The Washington bee., 1910-01-22
Race PROGRESS
NOTES ON RACIAL PROGRESS
AS REPORTED BY THE MA
TIONAL NEGRO BUSI-
NESS LEAGUE

COMPANY OF MODlle, Alabama. Inc
first days deposits JANUARY 8th)
amounted to $I,8oooI. The bank
has an authorized capital of $4,000
with $26,o45 paid in.
It's president is Henry N. New
some; cashier, James R. Knox; man.
ager of the Real Estate Department,
VIM. ]. Robinson; stenographer,
Miss Sarah ]. Duncan. The bank
will do business in its own quarters,
three-story brick building, 256 St.
Michael Street, which the directors
recently purchased.
Marion, Alabama, although a small
town, is fortunate in having quite
number of thrifty, industrious and
well-to-do business men and farmers.
Some of those who are worthy of
mention are Messrs. s. Daniel, Gill
bert Jones, Charles Smiley, J. H.
Key and Gus. Mitchell who are
principally in the grocery business,
carrying stock any where from $500
to $4,000. The leading merchants,
however, are the Childs Bros, who
are not only the proprietors of one
of the largest groceries in the place,
located on the main street in their
own building, but they are also con-
fectioners and own the only bakery
in town. Twenty-Five or thirty years
ago their father started the latter
business, and the sons have continu
ed it ever since, without any compe
tition. They likewise run a truck
patch, of two acres, from which they
sold $500 worth of plants last spring
and $500 worth Of cabbage this fall
besides other garden products.
Some of the other frugal and we'll
to-do farmers are Messrs. Edward
Wedgeworth, Summit Anderson, Ed
ward Towns and Orange Benson,
who manage from 100 to $50 acres
yearly.
H. B. Davis is the proprietor of a
cafe for whites. It is very popular
and well patronized. He has been
in the business for over thirty years
and has made money at it.
John Williams is a large brick
manufacturer, having years of ex-
perience, by means of which he has
Prospered.
VIM. M. Aston has been for over
fourteen years instructor in the Me
chanical Department of the Orphan
Home for white children, located at
Oxford, n. c. The Home is the
Home is the property of the Grand
Lodge of white Masons of the State
The Legislature usually appropriates
$4,000 for its maintenance annually.
There are about 335 pupils of both
sexes in the orphanage - I25 of
whom are boys. Mr.. Aston teaches
the latter how to make sash, doors,
blinds, and build stairways. He is.
the only colored person employed
therein such a capacity.
More than once, efforts have been
made to displace him for a white
man; but on account of his services.
being so satisfactory, the authorities
of the institution have persistently
refused to need the entreaties of the
petitioners, or to be influenced by the
demands of the prejudiced.
The Silk Manufacturing Company
of Rock Mount, N. c., incorporated
with an authorized capital of $780,
600, began business, November IS,
1909. It is the only Negro manufac-
tory in the world on so extensive a
plan of operation. The work is done
in a four-story wooden building
with a frontage of 40 feet and a
depth of $50.
On the first floor is the silk fac
tory; the second and third, cotton;
on the fourth, there is an evolution
of the raw material into the finished
products, such as overalls, jackets,
aprons and the like.
The operatives in this factory are
two or three hundred boys and girls
whose ages range from 10 to IS
wears. together with goodly NUM-
ber of young women. The officers OF
the company are, T. w. ThurstOn'
president; o. J, Pittman, vice presi-
dent c. F. Rich, secretary and at
torney, s. NJ Young, treasurer; f.