The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-06-23
JOE bE|LHART'S NEW
SPIRIT FRUIT FARM
BUILDING A TEMPLE AT WAukE-
GAN, ILLINOIS.
Almost Within a stones Throw Of
the Ultra Aristocratic Set Of
chicago's North Shore.

A special dispatch from Waukegan,
ILL.,, gives the following particulars OF
the action of Joseph Beilhart, well
known by his actions in COlumbiana
county, adjoining Stark. The report
gays:
An odd institution incorporated un-
der the laws of the State Of Ohio, that
bars lawful marriage and countenances
the illegitimate association of men and
women, is now building a temple of
concrete and steel in the midst of a
highly intellectual Illinois community
and almost within a stones throw Of
the ultra-aristrocratic set of Chicago's
north shore.
The sect is known as the Spirit Fruit
Society, born in Lisbon Columbiana
county, o., six years ago, and which
IN January last bought ninety acres
OF the finest land in Grant township,
Lake county. The temple is an oak
grove overlooking Wooster Lake, one
mile from Long Lake station on the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul rail-
road, and only forty miles northwest Of
Chicago. The society has also rented
143 acres of an adjoining farm and
gradually is placing the entire tract
under cultivation.
WOMEN WORK IN BLOOMERS.
I'll
at work on the farm and the building.
The latter is of the most substantial
character, sixty by eighty feet in sizer
two stories and basement and contain
ing twenty-eight rooms.
Both men and women are working on
the building, the men in brown duck
overalls and the women in bloomers.
! The women help screen the sand and
carry water, and some of them are
doing the full days work of a stout.
healthy man, besides doing portion of
! the household work of the entire fam
| lily.
herd of blCoded cattle gr. zes on the
slopes leading down to the lake and
| high grade of horses and modern agri-
cultural Implements are made use of
IN tilling the fertile acres of the farm.
1t is expected that the building will
! be completed in September, or will be
occupied by that time and will then
hose upward of thirty unmarried
men and women.
MEN SLEEPING IN CANARY.
A. present the women of the colony
occupy the farmhouse where they will
sleep. The men, Mr. Beilhart says,
have quarters in the granary that has
been remodeed into a dormitory. The
entire family eat at one table. When
the new building is completed each
member of the colony will have a room
to himself or herself
The society is relying on its ability
to produce on the farm sufficient aru-
cles of food to sustain it. Sales from
the farm go into common fund that
is drawn from by individuals accord
ing to their desires. Any contributions
that come in as the result of the publi-
cation of tracts are dropped into box
that rests on the piano in the farm
house. From this box members of the
society are privileged to draw sums
according to their own ideas as to their
reeds, but Mr.. Beilhart says that 1t Is
} the custom to consult him in such
!. matters.
; NO BOSSlNG ON THE FARM.
: The president of the society says that
there is total lack of bossing on the
= farm. He usually gets up first in the
morning to feed the horses. Il give
YELL" he says, "and then If any of
the boys feel like getting up to help
it is all right, but if they don't nothing
is said" No one about the place draws
. any wages for his or her work. No
skilled help has been employed to
build the new building save in one
instance, when the society bought the
right to manufacture a certain brand
CT concrete blocks and two men were
furnished to teach the method of con-
struction.
When the society left Ohio it realized
> $1,000 on the sale of horses and cattle.
1t still owns the house it occupied in
IFS former location The price of $110
4 an dNlt was pulu lOl lHt
and the purchase amounted to $1,000.
en- which two payments have been
= nnde. The other farm is rented on the
basis of cash annual rental.
MEN DRINKING BEER.
n There are no church features con-
nected with this odd institution. The
, use of neither tobacco nor stimulants
a is barred. While the men were work.
ing Oh the building they were drinking
!. bottled beer, which, Mr. Belling claims,
is better than cold water in certain
stages of summer heat
1t is clearly the intention of the peo-
pie to improve the property; flowers
and shrubbery are being planted and