The sea coast echo., 1897-12-18
i'm A DUNKARD OASIS,
GREAT COLONY OF A STRANGE SECT
IN INDIANA.

Unproductive Region of 10000 Acres In
Brown County Made Fertile and Bloom
Ing by These Peculiar Poople--How the
Settlement Was Efected-AIiotmcntsf
That classof enthusiasts who believe
shft the fancy OF Sir Thomas More NAV
have its counterpart IN real lffs and
that Q Utopia may be made to exist in
TACT will find their belief confirmed by
Q visit to Brown County Indiana.
There large colony of Dunkards act.
tled early last winter and there, under
the limpetus Of their peculiar religions
zeal, onergie5 have been invoked, that
are rapidly Transforming the iillS irto
vineyards, and the bottom lands into
narvels Of productiveness.
II the stories that come from this
once benighted county are 10 be fully
creditedj the, Dunkards have indeed
metamorphoscd that section, In which
they are located, for they are tepre.
sented as being blessed with the pros
pect Of IN overabundance of oil Kinds
OF cereals. and the fiuit trees and vines
that they have planted are the wonder
Of the visitor on account ef The rapidity
Of their growth. 1t is said In the sec,
tioI that the colony which went to Da-
kota sometime Ggo has not found the
climate congenial, and many Of them
are dissatisfied, and it Is expected that
these will return and cast their lot with
the colony which has made Brown
County its home!
Early last summer the Dunkards Of
northern Indiana began to discuss the
pfopfisty Of changing their residence,
and committed were appointed TO
select q location, the leading men 2nd
women Of the scot having come to the
conclusion that they were too closely
environed by the worldly class and
wishing 10 secure place where such
environments Would not exist:
They consulted real estate 6gent
at Fort Wayne and following his sug-
gestion committee went to Brown
County, locality that Is noted for its
beautiful scenery, but one, tooj from
which capital has kept coldly aloof on
account Of Its many hills and the un-
prdddctiveness Of Its soil. Railroad
soma ~ eli conitaI,sts go ~, 81 ,sv1i .,.'i,,
a Wild hartb wban s,s1or,nr, go W. ,or.a.y Uou.y
Snd ~. .dov tba conntv IL onn e 20 DuSeS, t,ai,,,
TnS;onS ~ 4sh;oI ths laoonlo,i,. 80 o T.. wv ~
81 T. nat hoa.3 VINO '''0'O"'' "ni0'
o "a - 80. Nv taSa n. tL.4noD,,s AZ
"". .hat - 'o,,dS Ss Tno -, uaAat 1a aS iouho
piaoe SnnS .oasu ~ ~ plu ueiiahce 70 tne
aa pLan9en'S - 1n ooa y, iie, anu mere pur-
s sn,o,ir - ,asao VJU tIo a. no,os u ho. l'ua was
qu.oi,iy lla, .no 9"g1iS oeln9 qui'e
% g ~ W sos i.u VI ~ oh "ng Terms
~ Ho :. DuIAarus a.ne =. woie " w ouy w u
Hine. - ~
This purchase was regarded OF the
lime as but the nucleus OF the holdings
that were expected 20 follow, but 9TH
.ers OF the sect in Northern Indiana
turned their faces toward the West aud
located In Dakota. IL these return,
thing that Is now regarded ss more
than probable, the original idea will
we carried out and purchases of other
lands will follow till the entire equity
will belong to tho peculiar society. AS
the purchase OF 10000 acres was re-
garded as but startcrj 80 the colony
that is located upon ii forms but the
fucleus OF that government which
was originally designed and which will
eventually be established.
The continuity raises everything In
common and oil fare alike In every es-
sential particular. They practice the
earlier form OF Christian worship, in
sluding the washing OF feet, and the
minister 10 the head OF the community |
and has charge both OF its secular and
Spiritual affairs. The people meet at
regular intervals and discuss questions |
shat arise in the government of the
comniutiity and then decide upon a
given policy by majority vote, which |
is final, and to which oil submit with
out murmur. Farm machinery,
fruit trees, vines, seeds and the articles |
Of everyday use are purchased In large
quantities and the harvests are gar
nered into one place, and from this
the needs Of all are supplied.
During the summer each family is
allotted o certain work to do, and Is
expected to accomplish it unless sick
ness or death interferes. In case OF
either, those more fortunate come to
the aid Of the unfortunate and the task
Is thus accomplished. On each allot-
nent Of land there must be annually
planted number OF vines and fruit
trees, and each family is also expected
10 clear off certain number of acres
Turing the winter season. The hours
of work each day are limited, and an
bell announces the hour for
retiring and the hour for getting up. |
q {,,, ;a aotd - s,,o,,ir ,,.i4l oIeai,