New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-27

from the Albany Evening Journal. J

The COiOred People of Albany.
[From the Albany Evening Journal
The resident colored population Of Albany
numbers about six hundred and fifty persons.
Although nearly one thousand colored people
are In the city at present, yet many do not
belong here, being walters and employees at
the different hotels during the winter, and leav-
ing again in the summer for the hotels at Long
Branch, Saratoga Sharon, etc, 50 that the
actual cOlored population of Albany does not
probably exceed the number stated above. The
precise number is not known, no special census
having been taken of them for the last few
years. As class they are very good peace
full, industrious, and useful citizens, and are in
more prosperous condition in Albany than in
any other city In the State of New York
There are not half dozen Albany col0red
persons in the prisons, or other public insti-
buttons of the State or county. Many persons
who visit the Albany penitentiary are struck
with the number of colored prisoners there,
but the cOlored people of Albany want it dis
tinctly understood that they do not belong here !;
that they come from Washington or elsewhere.
1t can also be said that there are fewer loafers
and Migrants among them by far, in proportion
10 their numbers, than among the white people.
There is but one colored beggar in the city,
and he is professional one and considered
by his people as an unmitgated fraud.
The cOlored people of the city of Albany are
property owners TO the amount of half million
of dollars, and pay large taxes in proportion to
their number, In point OF intelligence they
are really above the average colored people of
the Northern States, and in this respect will
compare favorably with the white population
Of similar stations in life Among them are
some excellent tradesmen and mechanics, COM
prlslng carpenters, masons, tallors, clerks,
cOopers, BARRIERS, etc. Some Of them by energy
and hard work have accumulated considerable
fortune, and are greatly respected by their fell
low men. We will give the names of the more
prominent. Well-known to every white man in
Albany is
ADAM BLAKE,
the present proprietor of Congress Hail. who
is supposed to be the richest colOred man in
Albany, being worth about 500, 900, the most
of which he has made in the hotel that he has
kept for the past FIVE years. Mr.. Blake was at
one time the head waiter at the Delavan House,
he then went into business for himself, and
kept what is now the McArdle House, on
James street; he then removed to State street,
where he had very fine restaurant, and finally
took the Congress Hall. When he first took
this hotel Mr.. Blake was greatly assisted by
the citizens Of Albany, who admired Adam for
his energy and enterprise. Some gave him
furniture and others advanced him money to pur
chase it with. For the first two or three years
he paid no rent for Congress Hall, but now
that he is able he pays fair rental for the
building, which, under his able supervision, is
one of the best hotels in the city.
WILLIAM A. pEiTZ
a few years ago was considered by far the rich.
est man among the colored people he was
known to be worth between sixty and seventy
thousand dollars. Mr. DeitZ was at one time
body servant to the Dudley family, where, for
his faithfnness and intelligence he became
general favorite. In fact, so much was he
thought of by the Dudleys that when Mr..
Pompelly. who was then agent for the estate,
gave it up, on account Of some personal diff.
Guilty, Mrs. Dudley appointed Deitz her agent
giving him power of attorney to sign checks,
deeds, etc, and made him general manager of
all the Dudley property. This was big jump
for William, but he never betrayed the conf
dence reposed in him under his management
the estate hourished. He it was who built the
famous Dudley row on Hawk street. ard a
number of other houses throughout the city.
In this position he naturally made money, and
when Mrs. Dudley died, which, Of course, threw
him out of the position, he had become worth
about 100000. Mr.. DeitZ married an English
white woman, and by her has four white chill
dren. They are said to live very tremendously
together; but Deitz does not seem to have the
same business tact for himself he had for
others, and his business has not been so sue
cessful lately. 7 ct he is gentleman of leisure,
lives in $4,000 house that he owns, and APP
pears to have plenty of money, although his
fortune to-day is little more than half what it
was few years ago.
THE MEN OF WEALTH.
Among the colored men who are considered
wealthy are the following, who are worth at
least the amounts set opposite their names:
w. "A. DletZ. Observation-Disclosures. 4O,UO0
Gideon Lepport. INSTRUMENTATION. 10000
Is. Barguet. ................ Z3OOO
Lepport has been for many years past stew.
ard for the Schuyers. Barguet is the famous
tailor on Stuben street. Blake and Deitz we
have already mentioned. There are other
well.to-do men, however, besides these, and
considerable number are property owners in
fact forty colored men voted here on the prop
erty qualification under our State constitu.
ton, before the adoption of the fifteenth amend
ment
SHOOTS.
There is but one public school for the chill
dren of colored parents, and that is the Wilber-
force school on Hudson street, near Hawk, so
that some children have to come two or three
miles to school or else do without an education.
To be sure, some parents can afford to send
their children to pay school, and for them,
wherever the public school is situated, makes
but little difference, but for those who cannot
afford it, and they are greatly in the majority,
the inconvenience is considerable. Upon this
point the coored people universally are ex.
ceedingly bitter, and demand that their chill.
dren may have the same privileges as the
children OF white parents. They say that the
colored people are good lawabiding citizens,
that they have to pay the same taxes as the
white people, that they cost the State or county
very little, if anything, for the support of their
people in the institutions, either charitable or
punitive; and they, therefore, feel that it is
only just that they should receive the benefits
for which they pay-that is, that colored chill
dren be permitted to attend the district schools
throughout the city. They do not ask for
social equality with the white people, but on
this point OF public education they are 6rm, and
hope soon to bring their desires to successful
consumuation.