History of American SocialismsNoyes, John Humphrey
History
History of American Socialisms
Noyes, John Humphrey
Communism -- United States; Socialism -- United States
_C._--Working people seem to know no patience other than that of
enduring the everlasting toil to which they are brought up. But about
the committee which you say consisted of an artist, mechanic and a
doctor; what report did they make concerning the land?
_A._--They reported favorably of a section of land in Pike County,
Pennsylvania, consisting of about 2,394 acres, partly wooded with
yellow pine and small oak trees, with a soil of yellow loam without
lime. It was well watered, had an undulating surface, and was said to
be elevated fifteen hundred feet above the Hudson river. To reach it
from New York and Albany, we had to take our things first to Rondout
on the Hudson, and thence by canal to Lackawanna; then five miles up
hill on a bad stony road. [In the description on p. 234 the canal is
said to be "_directly across from the domain_."] There was plenty of
stone for building purposes lying all over the land. The soil being
covered with snow, the committee did not see it, but from the small
size of the trees, they probably judged it would be easily cleared,
which would be a great advantage to city-choppers. Nine thousand
dollars was the price demanded for this place, and the society
concluded to take it.
_C._--What improvements were upon it, and what were the conditions of
sale?
_A._--There were about thirty acres planted with rye, which grain, I
understood, had been successively planted upon it for six years
without any manure. This was taken as a proof of the strength of the
soil; but when we reaped, we were compelled to rake for ten yards on
each side of the spot where we intended to make the bundle, before we
had sufficient to tie together. There were three old houses on the
place; a good barn and cow-shed; a grist-mill without machinery, with
a good stream for water-power; an old saw-mill, with a very
indifferent water-wheel. These, together with several skeletons of
what had once been horses, constituted the stock and improvements. We
were to pay $1,000 down in cash; the owner was to put in $1,000 as
stock, and the balance was to be paid by annual instalments.
_C._--How much stock did the members take?
_A._--To state the exact amount would be somewhat difficult; for some
who subscribed liberally at first, withdrew their subscriptions, while
others increased them. On examining my papers, I reckon that in Albany
there were about $4,500 subscribed in money and useful articles for
mechanical and other purposes. In New York I should estimate that
about $6,000 were subscribed in like proportions.
_C._--When did the members proceed to the domain, and how did they
progress there?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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