ELBERFELD. 734 ELBUKZ. men, while a suspeiulod ckH-lric road follows the bed of the Wiipprr from Kittenshausen to 801111- born. Eiglitoeu bridf;es are thrown across the river to facilitate the iiiimciisc traffic. Popula- tion, in 1890, 125.899: 1900, 157,927. EUierfeld grew up about a cast It' l)cl()ii^'iiig to the family of ElverfeUl, erected in the twelfth cenluiy. but was afterwards united wit'i the Diu-liy of Bcif:. It first obtained municipal privileges in 1010, but its real industrial pri)>pcrity began only in the latter part of the eighteenth century through the introduction of silk-weaving and Turkey-red dyeing. In 1815 it passed with Berg to Prussia, ELBEEFELD SYSTEM. The manufactur- ing town of Klbcrfeld, Prussia, has become famous for its plan of relieving the poor. The reform began in 1800, when, dissatisfied with e.isting conditions, the city appointed six vis- itors to investigate applications for relief. The visitors were increased to twelve the following year. In 1802 there was a great increase. The city was divided into eight districts and these •districts into four sections, and a board of super- ■visors chosen. The system was further extended in 1841. In 1850, dissatisfaction having arisen in several quarters, the Lutlrcran Church at- tempted to do the work. Jlatterp were not im- proved. In 1852 the present plan was proposed by a banker, Daniel von Hcydt, and was put in operation. The city was divided into 364 pre- cincts, and over each was placed an unsalaried almoner whose duty was to investigate each applicant for aid and to make visits every two weeks as long as aid was given. Fourteen pre- cincts form a district. The almoners meet every two weeks under direction of an unpaid overseer to discuss the cases and to vote needed relief. These proceedings are reported to the directors, comprising the Mayor as ex-ofticio chairman, four couneilnien, and four citizens (also unpaid), who meet the day following and review and supervise the work throughout the city. In emergency cases the almoner may furnish assist- ance. Relief is granted in money according to a fixed schedule for Uo weeks at a time, any earn- ings the family may have being deducted. Tools are furnished "when advisable. The system has given great satisfaction ; the expenses in propor- tion to the population have gradually decreased, and the condition of the ])oor is said to have improved. Seventeen ]>ersons out of 1000 popu- lation were assisted in 1S55, seven in 1889. See CiiAitrrv (liiGANizATio.x Society; Pauperism. EL'BEKTON. A city and the county-seat of Elberton c:ounty, Ga., 34 miles east by north of Athens: on the Seaboard Air Line and the Southern railroads (Jlap: Georgia, D 1), It is in a cotton-growing region, and ha.s a cotton- factory, cotton-compress, cottonseed-oil mills, fertilizer-factories, carriage and wagon shops, iron-works, manite-quarries, etc. Population, in 1890. 1.572: 1900, 3834. ELBETJF, el-bef (Lat. Elbpriiim), or EL- BOEXIF, A manufacturing town in the Depart- ment of Seine-Infi-rieure, Fiance, situated in a picturesque valley on the left bank of the Seine, 14 miles by rail from Knuen (Map: France, II 2). The two principal buildings are the churches of Saint Etienne and Saint .Tean-Baptiste. both con- taining fine specimens of richly painted glass of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. There are numerous factories in Elbeuf, and the subur- ban communes of Saint Pierrelcs-Elbeuf, Caude- bee - les - Elbeuf, and Saint Aubin - Jouxte - liou- Icng, principally of double-twilled and waterproof cloth, llannel fabrics, billiard-table covers, and light woolens of every color and descri])tion, Elbeuf has steam communication with Paris, Havre, and Pouen, The population in 1901 was 19,0.50. Ell)euf had 80 cloth manufactories as early as the sixteenth century. In consequence of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, the greater number of the cloth manufacturers emi- grated: and it was not till after the revolution of 1789, and more particularly since the scjja- ration of Belgium and France, that the industry revived. ELBING, elliing. An important commercial town in the Prussian Province of West PrU'*>ia, on the navigable Elbing, about five miles from its mouth in the Frisclics Ilatl', and 35 miles east- southeast of Danzig (Map: Prussia, li 1), It is connected by a I'anal with the Nogat, the east- ern arm of the Vistula, The town was formerly surroundcil by wall, of which, however, but few traces remain, ilany of the buildings are pic- turesque, with overhanging gables. Among its manufactures are macliinery, linen and cotton cloths, leather, tobacco, soap, and chicory. There are also oil-manufactories, iron-foundries, dye and print works, and the famous Schichau ship- building works for the construction of war-ves- sels. ])articularly toriiedo-boats, Elbing has ex- cellent railway facilities, and is in steambo:it communication with Danzig and Kiinigsberg. An electric street railway acconimodates local trallie. Population, in 1890, 41,.57G: in 1900, 51.510. Elbing was founded about the beginning of the thirteenth century by colonists from Liibeck and Bremen, who settled about the fortress erected by the Knights of the Teutonic Order. It early joined the Hanse:>lic League, but in 1454 came umlcr Polish rule. It sull'ercd severely from religious strife among its citizens and from the wars of Sweden, Poland, and Russia. In the first partition of Poland it was annexed to Prus- sia in 1772. and, after a period of decline, has again risen to a thriving condition, ELBOW. Sie .iiM. ELBOW - PIECES, CotnifiiiES, or CotiiE.s (Fr. ). In mediaval ariiKU', the metal plates used to cover the junction of the rere-brace and vant- brace, by which the upper half and lower half of the arm were covered. They were of thive principal kinds : disk-formed, cup-formed, and articulated; and were sometimes armed with spikes. In the fifteenth century they were some- times fan-shaped and of enormous size. ELBRUZ, el-brrrnz'. The highest summit of the <'aK:i>us Jlountains (q.v.), and the loftiest peak in Ihirope (Map: Russia. F fi). It is sit- uated in latitude 43° 21' . and longitude 42° 25' E. It is an extinct volcano with two craters, the mountain mass being composed of trachyte. Its elevation is 18,470 feet above the sea. ELBURZ, fl-boorz'. A mounttiin range in northern Persia, extending from the boundary of Persia and the Russian Province of Trans- caucasia southeastward along the shores of the Caspian Sea, changing its trend near the south- ern limit of the latter to northeast towanl the frontier of Turkestan (Map: Persia, D 31. The range marks the limit of the Iranian Plateau
