New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-30
THE "EXODUSTERS."
WHAT BECOMES OF THEM III INDIANA.

wORR-THEiR LIFE IN THE CITY AND la'
WOODS.
from AN OCCASIONAL cornEsroNDENr OF TIE TRIBUNE.
INpIAgAPoLIs, Ind, Jan. 1O.-When the dust OF
the exodus cleared away nothing could be seen OF
the q" exotiusters" What has become Of them Is q
mystery hard to solvo. Mutitudes came from
Carolina and "Old Virginny" to indianapolis.
They ha We been absorbed by our field of labor IA
dry soil absorbs rain. The old coored population
of Indianapolis exhibited an astonishing aacri'y
nj finding work for them in the country Efe""
omues was the word at which they promptly dSap-
peared from the town. Nevertheless le" REMAIN
behind TO taste the delights of Indianapolis hie'
and they are eagerly welcomed as d0mestlcs III "'.
city which is given over to feminine Studies "a
lyuIjous art Some of the dusky newcomers 20
to cooking out" some are discovered among INC
ianitors and walters others drive deii'ery "'s"n'
and coal carts, others have slippe INTO inc ruins
of the foundry IabOrers. number are 1Ouhd III the
vhitewashing and hodcarrying trades, which are
caIljpes that negroes fall INTO naturally rs Jews
drop into the china and clothing business or uer-
mans into corner groceries.
some of our taxpayers reason as follows: We
don't want anv more exodusters" in Indianapolis.
We consider them burden. We have enongh
heavy folk TO carry along with us to make our pro-
press slow. The colored population cometh mp IKE
flower and stingeth like an adder. They do not pay
county taxes vet have to be provided with
scr oois libraries streets. gas and water at great
trouble and expense. They have the dcplorable
enack of getting along ON scrapngs and leaVihgs
md living with little work. They have never been
taught the danger OF waste and dcncss. and do
not know that lazness Is the grossest rm of self
,shness The less they do the worse they hate to
do it, The white blood them does not seem to
be n good sort of white blood, is not energetic nor
aspirinp Appalling immigration! o for an INDUS
triOus race
How such untaught people as these can exist IN
America we can't see: how their old masters could
keep them so near brasts can't make ont. The
South side Of slavery will never be known, for there
is no literature to preserve It, The south size Oh
the war must perish the history of the old Indian
wars has persisted there Is no great pen to write
il. People have to put up with such lives as they
can make for themselves. and therefore our new
cOored brethren make shit to he contrnlri IN poor
and crowded houses in the poorest quarters. Take
n look at their dOmices. Their windows are
broken their roofs sunken. and their chlmncys tall
ing Filing up and down the old doorsirps tninb-
ling over each other, their children. with bare,
woolly polls and legs like crickcts legs. No snlvcl-
ling allowed i'll that crowd. Lot Il baby set up
bawling his oldest sister gives him a tap on tho
mouth and his second oldest cbucks Inn into his
little cart where he rolls his eyes about IN silence
Enter the best one of the houses IT'S a du>ky in
with an idea of enhancing the warmth OF the hot
wood fire that they love, cracking i'll the stove.
Ironing is going on. and the air is full OF the moist
smell of clean clothes that have been dried SOW
DOORS" The clock ticks on the wall beside lltho-
graph of q cOored worthy. gray haired, halt
bind old man SITS corner with several children
too young for school. They rise and stand Iii your
presence. "Chillen il so iorIcd nowadays" SAYS
the old woman who is IRONING. She says her sons
audit lnSn lpT
grandchildren. Older children come III from Scho"
wearing odd clothes and odd stockings of varying
stripes and cOlOrs ladies' and gents mixed"
little boy is warmly clad III a ladys cloak OF the
species that has place for "a hustle behind. The
clothes of these people, their floors, their dishes
and their knives look clean. Near tins house IS
another little house. surrounded by lilacs and rose
bushes which has been purchased by Iciu1cc
who. with his wife and family, wOr%s early and
late to pay for it but this is unusual On the whole
the "exOdusters" are taking care OF themselves
after fashion that is not bad though they pay no
taxes After becoming citizens of the North, many
of them lose the defercntia mani ers required oil
them by their old masters and become msuheiabv
nosy yelling at friends across the street or across
the car, showing themselves OIL with ObtruSNe
vanity expressing their simple opinions with loud
mouths and bawling laughter the corpucnt ones
bouncing about yonr toes i'll "A cr0wd-ln short
playing the part OF ahect ulgarias to Their hearts
content Our old colorcd population regard them
with pity and dsdan, as a class OF poor whom they
are bound to help.
Our indianapolis negroes who have been to school
have quick bright looks and a smart air unlike the
deep melancholy, the dark slow, unintclligcnt
glance of the newcomers. Gong 10 school gives
negroes distinct appearance OF cultivation ana
enables them to speak good English without the
least difficulty in prOnouncing the letter I'll ana
without the "nigger dialect Our educated col
oret people make agreeable servants and receive
better wages than teachers do, but most OF them
decline being servants. The second generation OF
educated negroes are elegant aud Amercan-look
ing dress we'll affect fans DaIasols and eyeglasses
and il is interesting to the looks OF pride ana
regard on their faces when they meet. ihcy I'M
prove because there is much emulation among
them and we hope to see them pay taxes yet.
Our city negroes rose up with one accord to elect
the deportation of the refugees as soon as they ar
rived in Indianapolis. The pool newcomers were
at first lodged IN the cOlorcd churches. where they
suffered grievOusly but quietly knowing That incur
able evils Justify only prayers. Then city brethren
dressed them at once in whatever could he col
lected. The old cl0aks boots. caps stOcKlhg-iegS'
moth.eaten furs torn blankets. and carpct-endS
that have accumulated in our garIcts since TIC
Chicago fire were bestowed upon them' ana thcy
were sent FORTH an army of men and women IN
wonderfully bad old hats, in unspeakable coInhha-
tons OF costumes in suits OF cabbage green '"oeu
cabbage, yelOvish in strcaks III cashmere uoi-
mans and red flannel nightgowns III irsyed over
skirts patched petticOats. and unpached tfousers'
Such trayestes on the fashions weT" never seen
before nor such strange squat figures with such gro
tesque and stumbling gaits The greater part oi hs
army of black tatterdemalons Disappeared III 'hc
central woods of our timbeIed counties. ana "oo"y
auAu 70 y.nfn