New-York tribune., 1909-08-15
in TRIANGULAR HOMES
STRAIGHT EDGERS BUILD
ING CONCRETE HEXAGONS.
Social InUentors Working Out Nesc
Form of Industrial Society on
Slope of Palisades.

In a shady nook beside brook at Alpine. n. j.,
which is not suburb. but an Arcadian settlement
on the western slope of the Palisades. a group of
inventors working the model of new form
OF industrial society. They got the idea some
years ago and began TO try IL out in the metropolis
Now they have decided that the country Is the
logical place for industrial-soeis experiment and
they have established their laboratory in region
where the bee outhums the city and the katydid
rivals the noise of the distant railroad. In the
eyes of the hueolic neighbors. the inventors
quite ordinary people, industrious and PLEASANT but
not at all remarkable The social student recog-
nizes them pioneers Of the future-maybe work
Ing with the wrong type of carburetor. or an er-
roneous system OF triple expansion, something
like that yet occupied with an important problem
and likely 10 make discoveries OF value.
The inventors OF the Straight Edge Industrial
Settlement claim that their machine Is already per-
fected TO the dot. Who should know better than
those who have spent their labor and thought upon
1t these ten years past? The cooperative machine
has been running on small scale right along. II
has been constantly improved. Human nature has
been classified. system of equitable rewards has
been devised. suitable branches Of Industry have
been selected. SO that. given the workers and the
outht, the results are mathematically eomputahle
The cooperative model does work. In spite Of the
extreme radicals and the extreme conservatives
(using the language OF distinguished lion hunter)
and why shouldn't the big machine that Is 10 be
work just we'll? The inventors see their idea
expanding and expanding until capital and labor
others back yard. Then will the Straight Edge of
the Nazarene carpenter be applied TO this awry
industriallsm and find II true.
The Straight Edge folk running a co-opera-
tive colony but they don't like TO be called lists
or 10 be labelled IN any wise. AS the founder.
Wilbur Il. Copeland. explained 10 the writer. a
careless newspaper editor labelled them com
punists and that cost them the support OF some
good friends OF course. the friends thought
munists' meant something not respectable, and II
wasn't the right label anyhow. Then the spithet
vegetarian has been injuriously applied TO the
inventors They do happen 20 be vegetarans but
prefer not to naunt the fact account OF its as
sociaton with long hair and other eccentricities
Ihey have no use for liquor tobacco and they
practice the simple piety Of singing The Lords
Prayer. children and elders. before meals served
outdoors under grape arbor. but there Is nothing
very exceptional about such hsbitudes. They arc
good sensible people. who keep their feet ON rein
FORCED concrete construction while modesty aspir-
ing 10 the stars
Everything is 10 be concrete at La Hacienda the |
four-acre nook Of the inventors at Alpine A tow
erins cooperative dwelling 10 house seventy
two families is planned. 1t will be built by |
the people who will live in H. and they Will h. |
their own landlords and janitors There will be a \
printing plant bakery and other factory build. !
,les- ALREADY concrete bungalow OF six rooms |
mas been made by the Joint labor Of a sailor |
photographer. printer. a department store err
pioye and plumber, Also the basement founaa
'oh OF the print shop and some OF the work 10 re-
pace an ola FARMHOUSE with concrete has been
uohe- The wooden farmhouse. while stfll occun,sd
IS oeihg gradually rebuilt IN enduring concrete
room by room-whch is perhaps a symbol OF tba
inventors conservative methods in the reconstr,o
tion OF society.
The way In which the bungalow was b,,,t b,,
hiisoeAaheous craftsmen and unskilled laborers |
SHOWS that the colonists are not dreaming IN ,hs,
iur'her plans They got their experience as thew
went along. and. OF course 1t cost something hut |
II was worth the price. Al first they bought sand
Tor mixing with cement a dollar and a ha,r |
CUBIC yard Then they discovered sand bank
'lsht alongside the foundations OF the farmbouse
while working TO reconstruct the latter and ,hIs
saved money. while providing another symbol or
ailegory. The bungalow required about five hum
ired days OF experimental labor but its successor
won't require half that time. The total cost OF
material was s2sS including a needless outlay for
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