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Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1867
Volume 133, Page 3810   View pdf image (33K)
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46

not count among themselves money princes like New York
and Philadelphia. They carry on extensive business estab-
lishments and enjoy by the solidity of their transactions and
their indefatigable energy, a high reputation among the na-
tives. It is proper to state here that the Israelite portion of
this class form not only a large fraction of it in numbers, but
they are esteemed for keenness, business tact and wealth.

INDUSTRY.

Of all channels of industry there is none, which is not em-
barked upon more or less by German enterprise and some are
nearly monopolized by them. Such are the fabrication of
pianos, of smoking tobacco and cigars, of watches, &c. The
manufacture of pianos occupies here five German establish-
ments, one of which, that of W. Knabe & Co., is among the
very largest and most renowned in this country. Its build-
ings four stories high, cover an aera of 100,000 feet, with
large work shops, which constantly contain 600 instruments
in process of completion. This firm always employs over 200
German workmen, whose wages alone amount to $250,000 per
year, in which space of time they produce about 1,500 pianos.
The fabrication of smoking tobacco engross, is divided among
three German establishments, of which the firm of Gail &
Ax., by far the largest house in this line in the United
States, of course produces the lions share. To convey an
idea of the extension of this establishment it is enough to
state that an engine of 60 horse power, propels the presses,
cutting and other machines, and produces combined with the
handicraft of the workmen, fabulous amounts of smoking to-
bacco every day, which is best manifested in stating that the
taxes alone of this establishment amounted in but two months
ot 1864, to over $44,000. The next branch of German in-
dustry distinguished by large establishmenta is the manufac-
ture of the favorite Teutonic beverage, lager beer. We can
record 15 breweries in this city, some of which are equal in
extent to the largest in this country. To speak of other
branches of German industry, it will be enough to state that
there are innumerable cigar makers, plenty of shoemakers,
tailors, carpenters, barbers, coopers, jewellers, &., of German
birth, and yet there is room for plenty more of them to sup-
ply the demand of the market.

SOCIAL CONDITION AND INTERCOURSE.

As to the condition of the Germans in our city, a few words
well express the real state of it. There is very little pover-
ty among them, as their industrious habits soon lead them to
a certain degree of prosperity, which not seldom supasses
that which they enjoyed in their native land. Among the
commercial and industrial classes much wealth is even found.
They are generally inoffensive, peaceable citizens and al-

 

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Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1867
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