Utopia From Different Lenses

A Dream of an Ideal City

This pamphlet, A Dream of an Ideal City was written by Albert Kimsey Owen himself in 1897. It describes the ideals of what Owen perceived as an utopian city. There is a finished version of the pamphlet as well as the rough draft. As seen in the rough draft of his work, he writes, “I love to dream of the citizens in a large community being associated for their lives’ work in one great firm, incorporated to build, by and for themselves, the best appointed, the most beautiful and the greatest city on earth…” (Owen, A Dream of an Ideal City). This idea, although beautiful, when put to the test, did not stand as firm as Owen had planned. Although in abstract thought, his utopian city was achieved in perfection, the reality of the inclusion of others who shared different visions of utopia was bound to clash against his. Furthermore, the reality of the environment of Topolobampo hindered a lot of plans Owen had for this ideal city. Ray Reynolds described the water as “brackish and sulphurous [which] was kept in dirty, uncovered barrels [that although] became undrinkable, but too precious to be thrown away, was used for cooking” (Cat’s Paw Utopia, 33). This shows that not only is the perspective of utopia different, but also the essence upon the manifestation of a utopia, once it becomes reality, changes from the abstract idea. This is important to think about because the idea of a utopia, or a paradise, if acted upon may become a dystopia for others. We need to be cautious about carrying out utopian ideas unless we plan to progress through these imaginations.

Paris: A Glance

This article of writing, also written by Albert K. Owen is not dated. He describes the city of Paris as the pinnacle of France itself and admires it as “the Capital, the Metropolis and the pride of France” (Owen). All of it is hand written and is several pages long describing the wonders of Paris. In his writing of Paris, it is evident that it is the city he imagines Utopia would be like. What Owen does not see, however, is how Paris was seen from the perspective of those who were living there. Although the piece of writing is undated, it can be inferred that Owen had visited Paris in his adult life time and during the establishment of Pacific City which began in 1886. This would possibly place this writing somewhere between 1880-1890. At the time, France’s politics were unstable due to constant changes of power. There was internal strife between those who wanted reform and peace with their neighboring countries after constant war and fighting, and those who wanted to pursue war and fighting. This idea of reform and peace from constant fighting is something Virginia Woolf writes about in her novel Three Guineas. She voices on the violence that keeps reoccurring due to constant war and strife due to the men who perpetuate it and how the people are suffering from it. The stark contrast between the vision of Paris as a beautiful city which Owen portrays in this writing and the reality of the time shows different perspective of the utopian idea and places it with a dystopian perspective.

Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy

This novel, written by Edward Bellamy in 1887 was in the actual Pacific City library. It has been noted that Albert K. Owen and Bellamy knew each other and bounced ideas off of one another. However it is still argued as to who came up with their utopian ideals first because of how similar both seem to be. Paralleling similar ideals to Owen’s own A Dream of an Ideal City, Bellamy’s Looking Backward showcases an ideal society in which the protagonist, Julian West, who travels from the nineteenth century to the twentieth century, sees first hand. Although it can be assumed that Bellamy may have been inspired by Owen’s ideas, it can also be argued that Bellamy’s utopia was actualized through writing whereas Owen’s failed when it manifested into reality where outside sources of dystopian societies could contaminate it thus rendering it a failed utopia. Furthermore, because there was a copy of Bellamy’s novel within their library, it can also be assumed that a lot of his ideas also influenced Owen. The difference in perspectives however, come from the view point in which the utopia is being seen. For example, Julian West saw a utopia from an outsiders perspective where as Owen was the creator of his own Utopia. Another flips side is Julian eventually became someone who lived in his utopia whereas Owen created and left the colony to their own devices, hoping they would follow the rules and laws he had implemented before he left on his extracurricular activities. This artifact is important because is shows how similar two ideas can be, but still pertain different messages about utopia.

Words for the Wise by Timothy Shay Arthur

The book, Words for the Wise, was written by Timothy Shay Arthur and published in 1847. The book consists of twelve parable-like stories that talk about everything from money management to romantic entanglements. This book was also found in the Pacific City library. A lot of the stories in the book contain strong moral themes which seem to coincide with a lot of Owen’s ideals. For example, the first story is about a man who sacrifices everything for his job because he needs the money to pay off his debt. By some miracle his creditor forgives him of his debts. A simple yet effective story to break down the whole capitalist society which Owen seems to be so tired of that he build his own Credit Foncier Company which dealt in using land and labor as payment in place of money. These stories were cautionary tales that provided individuals in the colony with possible outcomes if the rules and laws were not abided by. What these stories showed were not utopian ideals, but possible reasons as to why utopia could not happen. It is a dystopian work in which it warns readers of the possibilities that might happen if they are not careful with their decisions and life choices. This shows how dystopian and utopian themes run together in societies which make them synonymous with each other as well.

African Americans in Topolobampo

This letter written by Carrie E. Tiffany to Albert K. Owens explains the situation of a “colored man” who is interested in joining the colony. The author continues to explain that although the man, who also has a family, cannot read or write, he is a good gardener and coachman who hopes to be accepted in their colony and bring his family along. A big part of this idea of inclusion of African Americans in Topolobampo is that it is almost non-existent. There are hardly any documentations of African Americans in the colony besides this letter and another letter that was collected. This raises the question of which voices are actually heard in a utopia? And is someone’s utopia only their utopia, or does this prove Plato’s theory right that the abstract is subjective and therefore the abstract idea of a utopia is only utopian if not manifested into reality? Once again this artifact raises more questions than it gives answers, but it is important to ask these questions. There did not seem to be any reply nor is there any other record that seems to follow this colored man’s story. It makes one wonder what a utopia would look like for this man and his family. Would Owen’s Pacific City really satisfy what they think is utopian and what would they do if they were to arrive at the front gates of this colony only to find that it was not all that they wanted? These questions of inquiry set up a lot for us as modern individuals who think of utopia as progression. What will be included in our progress towards a possible perfect or progressive society?

Chinese in Topolobampo

This undated letter written to management of American and Mexico Pacific R.R. by Wong Chinfoo shows the trade relationship between Topolobampo and China. There had not been a direct connection of trade just yet, but it can be seen in this letter that eventually, it will be in the works. Chinfoo notes about Chinese merchants who live in South America and Mexico who are merchants who are interested in investing in the ventures of the railroad. They understand that this will also benefit them in the long run. Although there is no direct indication of this connection with Pacific City, there are a few things connecting it to the utopian ideal. First and foremost, the railroad was an idea that Owen was a part of. However, with conflicting ideas of socialism and anti-capitalism, it could be inferred that investments from these Chinese merchants were not something they saw, at the time, as worth investing into due to Owen not having a direct structure to how he would spend the money and make it all back with profit. Furthermore, the way these Chinese merchants seem to be working also shows that they might not care for the utopian idea. They advertise themselves as a group who would be the better class of men for investing. The only thing hindering them is the language barrier. In other words, if it not be for the language barrier, they would leaver others behind and do what needs to be done in order to get the job done. This goes against the utopian idea of the collective working together. Here, the Chinese merchants want to stand out as an individual group

Japanese in Topolobampo

This letter, written to Albert K. Owen, is in regards to Japanese labor. It was sent by R. R. Bridger in 1987. This letter showcases the idea of how a utopia for some may be a dystopia for others. While trying to build his utopia, Owen needed a lot of hands. The Japanese were paid more than his own colonists too. At least, it was expected by terms written by Bridger. He writes, “you furnish the Japanese work immediate on their arrival, they to receive ($15.00) fifteen dollars Mexican money per month of 26 working days” (Bridger). At the time it can be estimated that it was about $6-$8 in US money. This meant that Owen paid the Japanese workers less than his own colonists which, according to Ray Reynolds was, “eight hours and day [only to] be paid three dollars” (32). The exploitation of the Japanese labor shows that in order to achieve his goals, Owen would be willing to overwork others. This would make it a dystopic place for the Japanese laborers. This raises the question of who has to suffer in order for the utopia idea to emerge? What has the be sacrificed for even the foundation of a utopia to be built? And how do we choose who sacrifices? In this letter, as well as in other ethnic cases such as the indigenous tribes who lived in Topolobampo, it can be seen that this idea of sacrifice for a utopia is why it can never be something that lives in reality because once it becomes reality, it becomes dystopian.

Deluded Colonists

This newspaper clipping talks about the reality of the Pacific City colony in Topolobampo. It is almost a satirical in its account of the entire ordeal. They first talk about the families who leave South Side for Topolobampo which they write as “a New World Cannan, flowing with milk and honey.” They then move into an interview with a gentleman who lived in the colony who gave them the real run down of what was really happening. Albeit racist, the individual gives his own perspective of life in Topolobampo. The contrast between what was promised and advertised by Albert K. Owen would make anyone think he was a conn man. However, Owen really believed in his utopia as did others. However, once everyone got to the colony, the reality set in. Granted, there may have been a lot of them who attempted to make the best out of the situation. However with terrible living condition, high labor, and no sight of the utopia they were promised, the colonists eventually left, leaving Topolobampo to dissolve. The idea of a place too good to be true is still something we find ourselves in the midst of. For example, these settler followed the advertisements of a man who promised a land of milk and honey. How many in today’s modern time fall for advertisements of a potential utopia, even if it is small? Being wary of how only a certain side is shown to us as consumers of the world is something we need to be wary of or else we might just also become just as deluded.

To Found a Paradise

This newspaper clipping also found in one of the scrapbooks in the Topolobampo collection talks about the coast-line villages and how this will displace a lot of individuals unless “in some way it can be checked.” This idea of disruption due to colonization of Albert K. Owen on Topolobampo soil is something that needs to be seen. The title of the article itself “To Found a Paradise” shows that something needs to be sacrificed in order to find a paradise. To put into perspective of the drastic change, a comparison we can use is Besse Head’s novel When Rain Clouds Gather. Her novel talks about the colonization of Africa and how it displaces not only people, but culture. Although there was no one living on the land Owen decided to build upon, he was still impeding on the culture through labor and capital, i.e. purchasing of goods in the area or deterring those goods. The gentleman in the article was correct. Owen was not kept in check and eventually unfair labor happened along with cultural displacement. Owen may have thought he was helping the people who lived nearby, but in reality, he meddled in a place that was not his place to do so. This idea of creating a utopia over the reality of what he was doing overshadowed how others perceived this utopia saw it as a dystopia.

Etiquette and Love Letters

These newspaper clipping are a stark contrast from the ones above. This plays back with the idea of perspective. Others can see Pacific City for what it is, while others, are focused on other aspects such as etiquette and love letters from famous people. These also came from scrapbooks in the Topolobampo archive. The vast ideas that come from the scrapbooks themselves show the different ideals and perspectives that are available in this archive. How media viewed what was important at the time seemed almost sporadic. Contrary to the reality of what was happening in Topolobampo, the “Etiquette” article here talks about fashion for a bride and how to run a wedding. Connected to that was the article about love letters. Both seem to paint a rosy atmosphere that negates attention away from the tumultuous life in the colony. The idea of rose colored glasses goes back to how Owen sold the idea of Utopia. Sometimes not everything is seen or told in the forefront.

A Miniature City

This newspaper clipping about Siasconset, a small fishing village in Nantucket Island and written in 1889, was found in one of the scrapbooks in the Topolobompo archive. It describes the village as a “miniature city by the sea”. It is not exactly clear as to who chose to put the clipping in the scrapbook, but it has remnants of a utopian dream similar to Owen’s. It details the layout of the village and their building structures as simple huts. The biggest comparison is the idea of the railroad that connects the actual town of Nantucket to that of ‘Sconset, which is the abbreviated name of the village. Owen also dreamt of a railroad that would connect more people to his colony and help it to thrive through trade. This gives almost a child-like tone to Owen underneath the exterior of what was supposed to be a man who knew what he was doing. To know that Owen was inspired by others in their ideas shows that although he was a smart man, he could not make sense as to how those other places thrived and his did not. The village became a resort which Owen also tried to do as was talked about in Integral Co-Operations. Regardless, the ideas that others have attempted to make a utopia without really thinking of doing so is an interesting take on utopia. The village itself was not built to be a utopia or even a resort. It was originally used by fishermen and their families on stormy days when they needed a place to stay until the storm passed over. It was basically an accidental utopia that also eventually faded and became something else.

Female Utopia

These newspaper clippings from the scrapbooks of the Topolobampo Archives discuss the women’s clubs that were happening at the time. In the first article, “Are Women’s Clubs Degenerating?”, it discusses some discrepancies and concerns within the women’s clubs. The women’s clubs were spaces made for women to collectively come together and share their “intelligent interest in topics of municipal reform” amongst fellow women. It was basically a female utopia where women gathered to feel safe and share a common goal. However, Dr. Gunn, who was a prominent New York club woman, realized that some clubs were no longer following what was the initial idea of women’s clubs. The idea of following a certain pathway or plan and then having others from the inside deviate from it is similar to what happened to Owen in Topolobampo. He had his own plans and ideas, but once others come together, different ideas emerge. With everyone having a different vision of what they wanted for Pacific City, there was no change that the Utopia that Owen dreamt about was going to manifest.