Arizona sun., 1948-05-07
Who's Who On
East Broadway
BY L. w. PITTMAN

NEQlCOrS NOCe. lnlS is the IlrSC III
a series of articles which will be
a weekly feature in the SUN
about the East Broadway Home
Builders)
East Broadway as we see it to-
day is the result of little housing
project started by Arizonians who
had dreams as early as 1945, and
who preceded to try to master
their dreams.
The cruel hand of fate is always
present when dreams invision fl
nance of astronomical proportions,
so the little fire kindled by the
dreamers of the hour almost dis
appeared.
Hence, our first concern is to
present to you those who are the
engineers of a thriving and pro-
gressive building project-those
who have famed the little fire into
a great unquenchable flame.
If you appreciate Broadway, then
you must appreciate the trying
moments of Mr.. B. w. Williams
and father-of how after they had
gotten their feet wet in the prof.
ect, they were chilled with finan-
cial pneumonia. Feeling they were
headed for sure death, Mr.. B. W..
Williams called a brother-in-law,
j. S. Jones, from Dallas, Texas.
"Dr. Jones" demanded that if his
brother-in-law could answer IT
questions favorably, he (Jones)
would come out and investigate.
Among the questions asked were:
the location of East Broadway and
the Negro population. In the mean
time, Mr.. J. B. Jones came out
with his brother, J. S. Jones.
They found that it was necessary
to raise $15,200.00 Immediately.
They set up a program, and with
the aid of the following succeeded
in two days: L. Wedlow, Mrs. c..
Montgomery, H. Montgomery, D.
w. Williams, Jimmie Williams, San
Francisco; r. L. Williams, J. S.
Jones, J. B. Jones, Rev. T. ]. Town
send, E. Powers, I. Davis, Mrs. O..
D. Crosse, w. Vaughn, A. Gipson,
]. B. Holmes, Rev. J. A. Moten, j.
L. Davis, Rev. J. w. Williams, Rev.
J. w. Taylor and Mrs. M. E. Daw-
son.
The above are the stockholders
who met the dead line of the Es-
crow Agreement as of Jan. 1st,
1916. They are the citizens who
limelight not only E. Broadway,
but the State of Arizona and the
Negro builders of America.
The first annual meeting elected
the following officers: J. S. Jones,
Pres; B. w. Williams, LIST Vice
Pres; Louis Wedlow, End Vice
Pres; Rev. T. J. Townsend, Secy-
Treas; and J. B. Zones, Asst. Sec
retary.
+ East Broadway-A barren land,
unsung and unkept only a few
years ago, is fast becoming the
Harlem of Arizona, and yet, it
holds charm that makes it the
envy of all who see it. Now thriv-
ing with seventy homes completed
or near completion, those who now
constitute it's residents feel that no
name short of "the garden spot of
the world" is adequate to give it
fitting description.
Totaling a hundred and sixty
acres, with sixty acres set aside for
building homes, its officers have
been swamped with applications
that have exceeded all expecta-
tions, and the building of homes
have never caught up with the de-
mand. Already the total construc-
ton has reached the half million
dollar mark. Plans are now being
perfected for first-class shopping
center. Bonds have already been
approved for construction of a
modern school because of the fast
growing population The cost of the
homes range from as low as $500,
on juicy installments.
The palatial estate which houses
the officers of the Progressive
Builders, will eventually be remod-
eled and converted into recrea-