The evening times., 1896-05-12
A Few DumptoWn Villas.

as it were, and pile up the articles they
have recovered from the debris that Is
hauled tot the dumping place fromresidences,
stores and factories, in all mnaner OF We
biCles from a creaky, crazy old ash cart, TO
u two-horse van.
Sundays are observed as holidays by the
populace of Dumpto wn, and last Sunday
was no exception TO this rule. Times rep
resentative braved the noxinus odors mad
almost sitting smoke ofthe dumps, and near
the little cluster of sbanties he first met
several black "mammies' dressed in PATCH
ed gingiam frocks, and a group or dusty
looking negro men, all putting away Wig
orously at their stumpy pipes. Pickaninnies
rolled over and over the ash heaps and play,
ed with soap boxes, broken chairs and I'M
provised benches near the low entrances to
the huts Ours of the '''yailer dorg' va
rlety were very much in evidence, and there
were a few griniy-ionking cats, lean and
cadaverous, and aged in shouting about
In quest of food.
In the very center of "Dumptown' sort
of camp meeting WIS in progress. bald
headed old negro had just been warning
his hearers TO shuu de debbll an his
imps." :
"Dey is everywhar." he shouted. Down
bvar ON de dunn yer will find 'em putin
sin in yer heads jiss us dey indooced Irwin
Ford ter kill dat little white gal. Look
out fer de debbil, say. an when lie Gums
say ter him like de profits OBJ old, git ye
benin me, satan.
Then followed the ringing old camp
meeting song:
An I'll be dar,
"Glory is a-comln',
Ter wear my crown,
An ter wear my star;
Hallelujah, Hallelujah."
While listening to the camp-meeting melo-
dies and watching the ''sisteren' and
.brederen" jumping and shouting "Glory!'
the reporter made a study OF the huts in
Dumptown and their unique architecture.
They are about twenty in number, and
constructed Of a great variety of build
ing materials. Some are bilt OF plain
boards, REINFORCED by patches of tin and
sheet iron, while others are formed Of old
boxes which were discarded by grocery
and dry goods stores, with long stretches
OF roof tin from demolished buildings about
the city. Some of the foundations are Of
bricks piled in uushapely heaps. A few of
the shanties have two stories and are
occupied by several families.
The habits and customs of the dump
pickcrs are distinctive and primitvei. So
cially the exclusiveness of the Dumptown
darkies is amusing. They live together in
a sort of fraternity and will not brook any
intrusion on the part of Others of their
race They also assert in no uncertain
tones their right and privilege of remaining
on the dumping ground, and vigorously
exclude all outsiders, who are regarded
as rank intruders. The Dumptowners are
a law-abiding class, as a rule, and the
police seldom have occasion to enter their
settlement to make an arrest.
They are squatters in every sense OF the
word, and when once they settle upon
tract of land near a dump they will not
yacate their seized premises until the dump
Ing ground is changed to another locality.
Among the Dumptowners is an enter
prIsing old colored man, who buys up the
old iron, rags, newspapers. etc, from the
pickers and removes the stuff in bulk to one
of the large junk houses. He Is known as
Uncle Ned =, aud Is regarded as the mayor and
common council combined Of DuAptown.