Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-07-16
THE AMANA SOCIETY.
EI.torv and Habits Of Commun'siic Band
in Iowa.


the voice of the brakeman as ne an
nounces = Homestead" stopping, and
takinc a lumber wagon with spring
seats, in charge of pieaSaht-.iac- u
man of evident Teutonlc EXTRACTION
ride of mile across Iowa river VIII
land him in the midst OF curious
people. with quaint and strange sur
roundinrs. A correspondent OF the
New York Tribune says: The Amana
society is the outgrowth OF small
band Of people who anne to this coun-
try from the north of Germany In
1916. Their religion was one OIL
peace. Their government de aaded
of every male person military service.
This they refused TO give. They were
then imprisoned and their property
sequestrated. About forty OF them
came to this country and settled near
Buffalo, n. Y. but soon afterward re-
moved to this spot and named 1t
Amana, which signifies here we VIII
rest"
They purchased from the govern
meat whole township, six m les
sgt are, through which runs Iowa
river, one of the largest rivers IN the
State. They perfected an organization
of the community, and gave it the
name of Amana society, which Is now
incorporated under the laws OF the
State. All that each individual pos
sessed was consolidated into common
property. BY the terms of the COM
pact there is no individual ownership
Of anything. with slight exceptions for
personal use. The community is gov
erned by a president and executive
committee, elected by vote of the com
munity. This commit e has general
supervision of all business of the
society elects the super. ntendents of
5he various departments of labor, and
directs all its affairs. The president is
simply an advisory officer and IS Sc
.ected for his age and mature Judg-
ment. He pre5ides at meetings OF the
executive committee.
Iowa river makes large bend near
The eastern boundary Of the township.
From the eastern detection of the
canal about ten feet wide was cut, five
miles in length, through the village to
The western point of detection. Along
The canal are located the residence
lots, each lot abuttlng on the canal.
The canal furnishes water for domestic
use and watering the gardens. Each
family has a house for its own use,
surrounded with yards and a garden.
The highest cultivation is there at
,ained of vegetables and fruits OF all
kinds. Grapes are extensively grown
and wine made from them, each family
making its own supply. Large board
ing-hOuses are provided in each vii
lage for there are now six villages
! for the accommodation OF the UNI
married people At these boarding
houses also the entire people take their
meals. No cooking nor general house
keeping is done at the residences.
There are appointed at regular inter
walls persons to perform the various
duties Of the society To oversee the
boar ling houses to do the work
therein, cooking, baking, laundry
work, scrubbing, carrying water, ETC.;
some feed and care for the poultry,
swine, sheep. horses, cattle. ALI the
various kinds OF farm work are set off
to different persons. So in the mills,
factories and shops.
Just before meal hours a man will
come to a boarding house with Live
poultry, which is at once taken and
dressed another will bring vegetables;
another meat. After each meal the
garbage man comes around and all
refuse is, carried away, fed to swine.
or put In the compost heap. Each and
every person has his or her allotted
wo. k, and all moves on in perfect
system There are no drones. There
j are large cotton and woOlen mills, a
starch factory, and fruit-canning
shops. The cotton G, DDS made are the
! best and most durable to be foand
in the United States, and they get
/ higher prices than Eastern manufac-
/ turers- They sell all they can make to
retail dealers in this and adjoining
! States, who have regular customers for
/ them. So of Their wooen goods. the
stamp of the Amana society estab-
fishes their quality. They are. thor
oughly homes people. Whatever they
| do is we'll done. They are slow and
/ plodding. They never get in a hurry.
They retain many of the habits and
customs of fa.herland. The older
/ pc pie still retain the quaint dress of
their ancestors. The younger portion
have Americanized themselves.
They have good schools and are thor
oughly educated They print their
own books and do the printing OF la
4 opd fnr