The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-17
KANSAS NEGROES.
The Character and Condition of
the Negro Population
OF Kansas.
Where These Darkies Game From-The
Reception and Treatment They Net
With in Kansas.

keceptlOn ana lTeabuenb lHey MEL
With in Kansas.
Especial Correspondence of the Democrat
KANSAS Cry, May ID, 1874
The following Is the result Of my investiga-
tion concerning the history Of the
RAILROAD INTEREST IN THE NEGRO EXODUS.
A few years ago, negro named Benz famil-
iarly called Pap Singleton, was born and
raised a slave In Nashville, Tenn, absconded
from his master and for q time operated Ia
the North In running out fugitive slaves to
Canada. After the war he returned to Ten
nessee and began to persuade the negroes to
co1onize, and under his management as presl-
dent VI the Tennessee Real Estate and
Homestead Association" gathered q colony,
which he located In Cherokee county, Kansas.
He took those people into one OF the most
beautiful, fertile and productive sections Of
the West They had many appliances and
comforts to make their venture successful and
gain prosperity. But they failed most inglo-
riously and unaecountably. Their white
neighbors at first welcomed them, but In q
short while, finding them lazy, and Singleton
unreliable, they avoided them. The old
| Moses who had led them out OF their wilder
ness, found that his seventy years Of expert
ence and shrewdness was resented, and finally
he had to suceumb to younger and faster
people. who took the reins OF government
and management out OF his reluctant grasp.
Then the colony became turbulent and
began to dislntegrate and distribute
themselves elsewhere. Many OF them
went to villages and cities and became boot
blackers, walters, ha1bers, etc, IN the places
whittier they tramped. A few continued to
be farmers, but even this class was finally re-
duced to O very small number. At present
the remnant Of the colony Is In very pau
perized condition, and the members are grad
ually being absorbed by the growing farming
interests that the white people are develop
| ing in that vicinity A singular fact In this
| connection is, that though there were many
negrophilist sympathizers in that vicinity.
some of whom sold them lands as soon as
the colony settled there, the whites began to
leave, the lands lessened In value, and 1t was
difficult to induce any persons o. any class
j to locate there, until the negro adventure be-
came an assured failure.
| After this colony left Kentucky and Ten
nessee, other land and emigration operators
began to manipulate schemes OF like char
acter, and succeeded in working out to their
land grants, small numbers Of families.
Finally there settled at
4 NICoDEMUs
several hundred negroes from the section re-
ferred to above. These have now colony at
that point, and / learn that seven hundred
live In the village aud about four hundred are
working the lands The location ID near the
northwest corner Of Kansas, and situated on
government land grants, some forty miles
north Of the Kansas Pacific Railroad. As,
however, the latter line has not received any
benefit from the colony. the agents are unable
to make any report concerning It's condition
From the fact that during the severe winter
weather Of last winter, number of the colo
nists came here and to st. Louis to beg for
supplies. etc, to sustain them, 1t is very cer-
tain that the venture ID not prospecting as Its
friends hoped 1t would. / will make trip
thlther shortly and make faithful report Of
the condition, believing that by doing 80 the
information will serve good purpose as 0
guide to others who are projecting such Ito
| plan plans. AS eorrelative case In point
let me cite what came under my direct notice
| q few years ago.
| JOHN RANDOLPH,
by his will, gave to some two hundred OF his
slaves their freedom, and provided and en-
dowed settlement for them on about three
square miles In Hardin and Logan counties,
OHIO Of as fertile and beautifully located
lands as there Is in that State. They had
money, implements, and were managed by
shrewd leaders. Twenty years after their
location there they had not cleared perfectly
100 acres Of land, and only small portion Of
that was kept III productive condition, Their
domestic relations and gregarious habits
made them remain there, and there were
very few departures an especial reason being
that no Individual could sell his portion,
though all the products Of his allotment were
at his own disposal. Gradually the settle
| mpnf tana mo ipEa In nIlm hers SarDfIIlA con.
sumption and Diseases Of filthy characters
and virulent forms terminated In death, and
SO their numbers were reduced yearly, until
at present there are only few women and
children, and some nearly grown feeble and
worthless boys remaining. A few years ago
| operated for q physician In the vicinity III
} making a post mOrtem examination Of the las,
, man Of the original colony, who died o.
tubercles, etc, at the age OF forty. During
their presence there white people have stu
i diousiy avoided settling In their neighbor
: hood, and hence they remained secluded ant
' Isolated, and 1T is only latterly that any en-
/ line Of their domain. What wish to impress
: from this record is the fact that negroes ar
D unable to live without the directing power 0
4 white people to manage and defend their In
j terests and direct their energies and labor Il
proper channels.
u Some few of the Kentucky and Tennessee
negroes referred to above located In the
t TOWN OF wYANDoTTE,
!, situated in the extreme southeastern edge Q
: Kansas. Originally the place was the poin
l of location for the Wyandotte Indians, VIII
!; removed thtther from Northern Ohio, unde
! the control of Ross, their chief. In 1857, durin
: the border ruffian troubles the place was
very important landing, and with Its flo
location for river commerce and splendi
country back 1t had a fine prospect OF becon
q ing the grand emporium, which its rival an
) absorber, Kansas City, has become. r.
n struggling town Is a rickety, dilapidated lool
j. ing place, without energy and enterprise, an
r. seemingly satisfied to remain sort of subu1
ID or ward OF Kansas City. A very
- LARGE POPULATION OF BLACKS
" are squatted In and around the city, and the
r. presence IL slowly and decidedly lessening tt
K values Of property f9 To- renting and selling
Z were directed and their hearts inflamed vii
A. desire to go there. Those who returned
Of Tennessee and Kentucky reported and boaste
le Of the gains and great wealth, perfect FIRE
q dom etc, that was offered in this new I'll D