Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-12-20

incorporated town OF about 5000 peo-
pie, located In Monroe county, north
Of Abba, the county seat, about
twelve miles, on the county line be-
tween Mahaska and Monroe counties.
Truly to do justice ! would need to
get out q regular edition, but in the
small space I rave for this observa.
ton must necessarily be brief.
Buxton was founded about ;welve
years ago by Mr.. VIM. Buxton, a
large mine operator, who was then
manager of the coal mines at Mucka-
KNOCK. He moved the mining camp
from Muchakinock to this place and
named the town in honor of him. 1t
has grown from a little village to
nearly 5000. 1t is unique that Its
chief occupation is mining and rgain
the first mining camp to build $780,
900 Y. M. C. A. and a $4,000 boys
Y. M. C. A. Then again it is unique
that about 5000 Of its people are
colored; hence the town is run and
controlled by colored people. The
postmaster is and always has been
colored man. Mr.. P. Mills has been
postmaster for several years. All OF
his deputies are colored. There are
four drug stores, of which two are
colored-Mr. B. F. Cooper and |. X.
Hutchins. The former is the Oldest IN
the town and is one of the wealthlest
men of our race is the state. Unfor-
tunately Frank is still single, yet we
hope that he will not always be SIN
gle. There are six grocery stores, OF
which four are colored. There are
five barber shops, all colored, and all
the restaurants, four, are colored.
There are three meat markets, OF
which two are colored. There are
several colored confectionerles and
notion stores, two lunch wagons, one
colored bakery, owned by J. b. Lu-
cas-. ell has a first class plant and
does first class work and has large
trade. He cannot supply the demands
One blacksmith shop. Mr.. Roberts
runs it. There are several pool halls,
two dance halls, one shoe shining
parlor and one of the three livery
stables is owned by the colored peo-
pie. There are two colored physl-
clans, DR.. E. A. Carter, graduate
from the State university, who Is en-
ployed by the company. He is very
successful. And DR.. G. S. Robinson,
who has a good practice among the
people. There are two lawyers, Hon.
Geo. H. Woodson and ]. S. Spears.
Both are Howard university gradu-
ates. One hotel, managed by Mr.. Os-
car Peterson, very efficient and ex-
perienced man. 1t is a new hctel'
called Hotel Buxton" two stories,
completely modern, with steam heat
in all the rooms. 1t was built and
owned by Ruben Gaines, one of the
wealthiest men in Buxton, costing
$4,000. This hotel is credit to the
Negro race. 1t is built of cement,
fireproof. There are one colored tail
or and two white ones. Dentist, Dr.
l.. R. Willis, who has a good prac-
tice. There are three colored church
es and two white. Rev. F. B. Wood
ward has charge of Zion Baptist, the
largest in the town. He is a very
able, progressive Christian minister.
Rev. J. L. Wharton is the new MN
ister at the A. NJ E. church. He is
an eloquent pulpit orator, a young
man who if he will can become
strong minister Rev. c. H. Menden-
hall, formerly of the Zion Baptist, is
now at the Second Baptist Of st.
James Baptist. His i'll health has
compelled him to go to Hot Springs
Ark, and just recently he met with
still more reverses. His house was
burned and he lost everything. Kew.
Mendenhall is strong man when at
himself. The secret societies flourish
to large degree. The leading socl-
cites are the Masonic, Odd Fellows,
Elks. Knights of Pythias, Knights OF
Tabor and Modern Woodmen. There
are about sixteen teachers in all, OF
which ten are colored. Of course the
schools are mixed. The two justices
of the peace are colored, also the con-
stables. There are fourteen colored
clerks of the sixty odd clerks in the
large department Company store.
Most of them are girls Hobe Arm
strong, who runs the regular meat
market of the company's store, has
beer. il e. business for more than