The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-05
ABOUT THE ECONOMITES.
GRAPHIC SKETCH OF A PECULIAR
PEOPLE AND THEIR HOMES.
Harmony tho Basic Principle of the Or
Esnizatton - Early Experiences Two
Removals - The Present COntrasted
with the Past,
fspecfsI c,arrss,sondsnce.9

looking the beautiful valley Of the Ohio,
eighteen miles below Pittsburg, is a
peculiar village, inhabited By q peculiar
people. Although possessed Of many
millions Of dollars, the people and their
town are precisely where they were forty
years ago. Economy is the name Of this
town and It's people are called the Econ
onites, although they, themselves, pre-
fer to be known as the Harmony com
munity.
The Harmony community was found
ed by George Rapp and his band OF fol
lowers, numbering nearly 1000, ON Feb.
Is, 1906, at point IN Batter county, Pa.
| twenty-five miles north Of PittEburg,
near what is now Zelianople. Driven
from Germany by religions persecution
they decided On binding Themselves in
perfect harmony and living only for
themselves All their possessions were
to be held in common; the proceeds of
their labor TO go into one common treas
ury. For ten years they were a pros
porous and happy people, but began to
realize that the selection Of the site OF
their town had been III advised, as it
was twelve miles from the Allegheny
river. After mature deliberation it was
decided to go west, so the 5000 acres of
land and their little town were sold in
the spring of 1915 for 800, coo, and the
! colony moved toward the setting sun,
| finally purchasing $4,000 acres of land
on the Wabash river in what is now Po-
! scy county, Ind. a new town of Har-
mony was started. Ten years was spent
there, but the country being new was
unhealthful, and another move was de-
cided upon.
Strangely enough, the Indiana land
was sold TO another colony possessed Of
peculiar views. Just about the time the
Economics had fully made up their
minds to make change an Engiishmar
named Richard Flower, who represent
ed Robert Ovens community, of New
Lanark, Scotland. appeared on the scene
and purchased Harmony and 1000
acres for $150,000 cash 1t was a great
sacrifice. A steamboat was built and
the greater portion Of the band, now
numbering about zoo, started for the
Keystone state. Several points We're ex-
amined, but finally the location they
now occupy was decided upon. This was
in 1926. Some {, SEQ acres of land was
purchased, and Oh accommodating plateau,
fifty or more feet above the highest
waters of the river, the town was laid
out.
The question Of name was serious
Cra+4 n no
common, and although q large proper
ton of the community favored the name
for the third town, the name Economy
was decided upon, it being very sugges-
tive of the one great cardinal principle,
to the practice Of which they largely
owed their prosperity.
From the very first, the third and last
settlement of the Hil-rnonists was a sue
cess. Their cattle Increased, the crops
brought forth an hundred fold and the
health of all improved. Thousands of
grape vines were planted, and many
acres We're set out with fruit bearing
trees. AS time rolled on wooden mill
was erected.
1t was followed by cotton mill and
-four mill The -four Of the Economics
was always the whitest, the cotton the
p1lrest, and the blankets and broadclotls
were not equaIed. 1t was here that the
first silk ever made in the United States
was produced. The silk worms We're i'm
ported and a factory built and filed with
all the necessary machinery, but it was
not Il success on account of the difficulty
=, =
silk was OF such an excellent quality that
garments made nearly half century
ago are still to be seen in the quaint old
town. Fifty years ago all was activity.
Today everything is as exactly the op-
posite as can be imagined.
a hotel cOmmodious and well kept,
was one of the attractions, and half a
century ago its corridors and piazzas re-
sounded with themeTTy laughter Of sum
mer boarders, who for an extremely small
sum obtained the best the market afford
ed, and at night found perfect rest in the
large. airy rooms. In winter sleighing
parties made the Economy hotel favor
lite rendezvous, and many old people of
the Ohio and Beaver valleys remember
with pleasure the winter suppers before
the big old fashioned fireplaces. But
time changes all things, even the young
folks. With no more summer boarders
or winter sleighing parties, the hotel was
often for weeks without guests, although
always ready for them. To the Econo-
mites the stranger within thy gates
was a charge entitled to the best, but he
was invariably entertained at the hotel
and not at Z private house. As time
rolled on the tramp took advantage Of
these unsuspectirg people. and one win
ter the hotel was maintained solely for
the entertainment of a dozen Of these !
nomads, who lived or tGetst Of the Land, |
without money and without price" |
Tramps are not now entertained. the in |
nocent old people having discovered that /
they were being imposed upon.
For number of years one OF the at /
fractions to Economy was the museum. /
In the great public hall. a three story /
building on the main street, was mag /
nIhcent collection O. old paintings, and |
q museum Of rare minerals, birds, shells. |
insects, etc>. besides a large number Of |
Indian relics and several treasures
brought from Germany by the older
members, When the museum became a /
burden Instead Of 4 pleasure it was sold /
to the Western university II Allegheny.
On the outskirts Of the village there was
maintained Tor years a dee- park, and
near by q curiouzly constructed labyrinth
Of closely trimmed hedge, IN the center
OF which was q summer house. Al are
OF the pas5.