The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-26

The thelter, Of DrIck ana SloIe, iS tV be constructed by the Fifteenth Street Realty company for Peck under long term lease negotiated by Marh HOdo of the Smith -Schulrz-HOdo agency. Drawn by Jaco0 E. Snlie, architect, It Will be one of the most pretenticns and mod ern uegro amusement halls in the south. Front of the structure is planned as particularly attractive as it will follow an eal'y Italian period design.
 Development Of Fourth avenue has not been ostentaious although n com paratively short span of time has drought some noticeable changes. Less than two years ago the street offered little evidence of its possibilities. Be- low Seventeenth there were vast stretches filled haphazzardly with frame negro dwellings. There was little acti- , ity in a business way. The few realty operators who did pound the pavement under illusions of the streets ultimate value were graeled with open arms. To all outward appearances it was just "dead" artery with scarce a redeeminS l feature.
 About this time, however, some canny 1 investors oegl n to vaguely realize a | fu:ufe intrinsic worth of the property. palhaps they fOre-s3w the stretching outward of the present white trading ccMtecs, an encrOachment which would mean a displacement of the negro. To a large extent segregation IS sought and even deTna nded by both races.
 These investors studied conditions rhe intersection of Fourth with Ei@h' ;ccnth was the very heart of the great l ls A.so al. obstacles such as Third and Second did with their valuable pieces nf pro- perty held by white amusement houses It was apparently the logical thorough fare for development. They bought in and waited.
 The investors did not have to wait long. The negroes themselves senSed | the changes which were rapidly taking place and, after a few small improve ments, the most significant of all camC in the erection of the negro Masonic Temple. This structure, involving a half Of a million dollars, promoted 6y the black race settled wht tever doubt they might have had regarding the flu ture of Fourth as n negro trading ceas ter. One development followed another until in the past year around $1 000,Q0C has been invested iR property improve 'nent on Fourth below Eighteenth street.
 Today Fourth avenue between Seven teenth and Eighteenth street; present. a solid battery of negro business houses Beyond Seventeenth it is rapidly bein; built up and with the proposed theatel in the l500 block students anticipate ; thriving business section. Few cnte. prises have proved greater magnates tC retail trade.
 All of this development may point tC seI sral things but there is one whicl It assufedly signifies. IL means tha the negro has become q factor in th, ;Torerty market. In Birmingham Il, represents 3S per cent of the uopula tion. a mass which with it's huyin; power culled in an extenGive industria renter, is huge, Thc scowth of the rac' here and the increase in wages (auth oritive surveys pace the average seal, pad to the negro here above cities ir the uOrth) points that this force k e. the incline. And it is force which. i hnS never been seriously rcckOned witt 'Eefore, is now receiving close attention,