The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-10-24
THE HARMONISTS.
A Body of Christians Who Own Property
Valued at 1915, 100000.


There has always conferred about the
sect of Harmonists a halo of interest,
because of their peculiarities and seclu-
siye 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 1770. Be.
lieving he had divine call, and was
charged with Il restoration of the
Christian religion to its original purity,
he organized Il 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 81
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,
-tais time locating in Beayer. 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 Phjllipsburg. But the new
colony did not prosper, and after a 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 SO, 600, 900.
Beside owning all of Economy and
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 IL 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 NanderbiltS. 1t is said that
on this deal alone they realized seventy
five per cent on their investment. as
/ the road turned out to be the best pay
ING road in the country. 1t is a matter
of history that at the time the war
/ broke out in 1861 they converted all
[ their bonds and available property into
money and buried it, using the treasure
afterward in paying for the building OF
the railroad. The payments thus made
! put in circulation an immense amount
OF silver, many of the pieces dating
back to 1900.
Owing to the law prohibiting mar
rage, the sect has gradually diminished
until at present it consists of only
thirteen men and forty women They
employ over three hundred servants and
farm hands, and these, with their
families, make quite village Every.
thing is owned in common. The grocer,
/ the baker. the butcher and the milkman
/ 60 the rounds every day and supply the
! different families with the necessities
and a few of the luXuries of life
Nothing can be purchased in the village
of Economy, and it is probably the only
town in the world where a man can
not, even if he desires, spend money.
They are extremely liberal and philan.
| thropic, and are constantly performing
acts of beneyolence. Their houses,
which are aXactly alike, are of equal
distance apart aud are at a uniform
/ distance from the village street. They
are painted pure white and have no
front doors, it being claimed that il
| they had these conveniences the women
folks would spend too much time look
ing at and gOssiping with passers by.
a good story is related in this con-
nectjon to the effect that the President
of the community a score of years ago
imagined that there was too much
familiarity between the young men and
maidens, and 50 promulgated an order
that all females appearing on the streets
after dark must carry lanterns; but still
the merry-making continued, although
no lanterns appeared. This caused an
investigation, which developed the fact
that the worthy old gentleman had
neglected to direct that the lantern,
should be lighted.
1t is likely that the law enforcing
celibacy will cause the determination Of
the colony in few years. According
I to their laws, as long as three of them
hold together the property is to remain
intact, but, when one of the final trio
dies, the other two lose all right to the
property and must leave. As there are
no heirs, the S75,00O,0O0, which they
possess in real and personal proper ty,
will come into the possession of the
State of Pennsylvania, and will form
handsome legacy.-EcOnon1y (Pa)