The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-28
From the Daily Item, August p
THE: REAL ISSUE.
INSIDE FACTS CONCERNING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF NEGRO
SCHOOL.

l
SCHOOL.
A Statement by JAS. Z. Lyon in Rel
erence to Its Location-Recital Of
Efforts to Develop Residential Sub
urb for Wtites-Council Turned
Deaf Ear to Citizens Petition-Tes-
timony From Orangeburg.
Editor Daily Item:
If there is any one thing for which
our prosperous city Of Sumter is most
noted, it is the absolute fair and
broad -mindedness Of her citizenship,
and lest the idle prattle Of a few of
our unduly excited friends might,
with their rather incendiary and
caustic utterances, tend to disturb the
equilibrium of our community, and,
as the politicians say, "in order to
keep the record straight it might
not be amiss at this juncture to state
a few facts which lead up to the
long harangue which appeared in
your issued of yesterday, under the
caption: Negro College Issue
To do this it is necessary that the
writer go back into what is Gin such
busy city as ours) rather ancient
history.
In February, 1906, the writer pur-
chased to the north Of Sumter, be
yond the limits of the town, tract
| of 90 acres, known as the white
tract for the express purpose OF
cutting this property up into lots and
selling to the negroes; after he had
gone to considerable trouble and
much greater expense, he was ap-
preached by several Of our citizens
| who had heard OF his scheme, among
whom were Messrs. r. I. Manning, F..
C. Haynsworth and others, and asked
! that he desist from his intention, be-
| ing assured that much more could be
| derived from the property by selling
same to. white people. Having great
respect for these opinions, he held up
| this scheme at a personal loss Of at
| least $1,000, and went about to en-
deavor to make the tract desirable for
white settlers. He found that it was
3obviously impossible to try to induce
wfiste people to buy when the only
avenue of approach was through
North Main street, which was, on one
side, lined with negro residences.
many OF which were owned by their
occupants. Ascertaining that the city
Of Sumter, in acquiring the water
works property. had also bought
about 81 acres of land and that this
! -ract of Ia1ld bounded his trac& OF
lapd On the south and separated il
;.o.r the residential portion of that
I part Of the city, ana further realizing
nat the city ~ Ssnater was sadls IL
need of park and knowing of no
sane reason, either then or now, why
| this stretch of land of 81 acres now
owned by the city could It be con-
verted into park, which would be
by far the most hygienic purpose to
which the land could be put,
| and would be a lasting ben
fit to the entire city, say,
knowing all these things, feeling
assured that if he could get this park
established and streets laid through
connecting with his property, the
property would be a fine proposition
to offer to the white seekers Of homes;
he thereupon had petition circulat-
ed among the citizens, asking the
City Council Of Sumter to set aside
the waterworks property as a park,
let streets through and set out trees,
in other words, to do something
which would be of lasting benefit TO
the community. and at the same time
| deNeIOp the properly III H0N"oA0AA
that it could be offered to white peo-
pie for homes This petition, which
was presented last summer,
was. with the exception two
people, unanimously signed by
all to whom it was pre-
sented, and do not think I am wrong
when I say that it was the largest
certainly one of the largest, petitions
ever lodged with the City Council OF
Sumter for their consideration. 1t
was after some time referred 20 tne
BOARD of Water Commissioners, VINO
NAV it be said to their everlanstlns
credit reported favorably upon IT,
and returned it to the City Councl1;
after this il lay in the archives OF
that august body in state OF lnnocu-
ous desuetude until last Marcn, When
the writer, accompanied by several
other citizens, among whom were