Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-29

It appears that the Economics, or
Rappites. whose leader Father HENRIcI
died last Sunday, have not been con-
tinuously located at Harmony, Penn
sylyania, since 1893. II appears from
the statement Of the indianapolis Sellti-
mel, that In 1915 they left that locality
and came to Indiana, where they estab-
lished the town Of New Harmony. This
little place is situated on the bank Of
the Wabash, of Posey county, and the
RapDites purchased about 10000 acres
Of land surrounding il on all sides, so
that they had a small principally for
the development Of their social system.
AT the time the country was quite wild.
Only four years before the battle Of
Tippecanoe had been fought and
there were still many Indians
To Indiana. Whether from fear
OF these or Of the hardly less savage ele-
ment OF the whites who infested the
frontier, one of the first works OF the
Rappites was TO build a fort-a very
ponderous stone building, which still
stands, though It has been appropriated
for more peaceful purposes. There are
still to be seen, however, the loop-holes
for musketry and some Of the heavy
hinges by which the doors and shutters
hung. The lock, too, is preserved by
Mr.. FRErAGEOT, OF New Harmony. 1t
is monstrOus affair, with key foot
long and heavy in proportion.
In fact, like most religious organiza-
tionS that believe in the speedy APP
proach Of the millennium, the Rappites
went in for very substantial architect
ure. All the buildings they erected
stand, except one or two that were torn
down for special reasons, and bid fair
10 remain in good condition for many
years 10 come. The hotel, the theatre,
the school building, and one OF the prin-
cipal stores Of the place were built by
these extremely industrious people, who
Quarried their own stone, made their
own BRICK, burned their own lime, and
incidentally found time to cultivate sew
eral thousand acres Of land. The school
building, however, is not as it was orig
inally, part Of it having been torn
away and the brick used in making a
wall about the old Rappite graveyard
and an addition having been builtto the
remainder.
The community was held in esteem
by the people of the locality, aad the
adopted son Of RAPP was elected
member Of the first constitutional con-
yeution of Indiana, but for some reason
they decided to move again, and in 1924
they sold out their possessions to ROB
Enr OWEN and went to their present
location in Pennsylvania. The COM
mumity succeeding them established
by OWEN and WILLIAM MCCLURE be-
came celebrated throughout the civil
lied world, and was probably the
cause Of the Rappites becoming as
widely known as they are. In fact, there
is little to attract attention to them ex-
cept as an illustration Of failure in at
tempted socialism. After the society
moved TO this country it adopted the
principle Of eelibacy, which was not
ole Of It's original ,euets, and the only
increase &c has had was by conversions.
On this account it has gradually dwlu-
died away, although its possessions
have increased enormously In value.
In 1880 &c numbered less than ff,y
members, and It's wealth was estimated
at from Se5,0oOO0O % s3o,00O.O0o. To
au appearances il is progressing % dis
solution.