Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-06-02

cubator. This is progress. Ye editor
enjoyed dinner there.
At Red Oak, Iowa, we found about
the usual number of colored citizens,
with some families having a visit from
the death messenger which called
some dear member from the homes Of
Oscar Connor, Ed Duncan and Joseph
Burton. Mr.. Ernest Venerable Is still
working at the hotel and doing well.
He is stu.lious young man. H. s.
Martin and c. Bell added their names
to our subscription list and will here
after read about the progress of their
race.
Council Bluffs was our next stop,
and there seems to be better inter-
est taken among the members of our
race in regard to business. Among
the business ventures is the Powell
Cafe and Grill room, which is a new
restaurant up-to-date in every particu-
lar. They are in new brick room
with new furniture and with Mr..
Powell as cook. Their dinner menu
is simply fine. They have large
trade of both white and colored peo-
pie. At one time they lived in oar
city and are we'll known here. See
their add elsewhere. Chas. F. Davis
has opened new saloon In new
brick building and at present 1t Is
the finest and most orderly saloon
kept by colored man in Iowa. The
building and everything is modern.
His add appears elsewhere. Mrs.
Graves is sll,l doing we'll in her hair
II II Low 0f L1,, %rn ln
is white. Ed Burke, who formerly
worked as janitor in the Iowa legisla-
ture, is in a barber ship and pool hall,
the only one for colered people in the
city, Ed extends his regards to the
Des Moines boys. F. w. McRaven is
the new city pound master (or dog
catcher) and is making good money
now. G. w. Lavert is doing we'll run.
mig boarding and rooming house in
the Bluffs and Omaha. Mr.. Paul Giles
is working in the candy factory. w.
o. Parker and VIM. Hoygood are do
ing well in the railroad employment
Across the Big Muddy, in the Indian
tongue. We landed in the great pack
ing city of Omaha. Neb. The weather
was wet and gloomy and one could
see the hustle of one of our large
American clties with nearly 25O,DJO
people, with perhaps 10000 Afro
Americans among the number. Many
are striving onward and upward to
LIE better things of life. There are
six colored churches and three mis-
sions. The leading A. M. E. church
is St. Johns, with Rev. J. w. Wilson
as pastor. The most progressive
church is st. Philips Episcopal. 1t is
still pastored by that brilliant young
man, Father J. r. Williams, who will
soon celebrate his fourteenth year
there. The leading Baptist church Is
Zion Baptist, pastored by the able
young man, Rev. j. A. Bingaman,
formerly of Rock Island. III. He is
doing good WORK and the people like
him. The secret societies are many
and varied, each doing fairly well.
The leading Masonic lodge is Rescue
No. 25,with w. P. Wade as WIN. They
are progressing nicely and systemat-
ically. The new rectory just COM
pIeted for the Episcopal church is a
beautiful eight-room house with every
thing modern, hot and cold water,
DdlllS, elC. dtllCI w HlldlIl5 anu llo
affable family are enjoying those con-
veniences. He took special pains to
show ye editor this beautiful home.
After seeing this home one could not
doubt but what the race is progress
ing. Mr. Millard F. Singleton has a
nice home. He at one time was can
didate for the Legislature on the re-
publican ticket but was defeated. Mr..
B. J. Jones has beautiful home thor
oughly modern on Nicholas street all
paid for. as has also Mr.. SWeasey. Mr..
f. S. Clenlan's owns nice home.
He is clerk in the postofice and is
the oldest man in the Office in point
Of service, having served there twen-
ty-fve years. He is we'll liked,
strong race man and wants to see our
people be good citizens. There are
four colored carries, namely, John c.
Parker, VIM. r. Freeman, J. C. Tyler
and Henry Black. ana four janitors,
two ladies and two gentlemen. Mr..
Fl. X. Hillion operates tonsorial par