Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-09-25
"N icOdeMles.o -
TILE LEADING REPUBLICAN JOURNAL OF
IOWA GETS SOME NEWS OF TIE
COLORED COLONY IN KANSAS.
Letter in L.mars Iowa, Sentinel Rem


COLORED COLONY IN KANsAs
Letter in Llmars Iowa) Sentinel, Rep
stated in my last letter that we
had visited the negro colony in
Graham ccunty. Kansas, and would
write you a letter concerning it,
This | will now endeavor to do.
Nlcodemus is situated on the
North Solomon river, in Graham
county. AS the history of this
colony is familiar to all, deem it
unnecessary to repeat it here
Driven from their once beloved
sunny Southland by starvation, the
negro endeavored to find a home
in the wilds of Kansas.
They had always imagin ed that
when they came to Kansas they
would be provided for and should
receive here land, horses and i'm
plements gratis, but their disap-
polntment can better be imagined
than described when they found
naught save wild an unsettled
country. Their condition at pres
ent is shocking. Having raised
nothing the present year, and no
money in pocket, work scarce, and
ignorance combined with Incidence,
1t is evident that many shall die
this year from famine, unless they
receive aid. And while | am now
speaking of aid, ii may not be out
# place to say "a few words relative
to the manner In which Parson
N did his begging last year.
Their condition, as all know, was
desperate, and our beloved brother
conceived an idea of going to the
whites and obtain from them nour-
ishment for their dark brethern.
The whites gave with IA free hand,
but cur sanity parson, instead of
dividing among his famished peo-
pie, retained it all and sold it ont
10 those VINO were able to buy,
and those who We're not received
none Wheu the doings were
found out, Mr.. Parson narrowly
escaped coat of tar and feathers
l have not spoken of the dwell
ings-if such may call them-of
the niggers. Doubtless many of
you have seen a prairie-dog town
If yoa have. then you have seen
o town similar to Nicodemus.
As you drive along the road, or
street. you can see here ana there
a black, woody head stick up, but
the moment you approach it, it is
gone, and you have passed a ne
gro's dwelling. Although the out
side has hard looking appearance,
Yet it is nothing when compared
with the inside. One that We en-
te, Ell was the most dismal looking
receptacle that | ever saw, having
nothing but a couple of logs and
shovelful Of dirt to constitute the
roof, through which the rain might
pour IN torrents. The furniture
consisted of three-legged stool
aud an old rickety bedstead, while
the wearing apparel was nothing
but filthy rags patched together to
cover their naked forms. Within
this howell we counted fifteen dirty,
half starved little negroes, of ages
varying from one year to eighteen
We have been asked by some Of
these little darkiee if we would not
give to them some of our horse
feed-this was all, in great many
cases, they had to live upon-the
horse-feed they could beg from the
travellers as they passed through
their colony.
How they can live through the
Winter, God alone knows. There
are from 800 to 400 souls, with
but one bare team to work for
them ali.
Uuless they receive some benif
cence. disease and famine will
undoubtly carry off half their
numbers.