Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-31
SOUTHERN COONS
FURNISH FUN ON
SECOND AVENUE
Darkies From Sunny South
Sing While They Work and
Amuse Pedestrians.
ALL ARE FREE OF CARES
Prove Willing Workers and Stand
High With Track Foreman
Sing Section Song.

Ju-
bilee singers though excellent enter
tainers, have nothing on the gang OF
Steamboat Bulls" who are at work on
the repaving OF the Second avenue
rightof-way OF the Tri-City Railway
company. These coons, nearly all
from the south. are supplying continu-
GUS vaudeville for Second avenue pc
destrtans during the day. One crew
Of hampers In particular-everyOne a
real southern darky-has a crowd Of
amused listeners about 1t much of the
time, thanks to the musical abilities
Of the hampers.
SINGERS WORK BEST.
One little darkey whose modest cog.
nomen is Andrew Smith, and who
halls from Memphis. Tenn, is the d.
rector OF the singing. In the crew
with him are from seven to a dozen
other hampers. Andrew breaks forth
into song every few minutes and the
others either Join him by either sing
ing the words or humming the tune.
While the words and rhythm are not
the most elegant, the true negro har-
mony Is there and IL is real enjoy
ment TO listen TO the signing darkies.
The effect OF the song is instantan-
eous, every coon getting into the
game. as IL we're, and keeping time
with his lamp. The result IS the
whole crowd works in unison, the
lamps rising and falling while the
workers go through grotesque but
thoroughly characteristic movements
the whole being almost a dance.
When not singing, the workers do
not show the same efficiency which
characterizes their work when sing
ing.
SECTION SONG.
The song sung most by the happy,
Bmily Andrew Smith is the Section
Song" II is sung wherever there il
railroad construction work though
none Of the great writer's claim 10
have produced II. Following is the
way Andrew Smith sings Il:
Keep 20 eye on de Captin,
An YOU han do yu knee,
Keep 20 shobel is motion,
An rat jes as much as 20 please.
You watch de Captin.
An ah1l watch de Straw,
An de genul road mastah, mastah
Sho gwine 10 watch us all.
When yo get a section,
Lemme be yo Straw,
An II you got dauehta. daughta,
Lemme be yo son-in-law.
It's a ratty oil section.
An it's a ratty oil crew,
An It's a ratty roadmastah, mastah
An supahvisah too.
locke on de captain.
Jes what ah see.
a holy ban OBJ angels. angels,
Comm head aftuh me.
CAREFREE As CHILDREN.
The negroes worF from morning ill
night. singing away the time and get
ting considerable work done despit,
the fact that they never appear u
overwork. Loui Campbell. track fore
man. from Missouri, and a man VIII,
had had years of experience in charg
Of negro work crews. says he woult
rather have them under him than an
foreign laborers. why when yo
know how, those darkies are the eat
lest fellows in the world TO handl
and they are loyal TO the death. d
not doubt but that any one OF that crew
OF hampers would fight for me RICH
now.
AS TO their singing, II keeps Their
cheerful and az work. Whenever tn
darkies are not singing, IL is time {
watch out. for they work whe
they sing and when they don
sing. they don't work"
CAME FROM ST. LOUIS.
The southern darkies who are a
here-there are about 25-landed
town only this week. They were PAL
OF a carload OF colored section hand
who were being taken from ST. Loui
10 the Dakotas 10 work on railroa