Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-08-29

but, notwithstanding his great wealth,
he was never admitted into f1rst-c1ass
society.
The planter who purchased the slave
never considered the ''dea1er" as his
equal. The profession" required a
cold, heartless, calculating man, who
would separate child from it's mother,
IL to his interest.
AS the lands of these older states be-
came unfit for tillage, owing to long
use, the masters shipped their slaves to
the new states of Louisiana, Mississip-
pi, Texas and Arkansas Sometimes
the master formed his Glands" in a
caravan, and. with their household eff
fects, tramped through the then wilder
ness to this new country where the
master began anew and soon became
wealthy upon their labor.
The demand for slaves increased as
the rich country become more thickly
settled, and there arose class known
as NEGRO traders" who purchased
slaves from the planters on these worn
out lands, and established nurseries"
for propagating slaves as If they We're
race horses. An old abandoned farm
house was selected for this slave
''farm," from which the Virginia dealer
would send his choicest negroes to
Norfolk or Alexandria, for shipment
south to New Orleans: Viclzsburg or
Natchez. At each Of these cities he
had an agent, to whom they were con-
signed. An agent also accompanied
the shipment, which was usually made
in sailing vessel, and sometimes on
foot. When a cargo of 900 or 800 were
landed on the levee at New Orleans,
double-line was formed on the wharf,
each having his bundle of clothing
swung over his shoulder on a hickory
stick. The agent marched them to the
slave-mart-an old warehouse. The
men were dressed in that peculiar cos
tune, only worn when they were to be
sold-black fur hat, roundabout and
pants of corduroy velvet, with the
usual white shirt and red russell shoes.
The women and children had DO dis
tinctive dress.
The dealer paid from 5000 to $500 for
the ''boys," and from $500 to 5000 for the
women-according to age, strength and
usefulness. He sold them at an adj
vance of so or even 100 per cent.
In a few days, after they had been
''fattened up" the planters who had
come to the city to buy more hands"
were invited to the mart to inspect the
| slaves. The agent had been to the
hotels seeking out the planters who
had arrived, and left his card, which
informed the planter that ''all kinds of
field hands were to be sold at"
| When the planter arrived at the mart,
the slaves were all mustered in line,
just as guard of soldiers turns out to
present arms to a visiting military
upstart. The dealer descanted upon
the good qualities of the boys OF
women. Men were called boys until
about fifty years of age, after which
they were called uncle, or sold man. -
Women were women until about forty
years of age, then they were called
''aunty."
The planter examined the slave as
infinitely as he would a horse-opening
his mouth to see if his teeth were good;
humping his breast to ascertain if ne
was strong, and then required him to
walk and trot few rods SO as to Judge of
his activity. The negro seldom knew his
age, but the planter was good guesser
Crowds of planters were in the mart
examining the human beings offered for
sale, who seemed the most unroucerne0
of ali. Their greatest concern was that
they should not be separated from their
families, and the next that they should
get kind master. Some of them took
great pride in their value, and were
pleased highly when a large sum was
offered for them. Domestic slaves. or
house servants. were more valuable