Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-10-10
AFRO-AMERCAN CULUNCS

Fifty years ago Abraham Lincoln
signed the Emancipation Proclamation
freeing 100000 slaves. He did it as
a war measure, intended to cripple the
states of the Confederacy. Today 49,
100000 Afro-Americans in this country
are celebrating the semi-centennial an
niversary of Lincoln's proclamation
What have these so years of freedom
done for the colored man?
A glance over the exhibits shown at
the buildings Of the Emancipation Gel
sbration, at Broad street and Oregon
avenue, helps to answer this question.
More than 20 Inventions, many of
which have made their inventors rich
men, library containing 500 books
of every description. written by col.
ored authors; exhibits educational.
medical, industrial and social, all
make a striking impression illustrat-
ing the native capacity of the African
race.
The buildings house virtually every
type of exhibit shown in the most ad.
vanced industrial exhibitions Perhaps
the most interesting are those show.
ing the inventive genius of the color.
ed people of this state. Most of these
inventions come from the western
part of the state, where the foun-
dries, coal fields and gigantic factor
les offer the best opportunity to men
who desire their own betterment.
S. R. Simmons began life as one
OF family of ten. living in a little
cottage in Monongahela. He obtain
ed some primary education, but the
necessity for taking up the broad
struggle was thrust upon him at an
early age. He became a laborer
in one Of the great foundries of the
town. That was more than 20 years
ago. Today there is scarcely a piece
of steel cast in Pennsylvania which
is not rendered more perfect by the
use of casting of S. r. Simmons cast
ing nozzle. Today, in addition to hav-
ing invented number Of appliances
which materially lessen the labor in
the foundries, Simmons is the owner
of foundry In his native town and
enjoys the distinction of being the
only colored foundry proprietor in the
state
Simmons cast the exact model of
the Liberty Bell, which is one of the
first exhibits seen by visitors as they
fho ~
made by him expressly for use during
the exhibition, and when it is over
will be presented to the Bethel Afro
American church at Sixth and Lom-
bard streets. This is said to be the
only exact reproduction Of the Liberty
Bell in existence. Simmons made the
model himself, doing all the prelimi-
nary draughting work and making
the mold with his own hands.
In the Lancaster county exhibit
stand is a small but perfectly made
cannon, capable of firing three-inch
shells. This gun was made by a
colored man of Lancaster, Pa, who
has never had any education of
technical nature. Another invention
attributed to the same person is
three-barreled repeating rifle. There
are numbers of other exhibits in the
Lancaster county stand, including.
specimens Of household work, agricul-
tural productions and industrial activ
ity.
One corner of one of the two build
ings is partitioned off. Within stands
the complete equipment of small
newspaper Office. Every piece of ma
chinery in this Enclosure was made
by colored workmen. 1t is proposed
to publish a daily paper with this
plant The first issue of the Emanci.
patton News will appear tomorrow
morning. The paper is to be edited