Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-08-31
A PECULIAR MAN.
GIVING FREE CONCERTS EACH
NIGHT ON THE STREET.
A Short Sketch of that Strange Sect
Known as the Shakers.-A
Thrifty People.
The Shaker Medicine Company has
Struck the Town and Gave One of
Their Concerts on the Corner
Main and Third Streets.

Struck the Town and Gave One of
Their Concerts on the Corner
Main and Third Streets.
The Shakers, it might be well to state, for
those who are not acquainted with these people,
are the followers of Ann Lee, who came to this
country from England, in IVA, accompanied by
eight persons. who we've her professed followers,
she being the spiritual mother.
These people have community Of property
and Shaker family or unitary household, living
as brothers and sisters Their settlements are
composed of from two to eight families, each
family having large house divided through
the middle by large hall, to accommodate
from thirty to one hundred and fifty inmates
the male members occupying one end of the
house, the females the other. The property is
owned as a community. Everything is done
with order and system; they have large sub
stantial brick and wooden buildings. They lead
a celibate life, refuse TO go to war or law, have
uniform dress, take care of the weak and the
poor, lead meek and quiet lives They regard
idleness SINFUL and that all human sickness
is the result Of physiological sin, and that they
are called to lead a spiritual and holy life. In
their religious exercises, they march, sing and
dance. They form circle around band OF
singers to whose music they "go forth i'll the
dance Of those that make merry" but the males
and females always maintain entire absence OF
contact. All who retain connections with the
community are amply provided tor in health.
sickness and old age. They regard their com
munity and home as heaven on earth in its
purity of life. Their productions of articles are
the very best and cleanliness is striking fea.
ture OF their home.
The Shakers have always been an agricultural
people, holding their property in common, and
are the most successful communists in the
world. Every member is expected to perform
some kind of honest labor, and to owe no one
aught. They will have no drone among them
The original members were very poor, but by
strict habits of using nothing except for com
fort, they have acquired property now estimated
to be worth more than ten millions of dollars.
DR.. Louis Turner, regular graduate of medi
cine of high repute, number of years ago en-
gagged in the manufacture and sale of medicines
made from formulas he used in his extensive
practice, and found 10 be specifics for those
troubles he recommended them for.
The merit of those remedies, having received
for them most extensive sale. it came neces-
ing to the difficulty he experienced in supply
ing the demand, and at the same time attend tc
his other duties. The chief source of embarass
ment that presented itself at this time was the
trouble of obtaining a sufficient quantity OF
crude material. such as roots, banks, buds, Der
ries, blossoms and seeds, which had been gath
cred at the proper time to secure their bes
medicinal effects.
1t was under these perplexing circumstance
that the doctor concluded to arrange with the
Shakers-his old friends-as being the best pre-
pared to help him out Of the difficulty.
No more popular entertainment has been giveI
in this city during the past season than that fur
nished by the Shaker Doctor on the market place
nightly. Indeed it is an open question whether
or not any of the great shows witnessed at the
Opera house would attract the crowds that have
come together to hear him. Night after nigh
it Is the scene of an immense gath ering, thou
sands in number, drawn by the magic of his
entertainment. They not only come once
but they come again and again evidencing tina
the show has lasting merit and is well wortl
hearing,