Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-05-14

mana anu StAItANk again upOAA V~A -
nual collection rounds, it seems that
duty demands that I should observe
and note my findings through the edi-
tors observation column. ! had at
one time decided to not write this col
umn, but so many Of my good readers
tell me that they enjoy reading them
and that they are Of SO much valuable
information heretofore unknown that
I will again endeavor to jot down very
briefly the true status of the Negro's
progress in all lines in the great
northwest, and those things, statistics
and facts that I observed is not ever
rated, but true, conservative report.
Leaving the metropolis of the
greatest state in the American union,
whose population has now, according
to census reports, gone over the 100,-
900 mark. l..a-,,. .sE,
Monday, May 8, arrived in Mar
shalltown, Iowa, county seat Of Mar
shall county, where is located our Old
Soldiers Home, a beautiful building
with all the modern comforts Of such
an institution. Here lives several hum
dred old veterans Of the civil war, rep
resenting every county in Iowa and
every regiment Of the civil war. There
are also many colored veterans whose
bronze buttons attest the fact that
many colored men fought for their
own freedom and to save the union. /
could not get list Of the colored
men at the home. Marshalltown is
a prosperous city of about $4,000 pop-
ulation, with about 200 colored people,
of whom some are pioneer settlers
there. Geo. L. Suter, an engineer at
the city water company, is native
Iowan. His father and grandparents
are some of the oldest Iowa colored
settlers, settling near Muscatine and
Davenport in 1847. George is grand
reviewer Of the Masonic grand lodge.
Mr.. M. j. jackson is another old set
tier here, highly respected and owns
valuable property. The widow Wright,
wife Of Richard, . pioneer barber, still
owns valuable properly. Her oldest
son is the Hon. Herbert R. Wright,
now n,ih;ster te one 81 South Anaer1
lean islands. Albert Walker IS one
of the successful business young men,
has first class tonsoriai shop, owns
the most beautiful home Of any col
ored person in this city and is still q
single man. Girls, what are you do
ing? His cultured sister, Miss Jessie,
keeps this beautiful home in style.
Mr.. Walker owns property in the New
England states. He has also invented
and has been granted patent on ap-
pliances that will be valuable and use
full. Mr.. w. D. Crawford, formerly
of Buxton, is working at the same
place. He has moved. Isaac L.
Brown, one Of the leading citizens is
still working at the same place. He
has bought a nice large nine-room
home on q valuable corner. Mr..
Brown is q real race man. Mr.. War
rn is still gardening on his truck
farm within the city limits. His
daughter. Miss Wilda, is to wed next
month, June, to Mr.. Luther d. Low
cry Of Cedar Rapids. Mr.. G. A. john
son is hustling man, who is making
good. He is remodeling his homo at
liz North Eighth street. He owns
other valuable property. He is a
credit to the race. Mr.. C. P. Gilmore
is one Of the reliable and substantial
citizens. He owns a nice home and
is doing well. He is q teamster. His
son, c. c., is married and doing nice.
ly. One Of the new citizens who has
recently, moved here from Keokuk il
! Edward Robertson, district grand men.
tor for Iowa Of the International Or
der of Knights and Daughters of Ia
Dor. He has the only Turkish bath
shop here and has just bought him