The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-05

MbmUcIH WHO nhu Vub III mOnGI dkhlnsJ ONn-
or members labor got angry and refused to
pay out money to keep others employed at
f~ruitless enterprises. Next the title to the
tract occupied by the colony was found TO no
defective. and former owners threatened ejec-
ment proceedings. Some OF the colonists did
not pay their dues. although these dues were
depended upon to carry the colony through
the early and non-productive STAGES OF It's eI-
lstenco. Equality was abandoned in the sum
NOR OF 1870.
The colony OF Altruria. founded in 1890 on
the ~veriant side OF the Howell Mountain. near
st. Helena, about forty miles north OF sacrn-
mento. was as promising a purely co.opera-
tive community as one ever finds anywhere.
Charles Dudley Warner. who was out here that
year, went out OF his way to visit Altruia and
observe Its workings. Several rich mon and
women Joined the colony, which was made up
of people from California and from many New
England States. Some $50 people were in Al
truria at one time. and more than sixty OF
thom had taken degrees at the best American
and English colleges. Four or five prize stu
dents from Harvard went there. Altruria
furnished news for the San Francisco news
papers for a long time. and several magazines
had long articles telling what Altruria was and
Its Importance to civilization.
There wero fine buildings. we'll built barns.
flower gardens, great orchards. an apiAry, oat-
tie. sheep and swine. fields of grain and vege-
tables at Altruria. The aesthetic was cult
waited as 1t had been In no other California coll
ony since the Polish colony of southern Cali
fornia. Every one was a helper and each one
had his appointed duties. People joined the
colony. believing 1t was the beginning OF a new
era, There were no set rules Of guidance. but
a committee OF twelve. six men and six wo-
men. sat for an hour every other evening to
hear In secret any suggestions q brother or
sister colonist might have concerning ways In
which some other brother or sister might
mend his or her conduct and make Altruria
the most blissful SPOT on earth. Plato was the
bright and particular star in the armament at
Altruria. Prof. George B. Winner. who had
given UP a good salary in a Missouri college to
become one Of the Altrurians. wrote once that
he believed the work going forward at Al
truria would be the text book OF hundreds OF
Altrurisns In another twenty years" Several
women put every dollar OF their fortunes in the
common treasury at Altruria. A rich man
from PHILADELPHIA built a dancing hall and
gymnasium there.
But. by 1895 the bright prospects OF the
model community Of the world had gone into
shadow. The fundamental principle OF Al
truria. that ten years Of industry were sufficient
to maintain a man or woman for q lifetime
began to have its sooffers when the orchards
did not have yields worth the picking. and
when wool. under the operation OF the Wilson
Tariff law won't 50 low.in price that 1t was not
profitable to clip It. and also when cattle de-
preciated 40 per Cent. In value. The Seventh
Day Adventists wanted to have a religious
standard set UP in the colony. and other colo
nists complained that they were Kept at man
ual labor while less educated men were en-
ployed ut intellectual pursuits. Meanwhile
interest on the blanket mortgage the colonists
had pnt on THAR proparfv ybnn tho osobn,lo
and stock proved unprof liable became due.
and the MORTGAGE demanded his money.
The beginning Of the end came in March,
1897. Every one who could got away soon
after that. TIL unfortunate men and women
who had invested their all in Altruria we're
finally turned out OF house and home. One
OF the women who belonged to the colony died
In the Los Angeles county almshouee a month
ago. She was once worth moro thar $4,000.
The Dunkard colony in the little town OF
L~ordsDurg, in the northern part OF Pomona
Valley. close to the base OF tho San Gabriel
Mountains. 10 among the most successful col
ontes ever established on the Pacific coast. It
now numbers some 800 adults and as many
moro children. 1t is seven years old. and its
experimental stage was passed several years
ago. The Dunkards. fleeing from the world
Illness and wickedness Of Pennsylvania. Ohio
and Kansas. came to establish a colony among
the orange and lemon groves Of northern Po-
mona Valley. remote from ubiquitous neigh
bors. and where the colonists might live as the
earliest Christians did. They chose southern
California because 1t is practically in the same
latitude as Palestine. A deep religious zeal.
a desire to get religion back to where It was
in the days Of Christ, Is the foundation Of the
Dunkard colony Of Pomona Valley. Among
the embers are a nephew OF the late Gen.
John A. Dix OF New York and a cousin OF the
late Chancellor Runyon OF New Jersey.
Keeping apart spiritually from the rest of
the world. the Dunkard colony lives rs the
Gospel says the first church at Jerusalem lived.
the men are industrious tillers Of the soil and
cultivate olives largely. because that fruit
was grown In Palestine in the days OF Christ.
They never vote and never speak Of politics
and similar worldly affairs. They cheeriully
pay their taxes and thus render unto Caesar
what is CRsars. The men wear boards be-
cause Christ. did. All the colonists dress as
cheaply and plainly as they can. The mems
garb iS a collarless. long black coat. with no
buttons. but hooks and eyes. fasten cd close
to the chin. and black trousers that are also
buttonless. Several years ago some OF the
Dunkards proposed wearing togaa. such as
Biblical pictures show that Christ and His
disciples wore. but the Rarb. after a warm de-
bate. was decided to bo not adapted to agricul-
tural pursuits and mudesty. The Dunkard
women wear the plalnest OF black gowns and
tiny black and white bonnets similar to those
Of Quakeresses. Not the least ornamentation
about home or dress is permissible.
Every ono in the colony is adjured to have
no other %pecuniary. dealings with the world
than to sell colony products. None Of the
pleasures OF the world Is permissible there.
Such things as picnios. sociables and concerts
are unknown in the colony. No newspapers or
magazines or fiction or history other than that of
the earlytChristlan Churches is tolerated among
the Dunkard colonists. Every one In Lords
burg is serious. and the colonists think that
they are the happiest mortals on earth because
they can live free from sin and frIvolity. With
them life IA a serious preparation for the here
after. They road the Bible literally. and they
are required to study 1t one hour daily and 10
contem plato its teachings two hours every
week day and four hours on Sunday. The men
kiss ono another when they meet and part. and