The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-04-04
A Cooperative Community.

Ih1S is an Iowa colony that seems to
come nearer the realization of mans
long dream of peace and bliss ON earth
than any other similar community that
ever existed They actually believe
they have solved the problem of combi-
nation and cooperation. They call
themselves "Amanes, and are Ger
mans, dating back their organization
200 years or more. A colony of them
came to this country about forty years
ago, and settled upon an old Indian res
ervation of 5000 acres, near Buffalo,
New York. They found it to small for
their numbers and purposes, and NOV
ed West. They have now 10000 beau
tiful acres on the banks of the Iowa riv-
er, about seventy miles from the Mis-
sissippi-woodland and prairie pleasant
ly diversified. They went to this place
sixteen years ago, and have made won
derful progress in agriculture and vari-
Gus other industries. The colony now
numbers about 1900. They have every
thing in the way of property in COM
mon, but recognize the accepted forms
of family life, and each family has
separate house or apartment. Those
who join the community contribute all
their property to the common stock, and
if they become dissatisfied, they receive
back just what they put in without in
terest or wages, and leave. So proper
ty cannot well become q bone of con-
tention, and no one can regard himself
as a prisoner when he is free to go
where he pleases. The object of the
Amane society are religious association,
industrial and domestic cooperation,
and the special advancement of the use
full arts. The members dress plainly,
live plainly, build plainly but substan-
TALLY, and are in no respect ornamen-
tai. They have extensive vineyards,
make and drink wine and lager-beer,
and drunkenness is unknown among
them.
They appear to have no vices whatev-
er, commit no crimes, and have no use
for courts. There is, however, a COM
mittee of arbitration to settle minor
disputes when they arise, as they some
times do. The government is admins
tered, and the whole business of the
community is supervised, by board of
thirteen trustees, who are elected by
the votes of all the adult population,
and hold the common property. Each
department of industry has its manager,
who is responsible to the board of tFus-
tees, by whom he is appointed This
is what they have done in sixteen years.
They found wild lands, and began their
work Just where nature left off hers.
They have bridged the river, made good
roads, planted hedges of white willow,
built canal nine miles in length, near
ly parallel with the river, to supply
their needed water-power; several -four
ing mills, wooden factories, machine
shops, starch. sugar, and vinegar man.
ufactories, all fitted out with fine ma
chinery made by their own machinists.
They have built five villages on the
tract, and two of them are stations for
the Rock Island and Pacific Railroad,
which comes to their doors. They have
good school-houses. and plain churches,
and two grain elevators at the railroad
stations, each of a capacity for storing
about $4,000 bushels of grain. The
children are kept at school until they
are fourteen then they are taught
trade or agriculture, and their euuca-
ton is continued in night-schools. Eng
lish is taught, but German is the medi-
uIn of communication in business and
social life. Their religious services are
very simple, consisting principally of
reading the Scriptures, prayer, and
singing, and they have some good voices
for the latter The women assist in
light outdoor work, especially in the
vineyards. Early marriages are dis
couraged, and men are not considered
of suitable age for wedlock until they
attain the maturity of thirty-fve years.
There is great deal of intelligence in
this community, but no brilliancy of
any kind.-AlissOasri Republican.