The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-05
THE TOWN OF OLEONA.
Ole Bulls Colony In Pennsylvania
That Failed Through swindle.

That Failed Through Swindle.
New York Sun: 1t was out in the
wilderness when, 46 years ago, Ole Bull
established his New Norway" at Ole
ona, Penn, but now the steam cars
pass within four or FIVE miles of the
ruined castle of the famous violinist.
Riographers of the man usually omit
a history of Oleona, for it was one of
the unpleasant incidents of his life;
but while it is a history of financial
disaster, it should be included in his
memoirs, as it demonstrates the great
heartedness of the supplemented man.
After ne had achieved fame and for
tune through his wonderful gift of mu-
sic he began to study how he might
turn his good fortune to the benefit OF
his fellow countrymen, in the way of
making them happier and more COM
Portable. He conceived the idea of
founding q Morse colony in this coun-
try, under a flag and country that
would insure his countrymen liberty
and justice.
In the mountains of Potter county,
Pennsylvania, he recognized the coun-
terpart of his own beloved Valestrand,
and there he determined to set up his
new republic. Unfortunately. his bust
ness abilities were not upon par with
his musical talents, and he fell an easy
prey to the unScrupulouS. In 1852 he
purchased 1885, 600 acres of wild land on
what is known as Kettle creek, and be-
gan the erection of a town upon the
side of a picturesque mountain. He
also began the castle which was to be
his home and resting place when he
was not actively engaged in his musical
pursuits. A church, hotel, business
places and hundreds of dwellings, soon
found being in his mountain wilder
ness, and 1900 of the sons and daugh-
tiers of Norway came to the new COL
ony to dwell. Meantime, while the
work of building the colony and town
was progressing, Ole Bull was keeping
his engagements in various parts of
the country, charming thousands and
thousands with his marvellous music.
He was in California when the news
reached him that the titles to his Penn
sylvania property were worthless. The
man of whom the land was purchased
had neither right nor title to mat which
he had sold him. The real owner of
the territory was Quaker, man who
had no part in the swindle and who
used his best efforts to help Ole Bull
to recover his money. All efforts were
unavailing, however. All the satisfac-
ton he could obtain was the defiant
statement:
WELL 1 have your money; you can
do your worst"
And the worst was tamely to submit
to the swindle, for with money all gone
and health impaired by the mental
strain and disappointment of failure,
the great musician was unable to cone
with the willy swindler, and retired
from the property, poorer by several
hundred thousand dollars. A few who
had come to the colony remained and
repurchased their homes of the lawful
owner, but the greater number de-
parted sorrowful, but in no wise blam-
ing their would-be benefactor. Only a
little hamlet today marks the site of
the promising colony of nearly half a
century ago. and the castle of the vio-
linist is an almost obliterated ruin The
forest has reclaimed the land about it,
and where the notes of the violin once
awakened the echoes the song of the
wild bird now breaks the solitude