chapter twenty

-five on Hospitals and Homes, but came too late. It, however, will be of interest to my readers.

WARREN KING.

Mr. Warren King, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is making a most excellent impression among the better class of white people as to his qualifications as a splendid business man. Mr. King has taken charge of the restaurant in what is known as the Cumberland Flats. Only the very best people live in those Flats, and they must be persons of means to afford it. Mr. King boards all who live in those magnificent buildings. He has a great many friends, and is regarded by those who take meals in his restaurant as a most excellent manager.

J. A. BRABOY & SONS.

I have stated in several places in this book that colored people are here and there engaging in all kinds of business. It is with pleasure that I call attention to Mr. J. A. Braboy & Sons, of Kokomo, Ind. These gentlemen operate what is known as a "Temple of Music." They keep on hand a good assortment of high grade pianos and organs; in fact, they handle only the best that is on the market. In addition to their stock of pianos and organs, they keep a general line of music and musical instruments. Mr. Braboy owns splendid property, and is respected by the leading people in Kokomo.

MR. Z. E. WALKER.

Mr. Z. E. Walker, of Sumter, S. C., is one of the most successful merchants in that city. He operates what is known as a general store, where all kinds of goods are sold. He owns a great deal of very valuable property in town and one or two plantations in the country. He stands high in business, church and society. Mr. Walker began business with a very small amount of money, but is now looked upon as a very well-to-do man.

MR. W. G. JOHNSON.

Mr. W. G. Johnson, of Macon, Ga., has one of the best shoe stores in that city. His stock is not only large, but is in every way up to date. Mr. Johnson feels that if he buys the best goods made his people, and especially the better class of colored people, cannot have that as an excuse for giving their patronage to the white merchants. Aside from his shoe store, he owns some very excellent property; in fact, he owns the whole block in which his store is kept. He is a young man, and I believe has a useful future before him.

JAMES A. JOYCE.

Mr. James A. Joyce, of Cleveland, Ohio, is employed by the King Iron Bridge Co. of that city. Mr. Joyce is the only colored man engaged as a bridge draftsman in the U. S. A. His work for that company is making designs for high grade bridge work. Mr. Joyce has on several occasions been sent out on large contracts to oversee the construction of some very difficult work in their line. I am sorry that I am unable to give a picture of Mr. Joyce in connection with this brief mention of what I regard as a very important character in race history.

R. B. FITZGERALD.

Mr. Fitzgerald is a resident of Durham, N. C., and is one of the largest brick manufacturers in the United States. He makes a specialty of fine and ornamental brick. Mr. Fitzgerald lives in one of the handsomest residences in Durham. He is also interested in what is known as the Durham Real Estate, Mercantile and Manufacturing Company. It is not a "trust" or grasping monopoly; on the contrary, it is a trust for the people, through which, on the most generous plan, they can with absolute safety and ease become stockholders, do business and become factors in the mercantile world.

This corporation is formed under the laws of the State of North Carolina to promote manufacturing and mercantile interests, thus becoming a factor in the development of nature's resources as they exist in North Carolina, thereby opening up an avenue heretofore unknown to colored people.

The shares are low, within the reach of all. For $10.00 one can become a stockholder and will be entitled to an equal share of all profit, which dividends will be declared and paid at such periods as will be designated by their by-laws.

With ample capital, backed by such well known parties as R. B. Fitzgerald, P. H. Smith, D. A. Lane, and others, under its agreements consolidating large interests, it is able to provide homes and investments, large or small, at a great benefit to its patrons, and, with absolute safety and ease, enable one to become the owner of the most precious thing on earth--a home for his family.

HOSPITAL AND TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES.

The hospital and training school located at Charleston, S. C., was organized in 1897, for the purpose of training colored women as nurses. That such an institution was needed in that community is evidenced by the fact that their nurses are always in demand, and graduates find ready employment.

Students have been admitted to the institution, not only from Charleston and vicinity, but from all parts of this State, and from some adjoining States.

The course extends through two years, the first year being devoted to lectures and practical work in the hospital, and the second year to practical work in the hospital and to outside cases.

Thorough training is given in all branches of the nurse's profession, including the nursing of surgical cases. Tuition is free, and nurses are given board and lodging in the hospital building. Candidates for admission to the training school must be of good character, in good health, and have a common school education.

Further information may be procured by addressing the Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. A. C. McClennan, at the hospital, No. 135 Cannon St., Charleston, S. C.

The general public is asked to give what aid they can for the support and development of this most worthy institution. If those who have means to give would take into consideration that by educating some young colored lady as a trained nurse they have helped one more of the race to leave somebody's cook kitchen, and enter a life where they can not only be self-sustaining, but their position would give both dignity and standing to the race.

Dr. A. C. McClennan, who is in charge of the hospital, I found a very pleasant gentleman, and one who is kept busy with a large practice outside of the hospital work. This information came too late to be mentioned with other such institutions written up in my book.

DR. L. J. HARRIS.

Dr. L. J. Harris is a native of Virginia and a son of Samuel Harris, of Williamsburg, the noted merchant referred to on page 300 of this book. Dr. Harris is a graduate of Harvard, and has taken a special course of study in the treatment of the eye, ear, nose and throat, and has located in Boston, and gives all of his time to this special work. There have been a large number of colored doctors educated, and I think that, as a rule, they are succeeding in their profession as regular practitioners. But Dr. Harris is the first to establish himself as a specialist. We most certainly wish him well in this departure from a regular line of practice, and hope his success may inspire other young men to follow in his footsteps.

MR. EDWARD C. BERRY.

[Illustration: MR. E. C. BERRY.]

Mr. E. C. Berry, owner and proprietor of a $60,000 hotel at Athens, Ohio, is a man that I feel the world ought to know. He was born at Oberlin, Ohio, in 1855; his education was received at Albany, a hamlet in Athens county. When fifteen years of age he went to Athens and was employed as a hodcarrier on the Hospital for the Insane, then in course of building. Mr. Berry was married in 1875, and for a time he boarded his wife at his own people's home. His first business venture was a lunch counter, which he started without any means, and was already $40.00 in debt. After he had got fairly started his wife joined him, and in 1878 they opened a restaurant in a small building on the site of the present hotel, and Mr. Berry's peculiar talent for serving palatable viands made him the popular caterer of the town. His restaurant was often patronized by traveling men who would arrive too late to get a meal at the hotel, and because of the most excellent meals served at his restaurant those men would ask, Why do you not open a hotel? and at the same time would say, If you will, you can count on my being one of your patrons. So many of those who took meals at his restaurant said about the same thing to him that he felt encouraged to make the effort. In 1892 Mr. Berry purchased the adjoining building and commenced the erection of a twenty-room hotel. From the very first the business paid; the house was new, neat and clean, and always full of people, so much so that Mr. Berry soon found that his house was inadequate for the business. In 1894 he built two large sample rooms, over which he arranged four more sleeping rooms. But one year later was--because of the increase in his trade--forced to again enlarge his house. Up to that time he had spent very near five thousand dollars in improvements. In 1899 Mr. Berry enlarged his house to its present capacity, which is forty-six sleeping rooms, a dining room with a seating capacity of seventy-five, a light, well-ventilated room used exclusively for writing 20 by 40 feet, one reading room 15 by 30 feet, four good, light sample rooms on ground floor, and the whole house is heated with three large hot-water heaters, with public bath-rooms on each floor, and several rooms with bath. The success that has come to Mr. Berry in the hotel business is due wholly to the fact that he is a natural-born caterer and a splendid manager. I have traveled for years in this and other countries, and I am free to say that the "Hotel Berry" is one of the best furnished houses I ever saw. Mr. Berry gives his personal attention to every detail that will make those who are guests in his house comfortable. His trade comes only from the best people on the road. He employs two clerks, one white and one colored. Colored people who are refined and represent the same class of whites who stop there are never turned away. I was pleased to hear him say that much of his success was due to the constant oversight his wife had of affairs in the inside management of the house. I only wish I could write an article that would paint a word-picture strong enough to make the American people see what a magnificent hotel Mr. Berry really keeps. Aside from his very busy life, he finds time to do a lot of church work, and is looked upon as the leading man in the colored Baptist church of Athens.

[Illustration: E. C. BERRY'S $60,000 HOTEL.]

MR. DUMAR WATKINS.

[Illustration: MR. DUMAR WATKINS.]

Dumar Watkins is another member of the race who should be known by the American people at large. Mr. Watkins is holding a position and doing a line of work that has never been done by any colored man in connection with a white institution such as the one with which he is associated. My attention was called to him while lecturing at Princeton, N. J., by Rev. J. Q. Johnson. I am sure it will be as much a surprise to my readers, and I hope as much of a pleasure, as it was to me, when I learned that the pathologist of Princeton University was a colored man in the person of Dumar Watkins. When we called upon him we found him at his work, preparing some pathological slides for microscopic use. He is much liked at the university, and is considered very proficient in his work. The picture I present here of Mr. Watkins is a splendid likeness of the man. I need not tell my readers that Princeton University is regarded as one of the greatest schools in the world, and it ought to very much increase the colored people's race pride to know that a member of the race holds such a position there as Mr. Watkins occupies.

MR. LEWIS H. LATIMER.

[Illustration: MR. LEWIS H. LATIMER.]

Lewis H. Latimer, of New York city, is the only member of the race engaged in the line of work he represents. In 1880 Mr. Latimer entered the employ of the United States Electric Lighting Company as a draftsman and private secretary to Sir Hiram S. Maxim, of Maxim gun fame. In 1881 Mr. Latimer was sent to England by the above-named company to establish the manufacture of the incandescent electric lamps in the factory of the Maxim, Weston Electric Light Company of London. He returned in the latter part of 1882, and continued only a few months in the employment of the company who sent him abroad. For some time he served as draftsman and electrician in several minor companies. He was employed by the Edison Electric Light Company in 1886, and has remained with them practically ever since, although that company has been absorbed by the General Electric Lighting Company. Mr. Latimer is kept in what is known as the legal expert department, and is regarded as a very competent man in his profession. He stands almost alone in his work as a colored man. I have only known of about three members of the race who have made any effort along that line, but the other two never succeeded in making any headway, at least not enough to become known to any extent. Now, one can easily see that the people who employ Mr. Latimer must hold him in high esteem and place in him the most implicit confidence, or they would never have sent him to another country to represent their business. This mention of Mr. Latimer is another evidence that colored people are gradually but surely getting into all lines of business and professions, and I hope that in time we may call attention to other successful electricians among the race.

MR. J. S. ATWOOD.

[Illustration: MR. J. S. ATWOOD.]

Mr. J. S. Atwood, of Ripley, Ohio, is a member of the race who has a great many friends and admirers among both white and colored people. At present Mr. Atwood is engaged in the livery business on a very large scale. His horses and carriages are the best, and his trade comes from the leading people in the city. He not only owns the large building where his business is carried on, but he owns quite a number of others in the place. He was born a slave in Alabama, and is a brother of Mr. W. Q. Atwood, of Saginaw, Mich., who is also mentioned in this book. For years he has been active in the interest of his race, especially in defending their rights. He was one who urged Bishop Arnett to introduce the bill in the Ohio legislature that mixed the schools of the State, and in that way gave several thousand colored children an educational opportunity who had before that been kept out of school, as there were only colored schools in towns where the colored population was large. For sixteen years Mr. Atwood was a member of the board of councilmen of Ripley, Ohio. He has always been a strong and very influential Republican, but his general popularity as a leader and strong man was such that he was chosen by a Democratic governor to take the presidency of the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind, located at Columbus, Ohio. He served as president of this institution for five years, and while there brought about many reforms in the interest of the race. Before he went there colored people had never held positions of any kind at the institution; in fact, colored children had been put off by themselves to both eat and sleep. Mr. Atwood soon put a stop to that sort of thing, and he also appointed several colored people to different positions about the institution, such as clerks and teachers. Some of the colored teachers appointed by him gave such general satisfaction that they are still retained, although he has been away for years. At Ripley Mr. Atwood is looked upon as a very important citizen, and his color in no way stands in the way of his popularity and usefulness.

GEORGE W. FRANKLIN, JR.

[Illustration: GEORGE W. FRANKLIN, JR.]

George W. Franklin, Jr., was born in Rome, Ga., December 11, 1865. He learned the blacksmith trade with his father, who is still living and engaged at his trade. Mr. Franklin saved his money from childhood, and by the time he was a man he had enough to start business with. His first effort in a business way was a hack line and livery stable; in this he succeeded. Seeing the need of a colored undertaker in Rome, he began by making his own hearse, which was the first ever owned by a colored man in Rome. In time he wanted a larger field for his business, and moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., and opened an undertaker's establishment on a larger scale. In five years' time he built up a business that brought him several thousand dollars per year. He now owns three beautiful funeral cars and landau carriages, dead wagons and a beautiful lot of white horses. Mr. Franklin has over ten thousand dollars invested in his business and is out of debt. He is recognized by white undertakers to the extent that when either he or they have large funerals they will exchange carriages with each other. He buys only the best of everything used in his business, and has bought a large tract of land for burial purposes, which is known as East View Cemetery. I found him a very pleasant man. He is much interested in the race, and when Booker T. Washington called a meeting in 1900 of the colored business men of this country, which met in Boston, Mass., Mr. Franklin took an active part, and, in fact, gave an address there that was regarded as very able by the press of Boston.

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