▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁the ▁territory ▁on ▁the ▁Rh ine ' s ▁left ▁bank , ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁Republic ▁or ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Empire . ▁In ▁the ▁person ▁of ▁scient ist , ▁engineer ▁and ▁officer ▁Rudolf ▁E ick em ey er , ▁who ▁was ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁to ▁ 1 8 1 3 ▁and ▁again ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁to ▁ 1 8 1 5 ▁the ▁ma ire ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 2 2 ▁the ▁Bür germeister ▁( “ may or ” ▁in ▁French ▁and ▁German ▁respectively ), ▁G au - Al ges heim ▁had ▁a ▁personal ▁continu ity ▁from ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁French ▁rule ▁on ▁into ▁H ess ian ▁times . ▁E ick em ey er ▁gave ▁the ▁community ▁a ▁modern ▁shape ▁by ▁reform ing ▁fire ▁control , ▁rest ruct uring ▁fin ances , ▁expand ing ▁the ▁town ' s ▁building ▁work , ▁and ▁further ing ▁school ing ▁and ▁agricult ure . ▁ ▁The ▁town ' s ▁growing ▁importance ▁found ▁expression ▁in ▁the ▁institution ▁of ▁a ▁not ary ' s ▁office ▁( 1 8 0 9 ), ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁Ludwig s bahn ▁( Main z - B ingen ▁railway ) ▁with ▁a ▁station ▁( 1 8 5 9 ), ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁a ▁postal ▁dep ot ▁( 1 8 6 1 ) ▁out ▁of ▁which ▁grew ▁postal ▁sh ipping ▁and ▁a ▁post ▁office , ▁and ▁in ▁Georg ▁Press er ' s ▁( 1 8 6 2 ) ▁and