New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-13

prosperous and happy community, or III ot''eI
words. a colony. About thirty years ago
Pastor Won Bodelschwingh began with iout
epileptic patients "A similar family NE III thc
suburbs Of Diolcneld Westphalia, Germany;
and year by year the families have Increased
in number. until now the Bethr. t"i"nS 10 .. q
village Of two or three thousand inhabitants
pursuing all the occupations ard enjoyins al
the recreations Of thriving and prosperous
settlement"
ECONOMY AIMED At.
The Craig Colony Is an attempt. which prom
Ises 10 be a successful one. to create Bethel
Colony similar In aim to that one al Beleiled.
The present residents 81 the colony have been
largely taken from Ncw-York city; but the re-
Inaindcr are chiefly from the almshouses OF vari-
Gus counties Or. Spratl!ng. the superintendent
aims 70 give most Of the patients under his care
some outdoor occupation: for Work In IN" open
air is one OF the most cn"ctiN" in'ahH ~ Hsh'-
Ing and suhduing cpilcptic attacks. me ao"H-
dance ~ land gives ample opportunity 10 carry
on, this plan I'd plant colonies here ana there
upon the eighteen hundred acres anu put tle
men and women at work Moreover uE Wls
means IL is hoped TIA" colony VIII he larsey
disappearing and will require much less AID
from the State Treasury than - ordinarily
granted to the stat" institutions. Inc h'N-
p"nsvc character OF the buildings ar'aIy
planned or erected at Or Spratl!ng's suggestion
indicates that he Is strongly imhuri WIN an
economical spirit The Board ~ Managers -
Also earnestly dcsrous - keeping tn" cost ~
each patients support at l"" point
The medical results % the colony plan are
already successful The Board 81 Managers In
their last annual report, stat" that TN" nrSt
INV PATIENTS who were under treatment Nv"
months or before the clos" OF IN" year had
collectively during tho frat month ~ their r"|l-
dcncc AZ thu colony 1OS seizures The same MY
cases. after I've months OF treatment, hhd coll
lect!vely during the nith month 3lI seizures.
"A reduction 81 - .;o-.JJ per cent. During the
first month each case averaged fourteen al
tacks: during the hnh month each case aver
aged six attacks.
The cffor, - make the colony largely self-sup-
portlug also promises 10 De. successful. In 1896
on, Of SOS 900 pad out Of tho State Treasury FOR
the support ~ the institution. Sll 30 was paid
back into the State Treasury out ~ he earnings
or the colony This fiscal year $4,000 has been
received We expect 10 return S2iOD OF this
amount" said Or. Sprailug on IN" day OF ne
visit Garden products last year ncucd 500 ".
farm products 50 81 SO. Their" was gain In tn"
live stock 81 ~ $50 "a and miscellaneous sales
Amounted to : ! Wi IL. or total income ~ Sli.-
90 % from the farm. The institution started
vim eighty sheep: II now has FOUR hundred
sheep bv natural increase. Or. Spratlng. III MS
last report TO the managers. said: we cannot lay
too much stress upon the fact that tn" colony
I'm its Industrial lie is largely an agricultural
community. Activ" outdoor III" In IN" ileId ana
I'm the garden Is the He par excellence for the
cpileptc.
''Ir We arc TO become a community of producers
os we'll as consumers. We must be given the
means OF accomplishing this end. We need large
forcing beds We rely largely upon tn" products
OF the farm and garden FOR food supplies for our
Inhabitants. and facilities are needed Tor the
nrodtable prosecution Of such work"
WORK oN THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING.
Or. spratllng Is pushing work upon the In
dustral Building. where he intends TO have