The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-08
RUIN CAME BY
The RAILWAY.


ohio's famous village Of refuge. Zoar.
viii soon be thing OF the past. This
noted communists settlement. after an
existence OF most century. Is 10 dis
band, Its property is TO be sold. and the
proceeds divided equally among the sur
yivors OF the band.
The march OF civilization has proved too
strong for the simple ideals on which the
community was founded. and the discon-
tent OF an element which for many years
have been seeking a partition OF goods
and a separation from the rigorous rule
OF the society has At last triumphed.
The cause OF tho dissolution OF zosr as
communtstic 'settlemen Is a railroad.
Prior to the advent OF the locomotive and
the palace cars the Zoarites lived a sim
pie and contented life. They had no COM
merciai ambitions. and appeared satisfied
10 live and die in the confines Of their
settlement.
In the early SOS, however. the Wheeling
and Lake Erie railroad In some manner
obtained "a right OF way through Zoar.
and this railroad has proved the SER
peDt In the /oarites' Eden. Previous 10
the coming OF the railroad the people OF
zoar had been away from home very lit
tle
When train service began passes were
-
who commenced practice OF making
trips away from home. Their accounts
OF the wonders they saw on these trips
inflamed the curiosity OF others. who Also
began 20 make trips, and the result OF
this travel was TO awaken spirit OF dis
content
At the same time the reports of the
qualntness OF Zoar, both as a village
and people. began TO reach the outside
world. and visitors began 70 pour into the
communistic town To see the converse
With It's Inhabitants.
STRANGERS BREED DIscoNTENT.
With the strangers naturally came new
Ideas. The children were beginning 20
perceive that their habits were unlike
those OF the strangers. They desired 10
be progressive They desired TO live and
dress as those who came to see them.
So discomfort crept In with the coming
of the iron horse.
The younger members OF the Zoarites
were no longer satisfied with sufficient TO
eat and drink and wear. They wanted
more latitude. They wanted 10 think Tor
themselves. They wanted TO 20 into bus
mess. They wanted TO make their own
purchases.
They wanted TO have place i'm the
feelings engendered by the ADVENT of The
iron horse have M last won.
Ioar is about eighteen miles from Pres
ident. Mckinieys home. canton US
founders were Germans who fled from
their country In order that they might
worship God in their own way,
This was i'm lSli. and when they hnally
settled In Ohio they looked 10 the bible
for name tor their village, and FOUND
y in Ioar the city TO which a me Lord d,,,s ,ed
OF SOdom and Gomorrah.
The visitor 10 Zoar Is struck with its
rural simplicity and beauty Nestled
was river. IL is within itself little world.
ON the west are soping hills, wniie
south, east and north stretches a plain
containing thousands OF acres of fertile
sois In all the community has 1000 acres
OF the finest soil in Ohio.
The ppculiarity of Zoar consists In the
fact that from it's inception it has been a
communistic place. The ideas OF Edward
Bellamy os set forth In Looking Back
Zoar more than half century before
Belamy wrote and published his BOOK.
All things are common in Zoar. No
one has ever owned foot sf property
who has been "a member OF the commun-
ity. The conduct of its affairs when IL
started and was vested IN three trustses
and an advisory board of i've, and the
same system prevails 10 the present day
JOSEPH BIMELER'S AMBITION.
The leader OF the Zoarites. in their mi
grafton from Germany. was Joseph Bim-
eler. II was the ambition or Blmeler 70
establish a place over Wnlcn ne snooiu
be a sort OF monarch. To accomplish
this he iabored many years, but was nm
ally compelled to abandon the plan. see
ing that 1t was impracticable if the re-
suits desired were reached
He did not however. abandon the hope
of being the leader of the community and
was such in fact during, his entire NE
He was more than a ruler-he was the
spiritual adviser as well.
When the refugees bought the site or
Zoar they incurred q debt or Slo,Wo Inc
people worked with might and main to
pay this of, but at first II was SLOW and
In order that the debt might be liquid
ated sooner the Zoarites resolved To sep
arate themselves as hubands and wives
the one from the other. They lived apart
three years: After that time ana ever
since they have married and been given
The zoarites belong 10 the Society OF
Separatists According 70 the custom @ Oh
Zoar no one is born a member OF this so
ciety Children do not inherit this right.
As long as they have attained their ma
iority they are regarded as mere ser
wants. or as those who never have had.
or never can have. any part OF the anairs
Of the community.
They are placed on probation. even af-
ter obtaining their majority, for period
of "a year If they prove themselves
worthy Of trust i'm every respect. and II
they desire 10 become members or the
community the are received as such In
good standing.
No on is bound to remain a member OF
the society. but in the event he with
draws from II he docs 80 without any
property. Before reaching their majority
young men and women may IN they de-
sire, withdraw from the parental roof
and unite with whomsosver they please.
TRUE DIVISION OF LABOR.
In the habits OF the Zoarites there is q
true division OF labor Some are farm
ers: some are dairymen, others business
men. Ii Is when the harvest time comes
and IN thousands OF fertile scres call
forth Keepers that the entire community
turns out To gather the golden grain Wo-
men and girls have always borne their
part in the fields as well In the home
III the Zoarito wants clothes he goes TO
the community store, tells what he wants,
and gets IL free OF cost. IL he wants a
meal no goes to the hotel and IL Is pro-
vided free.
There IS always something for the
needy, whether IL be something TO wear
or 10 eat or To drink, for the thirsty ones
are by no means neglected Five meals
a day has been the practice OF the Zoar-
it's.
Breakfast Ia early morning. lunch at 10
O'Clock consisting OF cheese, beer, and
pretxeIs). dinner. another lunch at
o'clock. similar - the one OF the morn
ing. and a heavy supper Their food has
always been plain aud plentiful. They
apparently live TO eat and not eat 10 live.
For the topper N topers were allowed 20
exist I'm Zoar. the village would indeed
be "A Utopia. At the close or the day the
mcmebers OF the Zoarite society enter the
~. - a.aAa