Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-03-05
GREAT PROGRESS
N CALIFORNIA
Plenty Of Business 10 tho
Little Town Of Waits.
CHANCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Thrifty Community Near Los Angeles
Largely Inhabited by Southern Folk
Makes Remarkable Showing Along
Many Lines Of industry-Many Own
4 Thsir Own Homes.
Los Angeles.-The town of Watts, In
the vicinity Of Los Angeles, has an
energetic. Industrious colored popula'
ton numbering something like GOO.
The majority Of these people came
from the south, purchasing their homes
by degrees after having secured EN-
plOyment In Los Angeles. Their pref.
erence for suburban home with its
possibility of truck farming, poultry
and cattle raising was the underlying
motive for their choice of Watts as q
place of residence. Consequently there
are goodly number Of colored farm
ers who own thriving ranches that net
them a considerable income, says
ElOise Bib Thompson In the Los An
geles Tribune. Pes, -s
There are also janitors, carpenters,
brickmasons, furniture dealers, grocery
dealers and one real estate agent The
latter. R. G. Patton, IS said to be doing
q thriving business, having offices In
Watts, Los Angeles and in Chicago.
There Is also foundry owned by John
Davis, who molds hinges for bungalow
doors. Mr.. Davis is also an inventor,
having recently got out patent on
plumbing rings. .........'
The largest colored dealer In new and
secondhand furniture, James Seals.
ID found on Main street. opposite the
city hall. Mr.. Seals came to Califor-
mia about ten years ago with little or
no capital. His energy and persistence
are shown In the fact that he now
owns the building In which his store
ID located and has increased his stock
from a few hundred dollars to several
thousand dollars and built up his bust,
ness to such an extent that hired as
sistance Is needed. ea~
! The local banks are also patronlzed
by the colored people of Watts, most
Of whom own their own homes, and
few have valuable holdings in Los
Angeles in localities where real estate
Is rapidly growing in value. These
people support two churches and are
erecting third, which promises to do
credit to their prosperous appearance.
The Watts Independent league is COM
posed Of thirty-five colored men, who
for the purpose Of looking
after the municipal, political and 20.
cial interests Of their neighbors. These
men, all Of whom are property owners,
largely to local charities.
living TO both individuals and institu.
ions.
The colored youth OF Watts are found
q the Compton high school, where
hey remain for the most part until
hey have completed the required
course OF study.
Likewise the people of Boyle
Heights are worthy of considera ton.
Boyle Heights, part Of Los Angeles,
vas laid out by George Hansen almost
century after the founding Of the
.ity Of Los Angeles by the Spaniards.
It was named after an lrishman, An
lrew Boyle. who owned a great por-
ion Of that locality, which he planted
% grapes, building up in time a sue.
,essful wine business. Twenty years
litter the formation of Boyle Heights
he colored people began to take up
residence there. very few at first,
gradually Increasing as time passed
Until the northeast section was almost
wholly inhabited BY them. as it is at
present. ss III
Many took advantage on their ar.
ival Of the low cost Of land and pur.
.hased much valuable property, as, for
Instance. Moses Stapler, one of the
'ldest settlers, who twenty-three years
lgo bought considerable property on
Bay street, which he sold recently to
,reat advantage. He also bought the
dty block extending from Savannah
o Evergreen street, which be still
WINS. The houses on this land bring
i'm lii a comfortable revenue.
J. w. Coleman, another colored resi-.
ent Of Boyle Heights, also has Sc
ured much property, the total valua.
lon Of which IL estimated at $4,000
his property consists Of FIVE houses
n New Jersey street, one house on
dichigAn avenue and a sixteen room
at IN process Of construction on Sa.
annab. street. Clarence B. Coleman.
be son Of y. w. Coleman. has an auto
I'D wagon delivery business known as
lie Boyle Heights express. established
!, 1850. which makes a speciality Of |
rowing. packing. shipping and storing !
Z three ton auto truck Is owned and |
perated BY young Coleman. e
Other colored residents OF Boyle
[eights are engaged AZ follows: One
ostal clerk in local pOstotice, one
ostai clerk on the Southern Pacific
lilroad for the past eight years. six
lnitors Ii the hall Of records. one
.staurant keeper, one confechoner.
Is cigarmaker. three policemen. two
rpressmen. one plumber, one woman
ptary public and public stenogra.
1er. two rubbish contractors. two
linters. four carpenters and three
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