The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-02-06
SINCLAIR HOME COLONY
Socialistic Settlement Finely
Housed Near Englewood.
LADY COOK CORNELL GRADUATE

o~0
caates Of 1.-THE jungle" Author.
Children's Establishment IL an Inn
portant Branch Of the Settlement.
Upton Sinclair, who wrote THE Jun-
gle" has created at Englewood, N. j.,
what he calls a home colony. says the
New York World. This IL a socialistic
settlcment-the gorgeous antithesis Of
the squalid tenements described 80
wildly by Mr.. Sinclair in bis novel.
Helicon Hall Is the Greek name OF
Mr.. sinclair's establishment. It is a
long, low picturesque building. stuc-
coed and white paneled, and embower-
Cd 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. It %perplexes and delights
one.
Eyes" said Mr.. Sinclair recently,
''this colony is or its feet. We are
ready to begin. Already there are
fourteen persons In the house. and we
have some 400 bona 1de 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.. SIN
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. Mt Columbia. How's that? l
can tell you this also: There's n news
paper woman coming oil the way from
Chicago to take n position with lis as
laundress.
Mr.. Sinclair went on to say that
there will be no servant problem ut
Helicon Hall. Let me tell yOu," said
he, that l am a Socialist and that !
consider that the private affairs OF
most individuals constitute the most
important public affair now existing.
A few years ago the solution was u
simple one. Then all my wife and l
ever dreamed of wanting was Il one
room cabin In the country solid, enough
to keep out the rain and the cold. But
now for numberless reasons this Is I'M
possible. We have learned more about
the world. We have been to Packing.
town, which G a 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
II you object to servants you ought
never to have been married. But is q
man to be denied the privilege of par
enthOod just because he happens to
possess an intellect And Is 1t for the
best interests Of the race that Its flu
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 one staggered me. In this
building we shall be Il 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
for the Home Colony association IN
appointed committee proceeded to esti.
mate upon the basis of n summer hotel
within one hour of New York city. The
price of Il suitable hotel was put al
100000. One-half acre Of land was al
lowed to each of sixty prospective cot
tages. twenty acres for Il children's col
Ony and fifty acres for the common
buildings and recreation grounds. max
ing Il hundred acres in all. The price OF
the land was estimated ut $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 II
the charge Of hospitals and similar in
situations. 1t was estimated that thu
doctor would need to give only foul
hours a day to the colony. the charg,
for this being divided with the chill
dren's establishment.
His children's colony Is Il main ant
pet feature Of Mr.. Sinclair's co-opera
tive housekeeping experiment. IL
gave these important details: First
said he. there Is Il kindergarten cstah
lishment for forty children betwee,
the ages Of three and seven. Charge
to the account Of this establishment
m the services Of two kindergar1
ners and three assistants, one house
keeper and an assistant. two tra!ne
nurses and four nurses helpers. a COO
and assistant and a physician. Tn
total expense Is 1920 a year. The
there Is a school establishment for fol
ty children between the ages Of seve
and fourteen. Here the staff, beside
nurses and helpers. the doctor. cool
housekeeper, ct al. includes fov
teachers and a head teacher. and III
expense Is estimated at $3.50"
MI. Sinclair said that the total cal