W. Q. ATWOOD.
Mr. W. Q. Atwood, of East Saginaw, Mich., is one of the largest lumber dealers in the United States.
Mr. Atwood was born a slave, but in spite of that fact he is a well-informed man in every way. He was born in Alabama, but left there for East Saginaw, Mich., in 1863. He has been a successful land, real estate and lumber dealer ever since he landed in the city.
In 1863, he located 1600 acres of land and sold the same during the same year, clearing $4,000. This was his first deal.
In 1868, with thirty men and eight teams, he cut and put in 3,000,000 feet of pine saw logs, and manufactured the same into lumber during the following year. He continued lumbering each year, cutting from one to five million feet, until 1877, and has made from ten to twenty-five dollars per thousand feet.
W. Q. ATWOOD.
Mr. Atwood has given employment to large bodies of men. In all his business transactions he has endeavored to use his own capital, and has invested it very carefully. He is worth about $100,000. He is a leader in political, social and commercial matters in his city. He is the only colored member of the Board of Trade.
I regard his career a worthy example of what can be accomplished by men of the race, possessing the requisite qualities of patience, enterprise and foresight.