The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-27

I
| oo,ooo people, very progressive with 8
colored constituency of about 500. Only
about eight years ago there was only
two colored families in this city. now
we have two coiored Churches, each
owning their building in good localities.
The A. M. E. known as the Bess chapel
was the first to be organized. Their
present pastor is Rev. Boyd, who is do
ing well. The Baptist Church is pre-
sided over by Rev. J. w. Bowles, who
is good man, doing well. There
Church is beautifully located. J. D.
Hopkins is still in the pool hall and res
taurant although he has moved to an.
other and more desirable location. Mr.
G. B. Bright is working at the same
place as is also U. G. Smith Mr.. A. N.
Speed is relieving the pain in your feet
as a chiropodist. r. s. Joyce on Ash
street is doing well. J. Theodore Bell is
here studying law. Mr.. Bell is one of
our coming young lawyers.
Mr.. Findley is running rooming
house. John Mosley is still at 2O6
Summer street. Mrs. A. Walker, SIS
Argyle street. The Masonic Lodge is
doing mighty well here for a young or
der. They have purchased their own
ground and have built a lodge hall
where the colored orders meet and they
have business in first floor rented out.
We next visited Mason City, a thriv-
ing large city in northern Iowa with
the largest cement plant in the world
with her many other manufacturing in
dustries with a population of !. about
many doing well. One of the pioneers
is John D. Reeler, formerly barber,
but now he has opened a chiropodist
parlor in one Of the business blocks and
doing well. He also raised fine poultry.
Mr.. and Mrs. Reeler are quite active in
church and society. He is Grand Treas
urer Of the Masonic Lodge and his wife
is Deputy Grand Matron Of Iowa, just
elected last week. Mr.. and Mrs. M.
Brewston are buying their nice home.
They are proud of their son, Cecil, who
has Just graduated from the Mason City
High school and won so many state
honors in the way of first prizes for his
school and his race. He has many silver
cups and gold medals hanging on the
walls, and why should not any parent
feel proud of the athletic record of such
4 boy. He has about decided to enter
Iowa State University. Mrs. F. Wright,
who owns beautiful home out on
South East Twentieth street, her moth
er is living with her also. Mr.. Henry
Sims is rooming with them. Mr.. A. l..
Penix is still running his shoe shining
parlor They own valuable property.
Mr.. and Mrs. E. W. Goodwin on South
East Twentieth street owns very fine
modern home, which is a credit to any
city or race. They are formerly from
Iowa. There are two Churches
the Methodist Episcopal, who owns
very beautiful edifce; also a parsonage
free from incurbrance They have a
new pastor, Rev. Higbee, very able
young man, a graduate from the Geo.
r. Smith College Of Sedalia, Mo. The
other is the Baptist, who is organizing
a Church with Rev. Smith as leader.
Mr.. Harry Brown has a pool hall and
barber shop at 305 South Federal street.
Also Mr.. Ripper is running restaurant
in the same room, each doing well.
Horace and Henry Spencer, two broth
ers, who belong to the famous Spencer
Brothers, formerly from Jacksonville,
ILL.,, are still contractors doing large
business. Their well known brother,
John A., who was para1yzed, that lived
at Grinnell, is better now. He is IN
Jacksonville, III. Rev. f. j. Penny still
lives here. He has moved to 53l Fourth
North Feast and they wish to be re-
to all Of their acquaintance.