Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-06
JERSEY HOMESTEADS FLOURISH
Jewish Families Have Made Success Garment
Factory Established by Interior Department

speculation as to the actual amount
OF money spent on Jersey Home
steads, much OF 1t inaccurate and
guesswork. The writer has had &C.
cess to oficial figures, however, and
can state definitely that the 1879
acres Of land were acquired at a
cost Of 500. 1866, and other casts, in.
GLIDING construction, totaled g..
4O1 oil, or a grand total Of $500 SIT.
On q basis Of 200 families this
represents an investment or outlay
OF SIT 500 per family figure which
Is considerably more than Green.
belt. Md, where the per family
average outlay is estimated at $40.
GOO. However, plans call for NOV
Ing 30 or 100 more families into
Jersey Homesteads In the future.
which will materially reduce the
above average.
Jersey Homesteads at length or.
ganized under the laws Of the State
OF New Jersey into a borough"
with a mayor, town council, school
and utilities. Although the Federal
Government holds the title to the
land, the people enjoy a large meas.
ure Of autonomy.
The factory which employs the
needle and garment workers ia
shown in the accompanying picture.
and Is made Of STEEL glass and con-
crete. 1t has been declared to be an
ultra-modern type of garment fac
tory and has enjoyed a continual
increase in business. It's products
have been chiefly garments for
women, but the management intends
to branch out and put out other
kinds Of clothing.
The project also has formed ar,
agricultural cooperative society.
which has expanded annually. At
present about 800 acres are being
farmed. A good portion of this is
IN potatoes and other staple vegeta-
bles. and there is large orchid, .
dairy with about 80 cows, and a
poultry division which raises thou
sands Of chickens. AS nearby Rights
town Is a large poultry market to
which the New York buyers come.
chicken raising, both for the table
and egg purposes, has proved profit
able.
Only bona fde members Of the
Jersey Homesteads colony may work
either in the factory or in the agri-
cultural cooperative project. They
are reimbursed at q determined
wage level. with the average income
about $1,000.
Living expenses. on the other
hand, are quite low. The houses
rent from $l4 to $3.50 per month,
depending upon the size, and the
rent includes the charge for water.
Modern plumbing, a sewage system
with $4,000 sewage disposal
plant and electricity further make
life at Jersey Homesteads quite
modern
A new communicates school
costing about quarter of a million
dollars has been erected. Three or
four teachers instruct the 80 chill
dren in the elementary grades, while
some 40 pupils of high school age at
tend secondary school in Allentown,
about 8 miles away, by special ar
rangement. The auditorium Of the
community -centered school serves
variously as town hall for the citi-
zens to thresh out their civic prob
lens, and as recreation center, or as
synagogue for a religious service.
The writer talked with a number
OF inhabitants on this rural Utopia
on his visit, and most Of them
seemed well satisfied to be away
from the whirl and stress OF New
York surroundings. especially for the
sake of the children, who enjoy q
healthy and wholesome atmosphere
for the formative period of their
lives.
The Mayor, Philip Goldstein,
knows every one Of his fellow citi-
zens by name and also case history,
which is quite an achievement for
any mayor. The colony aims to take
on additional resettlers from time to
time, but wishes to make the process
q gradual one.
Just about 100 years ago Robert
Owen, the Englishman, was trying
out his Utopian scheme at New Har-
mony, Ind, in a 20,0OO-acre area. He
is easily the patron saint Of jersey
Homesteads, and doubtlessly his
shade looks benignly upon the scien-
tific demonstration Of q community
order he himself was never able tc
quite achieve.