New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-09-01

In the report for tho last year testimony IL given ~
the Commissioners TO the progress OF the coored chill
dren saying that their acquaintance with their studies
s Sar ss ha L Re ps that
public schools afford but very inadequate accommoda-
lions for the oed children d 5e city tor
which II ia alike singular and ereditable were never IN
teriersd with so far Is free eoored children were con
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE AND CAPACITY.
The great number Of free persons Of color IN TINS state
ton. and now numbering not less than 80
per cent have always , made Sdsr.o the Maryland n1
Others. They have had a striking experience
during and since the war and have become pretty
political issues. The movement made by the furious,
proavery doenaes in lSeo to exPel the free cSlored
In report made TO the Legislature, by the chief adyo-
cate thereof Jacobs, reverend and colonel both
nv that report a copy Of which unsuccessfully at
tempted to Obtain it shown that the free colored
people in Baltimore alone owned so large an amount OF
had invested in savings. banks &C.. SO much
money amounting Sse we6 10 ba aSeI been suicide
was much amused with a description given me by an
elderly coored man. Cashier in the Savings Bank OF te
arrest during the Of the Rev. Col Jacobs at the
Relay Uouse OF his fright there and then and his being
obliged to swallow the "ron-cad" oath, a dose which
appears to have kept him quiet even II his loyalty was
Maryland, and especially Baltimore. contains larger
proportion Of skilled colored labor than any portion OF
The country Orleans not excepted We may there
fore hope to its coored citizens take and bold Lead
ing position In all that tends to make them useiu one
OF the best evidences Of thrift and enterprise have no
tced so far the building and Other sefhep assoca
lions which exist here Tho frstnamed societies were
inspired by the successful economy and activity OF the
Germans There at least IS coored societies In the
cty There are several known 1.-THE National Relief
Association No l." sc. The admission fee IL 81 co. and
ten cents week Ia required thereafter Here STATE
nent OF their mode Of purchase and payment which Ia
nearer cooperative In character than most OF slllar
organizations: - -, IN . A.. 49,. o.
the Assoon he view. and the Association vii make all
De for purchasing n S S S asi S % p 4 a
which shall the occupants credit toward paving Tor The hoa,e
sum Of one dollar more or less purchase which paid back
them sgan when the dividend, made which d'aeId' are the
The Cashier Of the Freedmens savings BANK mere IN
forms that there are Is OF these associations
with a standing credit OF about 5000 each making a
This amount would allow for a membership of 5000 or
more that may fairly estimate that there are az
least $500 colored members OF Building Associations
The FreetImen's Saving Bank returns show at this
branch during june the following business: Deposits,
SO O So drafts $1,000 81: amount due depositors $780,
SsI % The total Of deposits for year past will be about
100000 The various city savings banks nave had
Among the noteworthy efforts is operative brick
yard owned in yedolaf shares and run by the share
holders themselves II is doing very well, but have
unable to get ts ana 81 cannot state
the amount and results Of business done.
AT yaons times during the past four five years at
temps have been made to establish Operative stores,
but they nave not oGny 10 carv ou
spch experiments The most interesre movement have
found that known as the & me
caste and the manner by which can be defeated,
comb1sd deserves some extended notice The com
pany rather its leading coTporaors heve ALREADY at
tanned than local fame from the TACT tlat
from among them the movement which resulted IN
the recognition last at the Philadelphia Labor Con
ress OF coored labor delegates and subsequently, of the
organization at Washington in December following OF
the National C0lored Labor Union Now Tor the origin
OF this enterprise Baltimore has always been famous
as a shpbuding and repairing entrepot In slave times
large portion of the ship caulkers especially were col,
oFse as with this
share skilled and nearly all of the unsklled labor
mechanics Frederick Douglas worked in the very
yard S BY a Re the s oo in
hand once again. The slave power was strong enough
slaves When the terminated, however, the bitter
hostility, hitherto suppressed against colored labor
the present manager OF this company informed me- ex
termination Of coored mechanics Was openly 70
against all labor, but manifested itself mostly
in the ship-build(ng trades. The white mechanics
solored car{men and stevedores were employed There
was antagonism or complaint on account or wages,
demanding fun pay The Trades Unions, to which, Of
course, coored men were not admitted organized the
movement In the yards one side OF the Patapsco
River the coored caulkers were driven off in 1865 In
le ts with hs S and to the
credit Of many be it said they stood out as long as pos
era against ali coored labor mechanical or otherwise
the violence threatened 10 be extended even 10 hotel
was ndnstrously fOmented by the active in An
drew JohnsOn's reaction.
AT last the leading coored caulkers carpenters and
mechanics, seeing what the crusade meant determined
a vigorous protective effort Their conclusion was
joint Stock Railway Company whose capital was to CON
" 10000 shares at $50 each About 2eo shares were
taken within few days. and $4,000 subscribed, 100
shares being the largest amount taken by any per
Most OF the shares taken in ones, twos, and
threes by mechanics caukers aborer the BARRIERS
and washerwomen being represented. The shp-yard
and marine railway they now own belonged TO Jas l..
Mullen 4 Son, earnest Union men and warm defenders
OF equal rights for their workmen They offered sell,
and asked 10 more than the place was wortll-siG0D
The bargain was closed another honorable gentleman
Can't sippegarth ship owner, builder and navigator,
came forward and loaned them the remaining $1,000 on
years time, at moderate interest with the privilege
OF paying at any time within the six years, taxing
mortgage on the property3tself. 49,, .,,- 49,
start The plan embraced only ordinary business rules,
and their managers have never attempted the introduce
ton OF either the Industrial partnership idea or more
distinctive cooperative principles The value OF the
enterprise, however, sin the lesson II teaches Of what
quiet energy and industry will do toward conquerblg
prCudices and combinations. The Company organ
ized and got to work by Feb 1866, employing at first
81 hands nearly all skilled men, and some OF them white
Business depressed, the outrageous strike having
driven away from the port, and the work did not
week. at the OF s. per day AT the present
time the Company are able to employ fun time, about
amounted TO about 100000, which the profits were
nearly quite Is per cent $4,000 The next year was
better for them though business was generally very
dull In carrying ON their work and paying their men.
had note protested. Within four from organza
ton they completed the payment for their yard and rail
way, n1tng the mortgage IN June last In 1868 they
were incorporated by the e have given, having done
business previously under the firm name OF John II.
Smith 4 Co. Most Of their trade il with Eastern ship
owners and masters At the present time they do and
nave done Tor three years past, more repairing
than any other company the fatapsco
River This success has not been achieved without
serious trouble. Intimidation has been practiced on
their patrons. In two instances, where profitable Jobs
were pending they have been driven OF by white obs;
In one ease white man who took charge OF their work
ing force In the second attempt TO go on with the con
tract shot dead What added point the act was
the fact that he had been of Their btterest
antagonists On another occasion, having hired the
Canton Marine Railway TO take up large ship which
they were caukng and repairing the whites threatened
to strike, and the Railway Company refused allow
Its use. sun they have persevered, and to-day are
masters OF the situation They have had good con
tracts, in one case repairing Government dredges and
kpe I'm aiv ahnut 20