The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-04-18

Time was when the calling of the
colored architect was a most precari-
Gus one, and the demand for that pro-
fession was pitiably small and I'm
promising. The rapid growth Of the
Homecoming instinct and the thrift
and prosperity Of the race have work
ed wonders In the past twenty years,
and have so changed things that the
Negro architects genius Is frequent
~ drawn upon, and his is one of-the
most lucrative in which an enterpris
ing young colored man can engage
The massive 1000 Negro building
at, the Jamestown Exposition, design
ed: by w. Sidney Pittman for the eyes
OF all nations to gaze, upon and mar.
vel at, The success of William Cook
in winning a place in the Office Of the
Supervising Architect of the Treasury
by sheer merit In q competitive exam
ination, and the phenomenal opera
tons Of the firm Of J. A. Landlord
and Brother in many cities, have cali
ed special attention In the past few
months to the untold possibilities
bound up In this artistic branch of
industry for the right kind of men,
J. A. Landlord and Bro, Of whom we
hope to give an extended sketch soon,
are today admittedly the largest and
busiest firm Of architects and build
ers Of the race in the country, and
compare very favorably with the best
known establishments of the whites
both in the quality and quantity of
wok done. These are some Of Tho
largest buildings this firm has de-
signed in the last few months: The
Good Hope building in Baltimore, to
cost upwards Of 100000, said to be
the largest structure ever designed
by Negroes. The building extends
through an entire city block. 1t lis
strictly Of classic design, being of the
Roman and Ionic type. The building
is one hundred and fifty feet long,
sixty feet wide and one hundred feet
high; then there are to the credit of
this hustling firm three three-story
brick flats; a 24-room residence for
Rev. w. l.. Taylor, the president of
the True Reformers, at Richmond.
Va; a residence for the famous lee
turer and educator, D. Webster Da-
Wis; and the stately $4,000 Southern
Aid Association building, also at
Richmond; the parsonage of the St.
John A. Nj. T.. church at Norfolk, and
the imposing Queen Street Baptist
church in the anne city, together with
dozens Of buildings of normal size
and importance. .Lankford and Bro.
have their main office in q big office
building in Washington, D. c., con-
trolling the entire structure, and
have branch Offices in Baltimore, Rich
mond Norfolk, and Pensacola, Fla.
II may be said in ell truth--the Ne
gro architect Is not coming-he is al
ready here.
The annual election Of officers for
the Bethel Literary and Historical AS
sociation has taken place, and Miss
Marie A, D. Madre, the talented and
accomplished president, whose admin
istrat;on has been-a continuous tri-
| umpb, has been reelected without a
dissenting vote. The Judgment Of the
men and women who fought the ter
rible battle Of last year to finish to
hold the splendid organization true to
the mornings made sacred by the for
NATIVE hands Of Bishop Daniel A.
| Payne and Frederick Douglass, has
been -~goundly-y indicHted and the
Bethel Literary banner will be carried
on safely for another year by the reli-
able leaders they have chosen. The
| insurgents >e... discreetly remained
| away The officers elected besides
| President Madre we're as follows
First and second vice-presidents, L.
| G, Gregory and Mrs M. G.. Lewis; sec.
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