The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-16
BEN. HARPER,

No one thing exerts SO beneficial an In
auence upon growing city as large
elegant, and well-kept hotel The active
business men and the mechanics OF our
place saw and felt this, years ago, and ag-
itated the subject good deal, but with no
practical result At one time vigorous
effort was made to form stock company
to build fine hotel, but the effort was i
failure. Our people saw with envlouS
eyes the superior energy OF our nelghbor
across the river, in that respect, and felt
its effect. Few travellers stopped on this
side. unless from business necessity Inc
effect upon business, population, common
fame, and even the appearance OF the
place was remarked by strangers who
visited the locality. And abroad We were
equally under cloud, We had no fine
hotel and we saw few strangers. Had the
matter Of hotels have been reversed our
town would have increased twice as fast
as the other side, for we had great nat
ural advantages which they had not. At
last Cornelius Smith came along here,
from central New York, and bought the
old Hadsell house, then standing where
the Harper now stands, and he built what
was called the "Island City Hotel" 1t
was an approach to first class house, and
was kept in very excellent manner, by
Tuxbury & Arnold. Whenit passed from
their management it went through various
hands, and It's name was changed to that
of 'Rodman House." but it never regained
the fine reputation which Tuxbury 4 Ar
mold gave 1t. In the fall of 1869 it was
burned to the ground.
MIR. Ben Harper, one of our largest prop
erty holders and most wealthy, energetic
and public spirited men, was the owner Of
the property, and he was persuaded to give
the town first class hotel. He set about
it at once, and in February 1871 he opened
the splendid edifce shown by the cut at
the head of this article. The scene
presented at the opening of the house viii
not soon be forgotten in Rock Island. In
vitations were sent far and wide, and from
many of the principal towns in Illinois ant
Iowa, and from St. Louis and Chicago es
pecially, came gallant men and fair ladie
D who made up one of the largest and fines
! ! parties ever seen in this city. The man
agement and the catering were all tina
e could be desired-and from that day t
S this the Harper House has done thirty
{ ing and steadily growing business. Ii
reputation, under the excellent manage
ment of Mr.. Harper, Is solid and endul
ing, and its patronage is steadily increai
:. ing. During the past winter it has done
e fine business-better than any winter sine
n it was opened. During the last month
n has been unusually full, and for sever;
nights past it has had more applicant
l than could be furnished with rooms, an
"A some have had to seek quarters elsewher
D. One of the features introduced by M
lie Harper is helps ball, every winter. Il
y never reduces help or wages in slack time
10 but those who stick by him in very bus
ID times and try to make the house success
,e he sticks by in dull times, even when the
10 ,may not be needed. And the annual bal
8 gift on his part, shows his kindly consi'
m Grafton for the social position and comic
n, of those who help to make his house su
N cess.
"a During the past winter Mr.. Harper hi
IN had corps of painters, carpenters and u
q. holsterers at work most of the winte
4 Every room in the house has been put
d tip-top order, every crack and crevice fillt
20 with putty or plaster of paris, the ceilin
in and walls of every room painted and va
IN nisned. as well as the wood work. All Il
* halls and stair-ways in the house have gol
T. through the same process. Also the wa
ne of the gentlemen's reading room, the r
n ception rooms and the dining room-aI
tv a coat of varnish over all the grainin
The mattresses have been newly removals
and filed the furniture all neatly repai
US ed, and in some rooms new furniture pr
an cured In most of the rooms handsome
u framed chromos adorn the walls-whi
~ the parlors, reception rooms and readiI
ed rooms contain fine and costly oil paintin
and groups of Rogers's statuary. Eve
R. room in the house is, therefore, just
u neat and sweet and healthy as it can pos
lr. bly, be made.
er The house has its own water works, al
at is supplied with gas from the city g
er works, owned by Mr.. Harper. 1t is warm
ng by steam, and its bath rooms and barber
to saloon are supplied with plenty of hot al
as cold soft water, soaps towels and eye
OK comfort. A first class drug store is &C
ge nected with the house, also gents furnis
lie ing store,-and capacious billiard room
Fir saloon, ETC., etc. Guests are supplied wi
ng excellent livery rigs for drives over t
to many pleasant roads in the vicinity.
mt For comfort, convenience, good livi
ne and careful attention there is no hotel
lat Illinois, outside of Chicago, that can col
or pare with the Harper House, in Rock
ay and. Nor is there house. in the sta
outside of Chicago, that does as good
an paying business the year around. Ia
- the daily bill of fare and compare it wi
ay the Palmer, the Grand Pacific, or t
nm Sherman, in Chicago, and it averages We
ed even with these great hotels. Perha
ne some dishes may not equal them in E
1..L IL L. ka1 oil al N