The illustrious example of his father has fired the ambition of Charles M. Black, who was reared in Montreal and Winnipeg. Making good use of time, talents and opportunities, he has steadily progressed and is today a well known factor in insurance brokerage circles of Montreal. The business of the firm of R. Howard & Company was established in 1901 and was organized under the present firm style on the 1st of February, 1913, when Charles M. Black became a member of the firm, of which he has since been secretary and treasurer, with Robert Howard as the president. He had received thorough initial business training in three years’ connection with his father, and he is also secretary and treasurer of the Financial Investment Company. A young man of determination and energy, he carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, and obstacles and difficulties in his path serve but as an impetus for renewed effort on his part. JOHN PRATT. High on the list of Montreal’s worthy citizens who have passed from this life appears the name of John Pratt, who from 1839 until 1872 was one of the prosperous merchants of the city. He was born at Berthier, en haut, on the 20th of July, 1812, and after a well spent life of sixty-four years passed away July 22, 1876. He was survived for only a few weeks by his brother, Mr. C. F. Pratt, with whom he had commenced his business career and with whom he was almost continuously associated thereafter. The father was a merchant at Berthier and in 1833 the sons, Charles F. and John, left the paternal home to establish a business house in Quebec under the firm name of C. F. Pratt & Company. Having succeeded almost beyond his expectations in that city, John Pratt opened a branch establishment at Three Rivers and, as in Quebec, won almost immediate prosperity in the conduct of the enterprise. Soon the brothers found that their sphere of action was too limited and in 1839 they extended the scope of their interests by founding the well known leather house of John Pratt & Company in Montreal.