The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-20
EDITORS
OBSERVATIONS
(By John L. Thompson.)

Sioux City, the progressive, fast grow.
ing city in the great northwest, which
is the second largest city in Iowa, is a
beautifully located city on the Missouri
river. Here lives about $4,000 people
of which about 1900 are colored and a
few Indians. In fact, one can see near
ly all nationalities here. We believe
that there are more buildings now in
course Of erection than any city that
we have visited. There is steady in
crease in the colored immigrants and
they are finding employment at good
wages, both sexes. There are two
churches, the Baptist, presided over by
Rev. Crushon, who is ripe by age and
experience. He has large attendance.
Then the A. M. f.
There are two secret societies, the
Masonic Lodge and Odd Fellows, and
several ladies clubs, two pool halls, five
barber shops, no restaurants. Chas.
Watkins has just opened up first class
pool room and barber shop at S12 Ma
pie st. He is doing well. j. s. Sadler
runs the other pool hall at 406 w. 7th.
He enjoys good trade. Mansfield
Askew is still working at the drug
store, doing nicely. His brother Ed is
working for Davidson s dry goods
store. His other brother is working at
the packing house. Their sister, Miss
Laura, is still single. These are, fine
people, all doing well. Joe Baker on s.
Hamilton, is still here. There has been
many changes since we were here two
years ago. Our veteran mail carrier
and my good friend, Thomas 81. Sturges,
was accidentally killed last winter
while crossing a street car track in his
mail wagon. The street car struck him
and killed his horse and he died within
a few hours later at the hospital. c..
A. Gross is running his barber shop.
He has daughter in high school. j..
w. Norris has moved his massage parlor
to the Martin Hotel. w. P. Shields is
still here, also the Shores brothers, j..
n. and D. c. Rev. R. L. Knight, retired
Methodist minister, lives here and
wishes to be remembered by his old ac-a
quaintances. D. G. Gordon and Thos.
Hedges are doing well. Mrs. Anna Nor
rfs is running nice roOmfng house at
400 w. 9TH st. r. s. Parker, F. w.
Cowan, J. E. Wilkinson, w. M. Smith,
r. j. Patterson, Mrs. A. Williams and
Mrs. Emma Fisher are some of the wide
awake, progressive citizens doing well
here. Mr.. A. Lee owns a very beauti-
full home at 1920 jackson. They are old
and highly respected people. Mr.. G. E.
Stubblefield is still in the U. S. mail
service as a carrier. His daughter,
Miss Vivian, will be the Bystander news
reporter this year. She is working in
the Davidson dry goods store. Into
Yankton, South Dakota, we next landed,
which is the metropolis of the state, a
thriving town of about 100000, Of which
there are about 500 colored people in
this county. There are several farmers.
A few that can now recall are Mr.. Il.
Bently, who owns nice farm about 2
miles northeast of town. He owns an
automobile. E. D. Hayes, O. Bentley
and P. Holly, Of which all own a farm
Of from 10 acres up within one-half
mile Of the city, doing well. They nave
two churches, the A. M. E. and the Bap-
tist. Each has pastor and each own
their own church. The A. M. p. is To-
Gated down in the heart of town and
they are out Of debt. Mrs. Lewis is one
Of the pioneer settlers here. Her nus
band died last winter. They own nice
brick home in down town district. MI.
and Mrs. A. L. Hall are of our reliable
citizens, Mrs. Harvey Williams IS an
other good man. he is working Tor
meat market. His wife cooks for q care.
They own nice property and are hus,
tiers. Mr.. Tate works at the rounu
house. Mr.. and Mrs. n. Furgerson still
live here. Mrs. Furgerson will furn1sn
us the Yankton news this year. MIS-
John Williams is still here. She owns
her property. In fact every one tna1
we have written about are buying OF
own their own homes, which is remark
able. Rev. F. n. Hereford owns re"
acre farm. He is the pastor OF the baP-
tist church. Many Of the people came
from the farm in and around Daiton'
No. Mr.. h. Morgan, formerly OF SIOUX
City, is still here LIE Roy k1nney -
also reliable mon. The opportunity
for colored men, es:ecially on the farm
is good. We wish hat more OF our peo-
pie would 90 out J. ere and elsewhere IN
the great northwest and take advan1ase
Of the splendid ors,ortunities o. now open
to US. The price Of farm land IS au.
vancinp so our watchword is to go