The Dallas Express

Negroes Sail For Gold Coast, Africa.
(Preston News Service.)
New York, June 8.-Chas. W. Chappelle, president of African Union Company, Gold Coast. Africa, sailed Saturday, May 13th on the Baltic for the old Coast with nine associates to continue operations or the extensive holdings of this company in the rich Gold Coast.

Mr. Chappelle, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., made his first trip to Gold Coast in 1912 and spent four months in Africa during which time he saw wonderful business possibilities for the American Negro. He returned to this country and organized a company with such prominent American Negroes as Mr. Pettiford. president of the Penny Savings Bank of Birmingham, Ala., Dr. Emmett J. Scott, Secretary-Treasurer Howard University: Joseph L. Jones, founder of Central Regalia Company. Cincinnati, O.; Major R. R. Jackson, member of Illinois State Legislature, Chicago. Ill.; Mrs. Blunt, Cincinnati, O.: George M. Robb, business man of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Dr. Henry Allen Boyd, of the Baptist Publishing Board. Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Chappelle returned to Africa In 1913 and began shipping mahogany and in seven months the company had done over $40,000 worth of business. He returned to this country in December, 1913 to secure sufficient capital and organize and incorporate this company under the laws of the State of New York.

After returning to Africa in 1914. the war soon broke out and made impossible the development of export business during the war. In the mean-time he began to strengthen the resources of the company throughout the Gold Coast. The company is now capitalized at $200,000 and has resources in Africa variously estimated from three to ten million dollars.

Mr. Chappelle was compelled to remain in that country for nearly three years during this trip because of the business depression which made it difficult for him to secure sufficient finances with which to develop the company's operations in Africa.

With the party sailing for Africa are Mr. Hicks and wife, graduates of Tuskegee Institute, going as machinists to work in the shops of the company; William Curtis, wife and baby. of Sewickley, Pa., Mr. Curtis is an electrician and accountant. He was a lieutenant in the late war. Willis Adams and Thomas Cole, well known builders and cabinet makers of Pittsburgh, Pa. They will ply their wage for the company plans to build a number of factories to house the various industrial enterprises being carried on by it as well as build homes for the workmen, modeled after the American building plans. Already $45,000 of building contracts are to be completed within the next 18 months.

Two white men accompanied the party. Mr. Fox, who resigned his position as head of the wholesale department of foreign imports with the Montgomery, Ward and Company in Chicago, and joined the African Union Company to become its American purchasing agent. He is going to Africa to study the needs of the company at that end. Mr. J. W. Crow. also of Chicago, is accompanying the party to go over the resources of the company and put the whole proposition in the form of a prospectus.

A meeting of the Board of Directors of the African Union company was held a few weeks ago in the H. C. Frick Building in Pittsburgh, Pa., at which a bond issue was ordered for $250,000. These bonds are in the denominations of $500 and $1,000 each. They are 8 per cent, five year, convertible coupons and are in the hands of Dr. J. E. Banks, member of the Society of Civil Engineers of America, 518 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh. It is said that officials of several Negro banks throughout the country are considering taking over a block of these bonds.