Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-03
DOW|E'S zion CITY,
1t Already Contains Nearly
Four Thousand People.
UNUSUAL MOVEMENT
HOW THE SITE WAS SELECTED
AND SECURED.
Lace Making on Large Scale and
Other Industries Plan
ned.

Copyright 1902, by John Swaim.)
Written for TIE Evening Star.
Forty-two miles north of Chicago, and an
equal distance south of Milwaukee. near the
line of the Chicago and Northwestern rail-
way, stands a gigantic signboard bearing
the legend Zion City, $500 Acres" Below
the lettering there is a brd's-eye view of
the new metropolis In the center stands
magnificent marble temple-the finest the
painter could imagine About it is a great
park, and from this radiate broad boule-
wards. reaching to other parks and crossing
at intervals the straight north and south
streets and avenues of the city. Lake
Michigan is shown in the foreground; on
the land lying between the railroad and the
lake are great faCtOries-aII smokeless-anG
an enormous central power house, also
smokeless.
A year ago this sign stood in the midst OF
vacant tract of land, with no house in
sight save occasional farm dwellings strung
along the Green Bay road, quarter of a
mile to the westward. Today nearly four
thousand people live within a mile of the
ROAD; some of them in 5000 dwellings. Be
tween the railroad and the lake-Where
then was a bleak stretch of sand dune and
wooded peat-bOg-stands a structure COW
erinS three acres of land the power house
of the picture, and other buildings Along
the track are great freight sheds, lumber
yards and other indications of business and
prosperity Houses are being rushed up on
every side, and the sounds of hammer and
saw are everywhere. A station stands be-
side the railway. and a dozen trains day
stop there. The way-freight spends from
half an hour TO an hour switching on the
long stdtngs- year ago Zion City was a
mans dream-which he had communicated
70 a great number of people who believed
In him Today Zion City is a fact and the
dreamer. John A. Dowie, is it's ruler in all
matters both spiritual and temporal
Not since the march of the Mormons
across the plains has this country seen so
phenomenal movement as this of q re-
ligi0us body out of the cities and out of
other sects into a community of it's own
First American Appearance.
The Rev John Alex. Dowie appeared in
Chicago ten or twelve years ago, unknown
TO Americans, though rather noted in Aus
traiia. He stepped quickly into prominence
as leader of faith healers, having in fact
come as a missionary for the 'Interna-
tionai Society Of Divine Healing" of which
he afterward became president Opening
his meetings in a tent he soon drew
crowds, made himself notorious and pro-
ceeded to found the Christian Catholic
Church IN Zion,' an organization which now
has 1oVU'D members, probably recognizes
MIN as Its head. and contributes to him for
It's maintenance 1.-THE, rigidly enforced of
all the financial increase of all its members
Eventually he possessed several millions
worth or property. on which he must pay
taxes, being unable to persuade the asses
sors or Chicago TO view him In the same
light as the Roman Catholic Church and
let MS property go free This s what
decided Dowie to found a city of his own
In this new city he purposed to appoint his
own assessors and health department rule
his people directly and have a chance 10
expand and be great. incidentally he be-
lieyes In theocracy; believes that even
tually this and every other country will he
ruIed Dy COO through the voice of the
prophet. and that he is the prophet to be-
gin this restoration of an old idea So he
planned his city and arranged to bring in
the faithful.
Preparing to Build His City.
But to plan city and to build It are
widely different things. Here was Dowte.
preacher, pretty rich. to be sure but not
rich enough to buy the land on which to
build For II he would have a good city
he must have good location, and land In
good locations comes high. And II he were
TO start buying land in any locality the
people from whom he Wished to buy would
be very likely to jump the prices up Be
sides there must be good reason for set
tiers to come In, or his city would never
amount TO anything. SO Dowie went to
work secretly TO find a location. arrange
Tor industries and secure the land before
his plans should get out.
In the first place he had to inform bis peo-
pie that the city was being planned. That
was necessary In order that the money
should come in He told them about his
proposed great city of Zion. site still un-
known. but where the law of God should be
supreme He formed the Zion Land and
Investment Association, and called for sub-
scriptions Investors had no rights except
that or exchanging their stock" for leases
on land which Dowie should buy. The land
should belong to him. and as long as they
held their stock he guaranteed dividends
on it In this way he collected an enormous
amount of money
Then he sent out Deacon Daniel Sloan,
formerly secretary of the Y. NJ. C. A,
and H. Worthington Judd, a real estate
dealer to select site. They chose the one
on the lake shore which was finally secured
1t was an excellent strip of land. rolling
well watered. partially wooded, and for the
most part covered with fine farms 1t had
two miles of frontage on Lake Michigan and
anording every possibility of harbor MAX
Ing. One big railway ran through it. an
other along Its western edge. Five miles
away to the south was the prosperous CITY
Of Waukegan. where there was a harbor
and the lake terminus Of the outer belt"
line-the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern railway
There was every facility for this line also
to enter the promised land"
Providing Industries.
Dowie already had his industry picked
out He wanted to get one with which the
name OF Zion" could easily be associated
Lace making was a new industry in this
country. An English lace maker was trying
to Sell his plant and come over TO foin
Dowie. Dowie bought the plant Organized
an association with capital Of 81 100000 to
run ft-collecting 100000 cash from his fol-
lowers on his personal security before he
bought foot of land or laid brick for
the factory. and guaranteeing from & to IL
per cent dividends on the stock He went
outside of lacemakiug in his plans and
prospectus. He planned. and still plans
great textile industry where cotton shall
be spun and woven into cloth. where wooden
goods shall be made and where lace shall
be manufactured. all Of the best materials,
at good prices. and all to the upbuilding
of the Christian Catholic Church."
OoMie had not yet Q foot Of the land nor