The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-05
SINCLAIR HOME COLONY
Socialistic Settlement Finely
Housed Near Englewood.
LADY COOK Cc..4..Ll GHaOUAI--

LADY COOK" coo....ll GRADUAL
Newspaper Woman to Serve az Lam
dress al I1c;iSon i1a7l IOr ASSOC
ciates OF "The Jungle' Author.
~Children's Establishment Ia nn I'm
portant Branch Of the Settlement.
Upton Sinclair, who wrote "rhe Jun
GLE" has created at Englewood. n. J..
what he calls a home colony, says the
New York World. This Is a socialistic
settlcment-the gorgeous a%ntithesis of
the squalid tenements described 50
wildly by Mr.. Sinclair in his novel.
Helicon Hall is the Greek name of
Mr.. Sinclair's establishment. It Is a
long, low picturesque building, stuc-
coed and white paneled, AMI embower.
ed among trees. When you enter the
hall you are in a maze. for there on the
left Of you is a plot Of green grass and
palms. and on the right is an open
crate fire. 1t perplexes and delights
one.
"Yes,". said MI. Sinclair recently,
this colony Is on its feet. We are
ready to begin. Already there are
fourteen persons In the house, and we
have some 400 bona 6de applications
for rooms. In fact, all Of the rooms
have been practically engaged"
When asked as to the character of
the colonists he had secured Mr.. Sim
clair said: "Well. the lady at present
in the kitchen Is a graduate Of Cornell.
Her intention is to complete her degree
Of Phi. D. at Columbia. How's that1 I
can tell you this also: There's q news
paper woman coming all the way from
Chicago to take a position with US as
%laundress.
Mr.. Sinclair went on to say that
there will be no servant problem" at
Helicon Hall. Let me tell you," said
he, that l am a Socialist and that I
consider that the private affairs Of
most individuals constitute the most
important public affair now existing.
A few years ago the solution was q
simple one. Then all my wife and I
ever dreamed of wanting was q one
room cabin In the country solid enough
to keep out the rain and the cold. But
now for numberless reasons this Is Inn
possible. We have learned more about
the world. We have been to Packing
town, which means that we can never
again eat meat without a Qualm. We
have lived two years on a farm, but
even there the problem of living was
not solved for US. So l have estab-
lished this colony. The move has been
quickly made. all accomplished, indeed.
within a fortnight. l want to say that
If you object to servants you ought
never to have been married. But is a
man to be denied the privilege of par
enthood just because he happens to
possess an intellect? And is it for the
best interests Of the race that its fu-
ture generations should be furnished
exclusively by the ignorant and cal
lous? And if authors, artists. scientists
and philosophers are to reproduce their
kind what is to he done? Shall they
have to marry their housekeepers?
have made many sacrifices for my art,
but that II staggered me-. In this
building we shall be a happy co-opera.
tive colony of Socialists. Everything
today looks rosy"
Certainly Mr.. Sinclair's surroundings
could not have looked roster. They
were luxurious. Inside and outside
Helicon Hall seemed more properly to
appertain to a prince than a pauper.
Mr.. Sinclair explained that after the
favorable reception Of his prospectus
appointed committee proceeded to esti-
mate upon the basis of a summer hotel
within n hour Of New York city. The
price of a suitable hotel was put at
100000. One-half acre of land was al
lowed to each of sixty prospective cot
tages, twenty acres for a children's col
ony and fifty acres for the common
buildings and recreation grounds, max.
ing a hundred acres in all. The price of
the land was estimated at $500 an acre.
The consideration Of farm land for the
colony was omitted for the present.
The estimate for the children's estab.
lishment was PREPARED by a physician
who has had many years. experience In
the charge Of hospitals and similar in.
stitutions. It was estimated that the
doctor would Ahe4 Is sire. only four
hours a day 70 lid fol6hT, TIE 1hhAtge
for this being b4aed w@ h6chll.
dren's ept6tiiah14l@
His ThiidfA8X N6l6hy-is a main and
pet fe9tura&S &<stAet6l4 t4ppSta.
tive housekeeping Experiment. dc
gave these Important details, "First,'
said he, "there is n kindergarten estab.
llshment for forty children between
the ages of three and seven. Charged
to the account of this establishment
are the services Of two kindergart.
ners and three assistants, one house.
keeper and an assistant. two trained