Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-24
THE STORY OF kAPP,s EsrATE.
Litigation Between the Economics and
the Heirs of Their Founder.

the Heirs or heir Founder.
From tie Ee,o FORK World.
PITTsBURG, Pa, March lS.-Argument
was made yesterday before Register
Bricker by counsel for the heirs OF George
Rapp, the founder of the Harmony or
Economic Society. Charles Meyer, the
German Consul in Philadelphia, repre-
sents these heirs, 1o0 in number, who ask
for letters OF administration on the i'm
mense property which Rapp left. The
Harmony Society is now estimated to be
worth $4,000, 600. The attorneys for the
society allege that the estate OF Rapp has
already been administered upon, leaving
nothing upon which second letters of adj
mlnistratiOn could be issued; that under
the articles of the association the estate
of George R3pp has been settled, 80 If the
Register should decide, as he probably
will, that the heirs are entitled to the
property, 1t may result in the adjustment
of the little community. The decision
Will probably be rendered tomorrow.
Economy, the village Of the Harmony
Society, is situated fourteen miles from
here. The community, which owns the
village and the adjoining farms, eompris-
ing somewhat more than $500 acres, in
cluded at one time nearly 1000 persons,
but has dwindled down TO less than so,
passed the allotted term of three score
years and ten. Silent mills and factories
attest the former activity of the eOmmu-
nifty. Old cltiZt rs remember the EconO-
my broadcoths, f4nnels, blankets and
the famous Economy whisky, which was
held in such high repute, that is still call
ed Tor occasionally for the use of iuvalids,
though none is now to be had, as the
stills were torn down more than twenty
Inn oil nd
manufacture were first establish
ed on business scale in
the United States, but were abandoned
as Improbable, though fSbr CO of admira-
bic texture and design were made, and
the members still wear garments of silk
produced on their own soil AID woven
with their own hands. Driven from Ger
many by religious persecution, the society
settled IN America in 1905, aad after Vari-
Gus wanderings cleared away the forest
and founded their present village in 1925,
their aim beng TO return to the model OF
the earlier Christian communities as por-
trayed in the writings Of tho Apostles.
AT first the menb RS married and kept up
the individual family relation. but later
they adopted celibacy and their mum Der
has gradually diminished since. until
only handful remains,
In the days OF sperm and lard oil and
bdiloW UPS Tue community DOuEub lIacb
OF land in remote corner of PenDsylva-
mia for the timber upon it. THIS tract
proved afterwards TO be part of the m ost
richly productive oil territory and
source of great wealth to the society. A
few years ago they invested large sum
in railroad shares, and not only has their
road yielded them q handsome return In
dividends, but they were able to sell out
their interest at a large advance upon
original investment. Within few
months the develOpme mt OF the natural
gas-bearing territory has steadily crept
towarde Economy until to-day standing
ia the streets of the quiet village one
hears the roar of the latest monster gas
we'll only four miles away, and rumOrs
are circulating daily that the "Ec0no-
mites'' are getting ready to drill their
lands for gas.