Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-06-09
Especial to the Bystander.)
RASTROP. La, MAY 81, 1895

Editor Iowa State Bystander, Des
Moines, Iowa.-Kind Sir: While think
ing of dear friends that am now apart
from l assure you all that the people
of Des Moines have my best wishes,
and the greater number of my thoughts
hourly, and as l sit and think of my
boyish days here in this place it seems
as though l have only spent a few days
away instead of ten years, for l can
easily recall memories of old.
First l shall inform you of my trip
in southerly direction. l left your
city in the afternoon of Friday only
two weeks ago in company of dear
friend of mine, although we were sep
arated at Davenport, Iowa. then
took the southwest division of the Rock
Island by the way Of Muscatine and
Trenton, NO., to Kansas City, Mo-,
where 1 spent lovely afternoon and
evening With old acquaintance that
evening at 1920 left Kansas City af-
ter an evening of pleasure and my next
stop was at Topeka, Kansas, with Mr..
and Mrs. ]. F.sWilson, and had a de-
lightful time visiting some of the aris-
tocratic families there, and made quite
a few friends and left with regret to
myself.
Being well pleased in my visits all
along | concluded to see who lived in
Wichita and my prospects for another
enjoyable time were bright, but on ac-
count of my short stay was somewhat
disappointed, for during my stay in
Wichita we had terrible storm, al
though doing no damage to people but
destruction to property. After leaving
Wichita my pleasure ceased for a while
until struck country that was new
to me. That was out in the territory
among the Indians, and to me the
country is very strange. Not being
familiar was the cause, suppose. Still
I enjoyed myself nicely as some of
them seem very friendly. AS noticed
closely every move soon realized that
they are somewhat treacherous. While
waiting for the train familiarized my
self enough to purchase nice walking
cane from an old squaw. After my
purchase left for the Lone Star state,
Texas, going into Ft. Worth Sunday
morning at 9:07 o'clock, and had two
friends to show me something of Texas.
To get ahead of my story, I will say
something concerning the Jim crow
cars. as it's an old known way Of do
ing to me- After leaving the territory
we soon reached place called Terrell,
Texas. Up until this time. the time we
reached Terrell was enjoying life in
a chair car. Pretty soon the porter
came through and informed me of the
car for colored people was in front. Of
course I being familiar with the fact.
changed cars. But must give the COL
ored people of Des Moines. especially
those that read the Bystander, the
right understanding about the Jim
crow car. OF course some one will diff
fer with me. but I must tell it like it is
even if it is in the south. AS l was
about to say, after I was changed in
the separate coach I was at ease for the
chair car that had just left was packed
with passengers like sardines in box,
and that chair car was everything to
the white passengers but comfort. 1t
in great big car. The car I was in
was nice and clean, we'll lighted with
gas, everything for an accommodation
in my car that there was in my white
friends car, and while they were suf-
locating I was taking life easy. Sew
eral white people came in and even
asked permission to sit down with me
but their car was in the rear and you
may know invited them to their own
car. One old gentleman insisted that
he ride in my car and sit down and to
show him I was law abiding man l
was prompt in forcing the separate
coach law that he had made. by hav-
ing the porter bring the conductor and
having him move this first class white
passenger out of the second class mig
ger) Jim crow car. so the conductor
came and l told him by troubles. He
of course tried to boot me off by asking
if there was enough room in the Jim
crow cars for two men. I told him
that was depending question, for If
it was one white man and one colored
man. naturally the car would be too
small and was placed in a position
to demand my rights and I told the
conductor. to make long story short,
he should move this man for this II a
separate car, and the state and also the
railroad company in the state Of Texas
says that each person of these two races
shall ride separate. and to prove to him
that I was trying to help him enforce
the laws of the state, so finally sue
ceeded In getting the white friend out.
So this occurrence left me alone once
more. After Pill was quiet the con-
tluctor came back and asked me to
smoke and l refused, 30 we scraped up