The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-26
EDITORS OBSERVATIONS.


EDITORS OBSERVATIONS.
John L. Thompson.
Enroute to attend the Masonic Grand
Lodge in company with Past Grand
Master and present Grand Treasurer
John D. Keller of Mason City, VIM. II.
Milligan, Past G.. M. of Cedar Rapids,
and Chas. B. Woods, w. NJ. Of North
Star Lodge, Des Moines, we journeyed
to the Bluffs. We were met by com
mittee and taken to our stopping places.
Every incoming train brought delegates
and visitors to attend the Grand Ses-
sion. I might state that in this grand
body we had men who had been very
successful in their professions. Dr..
James Flippin, ST., is reputed to be
worth $6O0,Oo0.oO. He lives near
Grand Island, Nebr., and owns more.
than 1000 acres of good land. His only
son, of stromburg, Nebr., owns a large
sanatorium and is very wealthy. Mr..
E. Booth Of Hastings, cement con-
tractor, is successful. He owns several
hundred acres of farm land. John A..
Spencer, another cement contractor,
who is the pioneer contractor in Iowa.
Well, must not take up my readers
time telling them the personnel of. the
Grand Lodge, even if there were all Of
the colored lawyers Of Iowa present ex-
cept one; five in number present. Three
physicians, three mail carriers and many
other diversified trades represented.
Council Bluffs, SO named because it
was here in the early days that all IT
the leading chiefs, Of the different In
dian tribes met and held a war council
to fight back the white man. This
council lasted several days on the bluffs.
Hence the name stCouncil Bluffs We
have here about 500 colored citizens,
two churches, the A. NJ E. and Baptist.
w. L. Cave is buying nice home, 1851
End Ave, also his married daughter has
bought a nice stucco house. Mr.. w. Il.
Harrington is one Of the reliable citi-
zens. He owns nice home at 2032 9Th
Ave. Mrs. NJ. Stewart runs fine hair
dressing parlors at 623 w. Broadway.
They have fine trade and are fine
people to meet. w. 81. Birdsong is still
working at the same place, doing well.
Chas. Burke is City Pound Master
Rev NJ. jackson is pastor Of the Bap-
fist church. He is trying to complete
his church this summer. Rev. T. r..
Stoner is the new pastor of the A. NJ.
E. He is hustler and doing well, max
ing some good improvements on the
church. G. H. Mcdonald is still rnn-
ming a boarding house Sylvester An,
derson is doing well. o. d. Mcdonald
is running a boarding house.
Across the Big Muddy into Omaha,
Nebr., we spent one day in Omaha.
Like all other large cities it has felt
the drain and effect of the great war
There is general hull in building Here
is located about 10000 colored people.
They have s colored churches, Bap-
fist, 2 Methodist, one Episcopal and
one M. E. Rev. F. Bolts is pastor Of
the large Baptist. who is building a fine
church. Rev. Bolts is great church
man as we'll as race man. The a. NJ.
E. has a new pastor named Rev. Will
liams, who came from Kansas City. He
has only been here about one year and
has raised in one single financial drive
more than $4,000, liouidating the old
church debt of $4,000, and now has
81, 200 surplus in the church treasury
Mr.. A. Il. Anderson is still on his truck
garden at 4O12 Parker St., doing we'll
G.. w. Levert is still running a room
ing house and laundry. So is Mrs. n.
P. Patton at 1914 s. 18th. They have
fine auto and are doing well. L. P.
Robinette, former Ottumwa girl, is
still here, as is also Mrs. Lillian Bailey
from Ottumwa. Mr.. Elliott's daughter.
Allen Jones, formerly Of Clarinda, is
still in the undertaking business. Tie
has bought out his partner. He owns
beautiful modern home. Mr.. and Mrs.
J. s. La Cour, formerly Of Dies Moines,
is still here doing well. They have
Just built beautiful new 6 room mod
ern cottage, which is thing Of beauty.
| They designed it themselves. It is To-
Gated at 2422 N. 25th st. Geo. W.
Woods, an old Des Moines boy, a broth
er to James Of Des Moines, is still
working at the same same place, doing
we'll. lie owns nice home. w. H.
Jackson. 1892 N. goth St.. is still work
ing at the fire department. He owns .
beautiful modern home. Harry y.
Lewis, formerly Of Mason City. is WORK
inf at the fire department. L. n. Brown
IS still here He formerly lived in Des
Moines. Madames South and Johnson,
the hair manufacturers. are still in bust
ness. doino we'll. Mrs. South is at
present taking some special, work in
Chicago. Omaha should feel proud of
the firm. DR.. Edwards is still practic-
ing, doing we'll. He formerly livedsln
Des Moines. D. G. Russell is still IN
the hotel. pool hall and barber business
on Cummings st. Doino a big business.
John James, formerly Of Buxton, is still
working in the most office, as clerk.
Mr.. and Mrs. I. B. Burton are still here
doing nicely. Mrs. Burton is quite ac-
| tive in both church and secret society.