The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-09-23

washington, ~. u, Sept. 22.-The
Lincoln Memorial Companys $4OO,-
600 otf1ce-building and theater, for
the accommodation Of the profession
al and business Negroes of Washing
ton, Is on the way.
An important meeting or the Off
GERS, directors and members of the
advisory board was held Friday even
ing at the headquarters Of the Lin
coin Company 494 Louisiana Avenue,
and many matters we're discussed
looking to an early ground-b breaking.
Inc plans, now practically completed,
were exhibited by Architect w. Sid
ney Pttman, and gone over carefully.
All pronounced the structure a hand
some one and the evident progress
made generated renewed enthusiasm
among the stockholders who viewed
them.
The site Ia to be in the heart OF
the business section Of the capital,
and the building will rise seven sto-
r1es The material will be of the
very beat character, including stone,
brick and terra Gotta, reinforced by
a steel frame, making the structure
freproof and modern in every partic-
uiar. Besides the sixty office-rooms,
there will be q theater arranged to
seat $500 persons and a roof-garden
that Will accommodate even larger
number. The charter Is issued I'M
der the laws OF the State of Della
ware, and the officers In charge of the
management of the company's af-
fairs are all men Of unimpeachable
integrity, each Of whom has made g.
success In business along his own In
diyidual line. o.. .....
Not only Is the project approved
blythe progressive ee1ored people OF
= Washington, bnt applications for.
stock are being received daily from
some OF the most substantial mon
eyed men from every section of the
land, eager to secure the same while
shares remain at the low rate Of $40
per share. The shrewdest capitalists
or both races between the oceans
pronounce this movement "a national
monument to the thrift, industry and
enterprise Of the Negroes Of Amer
1ca,' saying 1T will All long-fe]t-
want and prove to be an absolutely
safe investment.
The very elaborate and comDre-
henslVe prospectus sets forth in lu-
mlnous form the exact amount Of rev.
enue that the building is likely to
produce and 1t is estimated that I'm
der average conditions the dividends
earned Will equal not less than 20
per cent on the total capitalization.
washington has but one office build
ing OF any consequence owned by
Negroes, and the colored people are
restricted to the galleries Of the sew
en- theatres run by the whites in the
CITY The Lincoln offers elegant quar-
tiers to the tasteful colored lawyers,
doctors, dentists and various BUSH
ness enterprises now begging for suit
able places In which to carry on their
work, and will render available an
inviting home for dramatic and mu-
sical art, affording much-needed
amusement center for the prescribed
97,483 Negroes Of the national CAP
ital, to whom 1t will appeal for pat
ronage.
100000, at first glance, sounds
like a sight of money" but when
the apparently enormous burden Is
divided into small $40 Jumps, it will
require only 100000 of the 100000
Negroes In the entire country to carry
1t on to the goal All Of the money
VIII not be needed at once. When q
goodly amount is raised, operations
can be commenced, and when the
house Is completed, while the pay
ments are coming in, it will begin at
once to draw revenues that will soon
bridge the gap between the com
pany and it's 100000 obligation.
Although the stock is being sold with
gratifying rapidity, In order to expe-
dite the disposal of the remainder, 1t
has been decided to place a number
Of active agents in the field to arouse
the people In the several states, and
to enlarge the sphere Of the corpora.
TONS influence, as it is desired tc
make the enterprise truly national
The officers Of the Lincoln Memo.
rial Building Company, are: w. Sid
ney Pittman, president; William A
Bowie, secretary; Dr. G.. II. Marshall
treasurer; George f. Collins, coun.
sci. The directors are: J. w. Lewis
DR.. s.. @. Elbert,S. II. Boiling, w
A. Bowie, G. F. Collins, J. l.
Forbes, DR.. G. II. Marshall, G.. w
Robinson, L. II. Singleton and Sam
uel w. Rutherford. The Advisory
Board, Of which G.. w. Robinson II
chairman, includes DR.. w. l.. Board
John G. Dancy, Henry Forrest, r
w. Thompson, DR.. j. w. Morse, Rob