Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-11-27
EDITORS OBSERVATION.

We could not close this years OBJ
servation without observing few
things about Buxton. Well we have
spent few days here for two pay
days and l must say that Buxton is
no more the famous old live money
making business whirl and enthusi-
astic band of labor. To one who has
bees there once each year since it
was organized and has seen it at its
height and now to see it one can
hardly imagine the great change. The
work is poor, only working from
three to five days week, and only
about one-third of the miners here as
usually. About one-third of the
houses are now vacant. The reasons
for this are many. The two main
reasons are, first the losing Of Mr..
Ben Buxton as superintendent; Sec
ond, democratic hard times coming
on; third, the blowing out OF one
mine and the sinking Of new shaft;
fourth cause is that some Of the new
superintendents have tried to replace
many colored miners with white min
ers. All of these have had telling
effect upon the population and condl-
t;on of Buxton. l was informed that
about five years ago there were
about 1000 men on the pay roll. Now
onlv about 700. The population OF
Buxton now will not exceed 2,5oo, OF
which perhaps 1900 are colored. we
now have a white postmaster, with
all his help white, a democrat the
first time that white man was ever
nostmaster of Buxton. There are i've
churches, three Negro and two white
The A M. E. has just got a new man, =,
Rev. J. H. Ferribee, who comes well
recommended, and his matured age
his enthusiasm for the work he WILL
we hope, succeed. =, =, i :. i. s.
sss@ rev 3. Woodard is stih pastor
at the St. Johns Baptist church. II
has a large field and is holding MS
own He is a Christian gentleman
we'll equipped for the work. Ihey
have lust been holding a series OF
services, Rev Woodard met with a
misfortune this summer of losing MS
wife He is also suffering from
rheumatic trouble and has to walk
with crutches or with cain. he is
;nonroving, however. At the Taber.
nacle Baptist church we find Rev. j.
p Northcross. He is doing gooo
work out there and has a good tol'
lowing. A peculiar thing about these
churches is that the Sunday scnoo'
hour at all the churches IS at
o'clock and they are all we'll ATTENDED
with a band Of thoroughly strong
teachers, The Y. M. G. A., which We
are always proud to mention as 'ne II
on1v colored Y. M. C. A. in Iowa, l.
doing as we'll as can be expected un m
dor % he efficient management Of J. Il
NJ Mocrew and Mr.. Townsend, who !:
sunerintendent of the boys depart
ment. They are both trained Y M
e. A, men and are a credit to tn'
race, Mr.. J. H. Baker is running
the only printing office and newspa
'l ar here. This is one of the new bus
mess enterprises here and tnougl Y
vonnp , in the field we wish for nm
SUCCESS. s Mr.. B. F. Cooper, the plo
neer druggist, is still at the old ssanu e;'s a
w. Ma feels more like a real man slnc'
the the arrival Of his first child a BOY,
ens, eau months ago. Mr.. Reuben Gains
S g.. ;s still here. His only son. keu
han 10 IT, runs the hotel in conJunctiol
With WITH Mr.. White. They are doin' m
fairlv we'll. Mr.. Gains is one OF TN
,;chest men in Iowa. They nave
fine $500 fve-passenger car. n i,
inv ;s one Of the important factors II II
p,vton. Mr. W. H. London ana I
a london are still in the music an
f,,rn;t,,re a. business. Mr.. James koo
erts is still working at the % elsa
manufacturing business and IS doll' III
we'll. DR.. E. A. Carter is at tne hea "a
Of " the company's doctors and al IEs:tn is IN
on1v colored physician in the ontse 's:
o :tates that has charge Of a ,'a con-
nany's business. He is also In ei1s Gn
Of p' the Northwestern Railroad 20. TO-
b,,s;ness " at this end. He has bee
having white assistants. he mas e.. ~
Gently bought him new n hne Nv;
res passenger car. DR.. c. G. Robinson on,
the only other colored physician ner
He He has a good trade and dr1veS rive,
heantifur he. horse. Mr.. G. L. Neal
still manager Of the famous ,I b1&To =
Wonders w., baseball team. Mr.. ). v
Nealy runs drug and contectome, nae,
sto~ store in Coopertown, also grocer
s store in southwest Buxton. he aIa Is
BUSINESS Ssudn S. young man. Mr.. Andre
/: ga Jo@r;es Is still running the restau
ar' art which is the Oldest restaurant
% Bnxton. They have a very p,lsttt latt
trade. as usual. More about Bux'@
next week, ..a