Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-14
LOOKS LIKE COLONIZATION
Surprising and Suspicious Influx Of
Negroes in New Castle Hundred,
SAY THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WORK
But Prospects Are Not Bright
There Now.
NEXT YEAR WILL Be ELECTION YEAR

What looks like scheme OF colonial.
| tion for political purposes has been dis
covered at New Castle. and already
| about 200 strange negroes have acquired
| residences in that town. BY becoming
residents now the negroes will have
| lived there year by the time the cleo.
| tion takes place next November, and
will have legal right to vote. 1t Is
| hinted, however, that there are others
to follow who may also endeavor to con-
| vince the election officers next Novem-
Der that they have been in the hundred
for the requisite II months.
| For several weeks the influx of
negroes has been noticeable, but BUS
pioion was not aroused until within the
| past two Or three days, when the
strangers began to arrive in such large
numbers. 1t was due chisfly to their
activity in hunting for houses that the
| unusual Circumstance was discovered.
| Since some OF the manufacturing estab-
lishments have been closed or reduced
their working force, number of fami-
lies have moved from the city, some
coming to Wilmington, SOME going to
Philadelphia and some to other places.
This left many vacant houses, but the
owners of some of the vacant houses
have refused to rent them to strange
negroes, and therefore some OF the new
arrivals had trouble in finding places
Of abode. Enough houses have been
found, however, to afford shelter for all
who have arrived up to date, although
few dwellings are sheltering more
than 20 of the people. The negroes have
made application for houses in some
sections of the city where coiored peo-
PIE never lived before, and IN most in
stances such applicants have met with
disappointment.
In Dobbinsville, the section of the
city which has been a favorite place of
residence for many OF the employees of
the Morris & Tasker iron works, there
are now about 80 vacant houses, and it
is said, on good authority, that an
effort has been made to purchase them
from an agent of the Dobbins estate in
| Philadelphia. Whether this effort has
succeeded is not known, but there is an
impression that the would-be purchaser
Is interested in finding homes for the
negroes who are arriving in the town.
An effort is being made to ascertain
just who is after the houses, and il the
suspicion proves correct, another offer
may be made for them by persons who
have another object in view.
People living in some parts of New
Castle object to having strange negroes
for neighbors and are Watching the
movements Of the new arrivals with
much interest. 1t ia understood that a
determined stand will be taken by those
opposed to having strange negroes for
neighbors. against the renting of houses
to Them in certain parts of town. II
/ Vhn frat that nj lv
arises is: What brings the negroes to
New Castle at this time. when oppor-
tunities for employment are down to
the minimum and when 80 many people
have been compelled to move away
because the town afforded them no
means of livelihood? No satisfactory
answer can be given, and many people
have their suspicious. Most of the
negroes came in small parties, two and
three at time, arriving by train, boat
or on foot. When they are asked where
they came from and why they are living
in New Castls, in most cases they init
mate that they came from nearby SEQ
tions of the county and that they have
secured employment in or near New
Castle. As a matter Of fact, large
majority of the new arrivals are work.
ing day or two at a time wherever
they can get it, and very few of them
have employment that is anyway perma-
nent Consequently, it Is patent that
there was some other objeut than that
OF present employment that induced
them TO go there.
IT has been noticed that the only
persons who are particularly friendly
TO these strangers are negroes OF Union
Republican proclivities, and the natu-
raj inference is that il these negroes
acquire voting residence they intend
to vote the Union Republican ticker.
III this surmise Is correct they will add
materially to the Union Republican
vote in New Castle hundred at the next
election. Regulars and Democrats feel
safe in the belief that under normal
conditions the odds are decidedly
against the Unions.
AT the election of 1893 Harry W.
Hushebeok, Union Republican, was
elected member of the House of Rep
resent atives by very close vote, while
J at the last election, in November, 1900,
Chauncey p Holcomb, the Democratic
candidate, triumphed by n small ma.
iority. There Ia more at stake in the
, approaching election than there was
year ago. In addition to representa-
tive. there is State Senator to be
: | elbSbtu W bubCe6u dTllu O1
tine Fifth Senatorial distrIct. cumpris-
ing New Castle, White Clay Creek and
Red Lion hundreds, in which district
the vote is close. Mr.. Holoomb will, it
is understood be candidate TO succeed
himself from New Castle hundred. Mr..
Hushebeok has been mentioned as the
Union Republican candidate. and the
Unions are said to be casting their eyes
around to find sort Of middle-of- the
road candidate for State Senator, whom
the Regulars can be asked to support
Mr.. Motarlin has also been mentioned
az candidate to succeed himself. Both
contests. naturally, will be uncertain,
and colonized negro vote in New
Castle hundred would be an important
factor in electing both Senator and
Representative.
1t is said that colonization is aus-
perted in other sections of the county,
but it is not apparent as in New Castle
hundred.
Warning Against Cheap Furniture.
|, IL is one of the saddest sights in our
modern life to see a young couple,
when starting to furnish home, go
out with good money and buy bad
furniture. 1t is positively nothing
l F. i