The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-08-11
interviewing an Old Negro, Who
Concluded He Would Rather
Remain With Marse
Richardson.
"DAHoMEY PLANTATION"
"DAHoMEY, MISSISSIPPI,
August q. 1891

OAHOMEf, MISSISSIPPI,
August q, 1891. }
Since my last, l have spent one day
at Cisrksdale, the largest city in
CoabmOma county, and one at Gun
nison, the largest town in Bolivar
county, and then to my present stop.
ping place, the pride of the south.
Clsrksdale and Gunnison are both
lively little cities, especially the
former. where the L. N. o. Il T.
railway has an eating house where
"corn dodger" and bacon are served
at the rate of one dollar per head. II
boasts of . cotton compress and oil
mill and will in all probabilities be
the county seat ere long. Gunnlson is
a busting little city in Bolivar
county and has aspirations also to be
the county seat. 1t is nv earnest
wishes that both will be successful, as
they are far in advance of average
southern towns. From Gunnison I
took train for "Dahomey." the area
Of which is fifty square miles. and is
the largest cotton plantation in the
world. This plantation was formerly
the property Of the late Col. Ed.
Richardson, and at his
death it became the property
of Col. James and Susie Richardson.
Some twelve months ago Col. "Jim."
purchased his sisters interest and at
present he is sole owner. The plauta.
ton is managed BY one general man
sger with the following assistants,
viz.
General manager is assisted by
% "subs" who are under his
charge.
Fifty "riding bosses"
Ten stablemen" and fifty assist.
ants whose business it i. to lock after
all stock. One "boss" carpenter and
fifty assistants and from eight to ten
thousand negroes. The general offices
of Col. Richardson are located here,
presided over by an auditor with q
large force of assistant snd travelling
auditors, book-keepers, clerks. etc.
There are ten stores located in differ
eut parts of the plantation, the bust
ness Of which is carefully and closely
looked after BY a general manager.
assisted by five assistants and two
book-keepers and from ten to twenty
clerks in each store who are assisted BY
. large force of porters. The resi-
dence of the auditor is located here
and is the finest residence building in
the state. The managers dwell.
ings are models of beauty, and every
detail that will tend to make them
comfortable is put in use. The entire
plantation is covered by q private
telephone system connecting all the
stores, managers dwellings,, gins,
barns, etc, also a private railroad
connecting stores with the S. N. o
& T. r. R. The negroes cabins
are far superior to any found in the
south, are built for comfort, and of
the best material, have brick chimneys
and are neatly painted, two coats Of
white paint being used. There is one
church for the white residents and
five for the negroes, located on the
place, where religious services are
held, at: the convenience of the
various congregations. Two resident
physicians are kept busy attending to
The ills of the residents Of this nam.
moth plantation, the death rates on
this plantation being lower than on
any plantation in the state.
There is q savings bank in opera
ton here and its list of depositors are
very large, and composed wholly Of
the employees Of this place. Every
inducement is offered them TO become
patrons of the institution. One oh
iect in this is. that as soon as a negro
saves two or three hundred dollars,
he invariably withdraws it from the
bank and invests it in q mule and
cart. or spends in the store, thus it all
returns to the Richardson Golfers.
several negroes on this place are in
very good condition, financially, own.
ing from one TO five mules. carts and
some very fine household goods.
Most of them work on "shares, but
there are about one thousand day
hands on the place, who are paid
every Saturday afternoon, and by
Sunday morning most Of it is in the
"safes" of the various stores. Work
invariably stops at Saturday noon. to
be resumed Monday morning. AssoOn
Is the negroes are paid they
purchase bottle of gin and repair
to the crap tables, where they play
until their money is all gone, or I'M