Connecticut western news., 1875-08-06
THE EBENEZERS.


 A Successful Colony in Iowa.--Their Former Experiences in Eric County--Models of
 Industry, Thrift, and Prosperity.
 In the year 1842 there came to this section of the country, says the Buffalo Commercial, colony of people who had 1mml grated from Geisen, in the duchy of Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, numbering about five hundred souls. They pur per acre on Buffalo creek, few miles from this city, and settled thereon. Sub sequently they added 1, ,O00 or more acres to their original purchase. This was the cooperative communion known as the "Ebenezers "-the four little villages which they planted bearing the name of within eight miles of Buffalo. They were frugal, industrious, moral people, being entirely free from those objectionable fea- lures which frequently characterize what are termed communions They went to work with right good will-even the women and children assisting at the severest tasks, clearing their lands, and soon tue results of their labors became apparent in the greatly improved aspect of the entire reglon. Working system atically and intelligently their farms brought forth abundant crops, and suc- cess attended their efforts. Nor were their energies entirely devoted to agri- culture. They erected cotton and woolen factories, four or five sawmills, tannery, gr1stmllls. wagon shops, blacksmith shops, bakeries, etc. The products of their fields and factories found ready market in Buffalo, and such was the repu- tation of the members of the community, that no other recommendation for a com modity was needed by city purchasers than the assurance that Git came from lar to that of the Quakers.
 For reasons which were satisfactory to themselves, but never fully understood by those outside, the community resolved to dispose of their possessions in this vi cinity and go West; and having sold out different parties, they left in 1856 and 1857-going at different times, in detach- ments-and went to Iowa. At this time the number of the community had in creased to about eight hundred. They now own 30, 900 acres of land, consisting of woodland and prairie mixed, situated son the banks of the Iowa river, about seventy miles from the Mississippi. They are known as s'Amanes," and the colony has increased to about 1,30O. Every thing in the way of property is held in common, but each family has it's own separate habitation.
 Those who join the community contri- bute their property to the common stock, and if they become dissatisfied they receive back just what they put in, without interest or wages, and leave. So property cannot well become bone of contention, and no one can regard him. self a prisoner when he is free to go where he pleases. The members dress plainly, build plainly but substantially, and are in no way ornamental. They have extensive vineyards, and make and drink wine and lager beer, but drunken ness is unknown among them. They appear to have no vices whatever, com init no crimes, and have no use for courts. There is, however, a. committee of arbitration to settle minor disputes when they arise, as they sometimes do. The government is administered, and the whole business of the community is supervised by board of thirteen trus- tees, who are elected by the votes of all the adult population, and hold the com. mon property. Each department of in- dustry has it's manager, who is responsi- ble to the board of trustees, by whom he is appointed. The property they pur- chased was, of course, wild land, and they were obliged to commence where nature left off, but they have done won ders. They have bridged the river, made good roads, planted hedges of white willow, built canal nearly five miles in length, nearly parallel with the river, to supply their needed water power; several fouring mills, woolen factories. machine shops, starch, sugar and vinegar manufactories, all fitted out with fine machinery, made by their own machinists. They have built five vil- lages on the tract, and two of them are stations for the Rock Island and Pacific railroads, which come to their doors. They have good schoolhouses and plain churches, and two grain elevators at the railroad stations, each of a capacity for storing S0,OO0 bushels of grain. The children are kept at school until they are fourteen, and then they are taught a trade of agriculture, and their education is continued in night-schools. English is taught, but German is the medium of communication in business and social life.