262 THE UTOPIAN COMMUNISTthe new administrator considered proper. Obviously everything
was in confusion, from prices and production to rents, wages, and
consumption. Weitling found not "two parties" but "dozens of
interests" and ridiculous and prolonged conflicts over such minor
questions as whether a cow should be slaughtered or spared to
produce a calf.
It is surprising that the new administrator did not return to New
York immediately. But after the shock of first impressions wore
off, he became a little more hopeful. He succeeded in getting a
unanimous decision to revise some of the private contracts which
had replaced the principles of communal living and to cancel an
increase in wages already voted. Counting the workmen who
came in from the outside, there were seventy-nine persons in the
colony in December, 1853. The demand for food was so heavy
that the colonists had to kill some of their livestock and buy meat
from the outside as well. The more confused matters became, the
more the colonists held him personally responsible for rules and
regulations and bylaws which made it necessary to operate with
an elaborate machinery of committees. Every issue, no matter how
trivial, turned out to be so explosive that Weitling's heart sank
every time the bell rang to summon the colonists to a meeting. On
one occasion, he was so thoroughly disgusted with "intellectual
tasks" and the frailties of human nature that he went out to do
heavy manual labor at the dam site, worked fourteen hours a day,
and was happy again. On Saturday night the troubles of the week
seemed to be forgotten. Then the colonists sang, drank whisky
punch, and danced to the tunes of the flute player who was the
sole member of the Communia orchestra.
Late in 1853, the erstwhile agnostic was able to thank "the Lord
above for the beautiful weather" which made it possible for the
delinquent colonists to save their harvests. Suddenly Weitling's
hopes rose again because of the discovery on colony land of metal
that "shone like silver." Providence itself seemed to provide the
$10,000 which was needed for the coming year and thus made
further drafts on the dwindling resources of the Arbeiterbund