News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-02-23
THE ECONOMlTE SOCIETY
A QUAINT SECT RICHER IN MILL
IONS THAN IN MEMBERS.
The Queer Society that George happ
Established in Pennsylvania
Their History and Habits.

Their History ana hao's'
Economy is the quaintest village in the
United States. 1t is situated on the
Fort Wayne Kailroad, eighteen miles be-
low Pittsburg, yet it is as unlike an
American town as if it belonged to an
other part of the globe. Neither the
hustle of the near by city nor the railroad
and steamboat lines ever penetrate the
heart Of the sleepy town. 1t is the nome
of the Economics, society founded by
George Rapp in Germany many, many
wears ago. What all their beliefs were
is more than any outsider can ever tell
Theft chief aim was to live as the earll-
est Christians did, as portrayed IN the
writings of the apostles. Driven from
Germany by religious prosecutions, tney
emigrated to America in 1903 and settIeu
in Pennsylvania.
~They bought land and built TlliaSS
which they called Harmony. They dubbed
themselves Harmonites, and gave what
earthly goods they possessed to ther
founder and leader, George RaPp, who
was their father, banker, adviser ana
preacher. ~,
George Rapp decided that it would be
more in conformity with the teachings oil
the disciples to live a life of cellbacy.
Several of the members who had wives
and sweethearts rebelled against this.
Those who were true to happ moVeu
with him to Indiana, where anolheE
Harmony was founded. Disease attacked
the new village and reduced the number
of its inhabitants so greatly that the
remaining ones fed back to Pennsyl-
van;a. In 1922 they bought 2, 500 acres
of land in a most beautiful valley near
| Pittsburg. Here they settled and here
| those of them who are still alive, llVe
| to-day The misfortunes that befeli
! them in fhe two Harmony settlements
caused them to change the name. They
called their new home Economy and
themselves Economics. The members
who deserted the Harmonites either dled
out or became as other citizens OF the
| globe. Many of their descendants are
well-known people in and around
Allegheny City. About one thousand
members first settled in Economy, but as
their number was never increased by
birth or by adoption, and as death
occasionally invaded their homes, there
remain at the present time not more
than eighteen members, the youngest OF
whom is sixty-two years o.d. Wneh
| they first took vows OF celibacy they be-
| lieved that the world was nearing its end,
and so they lived simple lives, preparing
| for the mysterious hereafter. George
Rapp, Just before he died, told the
Others the world would surely end before
the lastmember died. They believe it.
On entering the village one sees plain
houses, wide, well-kept streets, lined on
either side with large shade trees and
chickens-nothing else.
| The houses are all alike. They are all
built with the gable end towards the
street, AMI cannot be entered except
through the yards.
Everything in Economy is run by rule
and regulation much as at boarding
school. At o'clock in the morning the
bell ON the one church rings, and every
one in the village rises. At O'Clock
every dweler sits down to breakfast, and
what is eaten in one house is eaten in all.
There is a day for 'milk soup" and one
for "wine soup" and for every other dish
peculiar to the place. The bell rings
again at o'clock for all to go to work;
at it brings them back to lunch, at IL
to dinner, at to lunch again, at q to
supper, and at it rings for every one to
put out his light and goto bed. No
member ever rebels or disObeys.
| 1n6Te Is Il WluG CGlluI III ISOhObAl -"
nous for its old liquors, but il is never
sold except to invalids. None of the
| Economics drink water, and their en-
ployes are given wine and cider.
The only paper published in Economy
is novel one on wheels. 1t is the side
of the milk wagon which carries to each
dweller, as well as the milk, the work to
be done. "The apples will be gathered
tomorrow" "The cherries will be gath
cred tomorrow" ;" or "Such field will be
reaped," is inscribed on the wagons
side, so that when all are supplied with
their daily portion of milk thoy know
what labor awaits them.
No family names are used among the
members. ''Jacobn and Gamma" and
"Dorothy" are sufficient. If there are
two of a name, they distinguish them by
the locality where they live. Thus, there
are Dorothy near the mill' and a
"Dorothy near the orchard"
On Sunday no excuse is accepted for
absence from church. 1t is quaint lit
tie chapel painted blue and white, and
in keeping with the people who gather
in it to worship according to their belief.
Miss Gertrude Rapp, the granddaugh-
ter of the founder, although at least
eighty years old, still plays the organ
and leads the singing twice every Sun
day. She is yet pretty woman, rather
petite, has large blue eyes and the
whitest of white hair, which tucked un-
der her quaint little blue Normandy
cap, makes her a perfect picture of ye
olden days She occupies the Rapp
House-the White House of Economy.
1t contains many costly, beautiful and
curious relics.
When an Economic dies he is
wrapped in a winding-sheet and buried
in the white graveyard near the orchard.
No tombstone ever marks his resting
place. In the centre of the orchard is
a mound where the Indians buried their
fallen after battle with the French.
The Economy Hotel las many visitors.
One large loom is always reserved for
tramps. They are always treated just
the same as the citizens. They are kept
over night, and after being given some
money in the morning, are started on
} their way. No one ever leaves Economy
, hungry.
People often wonder what will become
of their wealth, for they are very
wealthy. Everything they engage in
prospers, and it has become saying that
an Economic is always wealthy.
The world does not seem nearer It's
end than it did when George Rapp
founded his quaint society, yet his fol
lowers are firm in their faith that their
last member will see its end. 1t will not
be many years until his disciples will all
have followed his footsteps through
deaths grim portals, as they did through
life, and then what will become of Econ
omy and its millions2-Nelo York World.