Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-03-01

.....,,..,.. &
nent CoIorcd Wen md Their Financial
md social standing.
There are GjJ, 900 colored people in
Wasbingtcnss-ssys 9 newspaper .ssser
rom that city. IN no city IN TIE United
States, not even Ncw Orleans, is .therea
larger cotreS populatbn,f The eolerea
people hAe 4joynll Ae;bscis' Ind po-
litical rl9be that A~ Gnigfvs' them,
without protest and without annoyance.
Tie public c~onreyances arc tpcn to
them, and tie theatres, the jury box,
arc theirs. Many Of these nm are
wealthy, and the aggeggte teatA q
the colored. property o~n4sfin the
District AMOUNTS 10 millions Of dollars.
Hundreds own comfortable homes, and
some handsome residences, then
churches are many, including three or
tour buildings that are ornaments TO the
city. But the co.or hue is ngidIy drawn@
In what is known as society. wealth.,
learning, official place, give no colored
family the rfgllto or lsivilege a Offering
the best or tn connioriest white society
on terms Of equality OF crdnrance In
this respect the cokred race lives IS
separate and as exclusive a life az in tho
DAYS Of slavery. There are three reroe-'
nizrd social classes among the colored
people. Neither acknowledges the
others. md il is the ambition OF those in
the lower To be received IN the higher
circles, just a. among the Whites.
The upper crust, so to speak, consists
Of men of wealth, learning and high po-
litical place. These people exchange
calls, with all the ceremony Of the
whites, some Of them driving in their
own carriages, leaving cards with scru-
pulous attention to etiquette. They
upon by colorcd servants, with whom
they Will permit no other relat oIIs than
those OF master and ser yaut. Probably
the leading family Ill the highest colored
society here is that Of ex-senator Bruce,
who IL now the Register Of the Treasury.
Bruce il a llGht-conplexioncda intelli-
gent. looking man. Hes is snm II bc
worth about "a hundred thousand dollars.
He lives IN ! hantsone 1opsG that he
owns on MArcet 1t j. Hrlly fnrnfheds
A superb phnq shnask tie resspkos
room and n choice collection of books
lines the wall Of tAe Abrary. Mrs.
Bruce is a handsome woman, with not a
suggestion OF lrr racc in krr face, and
whose banners are regarded as the CON
summation Of ease, grace and courtesy.
She dresses ~. richly and handson1ey
as any woman III the city.
Another nember Of this socnl circle
is john +. Cook, tho Collector Of Taxes
for the District. Tie lives in oxcellcnt
style and entcrtains handsomely. Prof,
J. NJ. Gregory, professor Of Latin at the
Howard University, md john D.14Sng
ston, the Minister to Hayti, with thei.
families, are ecuenized members Of thu
best colorcd society, while DR.. Charlie
Is. Purvis's society and that of his wifi,
are eagerly sought.
DR.. Purvis is a very busy man, bein!
the surgeon in charge # the Freedman
Hospital, and the Professor OF Mater
Mcdica Mt the hospital school. Nsarl
all Of his scholars are white. DR.. A. I
Augusta and his wife also are receive
in the highest circle If colorcd society
while DIR. Augusta MS n physician com
mands the respect Of his white brethre
in the profession. Mr.. Henry Smith
Tor many yeais the Librarian Of th
House Of Representatives.. e~ntarteihs
good lee, and his wife calls in her ow
carriasc. r. I. Greener, a member .
the putrict bar and . graduate of How
ard. and his wiis, who is an acceh
plishcd musician. are mach in s~ociet,
The Rev. Or. Alex. Crimmel, rector I
the leading colonel church Of the Epi
ropalian denomination, ID alWIys We
coined. He is regarded as tho mo-
learned colorcd man III the District, an
* highly respected by the white clere
Of his denomination. OF course FIR,
DOUGLASS ranks a. the leading COLOR
man7M the District. bnt he. goes b
little. into society. He lives on the Eas
crn Branch Of the Potomac. Dougla
Is worth about $500, 0oQ. While h
wealth and ability make him easily Il
ost MAJ OF his race. he is not pop
lar. In Is regarded As guilty Of the sar
sins toward the colored men Of which
accuses the whites, namely, refusal
recognize them or have personal ri
tions Nth the m.tf
Mr.. NJ. NJ. Holland, Who = m ofht
in tie rost Office Department, is sud
he the best classical scholar IL the y
,nc,. aud his Atainnents b.1ll Hi I
hishcs; SOCIAL secoSnuiou Of Ia pspS
Worml,v. Of .Wornlfey1 Hot.A u