53

ASCHAFFENBURG.

The  industrial  importance  of  Aschaffenburg,  in  Bavaria,  arises  from  the  fact
that  it  is  a  principal  centre  of  the  coloured  paper  trade.  The  town  is  situated
to  the  south-east  of  Frankfort  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Main  (which  is  at  present
only  navigable  for  small  craft),  and  is  almost  equally  distant  from  the  frontiers
of  Prussia,  Hesse,  and  Baden.  It  has  a  population  (census  of  December,  1905)
of  25,892.  In  this  enumeration  are  included  the  two  small  incorporated
suburbs  of  Damm  and  Leider.  In  1900  (before  this  municipal  extension)  the
population  was  18,093,  in  1895  it  was  15,831,  and  in  1890,  13,630.
Aschaffenburg  has  made  steady  growth  during  the  past  twenty  years,  yet
owing  to  its  geographical  position,  and  the  absence  of  varied  industries,  it  is  in
the  main  dependent  upon  the  natural  increase  of  population,  and  has  not
experienced  any  such  remarkable  turn  in  its  fortunes  as  has  fallen  to  so  many
German  industrial  towns  since  the  early  ’seventies.  The  situation  of  the  town
is  a  very  pleasant  one,  standing  as  it  does  on  high  ground,  surrounded  by
woods  and  orchards.  It  is  a  real  combination  of  town  and  country,  for  not  only
do  a  considerable  number  of  its  factory  workers  come  in  from  the  neighbouring
villages,  but  agriculture  stretches  to  its  very  gates.
Much  has  been  done  to  modernise  the  appearance  of  the  streets,  but
half  of  them  are  old-fashioned,  quiet  thoroughfares,  almost  devoid  of  traffic.
Narrow  alleys  conduct  by  steep  inclines  to  the  high  levels  from  which  the
surrounding  country  can  be  surveyed.  The  houses  in  these  parts  of  the  town
are  very  old  and  very  picturesque,  with  carved  doorways,  oaken  timbers,  and
high  roofs  of  red  or  glazed  grey  tiles.  The  streets  are  unevenly  paved,  and"
many  are  not  paved  at  all.  White  and  red  sandstone  obtained  from  the
vicinity  is  largely  used  for  building,  with  gneiss  for  the  foundations,  but
brickwork  and  stucco  are  also  common.
The  manufacture  of  coloured  papers  of  all  kinds  was  introduced  into  the
town  at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  at  which  time  there  was  a
resident  population  of  about  6,000,  whose  other  labour  outlets  were  mainly  confined ­
  to  small  breweries,  distilleries,  and  tobacco  manufactories.  In  addition  to  its
paper  mills  the  town  has  now  several  engineering  and  machine  works,  a  copper
rolling  mill,  a  number  of  beer  breweries,  a  very  considerable  clothing  trade,
besides  industries  of  minor  importance,  though  paper  continues  to  be  its  main
interest.
At  the  present  time  Aschaffenburg  is  impatiently  awaiting  the  beginning  of  a
project  which  will  give  a  great  stimulus  to  its  prosperity.  This  is  the  deepening  of
the  Main  from  Offenbach,  a  work  which  the  Government  of  Prussia  is  to  execute
as  far  as  Hanau,  and  that  of  Bavaria  from  Hanau  forward  to  Aschaffenburg.  The
river  is  to  have  a  navigable  depth  of  8  feet,  which  will  enable  vessels  of  much
greater  draught  to  bring  coal  and  other  merchandise  to  the  town.  Aschaffenburg
has  already  a  small  dock,  constructed  alongside  the  river,  but  a  new  one  will  be
necessary  to  cope  with  the  greatly  increased  traffic  expected  when  the  canal
scheme  has  been  carried  out.  The  municipal  authority  shows  great  energy,
and  strives  to  promote  the  development  of  the  town  in  every  way  possible  with
its  limited  resources.  It  freely  buys  land  for  town  extension  and  improvement
purposes,  and  of  one  considerable  estate  acquired  in  1900  a  large  part  has
already  been  sold  for  industrial  works  of  various  kinds.  Its  revenue  includes  a
considerable  sum  derived  from  forests  (by  the  sale  of  timber,  bark,  fuel,  &c.)
and  orchards.
The  undertakings  of  the  town  include  gasworks,  waterworks,  markethall,
  slaughter-house,  a  pawnshop,  and  a  savings  bank.  There  is  no  tramway
system,  nor  yet  a  public  electric  light  service.
Aschaffenburg  still"  maintains  its  old  system  of  octroi.  The  town  is
surrounded  by  a  network  of  tollhouses  (Accisstellen)  in  which  dues  are
levied  upon  farm  stock,  coal  and  other  fuel,  bread  and  flour,  beer  and  malt
entering  the  town.  The  tax  on  bread  is  1  pfennig  per  kilogramme  per
4  lb.)  ;  on  flour  6&  per  cwt.  ;  upon  coal  20  pfennige  (2^/.)  per  ton  ;  upon
wood  ’fuel  from  10  to  15  pfennige  (1  \d.  to  \%d.)  per  cubic  metre
(34*3  cubic  feet)  ;  on  beer  65  pfennige  (7£d.)  per  hectolitre  (about