Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-10-20
ABOUT ZION
CITY ON LAKE MICHIGAN

few weeks ago the writer visited
Chicago and Zion City--the latter
founded by Or. John Alexander Dowie
Of the Christian Catholic church. and
several have asked us TO write an
article descriptive OF the new city
and the work, and in complying with
the request. will state that In the ac-
count that follows. that II deals sim
ply with the facts aud conditions as
found by observation.
Zion City is located forty-two miles
out OF Chicago on the shores OF Lake
Michigan leading to Milwaukee and
reached via the Chicago Southwestern
railroad The site contains $500 acres
of land, extending two and one-haif
miles along the shore Of the lake and
inland some four miles. The land II
rolling prairie, aud can all be used
for building purposes. no streams OF
msrshy grounds rendering any por-
iion yslurlcss. The city ls laid out on
different plans than most places In
tn. center Is what IN called the Tenn
pie site. being one mile square. taih
site is To be used entirely for religious
and educational Institutions. In the
center of the ground thus reserved is
to be the temple. which In being
planned. aBd which will have the
largest seating capacity OF amy build
ing In modern times Those who have
visited national conventions where
seatIng capacity was provided for ten
to fourteen thousand people can Judge
tho size OF the temple when II is cal
tlilaied TO seat thirty thousand peo'
pie. 10 say nothing of standing room In
case Of necessity Four broad ave
nuap or boulcvnrds viii lead to the
temple from the four rorn"ts of the
site. which. ~ before stated. viii be
one mile square. Inside OF this
ground viii he ioacied the colleges for
the general education of the rising
generation and those who desire 10
study for tho ministry. Ther" are
two natural parks on the Temple site,
which ran d. utilized In beapilfying
the grounds. ON one corner OF the
site IN a temporary tabernacle which
| seats Eis thousand people. more than
the Chicago Auditorium. This build
| ing IL Intended to accommodate the
people until the big edifco Ia built.
but scycral times during the summer
the capacity was not sufficient to ne
| commodntr the crowds ON another
part of the grounds substantial stone
and brick educational buildings are
going up. Otherwise no buildings
| adorn the temple site, Int outside
| there IL activity building In every
| direction. Zion city II scarcely one
year old. yet Il IN a city OF G.o01 popu'
la,ion and growing rapidly. One year
ago ther. were not n dozen buildings,
| the grounds having been dedicated
| IN July. And we were greatly Hurpris
I'D at the snbatantiai character OF the
buildings more especially the resi-.
dsncoa which compare fayofahly with
those of older cities OF much greater
pr.tcnsionp. An yet, the buildings
AREA covering several miles. aud a'
| nrst observation ona might be .aHily
| miHlnd aH to the extent OF the new
city Tho writer was given n splen
did opportunity OF viewing the place
and the general surroundings through
the courtesy of MIR aud Mrs, Frani
wcnt. who afe residents. We arris
ed there at nigh,, and the next morn
ing at 10 o'clock Mr. Wcst had liv
cry rig at our hotel with driver i'
show us the city and In company will
the family. Mrs West. Miss jackson
aud Mrs. a E Arlington. seNera
hours wero spent in enjoying th'
drive aud witnessing the great trans
formation tha, IL going ON under th'
| direction of Or Bowie.
| To start with. tn. city is piAnnct
| Certain streets are distlnctivoly TO
business purposes aud no stores VII
b. permitted In any ot the residence
ro, liuns and the manufacturing dis
| trlst II also To b. confined to u Ger
tain section Every Kind of business
is conducted on the cooperative plan
| There eau be no private business con
cernn AZ III. present time there u
| what IL known as the Zion City Gen
"tal stores. which cater TO the want
OF the people In the dry goods, cloth
ing snd food supplies, all building
being connected In the block no on
need not go outside Ia secure anything
d.slrcd Everything is carried II
stock one can mud any place with tn
possibi. exception Of drugs, tobacco
spirituouE liquors and swine ficsh. !
anyone wants any Of the above he o
she mus, SO elsewhere and they eau
not bc brough, into the confines of tn
city for individual use.
In order 10 provide employment 10
those who desire to make their hom"
la Zion CITY IL is the intention lo en-
gage In various kinds OF manulactui
iug. The principal industry undo
headwAy II the lace factory Many O
our people have heard more or les
Of ,hfs undertaking the difficulties eN
pcrienced ia getting started, cNpcr
workmen from England. etc, Bricl
buildings covering nNe acres haN
been erected with eight acres of Zoo
space which are being equipped witt
the latest aud most improved machir
cry for the manufacture OF laces. moth
ing eIualing the plan, in America
The equipments are being added &
right along. although many machine
have been turning out lace for III
past VI, months and II 10 cstimate'
that Ave million ysrdr are receiving