THE FREE CITIES

w WASHINGTON, D. c, June -
w Lubbock, situated beyond the
dangers of blockade on the
broken southwestern shore Of the mar
row-mouthed Baltic sea, has become
the foremost port Of the German en-
pire in foreign water-borne trade. The
National Geographic society describes
this port, whose fortunes have risen
and fallen throuh its centuries of inter-
national business relations, as follows:
Smallest OF Free Cities.
Lubbock is the smallest Of the free
cities OF Germany, but richer in remin-
iscences Of former greatness than eth
er Of the other two Hamburg, Bre-
men and Lubbock Joined the modern
German empire as free and indepen-
dent Hanseatic cities. Hamburg and
Bremen have developed into great stone
and mortar hives of present day bust
ness; have multiplied their wealth at
a tremendous rate, and have, more and
more grown to the International tyne
Of purely business cities. Lubbock, on
the other hand, while it has maintained
an Importance as a busy place Of
commerce. is medieval, romantic a
breath from the past
Lying 10 miles from the Baltic sea.
on the River Trave, the channel Of
which has been so improved that boats
Of 16 foot draft are able to tie up at
the city's docks, Luebeck has been a
nerve CENTER o. NOLLn AEEllan uaQG
with Denmark, the Scandinavian and
with Russia The city has been made
into an island by its harbor improve
ments, the Trave flowing around its
western border and a wide canal
around il on the east The wharf dis
tricts are upon the northeastern and
northwestern sides Of the town.
Location Equals Bremen.
This city enjoys a location as favor
able as that Of Bremen or Hamburg
the dfefrfhmffnn NJ
Germany It is reached by rail in two
and one-hslf hours from Bremen, and
is about as conveniently near to Berlin
Before the war, the port was connected
with Copenhagen, Stockholm, DanJsic
and Petrograd by regular steamer ser
vices. It's chief articles Of commerce
were. in pre-war days. wines, especial
y clarets, timber, tar and northern
Of German manufactures
"Once a city OF considerable renown
throughout the trading world. the buSi-
ness Of Lubbock dwindled. and the port
cities more favorably situated upon
the open ocean lanes OF commerce
gradually absorbed much Of the busi-
ness that formerly had taken its course
through the northern port The trade
Of the city began a fresh period or I
growth with the founding OF the Ger l
man empire, and il has remained one |
of the most important commercial cities
on the Baltic
Long a Free City. 7
The city was founded Dy count i
Adolph Il Of Holstein, in 1143, near
the site Of an earlier town 1t was de- I
,lared a free town Of the empire in /
1926 and, in 1927. made its appearance !
IS a military power, when in union I
with the Holsteiners. its citizen sol /
iiery badly defeated the Danes at Born !
noeved, freeing their northern COM 4
nerce from the Danish yoke The in /
5piration Of this feat at arms led the i
rapidly rising municipality to deFelop 4
z strong naval power, and the enter I
Prise Of its diplomacy led TO the foun- 4
iation Of the Hanseafic League, an al
lance Of the great commercial towns \
II north Germany, first as protection
-or their peaceful commerce, and, then,
IS q sort Of commercial and trading
rust The towns that Joined Lubbock
n founding the league were Rostocks
Vismar. Greifswald, Starlsund and
hamburg. This league, dissolved and
-eesta blished, became all powerful
ibout a century and a half later, en-
,raciue more than so rich cities
For a time, Lubbock held an undis-
,uted precedence over the other mem
1ers of the league. During those days
II its prosperity, it is said TO have
lad a population about the same as it
las today. between $4,000 and 10000
.uebeck. as head Of the Hanscatic
eaEue. held the supremacy of the Bal
ic which supremacy its people are
to win back today under
he stimulus which the war has given
o their city's commerce