Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-11

built. which is now growing in
manner not short OF astonishing.
/ 1t has lis, 200 TO 125.000 inhabi-
tants, about a third OF whom are Ne
grOes living in more or less detached
quarters I'm various parts of the city.
and giving an individuality TO the
( life interesting enough 70 the unfa-
miliar Northerner. A great many
OF them are always on the sire Is,
far better dressed and better-appear-
ing than ! had expected 20 see-hav-
ing in mind. perhaps, he tattered
country specimens OF the penny pos
tai cards.
q Crowds of Negroes were at work
mending the pavement for tne Ital-
ian and Slav have not yet appeared
IN Atlanta, nor indeed 60 any ex-
tent anywhere in the South. /
stopped TO watch group OF them.
A good deal OF conversation was go
ing on. here and there Negro would
laugh With great good humor. and
several times ! heard snatch of a
song: much jollier workers than our
grim foreigners, but evidently not
working So hard
A fire had been built to heat some
OF the tools, and a black circle OF
Negroes we're gathered around II
Ike HES around drop Of molasses
and they were all talking While they
warmed their shins-evidentlv nav
ing plenty of leisure.
As l continued down the street. I
found that all the drivers. OF wagons
and cabs were Negroes. saw Negro
newsboys, Negro porters, Negro
BARRIERS, and IL being a bright dav.
many OF Them were in the street.
on the sunny side
/ commented that evening to some
Southern people 7 met. on the i'm
preston, almost of iollity, given bv
the Negro workers / had seen. One
or the older ladies made what seem
ed 10 me very significant remark
They don't sing as they used to-
she said You should have known
the old darkeys OF the plantation.
Every year, il seems to me, they
have been loGing more and more OF
their care-free good humor. / some
times feel that / don't know them
any more. Since the riot they have
grown SO glum and serious that I'm
free 10 say I'm scared OF themi'
One of my early errands that
morning led me into several of the
great new Office buildings, which
bear testimony TO the extraordinary
progress OF the city. And here I
found one OF the first evidences of
the color line for which was LOOK
lng In both buildings, found a
separate elevator for colored people.
In one building, signs were placed
reading:
For whites only" ,
In another / copied this sign.
This Car for Colored Passengers
Freight, Express and Packages >;
Curiously enough, as giving an |
interesting point of view. an intel |
hgent Negro with whom / was talk
ing a Few days later asked me:
Have you seen the elevator sign
IN the Century Building"
/ said / had.
How would you like to be elassed |
with freight, express and pack
/ found that no Negro ever went
into an elevator devoted TO white
people, but that white people often
rode in cars set apart for coIored
people. In some cases the car for
Negroes is operated by white man.
and In other cases, all the elevators
In a building are operated by COL
ored men. This Is one of the Gu
= PO.AeS VI luuuStTldl contact In
the South which somewhat surprise
the Northern visitor. In the NortS
white workman, Though having MOI
prejudice against the Ne
gro. Will often refuse to work with
him; In the South, while the social
prejudice is strong. Negroes and
whites work together side by side in
many kinds of employment.
1 had an illustration in point not
long afterward- Passing the post
ONCE, 1 saw several mail-carriersI
coming out, some white, some black.
talking and laughing, with no evi-
dence. at first, OF the existence OF
any color line. Interested to see
what the reai condition was, ! went
In and madc inquiries. A most I'm
teresting and significant condition
developed. found that the post