The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-01
What the Co1orod y Citizens :ii = IS Of
Richmond Have Done III
# the Near Past. a
CONDITIONS HERE REVIEWED
Richmond Leads All Cities il,
the Progress of$Its Col N.
ored Inhabitants.

led that each looked to hin, for bread,
and that his unfettersd hnnds could not
hang idly by his sido while those dcpen-
dent upon him needed food and shelter.
since that glad duy OF freedom, When ne
started with only. his strong arm, his
eager, trusting ,hourt, and, above all, INC
promise OF God to hep those who help
themselves, tho black man has risen
day BY day, and step by step, 70 success,
prosperity and happiness. lie has no
cause for feeling other than proud that
Ii, has peer ablo to see the! ycur 1904,
and that he can point to SO much that
has been done and SO we'll done by his
race. Ills strides In the. path of progress
have beer steady, firm and true ls.
Has tho negro, as a race, maze any
progress in tho beautiful city Of Rich
mond during tho few years Of his free
dom? Yes! a thousand times yes! For
H example, lobk at tho grand monuments
H OF Il William washington II Browne, tho
founder Of the Grand Fountain, United
Y Order OF Truo Ftsformcrs. This instttu-
tor IS entirely tho work Of a negro brain;
1t gives employment 70 young negro e',,
men and women of refinement and edu-
cation. Tho Truo Reformers' Hotel Is
the largest in the South Sundor the man
ngement Of negroes. Tho colored peopi3
point with pride to their banks, four IN
numbor-The. Savings Bank OF the Grand
Fountain, United Order Of True Reforms
ers. The Mechanics Savings Bank, The
st. Luloa's Penny Savings Bank and tho
Nickel savings Bank. All these banks
faro owned and operated BY. negroes. Their
combined deposits exceed three hundred
and fifty thousand dollars. x. @t,
Among the many varied enterprises opc-
rated by colored peoploSln Richmond Will
be found the following: e &5
Tho American beneficial Insurance
Company y, with Rev WE. Graham as
president since Its organization. IN All
gust, 1902, has paid more than $4,000 In
benefits ana has a capital stock of $20, 900.
More than two hundred persons are cm-
ployed In conducting its affairs. Benjn-
min Peyton is the business manager.
Tho Richmond Boneficfai Insurance
Company has Il membership Of several
thousand persons, and has paid over
s175, 600 in benefits.
The Southern Aid Association, The Gal.
leo Fisherman Association, Tho United
Aid insurance Society, The Endowment
Association OF Virginia. The Good Samari-
tans, the knights Of Pythias and tho
independent Order Of st. Lukes. are
among the most progressive fraternal
and insurance societies, which are oil
doing much for the protection of the
;colored man IN sickness and distress.
THE drug business is represented MS
street Pharmacy, Smiths Pharmacy
Nest Leigh Street Pharmacy: CO
THE colored people conduct two sic
ctssful laundries, where excellent work Is
donc-Rfchmond Steam Laundry, With a
! blant valued at moro. than SIG, 900, and
Ntl.s metropolitan Laundry. with a smaller
though up-to-date plant.
There are many firms furnishing con-
dictionaries and engaged In tho manu-
facture Of leo creum
There will be found several hundred
grocery stores conducted by the colored
|peoplc, carrying stocks ranging invalue
| from $50: to $1,000 The most prominent
II of these are The Reformers' Mercantile
and Industrial. Association, the Richmond
\ Grocery Company, Stewards Grocery,
The Noman's Grocery. and others.
4 .argo part Of the blacksmlthing and
wheelwright business Is done by COL
ored men in their5own establishments.
Some Of tho most substantial buildings
in Richmond have been erected by. colorcd
contractors.
There are also many colorcd brick con-
tractors.
There is only one colorcd shoe store in
Richmond
There .re tvSD large dealers in Ice and
one firm doing a Wholesale and retail
MOOD business.
soro ol tho finest barber shops in
Richmond are owned and operated by
cclored men.
Tho now Enterprise clothing store open
ed about six months ago.
Two millinery establishments ire con-
Quoted by cclored women.
9The Negro Exposition and Development
Assoclation, Of which Giles B. Jackson Is
Tho moving spirit, is also another EVIL
dence OF PROGRESS. y
There are more than fifty, eating houses
conducted by colorcd pe5pls. while there
are only three establishments which
are clussed as restaurants.
Artistic paper hanging is done by two
uciored men III .j IA @
All deaths among tho colored people
are attended by colorcd undertakcrs. who
do embalming and carry. stocks valued
at from few hundreds to $40. O00
some or the finest hearses and car
rlages III the city are owned by colorcd
! liverymen.
There are numerous colored dealers In
fish, oysters and game In the city.
Tho five colored weekly newspapers az
the city have q combined circulation OF
oycr 10000 copies weekly. and go to every
part of tho country; they are Tho Re-
Former; The Richmond Planet, The Viz
gina Baptist Reporter, The st. Lukes
Herald and The Negro Advocate. ..
Richmond can boast OF tho finest COL
Oreu CllufCheS III lIlc COuIlkly''l
There are eleven practicing physicians
emong the colored people, all enjoying q
paying practice.
There are ten colored lawyers
There are more than q dozen 11otarles
rubiu among tho colored people, ono
OF whom Is a female
The colored people have two hospitals.
tho sWon,ans League Training, School
and Hospital on Third Street, and tho
Richmond Hospital on Baker street, vi
Tliere are two old folks homes for the
q ed. the Richmond, Charitable Union
o. jackson Street, and tho Reformcrs
Old Folks Homo at Westhan1. va.
There are two colored settl Snents ono
ut Jonesboro and TIM otleD iat Vest
hnm.s
end the streets have been graded, a saw
mill is now in operation, turning out
thousands Of feet Of lumber day, Jones'
looro has been Incorporated. with q canl-
fai stock of $4,000, During the early
snring it is proposed to build a. large
store aud commission house, a box fac
forw and n number. of handsome resi-
dences. There are more than thlrty,ilye
rains day passing through this settle