The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-11-07
THE HARMoNiSTS.
A Body of Christians Who Own Property
Valued at s75 ,o00. 900.

A Body of Christians Who Own Property |
Valued at s75 900.
There has always conferred about the
sect of Harmonists halo of interest.
because of their peculiarities and seclu-
sive tendencies. The founder of this
rich colony, located at this Economically
situated place, on the banks Of the
Beaver River. was George Bay. who
was born in Wurtemberg in ITO. Be-
lieving he had a divine call. and was
charged with a restoration of the
Christian religion 10 its original purity,
he organized colony on the model of
the primitive church, with goods and
chattels in common. This soon involved
him and his following in trouble with
the Government, and compelled him to
transplant the community, in 1903. to
the United States. They settled first on
the COMPROMISING Creek, in Butler
County, where they founded the village
of Harmony, and employed themselves
in agriculture and manufacture.
BY industry and thrift they acquired
considerable wealth, and in 1915 they
removed in body to Indiana, where
they purchased and located upon 27,-
600 acres of land along the banks of
the Wabash River. The settlement of
New Harmony was even more prosper
GUS than the first had been. but the
climate was not satisfactory. and in
1924, after numerous councils. they
sold out and returned to Pennsylvania,
this time locating in Beaver County, on
| the right bank of the Ohio river,
where they purchased $500 acres of
| beautiful and fertile farming lands, and
where they soon afterward laid out the
town of Economy. Here is where they
are located at present, surrounded by
peace and plenty.
They are strange people, not believ-
ing in marriage, but all living together
as brothers and sisters, and practice
| the strictest morality. In 1922 the
| question of marriage was the leading
one in the community. and about two
hundred members withdrew because
they favored marriages, and,established
the town OF Phillipsburg But the new
colony did not prosper, and after few
years of struggling they sold out and
disbanded, dividing the proceeds of
their sale equally among all the MEM
bers. In the meantime the Harmonists
were gradually becoming more and
more wealthy, until at present they
own jointly and in common, lands,
stocks and bonds and herds. the value
of which is estimated at S75, 900, 600.
Beside owning all of Economy and a
large part of Beaver, they own an en-
tire county in Dakota. in the valley of
the Red River of the North.
Out of their surplus money they built
and equipped the Pittsburgh & Lake
Erie Railroad, running through rich
and prolific country from Pittsburgh to
Youngstown, O.. and owned the con
trolling interest in it until the road was
sold to the Vanderbilts. 1t is said thai
on this deal alone they realized seventy
five per cent. on their investment, a
the road turned out to be the best pay
: ing road in the country 1t is a matte
of history that at the time the wal
! broke out in 1861 they converted al
) their bonds and available property into
! money and buried it, using the treasur
: afterward in paying for the building O
the railroad. The payments thus mad
, put in circulation an immense amour
/ Of silver, many of the pieces datin!
= back to 1900.
Owing to the law prohibiting mar
) riage, the sect has gradually diminishe
until at present it consists of onl
a thirteen men and forty women. The
!. employ over three hundred servants an
farm hands. and these. with thei
Z families, make quite village. Every
thing is owned in common. The groce
= the baker. the butcher and the milkma
n 90 the rounds every day and supply tn
different families with the necessitit
:. and a few of the Injuries of life
7 Nothing can be purchased in. the villag
!, of Economy, and it is probably the onl
town in the world where man ca
not even if he desires. spend money
10 They are extremely liberal and philaI
4 thropic, and are constantly performin
: acts of benevolence Their house
# which are axactly alike, are of equ
r. distance apart aud are at uniforl
distance from the village street. The
=. are painted pure white and have l
front doors, it being claimed that
they had these conveniences the wome
~ folks would spend too much time loo
ing at and gossiping with passers b
, A good story is related in this co
~ nection to the effect that the Preside
> of the community score of years as
= imagined that there was too mut
familiarity between the young men al
maidens. and so promulgated an ord
AZ that all females appearing on the stree
- after dark must carry lanterns; but st
:. the merry-making continued, althoul
Il, no lanterns appeared. This caused
Il investigation, which developed the ia
u that the worthy old gentleman h
, neglected to direct that the lanter
~ should be lighted.
= 1t is likely that the law enforcil
w. celibacy will cause the determination
IT, :. the colony in few years. Accord
ls to their laws. as long as three of tbs
VI hold together the property is to rems
oy intact. but, when one of the final II
ne ,e dies, the other two lose all right to
:. property and must leave. As there 4
lis no heirs, the S75. 900. which til
|. possess in real and personal proper
ne will come into the possession of t
u State of Pennsylvania, and will TO
:, handsome legacy. Economy (P'
"a, Cor Philadelphia Ledger.