Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-10-09
HOLY JUMPERS
RUIN WAUKESHA
Strange Religious Sect In
wade Summer Resort and
Create Disorder

wAUKEsIIA, wis. oct. 9.-Through
the invasion Of waukcsha. the famed
Guy Of springs by the Holy Jumpers
a scot Of shouting Methodis.s, the place
has lest its popularity as a summer re-
SORT.
l.. NJ. Farson. brother Of the Oh csgo
millionaire banker and automobiles. is
the head of the Holy Jumpers colony
here, and it was with his money that the
Fountain Spring House, with Us 500
rooms. famed as a summer hotel for
quarter of a century, was bought for
nearly a quarter Of a million dollars and
transformed into a communisuc colony
OF noisy religious devotees white and
black alike, rich and poor together
For more than a score of years the
Fountain Spring House has been the
scene Of the gayest gatherings in the
Western summer resort region. Chicago
milionaires may have their cottages on
Geneva and Delevan Lakes. but when
the people of Missouri, Tennessee. Mis-
s.ssppi Louisiana, Texas and other
Southern States wished TO come TO
Northern summer hotel it was to Foun-
tain Spring House or one of the other big
Waukesha hotels that they came
Then came the transfer Of the hotel
10 the religious devotees. and the South
erners lost their summer home. The
great ballroom and dining hall was con-
vcrted into an auditorium for the hold
irg Of services. The bathhouse became
the printing office for the weekly pub
lication Of this strange church.
At first the people Of waulesha thought
IL great sport to attend the meetings OF
the Holy Jumpers and hear them yen
and shout and pray for the baptism Of
fire. But the loss OF the trade of the
summer resorters was soon felt, and ahe
town, which had subsisted on its min
eral water sales and summer resort Wis
itors felt severe money stringency
Livery stables which had been making
fortunes for their owners through the
lavish expenditures of the Southern
guests were unable 10 earn the feed of
tire horses. And then the resentment OF
oac city began to be shown.
Early in their crusade to convert Wau-
kesha the Holy Jumpers began a series
Of evening meetings on the streets of the
city. First they were stoned by boys.
then rotten-egged. then the meetings were
broken up IN disorder The mayor was
al but impeaohed for allowing the jun
pers TO use the streets. The city at
tcrney declared that 1t was the mayors
duty to prevent the noisy demonstfat .ons
Of the Jumpers If the people of the city
were offended thereby.
Then came a camp-meeting in a great
tent in the Fountain Springs grounds.
One night a mob of $50 men and boys
ra'ded the campmeeting. Cutting through
tho canvas walls, they begin a fus ad
Of decayed eggs. There were 40 at the
services the night of the riot, ana il was
an GLORIOUS party Of people that s,reamed
out Of the tent while the mob was maxi
/ ing It's attack Brickbats followed the
eggs. and there were fights innumei able
Until the lights we're put out and the tent
50 torn that further services were aban-
doaed.
ono Of the charges made against the
Jumpers was that free love was one of
the unacknowledgod doctrines Of the s. ct
/ This is indignantly denied by the found
ers, who declare that the fact that the
members of The community live In one
great hotel. eat al common tables. ana
live the same quiet inactive lives IS no
Indication that the followers Of Farsoa
are more likely TO be immoral than the
summer recorders who formerly frequent
cd the hotels
One Of the features or the place is the
/ crpkauase. where The orphaned ch.1lren
Of Jumpers are cared for together with
CHILDREN without homes consigned TO the
care Of the Jumpers by the courts OF chis
and other nelghbor.ng states.
That The Jumpers have determined 10
weed out all evidence Of the former
! wofldIiness Of tho Fountain Srr.ng Hose
is shown by the manner in which ghe
gols course has been turned into pas
ture. and Il viii be planted with cab
Eases next year, though in The heart OF
thc residence section Of the .own.
The Southorners meanwhile. having lest
tfcir old summer abiding place. have
sought new vacation homes. ard the re.
suit has been a general exodus.