Ways of Living.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 378, 6 August 1903, Page 2

Ways of Living.

VILLiGE OF ABTS, ; ' " . has reoenfclJl ' \jsm ; incorporated ; in the'BtaterOf 3fe« <Xork, will booh n| fouiSeir fia* a I deserted village on the west shore ,of the Hudson river, an art community of unique interest, made up of a body of designers and artisans who are to be known as the Glen Eirie Workers, and who intend to do in their own way for American craftsmen something of what William Morris did in his way for art workers in England., : .. , v .f « f r .« This community, like, Morris's is founded on a firm financial basis, so while it is sufficiently ideal in its aims and sentiments,it is also eminently business-like, and there is small chance that it will be wrecked, as many community schemes : have been, on the shoals created practical leaders. Boston's interest in this artistic departure should be very keen, for "the vicepresident of tee Glen Ei*ie Workers, John Wood worth Craig, iB a Harvard graduate of: high character and standing, and Eliot Norton, the lawyer son of Pn>f. Charles Elliot Norton, is director and counsel of the corporation. The pre- j jector and principal enthusiast of the enterprise is, however, a New Ytwk .man, William Horatio Day, whose own .account of the prospects and growth of this community idea, is here presented to the public for the first time.

' I have all my life wanted >to start, a settlement of this kind/ he said, 'but -I could, not seem to it. Recently, however. I found that this place upon the Hudson conld be had, and I took step 3 at once to secure it, for it is the one spot in all America which is supremely adapted to ihe purposes wfe v have in mind. Its' stands all ready for us to move in, too; a whole village with offices, a echoolouae, a chapel, 12 single and. double houses, a stone mill, stables, storehouses, a shop and all other necessary equipments. Moreover the site is a miniature Vale of Temne. ..._.. ... ...?.£ 'When. I. reflect upon the inspiration artists mti9t draw from those wonderful mountains all about, where the light is forever changing, and take into consideration the.iact that our .water power there is sufficient to do any kind of shop work that may be required, it seems indeed as if the place had been waiting all these years for us to come. 'This deserted village sis as lovely as Goldsmith's—and ar significant Originally the plant ©f the Ulster L9ad Company, and the home for more _than 70 years of a' happy community of the whole place was deserted like a sinking ship, 10 years ago, when the National Laad Company absorbed the smaller enterprise, ' Through the windows of the abandoned offices may still be seen the emptied safe and the desks scattered with the letters that came in. the day when the company closed its doors. But now we are to repeople the place, inaugurate a new era ot prosperity there, and furnish for the pews of the chapel as well as for the benches of the school-house, intelligent regular attendants. ' Our scbeme t though Utopian in aspect, is eminently practicable. Of the MO 000 we named as necessary to incorporation £15,000 has already been paid in, and we have enough craftsmen and artists ready and anxious to leave well paying places to come to us to fill our houses four times over. ' ■ •* ' " ' I am myself a practical architect, artist and artisan, and I have handled as mazy as 503 men at & time and know how things must be dona and what is and what is not possible of achievement I know, ?; too, the profits that accrue ito the men who sell the products of the artisan, and I am perfectly sare that the worker himself can' easily through this* community ! get a far more equitable share of those profits than he has heretofore been, able bo procure.

•Tbe purpose for the colony is to.be formed, stated in business terms, runs as follows •• To conduct, manage and operate an industrial colony and a body of industrial workers; and incidental thereto to buy and sell, lease and let on hire land and buildings of all kinds and manage them; to mortgage, pledge,and hypothecate any and all the-property of the company; to buy, sell, trade in and manufacture any article or "thing; to make, manufacture and sell any article of ' the arts; to contract for and to do any work pertaining to art; to conduct, manage and operate a store for the pur. chase and sale of general merchandise. 'We believe that pleasant country homes and bungalows will be built in the _g\en, be cause it is of great beauty, and is at" isolated and accessible. The*e i are many business and professional men ■iu"New'York who will welcome the opportunity to secure herein;.*: delightful, and; well policed country" section congenial summer homas.

' All kinds of eccleslaftticaVahd domestic furniture, sculpture, carvings, books, bindings, metal work, leather work, stainedl glass work and so on almost infinitely will be put out. We are constantly receiving orders, and we intend to fulfil every kind of commissions. ' Speaking of stained glass, it is rather curious that what I personally believe to be the only afcained glass window worth talking about in New, York state is us Trinity Church, in the town of Saugertiiri of which Glen Eirie is a part. Morse, and Burne-Jones did that window together, and a wealthy lady purchased it for a memorial in the little church of the town. S 3. when our Glen Eirie workers wish to see the best possible kind of a BtaiEed glass window they will not have far to go. * ' I myself kiow the whole country up there very well—aa a boy doeß the section where hj» has fished and hunted and played. I was born in Cairo. N.Y, about 20 miles from Glen Eirie, and my grandfather was ; one, of the founders of the town. My father was county clerk of Greene county? arid" when I was the merest lad I went into the < fiiaewifch him. But 1 had always loved drawing, and 1 finally got into an architect's establishment in New York. Artistically it was a very bad place for me, but because" of that very thing my own individuality prospered. The work there was under the control of a brilliant man, a graduate of Dublin University, who in the course of one of his periodic attacks'of sobriety told me that I ought to get but. 'You've learned all you can here,' he i assured me. ' Now go forth andunlearn it.' i -,