The Appeal., 1910-09-24

of the laws passed by the Minnesota
Legislature.
Its first Office was on the second
floor Of the building on the northeast
corner of Third and Cedar streets, a
very desirable location at that time as
lhlrd street was then the principal
business street Of the city.
HON. Edmund F. Rice had just been
lnaugurated mayor Of st. Paul, and it
was due largely to his aid and assist
ance and that of quite a number of
the good citizens Of his political faith.
that it got it's first start.
''THE WESTERN APPEAL" was de-
signed as the editor said, Ito fill a
long felt want" for then as now the
social affairs and other important
events among Afro-Americans received
very little consideration from the dailv
press
From a political standpoint the
paper was necessarily independent as
it's founders represented both of the
great political parties, and those who
had subscribed the money necessary
to start it belonged to all parties, ma
tiOnalities and creeds.
Ii might not be amiss, right here,
to mention as little bit singular the
first young lady named in it's local
columns was that of Miss Ella Belle
Smith, who now is the charming and
devoted better half Of the present
editor.
Among some of the interesting local
events which transpired about that
time might be mentioned the follow
ing:
Pioneer Lodge, Masons, severed it's
connection with the Missouri jurisdic-
tion and went under that of iowa;
Billy Wilson was our pugilistic cham
| pion, the Ryan Hotel was just opened;
Andrew F. Hilyer, of Minneapolis, who
had just graduated from the Univer-
sity of Minnesota as our first gradu-
ate was admitted to the bar at Wash
! ington, D. c., Miss Florence French
entered the high school; Mrs. William
Bell, mother of Mrs. Daniel Roy, ar
rived in the city with her little grand
son, Master Willie Francis; the Ma
sCnic Grand Lodge of Iowa and Min
nesota convened in st. Paul; the wife
of Samuel Edwards was drowned;
Louis Liverpool was appointed on the
police force: T. R. G. Taylor arrived
with his bride; Columbus Waldon
opened barber shop; THE WEST
ERN APPEAL" gave an excursion
and picnic under it's auspices at Lake
J Minnetonka; the Hyer Sisters Com
pany, of whom the. late Prof John
w. Luca was manager, was refused
accommodations at a second class
hotel Then the census reports gave
the Afro-American population of st.
Paul as G63. and Of Minneapolis as
l 712. 1.-THE WESTERN APPEAL
made a grand kick and now the popu-
lation is estimated at over 5000 for
st. Paul, and a figure a little less for
our twin sister. The present editor
was at that time living in Louisville,
Kentucky, his birth place, and through
the solicitations Of that grand old
man, the late James Kidd Hilyard, he
was induced to become the CORE
spondent of ''THF, WESTERN AP.
PEAL" from the Falls City, and fur.
nished some very interesting letters.
In the latter part of 1885 1.-THE
WESTERN APPEAL" chronicled the
appropriation of $10O by the city coun
Gil as a reward to George Morton
fer his aid in the capture of the
murderer of a police officer. Your
humble servant was appiinted Com.
missioner of the North, Central, and
South American Exposition, Chief
Black appointed fire company com.
posed of w. G. Hawkins, John J.
Chur, Ed G. Wall, R. Binns, and w. R
Godette, the last named gentleman
being still a member of the company
and it's commanding officer. About
this time, too, James A. Thomas ar
rived from Oberlin; Ike Evans and
Jim Loomis whooped up things in a
lively manner in the literary society
Mr.. Charles Britton and Miss Grace
Thompson were married in Mime
apolis MI. H. w B. Greer, as head
waiter. placed a crew of Afro-Ameri
, can walters in the Nicollet Hotel, Min
neapolis, where for twenty-five years
white crews had reigned supreme
About this time another benefit was
given for THE WESTERN APPEAL
at Garfield Hall: at which Miss Mar!
! Godette defeated Mrs. Cora Jeffrey ir
a contest for a gold watch. In thu
latter part of December, 1885, Mr.. F
D. Parker severed his connection will
"THE WESTERN APPEAL"
, The only date upon which "TH1
! WESTERN APPEAL" failed to az
, | pear on it's publication day was Jan
, uary 18th. 1896. This was caused b
: negotiations for a change in it's mar
/ agement, which was affected and tn
J, next issue Hardy and Burgett had dis
i posed of their interest to "THE AT
S PEAL PUBLISHING COMPANY,