Omaha daily bee., 1883-09-19
AN AMERICAN
History aud Habits of the Amana
Socicty--A Peculiar Sect
In Iowa.

A letter from Des Moincs, Iowa, to the
New York Tribune says: The traveller
over the Rock Island and Pacific railroad,
soon after passing Iowa City, will be
greeted by the voice of the brakeman rs
he announces Homestead. stopping,
and taking a lumber wagon with spring
seats, in charge of a pleasant-taccd man
Of evident Toutonic extraction, u ride of
q mile, across the Iowa river, will land
him in the midst of n curious people,
with quaint and strange surroundings.
The Amana society is the outgrowth OF a
small band of people who came to thus
country from the North Germany in 1916.
Their religion was one of peace. Their
government demanded of every male per
son military service. This they refused
to give. They were then imprisoned and
their property Sophisticated. About forty
of them como to this country and settled
near Buffalo, n. Y, but soon aftorward
removed to this spot and named it Amana,
which signifies ''herc We will rest.
They purchased from the government n
whole township, six miles square, through
which runs Iowa river, II of the largest
IN the state. They perfected an or
ganiaation of the community and gave it
the name of Amanu society, which is now
Incorporated under the laws of the State.
All that each individual possessed was
consolidated into common property. By
the terms of the compact there is no indi-
vidual ownership of anything, with slight
exceptions for personal use. The com
munity is governed by a president and
executive committee, elected by the
voice of the community. This commit
tee, has general supervision of all bust
ness of the society; elects the superin-
tendcnts of the various departments OF
labor and directs all its affairs. The
president is simply an advisory officer and
is selected for his age and mature judy
ment. He presides at meetings of the
executive committee.
Iowa river makes a large bend near the
:, eastern boundary of the township. From
/, the eastern DETECTION n canal about ten
feet wide was cut, five miles in length,
{ through the village to the western point
of DETECTION. Along this canal are loca-
ted the residence lots, each lot abutting
on the canal. The canal furnishes water
=, for domestic use and watering the gar
, dens. Each family has n house for its
, W use, surrounded with yards and a
garden. The highest cultivation is there
attained of vegetables and fruit of al
!, kinds. Grapes are extensively grown
and palatable wine made from them, eacl
/, family making its own supply. Large
!. boarding-houses are provided in each will
age for there are now six villages) TO
,, the accommodation of the unmarried
people. At these boarding houses als'
! the entire people take their meals. N
. cooking or general housekeeping is dom
6 at the residences. There are appointe'
Mt regular intervals persons to perform
the various duties of the society: II
oversee the boarding houses; to do tn
y work therein, cooking, baking, laundry
g work, scrubbing, carrying water, etc,
: some feed and care for the poultry, swine
4 sheep, horses, cattle. All the various!
4 kind of teamwork are set off to differen
persons. So in the mills, factories, ant
\ shops.
= Just before meal hours q man will
come to a clearinghouse with live peul
Q try, which is at once taken and dressed
y another will bring vegetables, anothe
- meat. After each meal the garbage ma
comes around and all refuse is carrie'
away, fed to swine or put in the compos
heap. Each and every person has his o
;. her allotted work, and all moves on il
, perfect system. There are no drones
There are large cotton and wollen mills
|, a starch factory, and fruit-canning shops
I The cotton goods made are the best ant
q most endurable to be found in the UNITED
States, and they get higher prices thar
eastern manufacturers. They sell al
they can make to retail dealers in thi
! and adjoining States, who have regula
customers for them. So Of their woo'lei
j goods, the stamp of the Amana societ.
establishes their quality. They ar
thoroughly honest people. Whateve
7 they do is well done. They are slow ant
h ~plodding. They never get in n hurry
= They retain many of the habits and Gus
toms of Fatherland. The older people
still retain the quaint dress of their an
+ %cestors. The younger portion hav
+ Americanized themselves.
+ They have schools, and are thorough
educated. They print their own books
and do the printing of labels, cards, an
work necessary for their manufacture
articles. They make nearly everythin
\ used by the society, except farm nipple
. ments.
8 They are very devout people. Theil
It religion is similar to the Quakers. The,
o do not accept the New Testament, Mar
n riage is a divine institution with them
@ In each village is q Westinghouse, whcr
c religious service is held every day
n About II o'clock, when the church. bel
rings, all work stops, and the people 6
to church, the men and women sittin
apart. Service is conducted by n leader
but the speaking is done by different in
divIduals, as the spirit moves them. tn
!, marriage ceremony is conducted always q
the church, and is precisely like that G
a the Quakers
q In politics their affiliations are wit
the Republicans, though they seldor
the Republicans. For local county o.
ficers they vote according to thei
views as to their best interests financially
and as they vote 80 goes the county
n But no party or clique can influence q
II control them.
a As has been stated, they began few j
number and poor. Additions were mad
y by accretion. Whenever a person desil
F" ed to join the society, he had to max
formal application. A thorough investigi
IL ton follows of the antecedents and cha
acter of the applicant. If accepted, h
surrendered all he possessed by legal col
veyance to the society. Should he b.
come dissatisfied and desire to leave, h
" could go but take nothing with hin
Numerous applications are made to unit