The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-07
Accommodation. of tho Centennial.


The Philadelphia journals have been dis
cussing the question of accommodation for
the thousands of visitors who will probably
go TO the Centennial. This has been one OF the
really serious problems attending the practl-
cal working of the Exhibition. Philadelphia
is a large, commodious and, in some respects,
a peculiar city. There are few hotels. We
suppose, II the space devoted to the entertain
ment OF travellers were occupied to Its fullest
extent there would not be room for i've thou
sand guests in addition to the ordinary popu-
lation. One of the plans proposed to meet
this want is the building of new hotels This
was attempted at Vienna, and In nearly every
case the experiment was disastrous. Phia-
delphA should have moro hotel accommoda-
ton, but capital will hardly spend the sums
necessary to build proper hotels merely for
the profits of o single exceptionally busy
season.
Another plan is the running OF swift trains
from New York to Philadelphia. Colonel
Scott has demonstrated that be can take pas
sengers from Jersey City to the Centennial
grounds in less than two hours BY this
means visitor could leave his hotel in New
York at half-past seven, be in Philadelphia at
ten, and, leaving there at fve be home again
for late dinner. Still four hours, or practi-
cally five hours daily travel over railroads is q
large price to pay even for the benefit of see
ing the Centennial Exhibition. One of the
dangers is that the hotel proprietors Of Phila-
delphia will advance their prices largely. This
win remedy ITSELF as it did in Vienna. where
the result of the sudden advance was to drive
everybody out of the city and paralyze the
Exhibition, and hotel keepers went about
on their knees Offering rooms for any
price. The Philadelphia Press has taken
pains to inquire of the hotel proprietors what
they propose to do in the way Of advancing
their rates. They satisfied the editor of that
journal that ''the visitors will be treated by
the hotel landlords Hospitality, generously and
fairly" and that "where any advance is
made it will be within the limits of
from fifty cents to dollar day, according
to the house" 1t is not pleasant to find hotel
keepers proposing even to make this advance
on their ordinary rates. It would be much bet
hotel keepers would announce that, during the
Centennial, they would take guests at q de-
crease of fifty cents or dollar day. There
is no reason that we can see in any of the
publications in the Philadelphia papers for
such ON advance. Increased business will be
increased gain. Because a hotel has five hun
bred guests where it has been struggling along
with fifty or one hundred, there is no reason
for asking dollar extra a day. 1t is not de-
manded by the exigencies of the business. 1t
will be regarded as an avarcious grasping for
profit and an attempt to utilize great na-
tional event for their own gain.
AS human nature goes we could not expect
much better from hotel keepers. The accom-
mediation question will have to be settled in
other WAYS. The press informs us that the
hotel keepers in Now York propose to reduce
their rates during the Centennial season, and
that they will do 1t by concerted and'united
action" AS the Exhibition will be in the
summer, when hotels are not largely
patronized in New York, they can readily
afford to do this. II would be an act of wis
dom. We also hear that system of sleeping
Car trains is being organized, enabling passen-
gers to live in palace cars at so much day.
'In these trains a small party can come and
spend one day or two or three at the Centen-
NAL grounds with their own cook and SER
wants at hand and their own parlor and cham
Der at their disposal" We have no doubt
that the ingenuity of our people will find the
means to accommodate all visitors during
this Centennial time. The wisest thing would
be for the people of Philadelphia who have
houses with more room than they require to
agree upon a system of general accommoda-
ton. By this means, by little concerted
action in the hands of judicious committee,
ten thousand rooms might be thrown open at
ordinary rates to the crowd of strangers who
will certainly visit that city. This will be the
best plan after all If it is properly managed
it will quickly solve the hotel problem.