The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-11
BARNACLED LIBERIA
AN ECHO OF EMPIRE
How king Sam" Lured Ne
gross to Whore, the
Rainbow Ends.

NEW YORK, Dec 11.--Moored to .
pier in Erie Basin n q huge old rust
pot OF q steamship, barnaclo incrustcd,
sticky with miidew, rotten. But three
short years ago q thousand persons
builded upon her dreams Of an em-
pirs, of q huge and wealthy country
where they would be better than the
bost In this country.
Some OF them have died in their at
tempt to mako their dream q reality;
others, after passing safely through
compound dangers OF drowning and
disease, are now scattered along tho
west coast OF Africa, picking up their
living as they can. scorned and mis-.
treated IN the land where their empire
30 ends their faith In "King SAM"
the magic tongued negro who had
woven the scheme that made happy
thoir sleep with soft dreams. For
months now they have been awake,
and aware that u wss' all q night
mare. .-...... : - -.
ssp's 2AnbitIeu. scheme.
Three hundred feet from the spot
where she was fnoored two years ago
last spring the Liberis was tied on
Sunday after q dangerous trip from
africa. When king sam, was f,iilns
authorities Tot aftsr MIN quickly, but
be was able 70 point to the weasel IN
Erie BASIN. which he had relabelled
aad ~ ,n I pref Of his EoSod fst J.
continue. as there was nothing illegal
in his methods, and because they
moro than half suspected that he was
HONEST although 9 visionary.
lean. negroes TO Africa, where they
stock n i2S entitled purchaser to q
isss ysHss :S ssD'Fssi Sam ~a ..:
tU DO emperor.
~. Mssey casse ReIitnE In.
The British authorities tried TO pre-
vent his work, but could do nothing
except trumpet warnings In the negro
newspapers. But In spite OF that
Negroes Of both sexes flooded Sans
bought the Liberia for about 100000
No Injected religion into the scheme
and surrounded every commonplace
with the mysticisrn and formslity that
The Liberia, under a crow OF ne.
gross. few Of whom were sailors.
Cleaned to Galveston. and there the
hrst load OF passengers for Africa was
tsksn aboard. The trip was made;
were swept overheard during storms.
II was q miracle that the vessel did
not founder unuer her inexperienced
She reached Africa, and here sam
found his kingdom. The land was not
Forthcoming. The Liberia was an
ehored while the empire seekers
sought work. Sam drifted TO q west
spell on the natives that they elected
Tow.s Al, IL. Wa, Back.
, when the war multiplied the value
Of freiGhters those TO whom Sam owed
hugo sums thought they could get
some. OF 80 back by bringing the ~
IBERIA home. II was hard to find my
vessel which would consent TO tow
en- tug. went after her, but was never
heard from after she left this port.
Then on September IL, last, the Zea'
lrndia, OF tho Universal Transporta'
A. w. Barlow. Al Barbados her crew |
sickened OF the work and quit. An. |
other crew was shipped, and on Octo- |
bera1s she reached the Liberia, then |
barnscles on the old ships sides were |
scraped off by native divers: such re- |
pairs as could be made were made. !
An SOC foot eight'inch hawser was
gan. Luckily the SsstRss rsmsinsd
fair. otherwise II IL doubtful IL the !
vessel could have remained afioat.
The saloon OF the Liberia IL filled |
with, remindars OF Sam. There In |
the piano, from which camp meeting |
hymns and ragtime were thumped so
much that IL gives forth no sound. |
The linoIeum on the floor Is worn |
through In . huge circle where the
dances were held,
Over a door In the rear 10 a sign, |
Holy" Rns sam sam, Ssea to mediate
scraps OF hymnals scattered around,
some Of them inscribed with the
names OF coionists. "cotha Bwerly.
give to my daughter s. b." Mr.. Ton,
nte Staples, Paden, Okla, African Gold
Coast, the Negroes Home" are two OF
the Inscriptions. In the piapiAt's hym'
dozen girls, In the store rooms are
barrels OF rotten corn beef. musty
hams. miidewed potatoes.