The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-14
Plantairf second, Walkenshaw third
rTSiroa-1sEr
A Bellamy Colony.

operation OF socialism, SO ldI aS =. Se@A
be demonstrated in an isolated COM
munity, paper published at Green's
burg, Ind, agitated the founding OF
cooperative village or colony on the
eBellamy' principle, and the following
season LOCO acres of land were Sc
lected near Tennessee City, Tenn, as
site for town. The land was covered
with a fair quality of oak timber. Inc
first members of the Ruskin Co-opera-
tive Association reached their new
home on June 20, 1894, and the first
thing which was done was to house
their printing presses, which were to
help in disseminating information re-
garding the new community.
AS soon asNthe printing office build
ing was finished and wells were. dug,
the pioneers commenced operations~on
their own land and the first houses
were begun. BY July, 1895, twenty five
or thirty houses were erected, and q
common dining-room was established,
where all could live much cheaper col
lectlvely. A sawmill was built, wag-
ons, teams, ETC., were purchased, a
store was built and stocked, and affairs
went on smoothly until February 1896,
when more attractive and productive
location was secured, four and half
miles north of the old site. In 1891
the association moved to the new loca-
ton, building 5Ox100 feet having been
erected for printing establishment
and for "a common dining room. The re-
suits of their labors for the next three
years We're remarkable The associa-
ton built forty dwellings, four large
buildings, and began several industries.
Excellent schools teaching music, draw
ing and painting We're established, and
a number of industries were carried on,
SO that on January l, 1898, the gross
assets amounted to over $4,000. The
total number of acres the association
owns or has the use of is 1,1S9 Mem
bers are received upon the payment of
SoUO in cash and they ale thereupon
furnished with a separate home, but
members can take their meals in the
dlnlng-hall if desired School privi-
leges, houses, medical attendance, med
lclne, laundry and shoe mending ara
furnished without charge by the asso-
cation, which does not pay wages but
gives a maintenance fee to all mem
taxing possession of his house, mem
Der begins to beautify it, knowing there
Is no danger of the landlord or mort
gage holder absorbing the fruits of his
labor
The caves which are used by the col
onists for canning and other industries
are very interesting. The Grand Cave
and the Stalactite Cave are about a
quarter OF mile distant. In the rear
OF the Grand Gave there is a lake Of
pure water coming from an unknown
source. This abundant supply of water
Is conducted by a fiume to a system Of
pipes and is forced by water power and
steam pumps to a reservoir 1873 feet
above, where there is Portland cement
clstern holding 1900 barrels of water.
Two hundred yards to the rear of the
Grand Cave a low passage leads to an
otner chamber much larger; this forms
the beginning of a series of chambers
reached through small passages that
nave been measured by chains for a
mile and q quarter back, and explored
for a much greater distance. The acous-
tic properties of the Grand Cave are
excellent, owing to the fact that the
vault is elliptical, and even a single
violin will furnish music which can
De heard throughout the whole cave
and on the Fourth of July two or three
thousand people come from the sur
rounding towns to picnic in the cave
and dance all day long in the cool at
mosphere, which never varies from 81
degrees. The caves are used by the
cAl0niCtS a
factory, and a storehouse for Canned
fruits and their large celery crop. The
caves seem to be splendidly adapted for
storing celery, and the Ruskinites are
able to bring it out in the spring crisp
ana denclous. During the canning So as n
the cave is the scene of great activity.
immense quantities of food being pre-
pared 1t is estimated that it would
require building costing d hundred
thousand dollars to equal the con-
venience and utility of the Grand Cave.
The Stalactite Cave, consists Of sew
eral chambers running about 600 feet
to solid wall of stalagmites and stall
actites that have united and formed
columns and then massed themselves
together SO as to form a secure barrier
TO the chambers beyond. The water
charged with carbonate of lime acting
over long period of time has deposited
minute crystals, the dripping from the
roof forming the stalactites, which de-
pend from the ceiling, and the stalag-
mites, which rise from the floor. and
the surface water continues its work
IN covering the rocks. below with cas-
cades or solid stone.-Scientifc Amer
lean.