The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-17

get through" Not wishing to be eaten
| inst vet. found It convenient TO turn
the subject in another direction. The
/ theme of politics was always on hand.
and the abolition of slavery no matter
whom it had hit, or whom it had bene-
fitted, was thing of the past.l
Immediately after the Emancipation
proclamation. thousands of freed slaves
wended their way in e. direction of
| Washington. Vast numbers came from
Virginia. which is only divided from
what is now known as the District of
Columbia by the Potomac River. Large
numbers also came from the State of
Maryland, and settled IN the capital
city. at tat time the latter was truly
q 'fcity of magnificent distances" The
streets were not built up as they are
now. The government buildings were
a long way apart from the Capitol
Land was cheap in what was then the
outskirts of the town, but which is now
the heart of the city. These freed
slaves, many of them, without the
slightest foresight, of course, squatted
upon lots N all directions. They reared
their wooden huts, and set about to
scrape for living. They had hard
road to travel at fist. The wharVes
and such like were the only places open
for their employment. Every mental
kind of work they were ready to per-
form. Nothing seemed to be TO low for
the poor colored man who had been let
loose upon the country at large. As
years rolled on, however, circumstances
changed. The more intelligent took
command, or the lead. Churches were
reared for their especial wOrships Schools
were established for their especial bene-
1T, and IN this way the younger portion
of the colored population were fitted to
take their places or I'll positions which
their fathers never could b We filed. By
this means the negro has been elevated,
and although they are compelled
through force of prejudice, or something
else to keep themselves to themselves,
so far as society" is concerned, yet
they are to-day to be found serving in
respectable positions all over Washing
ton, and not only Washington, bat in
every city where colored labor is In
demand, such as in the capacity of
walters, &C., &c.
In Washington colored labor is always
in great demand, more especially in the
capacity of walters in hotels, of which
the city is full, as porters, nightWatch-
men in the Department buildings,
policemen, and the like. AS walters
they cannot be excelled, notwithstand.
ing the prejudice some people have
against them. They are smart, very
smart in this line. They can take an
order at dinner table from a dozen
people at a time, all the orders being
different. and land the things on the
table without a mistake. The way they
can rush through q dinning-room with
q full tray over their heads il something
that science has not yet been able to
define. In the capacity Of waiter, they
are excellent judges of character. They
can spot q mean man the moment he |
begins to eat, but more especially when |
be leaves the table-WIth0ut leaving a |
quarter. I have heard it said that only |
English walters were addicted to this |
habit. 1t is not true. American wait |
ers. white and black, will dance around |
you until one is many a time glad to |
hand over 1.-The tip" to get away, for |
that is all such extra attention means. l |
do not, however. blame the waiter for |
this trait of character; for he is gener- |
ally poorly paid, and it takes all he
makes in every way to keep up respee-
table position and keep the body and |
sonl of himself and his family together.
There are many things that can be
written about the colored population
in Washington. They are hsppy.go-
lucky people; but for the present /
shall deslst. I may have accession to
refer to them again.
JOHN IRVINE.