The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-11-15
The s. John. A. NJ E. Church at Buxton, Io.oa.

-~~-->->.~~~~.-~.~~~ ~~,~.~-~>e~-,~>~~-~~-~~c~,
their bit.
!, We next drove over to Andersonville,
y distance of about three miles further
southeast Of this Hawkeye. Here live
sbout 80 colored out Of population Of
about 200. Mr.. John Cavil owns nice
farm near here, doing well. Mr.. and
Mrs. H. Boyson are still here. June
Mcdonald, H. Wooding and VIM.
Taylor are influential citizens here Ar
thur Wilson is here also. J. p. Mitch
ell and Mrs. j. A. Nelson are all still
here, doing we'll. Archie McWhite is
working here. James Rush is working
here.
We next arrived in Buxton, the king
Of colored mining towns in the U. s..
In fact, ther is no better equipped coal
mining camp with the modern con-
seniences Of life. This mining town
was established here by Mr.. B. C. Bux-
ton of Muchakinock, Iowa, who about
Is years ago moved the people Of
Muchakinock, over to this place and be-
gan the town which was named in honor
of him. At one time in it's best days
Buxton had population of about 5000
people, Of which 5000 were colored,s
and everything in the town was either.
owned or operated by colored people.
But now there are only about 5000 peo-
pie here, Of which about 1000 are col
ored. There are four churches, Of
which three are colored. There are
eight school teachers, OF which six are:
colored. The two justices of the peace
are colored, also the two constables.
There are three lawyers, all colored.
Two physicians, one colored, and he is
head company doctor. The only brass
band is the famous Buxton Band,
which organization is a member Of the
National Musical Union. The only
music and furniture store here is owned
by E. A. London and his sister, Miss
Susie. They have fine stock also Of
dry goods, notions and groceries; have
been in business for more than ten
years. The cigar factory here is owned
by James Roberts, very exemplary
young man who came from the South 4
few years ago and entered into the
cigar business, and by close attention
to business he, like the London Store,
has succeeded. Our race has some men
in it that are running from their own
race, a disgrace to both races. Yet we
are sorry to say that the richest Negro
in this county, who owns over 1900
acres of the best land in the county, and
as the county treasurer of this, Monroe,
county told me, this mans land was
the highest assessed of any land in the
and yet this is as described
above, no benefit to his race. Standing
as he does, he could have been a won
derful help to our struggling race, but
he is deserter, a Stacker. We miss b.
T. Cooper and his influence here. Mr..
Ruben Gaines is very wealthy. He owns
several farms and much town property.
His only son, Ruben, Jr., is over in
France in the army. Sidney Foster is
one of the pioneer citizens here. He
owns his beautiful farm in the suburbs
Of the town. He also runs a grocery
store. His daughter, Mrs. Clinton Car
ter, runs the store for him. He is still
Justice Of the peace and has been for
the past ten years. They own beau
tiful home. VIM. j. Jones also owns a
I8IM IN LAc OH cuSC VI SAOH 'SASy' -
also is well improved. He is a carpen.
ter. His SON, E. F. Jones, is married
and also lives out near his father on
small farm. He, too, is a carpenter and
an automobile repairer. It goes with
tut saying that nearly all Of these col
ored people here own motorcycles or
They are indeed making
Rig money now in the mines. We were
tcld that one miner drew 800 every
two weeks after the expenses had been
taken out for six consecutive pays,
and that one man named Mr..
Webster drew $237.O0 after his ex-
penses had been taken out one pay. 1t
does seem to me that they ought to save
some money. They are now making it
and why not lay it away for old ageS
Many Of them, we are sorry to say,
gamble it away, and others are buying
etc. Still there are few
who do save and have either purchased
farms or good; homes in other cities, and
then, too, many have good bank ac-
counts. just to tell you how loyal Bux-
ton was in war time there has not yet
been found one colored Stacker in any
department where the American people
have been called upon to help. In the
Liberty Bond they responded nobly; n