Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-05-04
FACTORIES IN H CAVES
TEkNESS5E'S SOCikLiSTlC COLONY
MAKES NOVEL USE CT CkV5PNS.
Remarkable Subterranean Vinegar ana
Canning Works-Cave- Utilized a.
~-torehous+s For Ceiery-Rarhecne- ana
Dances Held in a Cavern.

ative colony Of Eushln. which has
recently organized in the back
woods of middle Tennessee. about SIX
miles from Tennessee City. owns,
among other attractions, some great
natural wonders IN the way OF huge
caves which are not only exceedingly
curlous aud picturesque but uselnl as
well. as since their discovery q few
months ago they have been utilized
by the colonists as a canning anu
vinegar factory and a storehonse Tor
canned fruits and their large celery
crop. the uniformly cool temperature
Of the cave preserving the celery per
tectly for months, and thus enabling
the RuskiEites to bring it forth III the
spring fresh and delicious.
Imagine a railroad depot with solid
rock arched roof end walls about $50
feet long by sixty feet wide. we'll
lighted, for the entrance is high and
wide enough sor half a dozen teams 10
drive III abreast, aud some slight con
ception can be gained Of the appear
anre OF kusklu largest ave. IN L
center Is q little crystal lake, about
1i9tv feet II diameter, with water 50
Gear thai YOU can see the stones
plainly Oh the bottom thirjy-tve feet
below, Tor that IS lis depth.
This is the basin of a subterranean
spring, from which the water flows IL
a comparatively large stream per
petuallv, and which has been guided
down a wooden tiume By the colonlsts
70 au oyershot wheel. furnishing
power to It pump that forces the water
to tie top Of the great limestone bluff
in which this cave is found, 200 feet
above. Here Is IA great Portland
cement c~istern, holding 1909 barrels.
connected by pipes to the prlntery OF
the colony, that would enable them to
flood the building III about three mln-
Utes IN case of fire.
There are various passages from the
main cave. One of them after going
about one-eighth Of a mile opens into
another cave even larger thanthe first.
These caves have never been fully eX-
plored. but q tramway has been built
! some distance toward the second cave,
and ample facilities have been found
for the storing Of celery, gladiolas,
| cape bulbs ana other rare plants. The
| atmosphere in these IS remark
ably dry and pare.
a short l~isttnce away fro,o the big
cave, whicn is used as a factory AMI
~storehouse, is another remarkably
beautiful natural wonder, known as
| Stalactite Cave. because Of the hun
dreds OF wonderfully odd and curious
ly shaped crystal formations with
which it Is adorned.
This cave is located in the face Of s
high bluf, and the view to be OBJ
tanned from its entrance of the u
rounding country Is most attractive
and extended. On last Fourth Of July
the colony gave q barbecue and dance
at the big cave. Over 1000 Tennes.
seeans attended, and over 1000 wer,
III the big cave ct Il time.
The country people at first did no
take to the colonlsts, but as they
learned to know them better TIA
feeling passed away, and they are nov
the best Of friends. They bring thei1
produce there to sell and patronizs
the Ruskin store and mills. The,
found fair dealing and good articles a
uniformly low prices. One youne
Tennesseean said recently: eve wisi
there were more colonists, for the,
have increased the value Of our LAM
and pay the highest taxes in tn,
county"
No satisfactory explanation as t.
the origin OF the Y has yet beer
given by the biologists Of the. neigh
borhood, and their age, although IN
certain, is recognized as being yer.
great. That they were known to til
Indians Of prehistoric times is prove,
by the discovery III them OF man
unlQue stone arrow heads and otle
crude implements Of the chase.
Rushin's remarkable caves are no
by any means the only objects Of in
terest in connection with the settle
ment, rs the colony itself is ertirel
out OF the ordinary. 1t has bee
founded on strict Beliamy principle
and named for the famous Eng1is
os-ayist, at critic and Socialist. It
principles are far more radical tina
. those followed by the t~rancendenr
! a!ists ii the celebrated Brook Far,
, experiment fifty years ago. TIL
proved a dismal financial failur,
f isaskin Is lour years old, discount
:, its bills and IS rated Al by Brat
/; streets.
/ The settlement lives as one gre:
FANNY, although each member is fu1