Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-03-19
GREAT PROGRESS
N CALIFORNIA
Plenty Of Business In the
Lite Town Of Watts.
CHANCE FOR YOUh6 PEOPLE

GhAHGt run IUUh6 PtUPll
Thrifty Community Near Los Angelo,
Largely Inhabited by Southern Foil
Makes Remarkable Showing Along
Many Lines Of industry-Many Own
Their Own Homes.
Los Angeles.-The town Of Watts, In
the vicinity Of Los Angeles, has an
energetic. industrious colored popula.
ton numbering something like COO
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 tko underlying
motive for their choice Of Watts as q
place of residence. Consequently there
are a goodly number of colored farm
ers who own thriving ranches that net
them considerable income. says
Eloise Bibb Thompson In the Los An
geles Tribune.
s There are also janitors. carpenters,
brickmasons, furniture dealers. grocery
dealers and one real estate agent The
latter. R. c. Patton. is said to be doing
a thriving business. having offices In
Watts, Los Angeles and In Chicago
There is also foundry owned by John
Davis. who mods hinges for bungalow
doors. Mr.. Davis is also an inventor,
having recently got out q patent on
plumbing rings.
The largest colored dealer In new and
secondhand furniture. James Seals.
Is 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
Is 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.
\ The local banks are also patronized
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-fiye colored men, who
organized for the purpose Of looking
after the municipal, political and 20.
cial interests of their neighbors. These
men. all OF whom are property owners.
contribute largely to local charities.
giving to both individuals and institu,
tons.
The colored youth Of Watts are found
In the Compton high school, where
they remain for the most part until
they have completed the required
course Of study. ..Eg.
Likewise the people OF Boyle
Heights are worthy Of consideration.
Boyle Heights. part of Los Angeles,
was laid out by George Hansen almost
a century after the founding OF the
city OF Los Angeles by the Spaniards
It was named after an lrishman, An
drew Boyle. who owned a great por.
ton Of that locality, which he planted
to grapes. building up in time a sue.
cessful wine business. Twenty years
after the formation Of Boyle Heights
the colored people began to take up
residence there. very few at 6rst,
gradually increasing as time passed
until the northeast section was almost
wholly Inhabited by them. as 1t 10 at
present.
Many took advantage on their ar.
rival Of the low cost OF land and pur-
chased much valuable property. as, for
instance. Moses Stapler, one Of the
oldest settlers, who twenty-three years
ago bought considerable property on
Bay street which he sold recently to
great advantage. He also bought the
city block extending from Savannah
to Evergreen street, which be still
owns. The houses on this land bring
him In a comfortable revenue. "
J. w. Coleman, another colored resi-.
dent Of Boyle Heights. also has Sc.
cured much property, the total valua.
ton Of which Is estimated at. $4,000.
This property consists Of Eve houses
on New Jersey street, one house on
Michigan avenue and a sixteen room
dat in process of construction on Sa.
vannah street. Clarence B. Coleman.
the son of ]. w. Coleman. has I'M auto
and wagon delivery business known as
the Boyle Heights express. established
In 1889, which makes specially OF
moving. packing, shipping and storing.
a three ton auto truck is owned and
operated by young Coleman.
Other col0red residents OF Boyle
Heights are engaged as follows: One
postal clerk In local postoffice. one
postal clerk on the Southern Pacific
railroad for the past eight years. six
janit0rs In the hall of records, one
restaurant keeper. one confectioner,
one cigarmaker. three policemen, two
expressmen. one plumber. one woman
notary public and public stenogra-
pher. two rubbish contractors. two
painters. four carpenters and three
brickmas0ns. one Or whom. W. q:
Prioleau, was foreman on the brick
work Of the new federal building. A