Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-06-21

to learn of the success or failure OF
the man who was in business last
year and to note the many changes
going on with our people. We shall
be as brief as possible in order that
more Of, the worthy and successful
parties may be mentioned remember.
ing in all my articles only write
about what l see and observe and l
generally try not to over estimate but
to state the facts and let my readers
draw the conclusion for themselves.
Our first stop was in Mason City,
Iowa, this city Is going to become
one of our large cities, she Is growing
faster than any other Iowa town. She
has a population Of about $1,000 peo-
pie. 1t has IL large brick plants and
two of the largest cement plant in
the world. One of these plants
weekly pay roll Is more than $4,000
per week. Mason City is SO well sit
uated geographically to make a big
city mid way between Des Moines
and St. Paul and Minneapolis and
about mid way between Sioux City
and Dubuque five years ago there
were only about 20 colored people
now there are nearly 200 they have
organized church first known as
the Plymouth Mission congregation
al denomination and Rev. E. j. PEN
ney that we'll trained Christian gen.
tlemen was called from Oklahoma
and pastored the Mission for year
at which time he resigned this spring
to go on a farm to rest up while
and recently this mission was trans
ferred to the Methodist Episcopal de-
nomination and Rev. F. D. Woodford
formerly he pastored in our city at
Berns' chapel, this organization are
going to buy property and later build
a church Mr.. John D. Reeler is liv-
ing in the outskirts of the city, he Is
still dealing in fine poultry and con.
ducts his four chair first class ton
serial shop under the First National
Bank, he is hustler and good busi-
ness man. Mr.. and Mrs. A. H. Will
liams are successful people, he runs
an express wagon. He came from
Cherokee here Robt Lewis who used
to be with the Boyd Drug Co. is now
working out at an auto garage.
Mr.. and Mrs. Tom Allen formerly
Des Moines people, who came here
a few years ago, he Is a plasterer by
trade and he has all the work that
he can attend to. He entertained ye
editor to a one o'clock dinner. Tom
wishes to be remembered to his Des
Moines friends. Walter Davis is
running his shining parlor on another
street until a new building can be
erected. w. L. Jones Is still in the
barber shop in the north end Of the
city doing we'll. He also has a drove
of young chickens. Mr.. and Mrs.
Claude Carr formerly of our city has
bought them a nice room home and
are enjoying life. They served din
ner to ye editor. He is making mon.
ey. Mr.. Williams runs a good barber
shop. Mrs. Frederick Wright runs 9
hotel near the M. & st. Il depot.
She and her mother are doing well.
They have most all white trade. Hen
ry Sims is good substantial citi.
zen. A. l.. Rice formerly Des
Moines man is living here on large
lot and is in the poultry business. He
now has 250 young chickens and
about 500 eggs setting. ]. H. Cobbell
formerly of Colfax, Iowa, is a hard
working man. He works for the Bell
Telephone company. He owns an
acre of ground on which he is also
raising chickens. He has over 200
little chicks. VIM. r. Carter conducts
a large shining parlor the finest in the
city. He owns nice piece of prop
erty on which he has several hundred
chickens. Mrs. Ida Smith and hus.
band lives just south OF. the city lin.
it's. They are raising chickens and
hogs and are doing extremely we'll
they are interesting people to meet
the Bystander has added ten new
subscribers from here and Mrs. Maud
Brewton has been selected to chron-
icle the Mason City regular from now
on. Mr.. H. D. Green has opened a
hotel barber shop and pool hall near
the NJ. & st. l.. depot. Mr.. Warren
is hustling man. John Rutherford Is
engineer at the shop. Mr.. B. B. Ban
ming has a nice boarding house and
confectionery store in the north end.
They are nice business people and are
making many friends.
O nto Minneapolis our next will be.