Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-06
A SETTLER VIEWING HIS IDEAL HOME.

Of this kind proposed in this country
alone, and there have been but few of
them that have shown any reasonable
indica alton of stability.
For years California has been one of
the favorite spots for these experiments
in SO GEOLOGY. In 1886 six of these colo
MES, each with it's different conception
of duties and diet. dress and labor, were
started in that state. -Four years later
every one of them had vanished, and it
has been the same way with scores of
others founded on the widest range of
bases, from a diet of nuts and fruit and
two hours labor a day, to the models of
early Christian life, or he principles of
French or German socialism.
One of the most hopeful of all these
Utopias was started on the slope of the
Howell mountain, near Sacramento,
about eight years ago. The %colonists
a plenty of money n they threw
themselves heart and soul into the pro-
ject. 1t was their theory that ten years
work would be sufficient to support a
member in comfort all his days, and this
might have proved to be true if i'll for
tune had not come. Suddenly CONNER
cial conditions changed, wool became so
cheap that it was no longer profitable to
clip It, the price of cattle dropped so per
cent. and. to top all, the crops were a
failure. Their came the mortgages and
final ". after a brave struggle, the end.
Another equally promising colony was
started in Los Angeles county a few
years ago. The colonists were Polish
men and women, each of whom was
gifted in literature, art or music. They,
too. had money in plenty, and all they
desired was TO find a place where the
sun would always shine for them, the
earth blossom at their bidding, n
where, above all else, there should be no
political spies or literary censors. In
California they found such a spot, but
az none of them knew anything about
agriculture. things did not prosper as
they had anticipated, and they finally re-
turned to Poland poorer but wiser for
their experiment.
In the early seventies a band of colo
nists bought 400 acres of and in a lovely
California valley. There were so French
men and about 80 Americans in the party
and their purpose was to live up to the
who held that i~ndividualism was the
cause of self1shness. n that s%elishness
was the mother of poverty as we'll as of
nearly all the human ills. In this colony
individualism was sternly checked. If O
colOnist desired a new suit of clothes or
wished to fog her child. the action could
not be performed without the consent of
the ruling committee. For a time these
principles were literally carried out, but
n by one the colonists became dissatis-
fed. and When the crops failed the hand
full that were left We're glad to sell their
property for the prOverbial song.
A similar fate met the famous Schlae-
gel colony that was also instituted in
California. In this instance everything
opened up brightly for the future sue
cess Of the colony. There was no lack
OF none n the land was fertile. AS / n
other cases, however, the unpleasant
traits Of human nature began to develop
in spite of the efforts of the founder of
the sect. The women began to quarrel
among themselves and the men were
drawn into their broils. until at last. dis
couraged by the apparent failure of his
life's project, DIR. Schlaegel went away
and committed suicide. A few weeks
later the colony was visited by fire. and