Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-04

girls always sit on one side of the
house, with the men and boys, ranged
according to age, with the youngest in
front.
The society educates its own physi-
clans, sending it's most promising
young men,as occasion requires, to the
best medical schools, to return later
and give their services to the colon
lists for their share of the community
goods.
The kitchen house and the kitchen
garden afford the community, of labor
in household matters as well as in bus
mess. From twenty to thirty people
have their meals at each kitchen
house. where the young girls of the
families do the work under the SUI
pervision of the Kitchen boss who
prefers this work to that in the gard
ems. When she has managed a kitch-
en- until she is tired of it, she may ask
for change of work and will probably
get it, for there is an effort to have
every one do the work he finds some
pleasure in.
The big barns on the outskirts of
the towns furnish shelter for all the
livestock of the villages. The heaviest
work is done with OK teams, by men
hired from outside the colony. None
of the colony buildings are insured, for
they believe they can meet what
losses come by fire more cheaply than
they can pay premiums on policies.
OF the seven villages, Amana proper
Is the Oldest and largest with 400 peo-
pie. The rest of the population is di-
vided about evenly between Home
stead and East, West, Middle, High
and South Amana. The wooden mills
are at Amana and Middle Amana, and
representatives of the society go far
and wide to buy the raw materials
for them The finished woolens are
sent from one end Of the country to
the other, and with their simple
trade mark. COLONY goods" have
made their way by virtue of being all
they claim to be. The most improved
machinery has been put into all their
mills. for, as they explain, that is the
only way they can compete in the
markets.
The central church is in Amana. and
here all the members meet for COM
munion, which is held only once in
two years, when the custom of ''feet
washing" is observed The elders
women perform this mental service
for others In token of humility. Their
communion service formerly was
sort Of festival where cakes and choco-
late were served to all who came, but
as the world closes in upon them, the
curiosity their ways arouse Is dis
tasteful to the members and every eff
fort is made to shut out prying eyes.
The Cemetery.
In a quiet corner, guarded by high
hedge of arbor vitae, the dead of
Amana are laid side by side to await
the last day as they lived, sharing all
things alike. Each new grave is
made by the side of the last one, and
the rows are slowly filled, year after
year, mother and daughter father and
son." separated by the years between
their deaths. Simple slabs with the
names and dates Of birth and death,
are the only marks of the graves and
Christian Metz and Barbara Land
mann, the two inspired leaders, who
saw the new home in Iowa, are in no
way distinguished from their lowliest
followers.
The sky is as blue and the grass as
green, but the true inspirations have
looked in vain for teacher like the
one who led them here, and have long
since ceased to expect one. The most
enlightened among them have felt the
changed conditions and have under
stood the dangers which are closing
around them. Now, suit has been
brought against the community, charg-
ing that they have overstepped the
rights granted in their charter and
have become an economic organiza-
ton instead Of purely religious and
lions Of dollars. If they do not lose it,
will mean the breaking up Of the COM
munity and the loss of perhaps mil
lions of dollars. If they do not lost it,
they must appear in court and fight
for their rights and in SO doing VIII
violate two of their principles-never
to take oath and never to offer resist
ance. Many of the colonists them.
selves believe that conditions make 1t
impossible for them to carry out the
intentions of the fathers much longer
in their present situation, and there is
sentiment in favor of disbanding.
The deep religious feeling is more a
tradition than a reality with this gen
eration, and while their faith Is re-
spected and is an influence with them,
the sacrifice their mode of life nuts
upon them is greater than they can
make willingly. The heavy burden
falls upon the trustees, who are elect
ed yearly from among the elders, and
who assume the enormous responsible
tiles of all the business of the colony.
Men of such ability could have made a
success for themselves anywhere, and
the younger ones, seeing the sacrifice
they have made in helping the weaker
members. are in doubt whether or not
they are willing to make the same. The
most of them are not. Family ties will
hold neoD1a together long after all 9th.