The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-20
THE sEPARAr1srs OF zoAR.
CONTINUED from Ninth Page.)

house has its own large refrigerator.
filled several times a week with pure,
clean ice, which Is obtained by the
yearly flooding of low-lylng mead
ow. On sultry, dusty days a sprink-
ling cart does duty in the little streets,
some of which are hilly and afford Wis
tas of no mean charms. Large trees
abound, and so quiet are the streets
that when walking through them one
can plainly hear the cooling of pigeons.
Bats circle about in the twilight, and
after nightfall nature is fairly dazzling
with the myriads of firefiies that be-
star the air.
Many of the houses have delightful
stone or brick fioored porches at the
front and rear, and not only the porch
es but great number of the house
walls are shaded by q luxuriant growth
OF grapevines. Some cottages are en-
tirely covered with them.
The Zoarites boast a public garden,
prettily laid out, and filled in summer
With masses of blooming flowers and
clunlps of well-trimmed shrubs. At
the gardens gate is the spring house,
little house in the wall, where one can
drink of clear, pure water, fit for the
gods.
one OF the principal buildings in
Aoar is large brick mansion built for
Joseph Bimeler, and for this reason
called THE Kings House" or mo, IL
One can imagine him driving in state
from its door, seated in the fine coach
imported for his use. This coach. in a
pltlful state of dilapidation, may still
De seen in a loft of large barn.
The quaintest as well as one of the
Oldest houses in Zoar was erected in
1877. 1t is made of logs, and has tiny.
old-fashioned windows, and an outside
chimney half hidden by clinging vines
Its present occupant has furnished it
as much as possible in accordance with
its style. Beside the old Fireplace
with its and-irons are two aged chairs
with spreading legs and lyre-shaped
backs. On the wall are sabres, swords
and other weapons. while on a table
stand pair of silver candlesticks
One of Joseph Bimeler's descendants,
who holds the position of foreman in
the wooden MILL has built In his house
a large pipe organ which is a marvel,
considering the fact that it's builder
has had no apprenticeship in organ
building. The instrument occupies one
entire end of room, and is finished in
cherry. It's tone is very fine, and Mr.
Bimeler's ingenuity has devised means
to pump it by water power from the
mill below the hill.
Zoar has it's own tinsmith, tailor,
shoemaker, saddler, it's own brewery,
carpenter and cabinet shops, and it's
own wooden, flour, planning and saw
mills. The members Of the society are
allowed each a certain number of
gowns or suits per year. Their grocer
les and provisions of all sorts are OBJ
tanned in the same way, an ample al
loWance for each family being dealt
out on application.
The butter for the community is all
churned by one family, who use a large
churn worked by horse power. The
bread is baked by another family. The
baker makes three kinds of bread.
white, graham and Zoar. The latter
is raised but once, and is baked on the
bottom of the oven This oven takes
up the whole end of a large room, is of
brick and very deep. Flour is also
dealt out to the Zoarites by the baker.
The bread is first mixed in a long
wooden tub or trough, in room adj
Joining the oven room. A small,
square opening connects these rooms,
and just beneath it is shelf, on which
Mr.. Ackermann, the baker, places a
boWl-shaped vessel, made Of wood,
bound and bottomed with iron. The
handle of this utensil is about ten feet
long. The young assistant cuts off
enough dough for q loaf, kneads it in
an instant, gives it dexterous twist
or two, and thrusts it through the
opening into the bowl, which the baker
then shoves away back into the oven
and turns over, emptying the dough
out on the oven floor From one hun
dred to one hundred and fifteen loaves
are baked each day.
AT harvest time most of the men and
half-grown boys work all day in the
fields, and each family has the task of
preparing a certain share of their din
ner, which is carried to the harvesters.
One of the most interesting places to
visit is the cow barn at milking time.
On our way there we met an old man
shouldering yoke and buckets, look
ing as if he had just stepped out of
some picture of peasant life
The society keeps about a hundred
cows, which are driven to pasture in
the morning. and at sunset may be
seen ambling contentedly homeward
to the accompaniment of many toned
COW bells. Upon reaching the large
barn the herd separates, each division
entering it's own door and each COW
finding and occupying her own stall
and knowing her own name. The
young girls then come out in numbers,
and to each Is deputed the milking OF
three or four cows. The little children
sometimes bring tin cups and each re-
ceives as much milk as he can drink.
This system of each one having and
performing his own tasks seems to be
strictly adhered to in every detail OF
Zoar life, and I doubt not is the main
factor of their prosperity. Some few
Of the younger members of the society
| are disconnected, and think they could
better themselves in the great world
| outside their little happy valley, but
the majority are satisfied to perform
their appointed round of duties, know
| ing that in helpless old age they will
never know hunger or cold
The girls and older women of Zoar
earn a small amount of money by