The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-10-07
WHERE CASH is NOT NEEDED.
A Mormon Community That Carries
on business by Barter.

business Dy
In the extreme southwestern corner
Of Utah is a cotton and wooden mil
more than hundred miles from the
nearest railroad, run with practically
no cash capital and doing business al
most entirely through trade and barter.
The story of the factory is closely asso-
ciated with the early colonizing efforts
of the Mormon church directed by Brig
ham Young. 1t was his policy to estaD-
lish colonies wherever the land and wa
ter rights seemed to offer a prospect
of permanent homes for his people.
He selected number of families to
establish a mission among the Indians
in what is now Washington county.
The mission was begun in 1861, and had
among its objects the cultivation OF
cotton with which to supply the people
with cotton goods. The soil proved well
adapted to the purpose, and the first
crop gathered in 1862 was about 100000
pounds. To save freight on the raw
material and at the same time afford
work for skilled labor a plant was
shipped by wagons to Washington,
where there was water power adapted
to manufacturing purposes. The plW,- !
had originally been brought across the
plains by OK team, and was set up at
first in Salt Lake City. but had not been
used much for lack of cotton.
Since it was first established the mill
has been run regularly, supporting
number of families and forming the
center of very interesting industrial
community. The resources of the couw-
try are necessarily limited, and COM
municatiOn with the outer world is diff
cult. The present manager is Thomas
Judd. He has been Mormon mission
airy in England, he was for a long time
bishop of one of the wards in st. George,
his home town, and he is a partner in a
large mercantile firm, manager of a sill
yer mine and mill at Silver Reef. and
owner of big ranch on the Rio Virgen
To dispose of the cotton and wooden
goods made at Washington, Mr.. Judd
has found it necessary to take anything
in payment that is offered. The man
who wants overalls or towels or sheet
ing or cotton bagging may come from
away down on the Muddy in hottest
Nevada, a hundred miles away. He
may bring rock salt to trade, or butter
and eggs or dried fruit. He may come
from across the Arizona line and bring
lumber from the forests that fringe the
grand canyon of the Colorado
| Wherever the customer comes from anC
| whatever he brings he is accOmmo
dated. Possibly $1,000 in cash passe!
| the door of the mill in a year, but Mr.
| Judd declares that the total is not more
| than that. The cotton batting manu-
| featured is sent to the big cooperative
| store belonging to the church in Sal
| Lake and brings cash or its equWalen
| in merchandise credits. Outside o
that the expenses are met without TIT
| passing of a dollar.
( Pay day furnishes one of the novel
ties of a lifetime to the visitor. Tn,
cashier, who is also bookkeeper, tins,
keeper and paymaster, takes his plac
in a warehouse adjoining the mill
| When the time comes for closing OF
Saturday evening the men, women AM
| girls file into the warehouse Facl
operative checks up the time credte
for the weeks work and makes hi
wants known. The groceries, meal
butter, eggs and sundrios are weighe
| and measured out and charged as a
offset against the credit for work. Gen
orally the balance is in favor of tn
workman, and generally the balance
allowed to accumulate until the en-
ploye needs it. Then if it happens tn
mill cannot supply the creditor employ
with the things he wants most, an orde
on the big store in ST. George is give
and the account is squared. If the en-
ploye is about to be married and need
furniture for a house and lumber fo
the construction of his home, he get
an order for his furniture and lumbe
If he wants to buy piece of grounC
he can always find somebody who wi
trade ground for mill orders. His do
tor will accept the orders in paymer
for services, but that is an exception;
thing, for the primitive MOrmons. thos
who have not been affected by Cent?
associations, rarely call in a physical
for anything except surgical case
They still believe in the laying on
hands and amounting with consecrate
OF as cure for all the ills flesh is he
to.-N. Y. Sun.
|