Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-12-26
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS

The character Of enterprises under.
taken by colored persons in a busy
city Is indicated by the recent investi.
cation sof Chicago's negroes made for
the Juvenile Protective association. OF
the principal street in the black
belt" this report says:
IN mile on State street, from 5000
to 5000, the Investigators found 1OS
colored men In business, who EN-.
ployed 270 colored men. OF these bust.
ness undertakings ~ were saloons
most Of them newly opened; IL bar.
Der shops, seven real estate Offices
only three of them ten years old; ten
restaurants-five Of them having been
there more than five years and two
for more than ten years; six pool
rooms-all recently opened; four hair
dressers. and three tailors. in addition
to confectioners, bakers, cleaners. dec
orators, dressmakers, druggists and
the other miscellaneous shops usually
found In self-contained neighbor-
hood. AS ministering to the higher
life, there were found in the same
block three music stores, one art
store, one piano store, two printers,
and-if they may be included in such
a list-a photographer and a florist.
all Of the latter save one have been
in existence for more than five years,
in sharp contrast to the ephemeral life
of the poolrooms and saloons, only one
of which has survived so long, while
II others have changed proprietors re-
Gently.
The total amount of capital invest
ed in the mile by the 10S colored men
was found to be $15,750.
Several colored women manage in
dependent hair dressing establish
ments in Chicago. On State street
there are two successful restaurants
conducted by women; also one saloon
and one florist snop; two widows Of
their original owners.
There are a large proportion Of
men, many Of whom do business with
white people"
Following in many details the tic-
ton story which was published few
weeks ago in leading periodical, the
Housekeepers' Alliance of the District
of Columbia voted to start training
school for colored servants January
|. Although similar in<these details,
the idea Is not a new one, but has
been in the process of formation for
several years.
The training school will be conduct
ed on an economic basis. In connec-
ton with the institution, business
women of the District will be taken
in as boarders, thus providing an in
come. 1t is estimated that it will cost
about $500 per annum to conduct
the school besides this income, max
ing cost of about $50 for each serv-
ant trained. Forty servants will be
turned out every year.
The site for the training school has
not yet been selected. although sew
eral sites are now under considera-
ton. The home of the training school
was provided for many rooms. Each
girl taking the course will be re-
quired to present physicians certifi-
cate testifying to good health.
Frank Jenkins, little negro student
of Far Rockaway, won the high school
cross-country championship of Greater
New York over the three and quar-
ter mile course of the Jamaica High
school. Jenkins won as he pleased,
although Alvin Robertson of Evander
Childs was a close second J. Gordon
Moriarity of Richmond Hill was third.
Team honors were won by the Jamaica
High school with total Of SO points.
Morris High was second with 81 and
Erasmus Hall third with 1879.
Those who knew John Randolph
Tucker of Virginia will not marvel at
the affection and esteem in which he
was held by the colored page.
How we'll remember him." said
John A. Patten, former congress
sional page as he speared drifting
scrap of paper on the lawn. when
he was running for the first time for
the Office of Attorney General of Vir-
ginia he had to make his campaign on
horseback, and wherever he stopped
he received royal hospitality.
"Alighting at the home of promi-
nent planter, he seated himself with
the master Of the house on the broad
veranda> In response to request for
a drink of. water, one Of the negro
house servants was sent to the spring.
In few moments he returned with
a glass of water, cool and clear. It
needed no apology, but there were
traditions to be preserved, and Sam
hastened to say: -
Please 'scuse the glass, Mars Ran,
kase the gourd am broke.'"
A baggage truck invented by Cali
|fornian has hooks on the handles to
permit it to be carried with its load
upstairs on a mans shoulders.
The Bible College and Institute for
Civic and Social Betterment at Wash
angton, D. c., has been in operation