Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-05-26
EDITORS OBSERVATION.

This year we reluctantly take oul
pen in hand to put down few items
that we see and about some of the
men and women with whom we come in
contact on our collecting trip: True
these mentions must necessarily be
very brief, often we would like to say
more for there is need to be more said
but space and time forbade. Ar
irving in Webster City, Iowa, Wednes.
day to attend the 62d Iowa Annual Con.
ference of Congregational churches, for
a two day session as was a lay dele.
gate from Union of Des Moines. 1t was
largely attended, perhaps the largest
in the history of it's 60 odd years, near
lily 800 delegates and members register
ed. There was some of the finest pa
pers and addresses one could ever ex.
pect to hear, some men were present
like DR.. Hubert c. Herring, D. D. of
New York City, Secty. Of A. M. A.,
Mr.. Samuel T. Johnson, of Minneapo-
lis, Mimi, chairman of Natl. Council
Apportionment Commission; DR.. H. F.
Milligan, D. D. & DR.. P. F. Marston, d.
d., formerly of Chicago, ILL.,; Rev.
Wallace NJ. Short of Sioux City; DR.. T
o. Douglass, Secty. of the Home Mis-.
sion and Foreign Board, and many
other great and able devines and lay
men. TO hear them tell Of the pioneer
Iowa band that came to Iowa 70 years
ago and the severe struggle to establish
their great colleges, universities and
seminaries such as Yale, Harvard, Am
herst, Oberlin, Chicago Seminary, Grin
nell and Tabor in Iowa and Howard,
Hampton, Fisk, Talladego, Tulane and
others for the education Of negroes
WIS great and inspiring. We enjoyed a
6 O'Clock dinner with Mr.. and Mrs.
Chas. Comley at their beautiful home
in the north part of town, cooked by
their only daughter, Miss Edith, who
is we'll known in this city, this is the
only colored family living here and
they are doing well and highly re-
spected.
Sioux City, we found shelter and CON-
fort here. We found the city full of
spring life growing as usual with great
hopes for the future. The two churches
are plodding along. Rev. Dowden is
still with the A. M. E. brothers, while
a new man, Rev. J. w. Browder of
Omaha, Nebr., is leading the Baptist
brethern, he is well qualified man Of
a remarkable career, having held some
of the large charges of that denomina-
tion and afne specimen and a true
race man. Mrs. J. Norris is still con-
ducting the Woman 8 Exchange Cafe,
she has moved to larger quarters and is
already crowded. This Is worthy ex-
ample of what q woman can do in
business. See her write-up in the Iowa
Special Edition Of the Bystander next
month. Mr.. G.. w. Williams is rushed
to the limit in carpet cleaning and rug
making, he has several men sempl layed,
his wife who is a great help has been
sick. T. H. sturgis and G. E. Stubble-
field are still carrying Uncle Sam s
mail, they both own beautiful homes
and are substantial citizens. The lat
ters wife has been very sick. w. P.
Shields is still with Sol Frank Clothing
company, his only change is that he
has taken unto himself wife. DR.. J.
Wilbur Norris, the scientific Messuage
Is still doing we'll in the Lytle block,
he has the confidence of the best people
Of Sioux City. Rev. Knight is re-
gaining his former health. F. A. Hack
ley who worked in the last Iowa legis-
lature has moved his shop, his daugh-
ter will graduate this spring from the
High School. A. r. Morgan is still with
the johnson biscuit company, doing
well. Frank Lewis is in the barber
business. Mr.. Grant is still at the
same trade, also is J. W. Hudson, both
good citizens. Mr.. NJ. Askew is still
working at the Soper Drug store, he
owns beautiful home, he has two
brothers each owning property, they
are fine set Of progressive represents
tive young men. He served dinner to
Ye Editor, as also did DR.. j. Wilbur
Norris.
Then we were soon checked into
Omaha in rain. Here we find things
humming in our big growing neighbor-
ing city with her broad streets, beauti-
full residences and large business hous-
.es with $4,000 Afro.Amreicans, three
doctors, ,one dentist, four lawyers, six
churches, one drug store, three res
taurants, one undertaken, three pool
halls and many barber shops and some
confectionery stores. H. X. Hillon
owns a first class tonsorial shop with
the same four men doing well, he has
bought a beautiful seven room COM