The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-18
In THE NEGRO CAMP.
How the Emigrants Camped Out
at Wyandotte Live.
The Stories These Darkies Tell Of Why
They Left Home Why Some Of Them
Fear to Come Back South.

| Especial Correspondence OF the Democrat
KANSAS Cry, May IA, 1879.
This day spent La
THE NEGRO CAMP ON THE KANSAS LINE,
| half way between here and Wyandotte city
The authorities Of the latter city will not per
NIT them to land In their burg, and hence
they are lodged On something Ike neutral
ground near the border. There being no boat
here and no way to transport any Of them
away from this city to-day, I spent the day
interviewing. The camp Is simply 1odg-
ment Of about thirty feet space between The
railway track and the edge Of the river and
about 100 feet In length. In this narrow com
pass there have been herded during three
days about $50 men, women and children.
Their trunks, beds bundles, clothing, etc,
occupy almost the entire space, and the poor
creatures huddfs down on and amongst it Ia
the best way they can. They are not shell
tered, but are
EXPOSED TO THE RAIN
which is now falling, and must suffer very
much. The committee Of Wyandotte has
not done anything for them, nor has any
other effort been made by any one but some
few kfnd-hearted whites and the better class
Of negroes Of Kansas City 10 relieve their
hunger and sad condition. In their vague way,
they are expecting something OF heaven
descending mama kind of relief to come,
but falling In that, the snooze and sleep.
lounge and loaf about, telling over imag-
mary wrongs. The only thing that the relief
committees have done Was to send their
agents occasionally to talk to them and stiff
fen their back-bones against going back TO
slavery, ETC.; eajolling some, telling lies to
others and threatening others. Some Of these
creatures are merely employees paid to keep
watch over and influence them against people
from the South, and some OF them have
threatened vengeance against any one who at
tempted TO influence them to go South. Iset-
tied one Of these By promising to have him ar.
rested II he interfersd with me, and since then
have not been troubled openly. Some Of
these ernissaries and fanatics, here and OPP
Grating In the South, do thelf work with a
vague, malicious idea that they are thereby
injuring the Southern people. Such have acted
merely from sentiment, and never do any
thing Of practical value or service To the poor
negroes Some Of this character resist all Mt
tefnpts to have them sent home and would
would be Of service to our interests. That
the exodus and
LoDGMENT OF NEGROES HERE
Is bitterly opposed By the real citizens Of
Wyandotte, ID evident In the assistance such
men as Capt. Nelson, Mr.. Cree, Mr. Wood,
Mr.. Galley and others have rendered. The pop
ulation Of the city IL $500 whites; 1850 resident
usually in the city, but are irreguiarly en-
ployed In the vicinity. The voters number
500 Republicans and $50 Democrats. Schools
are separate, and the most intense Re
effort made by the blacks to assert their
claims of
EQUAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES.
The main object Of those who are interested
III keeping these people in the condition they
are In tonight Is the hope that something
like the rain and nOTther which is now occur-
ring and other Incidents there will be good
cause for making an appeal for further relief
and calls for money. The force OF public
opinion and murmurings Of people In the
vicinity will force the committee 70 take some
action, and doubtless alority OF them will
families are separated, never 10 be joined
again.
Ny FIRST INTERVIEW TO DAY
was with Phillips, thiek-set. burly, grizzled
negro, about fifty years of age, from Mont
gomerys place, Davis bend. He was In
every respect disagreeable and evidently
worthless fellow. His frte seemed to lie in
haraugsiDg bis fellows about imaginary
wrongs and outrages to which they were sub
jected, and from which they are still fleeing,
and never will be free till they get into the
land OF Canaan in Kansas, and get a hun
dred and sixty acres Of land, mules, etc.
Henry Johnson from Ben or Bob Mont
gonery's place, Davis bend, was pleasant
looking plantation hand; had been here seve-
raj weeks, and is Wearied out with too much
idleness and disappointment; got scared
down there; doesn't know how, and what
about; was never bulidozed or threatened;
did WELL and VAS treated well; had some
money to come here, but none now; will 20
back. Several others from the same vicinity |
came IN turn, and all had the same story OF !
having heard Of folks being bulIozed, whip /
ped and shot" None Of them had any per I
sonai experience Of being unaltreated, but /
had not got any money ahead, All said they \
1ad enough to eat and were pretty well I
l Iasa e. -, They looked to be hearty, but
Sam Thompson, Matt O. Thompson, each
With wife and four children, Richard
Barnes, Clarence, Weerns, Preston Green,
daddy Gordon and others, from Madney and
flowers places Whitehouse Billiards. and
lear Warrenton, told pretty much the same
tory Of having never been molested, but had
zen told that ny coming here they would DO
veil, and hoped to get the government lands
bIi q Yedl uDU5A, mules, etc,
hat were promised them. They have had
ONE work to do, but find 1t harder to sup
ort their fannil than they did in the South.
'orty out Of fifty OF them have been and are
ow Idle, subsisting they barely know how,
nd certainly not as well as they did at home
Mary Thomas, from Widow Biggs' place
! Madison parish. A stout, solid, perfect
pecinen Of animal strength and health, with
broad muscular back ike an elephants,
rms Ike trip-hanners, teeth that would
laks dentist cry with delight To view them.
he is evidently a good-humored veneh, and I
oesn't know what In the name of the Lor'
lade her get away 'cept II war case Of
THE NIGGEE CRAZE
1t de folks we're calling it," She had never
zen moEested, lived we'll, and didn't know
1ything about prices, values, etc, or what
re DID with her money. When | told her I
le could 20 back If she would get on the first .
rat going South and go hofne and as many
ore as would go with her, she said cheered
n, for Use wanted to go back" she con-
nned. 80 bad, and doesn't want to be fooled, q
ister' When she found I was really In I