The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-07-29
WORK
OF THIS NORTH CAROLINA OR
GANIzATIoN EXTRAORDINARY
Founders, Ofilcers and Managers all
Negroes Who. Are Demonstrating
Ability Of tilf Race to Manage and
Conduct Large Business. -. .
(By Horace B. slatter.)

1 --~--
i (By Horace B. slatter.) 49,
| Terre Hautes Ind, July 24.-One
Of the most concrete examples of the
liability Of the Negro to manage and
conduct large@ business establish
ments cooperative In. character and
PREACHING out ntNaried communities
1s furnished III the successful work
OF the North Carolina Mutual and
Provident Association, with head
quarters and the home Office at Dur
ham, North Carolina. This concern Is
distinctly negroidi having for It's
founders officers, and managers, all
Negro men," with ]only Negro money
financing It. The establishment has
lived long enough ito be past the ex-
detrimental stage, and is now an as
| sured success. ..sat
! Its work Ia strsng, forcible, sure.
It's assets reliable& and safe. and it's
managers and responsible heads have
all the marks, OF thorough business
men, as much assif they had been
brought up under, the atmosphere of
high finance. To go through this es-
Enlistment, even IN the confines Of
Its headquarters,.' is to invite the
highest kind, ofsaamiration for the
genius that mada It possible and for
the executive ability that holds 1t
intact. ~ = '"'. .@ T.:
The North Carolina Mutual and
Provident Association had it's begin
ming in the city&,of Durham, N. c.,
In October 1908. It would be wrong
to intimate that all was smooth sail
Ing daring the infancy of this enter
prise. Its managers knew nothing
| OF insurance from. experience. {; The
people it was to laerve. had not yet
learned to have faith In the prom
ises Of Negro business men. Small
wonder there Is that the organization,
being pioneer in that section Of the
country was unable to weather the
storm and safely encounter all the
difficulties That stood tn the path to-
Wards success nslaa1' john; dsEfiS:k
DIR. A. Nh M GORE, ~ f5pAu1dfng'
became the directing officers. Cold
gathering faets;s,like dry columns of
the census tables show how success
full has been the management. The
| records of the company. show that
more than 10000 members have
been written, and over half million
dollars paid in benefits. The compa-
ny has assets of more than 100000,
consisting Of real estate in Durham
and Wilmington, N. c.. and. Column
bia, S. c., stock in the Mechanics and
Farmers Bank Of Durham, mortgag-
es, notes and cash
The home Office Is located in
block assessed at $4,000, which the
company owns, which building rs
the centre of business and profres-
s'onal Interests among the Negro peo-
pie Of Durham. The company also
mas $4,000 in cash deposited with
the insurance commissioner Of South
Carolina to protect it's contracts in
that state. In it's building at Durham
which Is located in the centre Of the
business district Of the city, on Parish
street, are found some Of the princi-
pal business houses and professional
offices Of the community. Among
these are offices Of J. N. Mills, M. D.;
G. H. Sheppard, NJ D.; A, M. Moore,
M. D.; F. T. Page, M. D.; w. S. In
gram, Secretary G.. u. o. Of o. F.;
main office Of Royal Knights OF King
tDavid; Mechanics and Farmers Bank:
j. II. Allen, Tailor and Gents Furnish
ings; William Aliens barber shop;
Bull City Drug Store and other es-
Establishments
| John Merrick, president" of the
North Carolina Mutual and Provident
Association Is one Of the most promi-
nent men Of the Negro race in North
Carolina. He was born in Clinton.
Sampson county, N. c., in Septem-
Der, 1859. He grew to manhood in
Raleigh, N. c., and began life as a.
lbrickmason, and afterwards barber.
He remained in the tonsorial business
until few years ago, when the Raj
leigh shop, admitted to have been
small In the beginning had grown
to be one of the finest and most sue
lcessful in the state. This business
remained the same, although he had
removed to Durham with his wife.
who was a Miss Martha} Hunter.
The success that attended Mr.. Mer-
rick in this business perhaps goaded
him on to further efforts.
1 The North Carolina Association
was founded in 1899, and since
its organization, he has been Of val
liable assistance in it's growth and
, management. Besides being at the
mead Of this great enterprise, Mr.
, Merrick is q valuable church worker
being a steward and trustee of the A.
, M. F.. Church, and Presient OF the Al.
, len Christian Bndeavor League. He
, is Vice-President Of the Mechanics
? and Farmers bank, a director In the