The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-20
A BsIlamv colonr.

In 1Rss, believing the time 70 Be ripe fos
q demonstration OF the practical operation
OF socialism, 20 Gar as q can De denlon-
strated IN an isolated community. paper
published at Greensburg. Ind. agitated
the founding Of q cooperative village or
colony on the "Bellanay" principle. and
the following season leo acres OF land
were selected near Tennessee City. Tenn.
as site for town. The land was COW
cred with fair quality Of oak timber.
The first members Of the Ruskin Cooper
alive Association reached their new home
on June =, 1854, and the drst thing which
was done vas to house their printing
presses. which were to help in disseminat-
ing information regarding the new COM
munity.
As soon as the printing Office building
was finished and wells were dug. the pio-
neers commenced operations on their own
land and the frst houses were begun. BY
Juy. 1ssS. twenty-five or thirty houses
were erected, and q common dining-roOul
was established, where all could live much
cheaper by eating collectively. A saw
mill was built. wagons. teams. etc, were
purchased, a store was built and stock
ed, and affairs went on smoothly until
February, 1895, when a more attractive and
productive location was secured, four and
a half miles north OF the old site. In
1897 the association moved to the new To-
cation, a building 50xiOO feet having been
erected for printing establishment. and
for q common dinine-room- The results Of
their labors for the next three years were
remarkable. The association built forty
dwellings. four large buildings. and began
several industries. Excellent schools
teaching music, drawing and painting
were established. and a number OF indus
tries were carried on, so that on january
]. ISIS. the gross assets amounted TO over
$4,000. The total number Of acres the
association owns or has the use Of Is
1,TS9. Members are received upon the pay
ment Of 500 in cash, and they are there
upon furnished with a separate home,
but members can take their meals In the
dining-hall II desired. ecnooi privileges
houses, medical attendance. medicine.
laundry and shoe-mending are furnished
without charge by the association. which
does not pay wages. but gives a mainte-
nance fee to ali members and members
OF their families. On taking posses sion
OF his home, a member begins to beautify
II. knowing there is no danger of the
landlord or mortgage-holder absorbing the
fruits OF his labor.
The caves which are used by the colo
nlsts for canning and other Industries are
very interesting The Grand Cave and
the Stalactite Cave are about a quarter
of a mile distant. In the rear of the
Grand Cave there is a lake Of pure water
coming from an unknown source. The
abundant supply OF water Is connected BY
a fiume to a system OF pipes and is forced
by water-power and steam pumps to q res
ervoir 1S3 feet above. where there IS a
Portland cement cistern holding 1900 bar
rels of water. Two hundred yards 10 the
.'ear Of the Grand Cave a low passage
leads TO another chamber much larger:
this forms the beginning OF a series Of
chambers reached through small passag-
es that have been measured by chains
for mile and quarter back, and ex-
plored for a much greater distance. The
acoustic properties of the Grand Cave are
excellent, owing to the fact that the vault
is eliptlcal, and even a single violin will
furnish music which can be heard
throughout the whole cave. and on the
Fourth Of July two or three thousand
people come from the surrounding towns
to picnic in the cave and dance all day
long in the cool atmosphere, which never
varies from hfty-four degrees. The caves
are used by the colonsts as n canning and
vinegar factory. and a storehouse for
crop. The caves seem to be splenddiy
adapted for storing celery, and the Rus
kinites are able TO bring IL out in the
spring crisp and delicious. During the
canning season the cave is lie scene OF
great activity. immense quantities OF food
being prepared. 1t is estimated that II
would require a building costing a hun
bred thousand dollars to equal the conve-
nience and utility of the Grand Cave.
The Stalactite Cave consists of several
chambers running about GO feet TO a
solid wall OF stalagmites and stalactites
that have united and formed columns and
then massed themselves together 50 as TO
form a secure barrier to the chambers
beyond. The water charged with carb0-
nate OF lime acting over long period -
time has deposited minute crystals. the
dripping from the roof forming the sta
lactites. which depend from the ceiling.
and the stala gmites. which rise from the
floor. and the surface water continues its
work in covering the rocks below with
cascades Of solid stone.-Scientific Ameri-
can