The West American Scientist. 157 



Their supremacy lasted for seven centuries, and then, through 

 luxurious abundance, their commerce and industries became less 

 active and extensive, and their power commenced to wane. In 

 Soo A. D. a savage horde from the north and west came down 

 upon the Aztecs, and wiped out the primeval civilization in a sav- 

 age war of extermination, lasting for years. The remnants of the 

 stricken people fled to the mountains, w r here they became cliff 

 and cave dwellers, and others became amalgamated with the de- 

 stroying race, the Chicimecs. This is but a sketch of the 

 wonderful history these long-hidden records relate. It was re- 

 served for the progressive and enduring Indo-European branch 

 of the Aryan race to open the pages and read for us the instruct- 

 ive history of these thirty forgotten centuries during which Amer- 

 ica was peopled in turn by the Hamitic branch of the Semite 

 race, then by the Semites proper, and these finally exterminated 

 by the fierce Turaneansfrom Chinese Tartary, until to-day nearly 

 every vestige of their existence is being crushed out of the world's 

 history by the rapid paces of an advancing civilization. 



Communism in Ohio. — In Tuscarawas county, Ohio, about 

 eighty miles south of Cleveland, in a quaint little village called 

 Zoar, is an obscure communistic colony of about three hundred 

 inhabitants. It was founded in 18 17, by two Germans, who se- 

 lected this location, comprising some of the richest land in Ohio, 

 and called their settlement Zoar, because it was to be to them a 

 place of *efuge from the world. The people, descendants of the 

 pioneers who first settled there, are frugal and industrious, 

 strongly attached to their beautiful home, and work for the com- 

 munity, which owns and controls not only the village proper 

 but thousands ol acres outside. The money is received into one 

 common treasury, and the necessaries of life, including food and 

 clothing, are furnished by the officials, consisting of three trus- 

 tees and a committeee of five, who are annually elected by bal- 

 lot. They are Christians, accepting the Old and New Testa- 

 ments, but they have no minister or ceremonies of any kind, and 

 their place of worship is not called a church, but a 'congregation- 

 house.' In marriage, the contracting parties procure a license, 

 according to the laws of the State, and the marriages are solem- 

 nized by a Justice of the Peace, who is a member of the com- 

 munity. Years ago their rules were very strict, and the members 

 all dressed alike; but now, although simplicity is the rule, they 

 are not uniformly attired. They manufacture their own wool 

 garments, and boots and shoes, and each family raises its own 

 produce. If any need money for any reason, they make applica- 

 tion for it. They run a flouring mill, two grist mills, two woolen 

 mills, and a tannery. They have two good schools, and keep 

 a large hotel accommodating many summer boarders. Alto- 

 gether they are a happy, independent people, content to live 

 apart from the world. Every person in the community knows 

 his place, is assigned to his duty, and performs his work accord- 

 ing to his ability. Nearly all the present members were born in 



