New-York tribune., 1903-06-29
A MOUNTAIN UTOPIA.
Il TOWN WITHOUT GRAFT.
Organized By Philosophers from This
Citu.


community has been established in the Blue Ridge
Mountains which has been named Graftless Town
Its members are profound socologists They were
led to this step by a study of the political condi
tions in New-York under Tammany and by the
more recent exposures in Minneapolis and st, Louis
These philosophers came to the sound conclusion
that the body political well the body physical
needs pure mountain air, and. accordingly, they
have founded Graftless Town in region two
thousand feet above the sea
The founder of this Utopian plan left New-York
City on Saturday afternoon at ! o'clock on board
the Pocono Mountain Special Of the Delaware.
Lackawanna and Western Railroad. Thomas w.
Lee. the general passenger agent of the road. had
learned Of the project, and became deeply in
terested in 1t that he provided the Graftless Town
ers with a special On the way the party was
entertained by the poet Of the Lackawanna Rail
road, who writes dustless style of poetry, par
ticularly refreshing for railroad travel. Mr.. Lee
told some "reminiscences of his life in the WIG
West when surveying for railroad; how he slept
inside horsehair robe to escape from rattle
snakes, and how he talked with the Indians In
their language At point the train
stopped. and when the young women Of the party
asked Mr.. Lee the reason he pointed up precipi-
tous mountain and said:
DO you see that brick cabin up there?''
Yes, yes the chorus.
well, in that brick cabin there IS man ossi-
fed. He has been in this condition for many
years. He is dead He thought the scenery of
the Delaware Water Gap and the Mount Pocono
region was the most beautiful in the world, and
on his deathbed he asked chat he might be buried
in armchair with his face looking toward the
Gap. They sat him in the chair and sealed him
up with cement"
How wonderful" exclaimed one young wife
How thoughtful chirruped another
After the party again on the train, and
Mr.. Lee talking with the men OF the party
he looked up suddenly and shouted:
Boys, I've made fearful mistake"
"How's that! asked philosopher.
why, I told the women look up the wrong
side Of the river. That brick vault they were ad-
mring was only an icehouse."
The Graftless Towners reached Mount Pocono
4:28. three seconds ahead of the scheduled time
IN appreciation of the generalship of the engineer
the party raised purse of $500 on the spot The
engineer, however, refused the gift He said If he
took this purse. he would have TO accept one
every day for the same reasons
The philosophers and their wives were then driven
TO the Hotel Montanesca, on the summit OF a hill
which. with altitude of nearly two thousand feet
commands a view of the whole region to the east
ward. with the Delaware Water Gap in the dis
tance From this point the Gap looks like a huge
niche chopped out of the horizon.
ADMIRAL DEWEY RECALLED.
Admiral Dewey stopped at the Montanesca last
year, when the hosiery opened for the first
time, and the philosophers the exact plank on
the piazza where the hero OF Manila used to stand
and tell how he sunk the Spanish fleet D. D. wi
son. the proprietor of the Montanesca. is also an
astute sociologist. and, because of his sympathy
with the cause he invited the Graftless Towners
to stay overnight. Mrs. Ivison led them to pri-
vate dining room, where after a specially prepared
dinner, the first formal step was taken in the
foundation of the new, community.
H /. Bridgeman, a well known Brooklyn ez-
plorer moved that the town officers be elected at
once L. D. Gardner literary promoter. with
offices at the southeast corner Of Park Row and
Frankfort-st,. seconded the motion. and Mr. Lee
vas elected Mayor; Louis Wiley. constable; z. F.
Ferris morality inspector; James Martin. chief
justice and T. Il Niles
Mr. Lee emphaticaly resented the charge made
by Wendell P Cotton, q landscape poet, that he
had secured his election by intimidation, and in a
touching manner he said:
Graft politics is like soft coal in railroadins.
Through the of anthracite have spotless
record as railroad man. l have always secured
votes well passengers by clean HANDED
methods. I challenge investigation"
Nj Lees statement regarded highly
satisfactory, and Mr.. Cotton the first to con-
graduate him in his Office. The constable
then announced that Thomas A. Edison had de-
sired to show his great interest in the undertaking
by offering TO furnish entertainment of moving
pictures. Mr.. Edison's offer was accepted unanl-
mously. and the noted scientist was voted an
honorary member. Among the pictures projected
On the screen was one entitled Casey and the
Steam Roller Casey, is working on a roadway
intently that he does not see the roller o- ap-
and his body is crushed 10 the thickness Of a
gusbense h661eTer for Casey suddenly sWeIs
his former size and activity. Inc pnlfosophers
". H. MartgTaf. g' Of the Edison COMPANY, said:
This picture was posed by MI Wlley-o -..o,, +bo
significance of this disclosure until the coroner
1T is for this reason Mr. wiley's jokes always
fall fat"
THE WATER GAP VISITED.
As the Graftless Towners desired to look over
this entire region before laying out their city they
off
AS the philosophers were boarding special car
for the Gap Major E. E. Hooker, the 'Bonlface
of Mount Pocono," as he is called, and the pro-
prietor Of the Pocono Mountain House, came down
to the station 20 bid each one goodby. The major
locks great deal like Cornelius n. Bliss and, after
saying he knew of connection with the Bliss
family, he told how he had discovered this region
civilization roll in on the mountain through the
The major said he had first started a stage line.
and then, as travel Increased. the railroad had
AT the water Gap the reforners were entertained
at the Kittatinny Hotel by Louis T. Bryant, It's
nven{TTous 10 high ridge Of rock from which
one can look down hundreds of feet into the Della
gantic cliffs on either side which form the Water
Gap. Some sociologlsts from otroq9so4rg T Joleu
the Mayor Of East StroudsburS, and {. B. Keller
Bart M lof Of Pa3nsyania faP The reeas Townes also
listened with interest to Mayor Decker, who SAID
ample Of a town devoid of Graft. He also alluded
Gap where he said, the graft Of the landlord was
unknown. where the words extra charges were
never used. and where servants refused tips
Mr. Lee was so charmed by what he heard the
MAYOR of East SLroudsburg say that on the porch
of The Kittaniny ne said: -
u hope to see the time when Graftless Town will
occInv- this whole district and when every inch
Of ground win be occupied by sociologists. like
Then, pointing to the broad surface of the Della
ware River below he added:
think of the years l was q sailor For fifteen
wears sailed the roaring main
nd how could YOU give up the sea- asked one