Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-08-03
Editors Observations.

IN the rain. Davenportwlll have a
population of nearly $4,000 when
the new census reports are out, Of
which fully / 900 are colored people.
The city is noted for its beautiful
parks and magnificent public build
ings. The city hall and court house
are perhaps the finest I'M the state.
1t has a metropolitan class Of people.
The city is controlled BY the Ger
mans and it goes withoutsaying that
it is free so far as refreshments of
any DESCRIPTION are concerned.
There are but few colored farmers
or business men much unlike Clinton
! in this respect. Mr.. A. D.. Corbin
owns several houses which he rents.
Mrs. Mitchell conducts restaurant,
also C. c. Hill and Co. Messrs.
B. H. Berry and B. G. Warricks
are running barber shops. Mr..
Brembly drives an express wagon.
J. S. Roberts, once'a citizen of Des
'Moines, has been appointed city
Scavenger.. His brother Alexander
Roberts is the most successful man
Of color here. He is head porter
at the Kimball hotel and ownes a
large carriage and express wagon,
which are making money. He has
been a citizen of Davenport about
20 years. Messrs Chesterfield Nc
Cav, Warren, Applewhite, Busey,
and Flournory own good homes,
Mrs. c. Green is running a laundry,
new venture. Lynsey Pitts runs a
saloon. The churches seems to be
neglected a little. Rev. M. l. Cor
don has charge of the Baptist and
Rev. Christa has charge of the A.
Nj. E. church, He was transferred
from Indianapolis to Davenport last
year. #
In Rock Island the colored peo-.
pie are doing much better. Rev.
Chas. H. Thomas of the A. NJ. E.
church, has removed the church to
Thirteenth street, and has the title
to several houses and lots belonging
to the church. He is also running
a grocery store in one of the build
ings. The reverend was recently
nominated by the United Christian
party of Illinois for Lieutenant
Governor. He is preparing to
make canvas of the State. G.. L.
Hilbring runs the express and trans
fer wagons and is doing a large bust
ness. Miss Harriet Tolliver has
first class hair dressing shop. Mr..
w. Fl. Burris is one of the oldest
mail carriers on the force. Miss
Terrell is successful music teacher
and has all white pupils. The col
ored people are preparing for the
Sir knights Templers' conclave to
be held in their city in August.
We were only in NJ oline few
minuets. 1t is city of work shops
and factories. The Moline Wagon
Factory, The Deere Harvester and
many other manufactures support
the city.
Leaving the Tri city for Musca-
tine, and here we may emphasize
tn at the colored people are doing
more in the way of agriculture pur-
suits then any other town We have
yet visited in Iowa. We will name
a few that we met and heard of.
Mr.. /. P. Johnson formerly of
Muchakinock, has beautiful home
of acres in the city limits. He is
a gardner and has one acre of Gu
cumbers already contracted for at
the Heinz Canning factory, at 50
cents per bushel. He had one acre
of sweet corn and two acres of toma-
toes contracted for before the
ground was plowed in the spring, at
20 cents per bushel. He set out
$500 plants, the average yield for
each plant is about one bushel. If
he average one-ha1f bushel per plant
it would grow him 1900 bushels, al
ready contracted for at 2oc per
bushel; he also has watermelons,
sweet potatoes, etc. Mr.. Johnson