A library has also been founded by the master of the manufactory, accessible both to the workman and his family and well used by them, at the same time too an infant school was started for the children of the work people. He likewise originated and supported with his own means the erection of a new schoolhouse, and embraced every opportunity of advancing the education therein.
The social life of the workmen was also taken into consideration and the taste for more elevating amusements, invigorating alike to soul and body, encouraged. Of an evening they would meet in two singing societies to indulge in the good German song, or on Sundays they would amuse themselves with the crossbow in the free, fresh air of God’s Nature in the neighbouring forest, or again on festive occasions they would all meet together like one large united family for a sociable convivial repast.
Finally, care was also taken that the workman should mix with the world outside the factory, for which purpose a number of them were sent by the master of the factory to the Industrial Exhibition at Munich in order that they might themselves see the fruit of their labour publicly exposed to view and honorably mentioned, and at the same time obtain a glimpse of other branches of industry.
Further, in order to provide new dwellings for the workmen a large building was erected, of pleasing external proportions, and other buildings were converted into workmen’s dwellings. The houses themselves contain separate apartments, which afford the families at a low rent a much pleasanter abode than could be obtained in most of the houses in the towns. Nor is there any constraint; the houses are open to any body and the domestic regulations introduced in the interests of the community are of that nature, that they are cheerfully complied with by everyone. Thus there reigns in these premises a spirit of order and contentment, which alone can make life agreeable.
The village of Stein did not formerly possess any church. For years all exertions to found a separate parish there remained fruitless, until at last the year 1861 brought their reward and in that year, in which the manufactory celebrated its hundredth anniversary, the peaceful clang of the bells for the first time invited the faithful to divine service in the newly erected church, the cost of which had been defrayed by the master of the factory entirely from his own means, out of concern for the spiritual welfare of his workpeople and attachment to his own native place.
The formerly neglected little village has assumed quite a different appearance since then. From afar the slender gothic steeple of the church may be seen rearing its pinnacle proudly aloft, while the smoke of the surrounding shafts tell of busy industry and labour. The former picture of want has given place to a certain degree of wealth and the little garden of the humble house been converted into two large parks.
Simultaneously however with this prosperity in general the manufactory had of course to experience some unpleasant incidents and obstinate struggles. The universal demand for Faber’s manufactures was not slow in inducing other manufacturers to imitate and pirate the trademark of the manufactory, which is to be found on all articles manufactured there, and thus to pass off upon the public spurious goods possessing nothing more than the external similarity to the genuine articles, and which could scarcely aspire to mediocrity, which frauds were often repeated, coming to light in various countries.
The manufacturing firm of Rubenstein at Moscow adopted the plan of making use of Faber’s trademark and wrappers for their own manufactures and then to circulate them in the Russian market. These malpractises were carried on for a length of time in spite of every exertion to put a stop to them and the prohibition which the Russian Governement issued against the firm in question. Manufactures with spurious trademarks were constantly turning up in Russia until King Maximilian of Bavaria during his protracted stay at Nürnberg in the year 1855 suppressed the evil. His lively interest for reviving industry had already induced him to decorate the proprietor of the manufactory with the order of merit of St. Michael, firstclass, in the year 1854, on which occasion he likewise honoured the factory at Stein with a visit and made himself acquainted with all the details of its operations from the mouth of the manager of the factory, and as at that time these malpractises were brought before his notice he gave the matter all his attention and promised some assistance.
Nor had we to wait long for this, for shortly afterwards Lothar Faber received a communication from the State ministry of the Royal House and Foreign affairs, stating, that, by the intervention of the Royal Bavarian Embassy at St. Petersburg, the evil had been put a stop to by the Russian Government; all the articles marked with Faber’s trademark together with the stamp destroyed, and the manager of the Russian manufactory compelled to give assurance in writing that he would no longer pirate Faber’s trademark, in default rendering himself liable to legal penalties.
In New-York similar frauds were also carried on. Pencils manufactured in Nürnberg with Faber’s trademark and in precise imitations of his wrappers were imported and sold by the firm of Winterhoff, Piper & Co.. Complaint having been made, the Customhouse at New-York, at the instance of the examiner appointed for the department of “Literature, Writingmaterials and fine Arts”, detained one case of these spurious articles, whereupon the courts of law prohibited all further sale in the town and county of New-York.