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

Again the time Of the year 1919 has
come when we must begin the great
work of collecting the annual subscrip-
. tion from our many hundreds of sub
scribers located in the great northwest,
however arduous and unpleasant it may
he. vet somebody must do that work
along with that work question with
the Bystander that the collector shall
observe in each town the progress that
our leading men and women are max
ing in their various cities and town and
so inform our many readers throughout
this country. We think such observa-
1 tions when published are indeed appre-
eiated by our readers and the facts
stated is true and reliable. Therefore
these observations by your editor are
beneficial to the colored race in many
ways, at least there are three positive
GOOD in observation: 1st. 1t encour-
ages the colored person to live right
and strive harder to become an infiu-
entail citizen in his community. End.
It acquaints us with what our neigh
. btrs are doing. 3rd. It seeks to give
a brief yearly history or report as Ito
immi grafton or emigration of the race.
With pencil in hand and bicycle on the
C.B. & O. Ry. we left Des Moines Mon
day, but Just before we got out OF the
city limits Of Des Moines ye editor did
not know nor perhaps did many or
our Des Moines readers know that out
in South Des Moines near the Great
Western round house there lives and
houses in box cars a colony OF Il col
ored families in community to them
selves, and they have been here for
more than two years, employed mostly
by the Chicago Great Western Ry. Co.,
working in the round house and on the
i section with colored man as foreman.
As we do not have our city note book
with us we cannot give the names of
all the leading men here, however we
remember few. Mr.. John Blackburn,
who is foreman Of a section gang. he
owns home,. well fixed. They have
one child, talented little girl. Mr.
Duncan, Mr.. Smallwood, Mr.. Quinn, the
two brothers Of the Whites, Mr.. Duncan
and MANY other families whose names
that Il cannot nowcall. They have an:
organization known as United Brother
hood of Railroad Of America with
headquarters in Chicago. Will tell more
about this community later. Our first
real stop was in Osceola, the county
seat of Clark county, a beautiful To-
Gated town of about 5000 inhabitants,
about 100 colored people, with one
church, the A. M. E., pastored by Rev.
Jones. They have a nice parsonage.
Mrs. Anna Williams is one of the old
est colored citizens here, having lived
here nearly IS years and worked at one
place, the old Howe Hotel, for almost
40 years. Mrs. J. Bryant is another pi-
oneer settler here, having been here
more than half century. She has re-
Gently moved to Minneapolis, Mimi, to
make her home with her youngest son,
Roy. One of her sons, Frank Bryant, is
the only one of them now living here.
He is good, reliable, steady man, nav
ing work for one firm for 25 years. He
is now manager of the U. S. Express
Co. office, owning his. own wagons and
team and owns good property. w. Grlf-
fin is repair mechanic in an automo-
bile company. The Mr.. John and }. A.
Draden are new people here, but own
their homes, doing well. Mr.. L.. w.
jackson and Mrs. NJ. A. White are still
here. The former is we'll digger ana
says that has all the work that he can
do Our next stop was Creston. Here
live only few colored people. y. H.
Hawkins is still running the shlnlng
parlor. Mr.. L. H. Grant and M. Young
are enrolled as new subscribers here TO
the Bystander. Mr.. Ealey Baldwin,
mother and brother still live out on
their farm about two miles east OF Cres-
+ ton. They are farming as usual on a
large SCALE They control ALI acres Oh
some of the best land I'm Iowa. Ihey
are one of the modern, up-to-date Iowa
farmers They have seven passenger
Overland car and ship their cattle and
hogs direct to Chicago by the car loao.
This is fine family to meet. We next
rest our weary feet in Clarinda at the
pleasant home Of Mr.. and Mrs. WIN.
Headley. Here lives about 500 colored
people, prosperous, most all owning
their homes. Mr.. H. II. Clark still
lives here, doing well. Mr.. Joe Jones IS
working at the large Berry Seed Co.,
also is Mr.. Headley and Ed Pemerton.
DR.. Gipson is still running his teed
barn and veterinarian barn. He is TO
my knowledge the only colored veter-
marian in Iowa. He is well fixed. y:
v Williams, Past Grand Chancellor OF
the r. of p, is still in the restaurant
and confectionery store, doing WELL
and from his physical appearance we
believe him on this point. Mr.. ana
Mrs. R. T. Lane are still running the
BUSY Bee restaurant and hotel. Ihey
are fine people. They have had some
sickness this winter. One Of the most
ss progressive colored men in business
mere is Mr.. Farrier and George Jones