The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-08

9Essen the equipment for their armies and fleets.
 An account in a magazfne at that time described the Krupp enterprise as consisting of four steel and iron works, a large shipyard three groups of coal mines and 16 blast furnaces, taking the tonnage from 667 ore work ings in Germany and much moro from Northern Spain, about Balboa.
 No fewer than 150,000 persons de- pended on the Krupps for support, including some 4O,O0O workmen and 4,O00 in clerical positions. At Essen 25,OO0 hands were employed, 5000 at the Gruson division, 4,5o0 in the ship yard, 5000 in the coaI and iron mines and $500 at the blast furnaces and other works.
 To-day, read the article, ''the Els sen works have facilities for manu- featuring ordnance of every type, ranging from the one-pounder rapid fire gun to the seacoast-defense gun and the main battery of the first class battleship. The coast-defense turrets are finished at the Gruson works. but amor plate of every type for naval use is completed at Essen, as well as hardened steel castings
 ''As an indication of the capacity of the Essen plant alone, it has com pleted about 45.O00 guns for naval and coast defense, in ordnance for siege and fortress purposes and in batteries of field and mountain artillery, in cluding the necessary gun carriages and other accessories.
 Here also are manufactured shells for piercing heavy armor plate as well as ordinary steel pro1ectiles, mining shells and shrapnel; and even a large quantity of cast-iron shells and cast-iron shot are turned out yearly. in addition to fuses and am munit5on'
 The site of Essen was due to it's proximity to the Westphalen iron and coal beds, and one of the principal Krupp mines is at Essen itself, with three working pits. A net work of rails connects the plant with all the mine district and within the Krupp inclosure there were even in 1904 at least 50 miles of railway.
 The city of Essen lies on the river Ruhr, on the western side of Germany not far from the Dutch frontier. By rail it is 22 miles from the somewhat larger city of Dusseldorf It is not readily reached by the Allied air raiders, but early in July French aviator, Sergt. Maxine Gallois, pene- trated to it and dropped several bombs over the works. His total flight was of seven hours duration.
 Subsequent reports by way of Hol- land were that a fire, presumably caused by those bombs, had destroyed a quarter of the Essen plant, causing great loss, killing about 100 and Iounding others.
 At various other times there have been unofficial accounts of lesser fires or explosions at Essen. and it has been one of the centers of popular of popular demonstrations arid food riots
 The Kaiser is said to have per sonal financial interest in the K11pp works, and it's operations have been semi ni-governmental, especially since the war. The German navy program led to the increse of the Krupp capital in 1908 from $45, 900, 900 to S57, coo.
 ''The history of the firm whose centenary we celebrate today" said the Kaiser in 1912, 'is a piece of Prussian and Germany history. The foundation of the firm goes back to the year which closed with the break of the dawn which brought deliver ance to. Prussia and to Germany from the strangers 1ordship and be- gan the epoch which led to German unity under Prussian hegemony.
 ''Krupp guns have been with the Prussian lines and have thundered On the battlefields which made ready the way to Germany's unity and won it at last. Krupp guns are still today carried in the German army and the German navy. Krupp docks build ships which fly the German war-flag Krupp steel guards ships and forts.
 '~The only answer I can give to the expression of loyalty to the Emperor and the Empire is to declare the wish that the present director of the house will succeed in carrying it on with loyalty to the traditions of the house to the honor of Krupp's name. to inc good repute of our industry and to the welfare of the German father land"
 So great a part have Krupp guns and Krupp shells played in the present war as to give to the heavy ordnance and the monsters they discharge the nickname of ''big Berthas," in recog- milton of the mistress of the German war plant.
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