The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-22
THE HISTORY OF DUSS.
ingIy of the Prince of Band Mas
ters.

Possibly few attended the Nor
dica concert at the Academy of Music
Monday night and saw Duss leading
the orchestra knew that this man was
not only the prince of bandmasters but
also a prince among financiers. and
only a few days before he had COM
pleted a deal which amounted to mil
lions. and yet the following interview
with Rev. Hugh H. Hoon, of this city,
who was born and raised IN western
| Pennsylvania, shows such to have been
the case.
Mr.. Duss, the leader of the Metro
politan Opera House Orchestra, has a
history, not connected with his must
cal career, which is interesting" said
Mr.. Hoon.
Fifteen miles below Pittsburg, On
the Ohio river, there is a station on
the Pittsburg and Lake Erie railroad
Economy, by name. Economy IS a. lit
tie colony, composed of people of
strange ideas. They cal themselves
Economics. They located themselves
there more than three-quarters of a
century ago. They were an Industrious
people who held all their goods in COM
mon. They did not marry and when
the colony was Joined by a married
couple, the husband and wife had to
live apart except for a brief while once
in seven years. Latterly the law was
changed SO that they had to give each
other up forever when they joined the
colony. They were very prosperous in
a material way and at one time they
owned the majority of the stock in the
Pittsburg and Lake Erie railroad,
which has been and is one of the best
paying roads in the country.
AT different times there has been
talk of doing away with the colony be
cause there has always been more or
lSss belief in the unconstitutionality of
their position in regard to the COM
munity of interest idea. 1t has often
been maintained that when for any
reason a member Of the colony is eX-
PEELED, or by his own voluntary act
leaves, be could claim his share in the
estate of the colony Notwithstanding
the bylaw Of the society to the con-
trary. However, no one has ever gone
TO law with the community about the
matter.
But a few years g they decided to
admit no more members and the ma
tural result is that the colony has
dWindled to six membe and these
will doubtless come to some amicable
agreement as to- the division of the es-
tate, which is estimated at Sc. 900, 900.
The father and mother of Duss
Joined the Economics when they we're
quite young, before they were mar
ried. The laws Of the settlement were
strict, but they couldn't keep Cupid
from hurting his darts and when the
couple of young people fell in low with
each other, their love was strong
enough to make them give up their
rights in the colony and move out. They
married and John Duss was the child
Of the union.
H made his mark in the world and
the members of the colony We're proud
of the child of their former members.
In the meantime the financial affairs
Of the community had gotten into a
pretty bad shape. A master hand was
needed to s~traighten them out and the
Economics who are now all old peo-
pie decided to admit John Duss to
membership because his father Snd
mother had been among their early
number. He was admitted a year or
two 6 and was at once elected chief
trustee of the colony and has succeed
ed in bringing order out Of chaos in
the financial matters of the society.
Last week he sold the shares of the
colony in the Pittsburg and Lake Erie
railroad for $500, OOO, 900, of which 81
500,O 900 is to be paid down in hard cash,
the balance in gold bonds of the COM
pasgy.
THE dress of the Economics is
much like that Of the Dunkards. They
all Travelled on the Lake Eria rail-
road on passes. Many a time in going
from my boyhood home at Mercer to
Pittsburg I have been interested in
seeing and hearing them as hey
boarded the tram at Economy for
Observer.