The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-29

found city of about $4,000 people, of
which 500 are colored. Many of them
are working in the large factories and
workshops in this town, and it is
known as the town Of factories. Rev.
A. Boyd has charge of the A. NJ. E.
church and is doing nicely. Rev. Jas.
Whitfield has charge of the Baptist
church. He is very bright man and
is succeeding nicely. S. P. Walker is
still janitor at the school house. Mr..
Colquitt still works at the department
store. He owns a nice piece Of prop.
erty at 1929 Thirteenth avenue. Mr..
P. N. Tarver is still working for the
Moline Carriage company. H. w.
Harding, formerly Of Rock Island, has
moved to this city. He is still stenog-
rapher at the arsenal, and is doing
nicely. There are no colored people
in business in this town to my knowl-
edge, either professionally or CONNER.
cial. II seems to me it would be a
good opportunity for business of vari-
GUS kinds here. We next moved to
Monmouth, ILL.,, the county seat Of
Warren county, and found colored
people doing as we'll as could be ex-
pected under democratic hard times.
Those who are in business are holding
their own, and hoping for better
times. I told them they could assist
in bringing about better times by
changing the administration. Mr.. S.
Cox is contract carpenter and is
meeting with success. He has all the
work he can do. He owns a nice sew
en- passenger car and beautiful
home. j. T. Wallance is still in busi-
ness, running soft drink parlor. He
owns small truck farm near the city
limits. Old man Richmond is still in
the grocery business, having a good
trade. He is reported to be one of the
wealthiest men in this county. Mrs.
L. B. Catlin still operates her hair
dressing parlors in the Searles build
ing. She has one of the most expensive
fitted and up-to-date parlors that l
have seen, and is enjoying a good
trade. Her husband also has a barber
shop in the same building, but on
different floor. In this building the
elevator is run by a colored girl,
which is very unusual thing in this
section Of the country. In fact l do
not recall another instance where this
is found. She has been here several
years. Mr.. G. w. Jones, with whom
1 stopped, is still the house doctor for
this part of the state. He is doing
nicely, and is well posted upon the diff
ferent literature Of the day, perhaps
taking more colored papers and mag
azines than any other man in this Sec
tion of the state. He informed me
that there was about fourteen fam
lilies who have automobiles in this
town, which breaks the record of any
town of this size in the northwest. Mr..
Jones is an independent man in poll
tics and in thought. D. D. Starr is
in the auto business, repairing and fix
ing autos. He has a good trade. Miss
Bernice Metlock will still chronicle
thenews for this town. Mr.. and Mrs.
Peoples are working at the same
place. Mrs. Peoples is quite promi-
nent in church and club work. They
recently gave a reception in honor of
the eighth grade and high school and
college graduates since 1891. Below
we run the names only Of the high
school and college graduates. High
school: Misses Barbery Boyd, Laura
Smith, Florence Brown, Clara Reed
(deceased), Marie Saunders, Minnie
Tinnell, Mrs. Nettie Neil nee Little,
William Wallace, Mayo Williams, Roy
Reed, James Murphy, Guy Williams
(deceased), Carl McWilliams. COL
lege: Miss Ida Wallace.