The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-11-22

/ convinced thdt the Community plan
would not work, and that the settlement
was Bound to break up, and the labor
and money already spent in the under
taking lost He conceived another
plan to save ii, but this could only be
carried odt by some person Of influence
and means. He, therefore, after con-
suItation with the colouists, went back
to Baltimore, and laid his plans before
Col Matthias Benzingcr, man known
Tor his kindness enterprise and expert
cncc. He prevailed on Colonel Benain-
ger to come and look at the settlement.
Late in the fall Of 1913 COL Benzinger
came to the colony, and after examina-
ton conc ludcd to buy the lands. The
Community society then had their con.
tract annullcd with Mr.. Kingsbury, and
/ Colonel Ben2inger then bought the colo
ny lands, with some others adjoining,
making about 63,G00 acres. The fol.
loving year, as soon as the season was
favorable, part of the lands were laid out
III farms Of 20, 800 and 100 acres, as
also part of the village of St. Mary's,
and gave each Of the colonists OF the
Community society ,hlt rcmoned, -
acres and one town lot free. Now each
one was for himself and the work and
improvement wen. ca well from that
time. In til, fan OK the year 1914,
George Neis came to the colony aud put
up 4 store at the house Of j. Walker,
then the largest and be,t house in the
place, aud in the following spring built
his s,oruhouse and store on the north
side OF Elk Creek. About the same
time Colonel Benzinccr engaged Igua.
tiUs Garner as agent and general dircc-
tor Of the colony, and early in the year
$50, Mr.. Garner wcn5 10 Europe and
came back in July with good number
OF substantial settlers. From that time
the coloay made rapid progress, settlers
came from Europe and all parts OF the
United States. 4 large three story log
building was built on the south of Elk
Creek, with twcnty-f5ur rooms, where
The colouist3 found shelter until they
could build houses for themselves. At
the same time Il neat church was built,
and also the large large saw-mill on Fix
and Silver Greeks, By Father Alexander,
who made his residence here, and by his
good example, checrfulncss and lib3ral-
ty, contributed largely to the success Of
the colony.
At the same time, also, Coloacl Ben.
Finger, took into partnership John hsch-
back, another wealthy anI influential
citizen Of Baltimore. These two gen
tlemcn did not spare any time or money
to make the colony success. Roads
were now laid out and opened at the cx-
pense Of the company. These road O.
pcnings gave work to those in need,
and from one to two hundred dollars
were paid out weekly by their agent for
these purposes In the faN Of the year
application was made for post-otficc,
as the nearest T0st.oifcc was then nine
miles from St.Nary's, at Daniel Uyatt's,
and a special Office was granted on the
18th Of November 1915, aud Tgna,ius
Garner appointed as postmaster. In
the first quarter 222 letters were sent,
and the amount Of money received was
$l6,&3. During the September term,
the court OF Elk county granted the for
nation Of BenzinLcr township, and the
legislature early in their session appoin-
ted an election house. The first clcc-
ton held was for township officers and
took place an the second Tuesday OF
February, 1916. During the summer
Of 1916 Joseph Luhr came to st. Ma,
rvs and opened his hotel, which many
a traveller will remember on account of
the kindness Of the landlord, and the
good fare received. The colony iDcreas-
ed steadily. In January 1917 the nun
Der Of souls, amounted already to $50
The celOnists were laborious, frugal and
always cheerful. The prospects were
often gloomy, yet perseverance overcame
all. The festivals of the church and
tha national holidays were always reg.
ularly kept. Many an inhabitaut Of
Elk, and even adjoining counties will
remember the 4th Of July, which they
celebrated in common with the inhabi-
tants Of st. Mary'a.
In the Spring Of the year 1913,
Benzinger and Eschbach took into part.
ucrship Wa. A. Stokes, renowned
lawyer from the city OF Philadelphia,
Who came to &, Mary with his family