The Denver star., 1914-08-22
~ RALPH W. TYLER

Nashville, Tenn.-There is q delight
full aroma Of culture pervading this
Fiskized city that IL equaled only by
the traditional hospitality Of its citi-
xens. refer especially to the colored
citizens. The atmosphere which dear
old Fisk university has terminated
here has produced some splendid men
and women and invigorated activity.
Nashville has a powerful lever for
business progress among our people in
its Negro board Of trade, which evolved
from its Negro Business league. l
have previously stated that in every
city 1 have visited where there exists
a strong, active Negro business or
ganization there one finds buainess
progress. The Negro board Of tfade
here, Of which that most enicient busi-
ness man, ]. G. Napier, is president. is
doing much for the colored people Of
this city. .
The Negroes of this city have $1,000
600 in real estate on the tax books in
their name. Wonderful: They have
5000 900 in cash on deposit in the
local banks. Marvellous! They have
two banks that are being efncisntly
conducted, which shows that the
Negro, as a promoter of financial in
stitudons. is no nondescript. The Dime
Savings bank, of which DR.. r. 81. Boyd
is president and ]. c. Napier cashier
and guiding genius. is the Oldest. and
30 wisely has It been conducted that
were It to go into voluntary liquidation
today it could pay depositors dollar for
dollar and pay stockholders, including
the 81 per cent dividends already paid.
$1.95 for every dollar invested In its
stock.
Nashville has Negro owned ceme
terry which, for size, beauty and the
care taken of it, surpasses anything Of
it's kind in the country. 1t has pleas
ure park. purchased. improved and
conducted by Preston Taylor, thAt has
NO counterpart in the country ~ to
area, natural beauty. amusefnentD and
character Of its buildings. Nashville is
the home of the Baptist PublishlA9
House, that wonderfully systematized
plant, giving employment to $50 young
colored men and women, which was
founded by DR.. r. 81. Boyd. 1t is also
the home of the A. N. e. Publishing
House, whose success has been made
secure by Ira T. Bryant's eficient man
agement The largest nursery and
horticulture plant in this city is tho
one owned and long conducted by Joe
Brown and known far and wide 40
the Lischy nursery and greenhouses.
The three days spent in this city cars
fully investigating every phase of Ne
gro life, especially in business. con-
vinced me that the 10000 of our people
in this city have registered high Wa
ter mark Of business. of economical
success equaled by but few communi-
ties and surpassed by none.
Here you will find the race actively
and successfully engaged as manufac-
turers. printers. publishers. furniture
dealers, electricians. bankers, grocers.
real estate agents, merchandising trans
fer, theatrical. architects. etc. Taken
as a whole. this is a community Of Ne
groes who are strongly religious, but
who. as DIR. Boyd has urged, have put
business into their religion. The refi-
gious intensity of the people here II
evidenced by the fact that there are
6fty-two Baptist. thirty-seven A. NJ. e..
three Presbyterian. three Congrega-
tional. one Catholic, one Church Of
God, three Christian. one United Breth-
rem and one Seventh Day Adventist
churches. a total of 1902 churches
There are thirteen public schools and
1AC
teachers and professors. Sixty-two
physicians preserve the health Of the
community. eight dentists look after
the care OF the community's teeth. and
~'-'". civil aud