The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-15
FACTS ABoUT SARATOGA HOTELS.
why they DO Not Pay-A Heavy Invsesment
"A Talk with Caterer

SARATOGA, Aug. 19.-"Are the hotels pay
ing this season. inquired OF wcll-snown
New Yorker who supplies the summer palaces
with many OF their Injuries.
Payingi l should say not" replied the
caterer. leaning back In a comfortable manner
in his largo easy chair. and placing his feet on
the broad rail of the Grand Union piazza.
Tako this house. for instance" he con-
tinued. settling down for n talk. There are
$50 rooms in the hotel proper. besides adioin-
ing buildings used during the rush OF 1875 At
the opening Of the season Clair and Jewell,
men who know how TO run n hotel,
made preparations for u full house, Tho hotel
was nllcd with servants. the best OF everything
the market affords was supplied in abundance
at the tables. Lothian band was engaged AT an
expense OF about VI 900 week. the ballroom,
with the picture called Genius Of America "
(which cost Stewart $40 OOOl. decorating the wall
facing the entrance. was polished and the ho2r
freshly waXcd; the club house apartments,
bowling alley and grounds were put in apple
pie order, and all the richly furnished rooms
made fresh and comfortable II was nearly all
in vain, For weeks the colossal dining, room
wns like banquet hall deserted. Walters
ranged along the sides, whiting patiently for
guests to take their seats who never came. Al
least two-thirds Of the tables were vacant and
they are not much moro than half filled now
each guest. Finally the help list was cut down
more than hundred walters being dismissed.
The house Is run very literally, though some
f2l to f2S per week"
Although some persons grumble ut tho high
rates charged 10y Saratoga hotel Keepers my
Informant continued. the best Of them cannot
AFFORD to- keep guests for less than IS per day.
The season only lasts about eight weeks. and
the investment is heavy. For instance. there
are two millions tied up in this house. Then
look at tho list OF dishes served ut the three
meals They will average ono hundred and
fifty at the best hotels. Many Of tho guests call
for forty dishes n day some Of which are merely
picked az and tasted. The same dishes in any
tlrs-class restaurant would cost 800. II tho
house was full there would be- margin Of
profit. But the place Is not half filed. rs said
people call Judge Hlton's iniuliciQus move
last year, the. rush TO Europe. or the dull times,
| cannot say"
How about the other hotels ?"
There are none Of them max ing any money
TO speak OF. The United States has very nris-
tOcratic set OF guests but there are not enough
Of them to make 1t pay. Marvin Is prince OF
landlords. but he has already failed twice"
its present European plan z"
That IL hard to say. Look at II now. 1t IL
the most elegant house here \ lady Of means
sunk nearly quarter OF amillion in II. Judge
venture. 1t is furnished richer than palace
and yet tn" rooms are nearly all empty. The
most familiar sight in Broadway is the black
enamelled omnibus. running between the house
and the railway station, always empty: A
| friend informed me That. Mt the end OF July
there were less than n score Of guests in the
house. The place Is noted for its rich table
| dhote and superior pastry and ices"
Congress Hall Is nearly tulip
Yes hut SO "A day will leave light margin
at the close Of IA short season
Stll the town Is liVcyF
~ Oh, yes great many persons are stopping
| nj the private boarding houses. They help III
| the hotel corridors In the evening. and many o
.tt L. A.