The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-05
'AMAeNIFICENT FAILURE.
A visit to Riverside, and What was
Seen.
A Town where Working Man Could not
Live, and where the Capitalists do not
seem to care to Live--A HalfMil-
lion Dollar Hotel doing
NAfI

lion Dollar Hotel doing
Nothing.
CHICAGO, Feb. 25, 18s4-My last let
ter treated of one peculiar feature OF
Chicago life, and now will try and
picture another subject, namely, Subur-
ban Resorts. AS warm weather comes
on the city merchant wishes to be re-
moved from the dust and dirt of city
existence, and enjoy the cooling
breezes waited over fresh fields and
pastures green. Thinking that 1t would
not be many months before the annual
exodus would take place, l casually
mentioned the subject to Judge c.,
of this city. and was by him invited to
spend day at his elegant residence at
RIVERSIDE.
This place is situated about eleven
miles from Chicago, on the G. j. & O.,
or Burlington" route. At its incep-
ton in 1863, it was proposed to build a
place which should combine the pleas
ant features Of both city and country.
To do this required both time and an
immense amount of money. The place
where the new paradise was to be
built, was entirely unsettled Of course,
and the only improvement which 1t
boasted were those made by nature It.
self, beautiful grove. A company
was formed, and as the founders re-
marked, a place was to be built which
would be "a
PALACE IN OPEN AIR.
Each person buying lot was requir-
ed to build house costing not less than
$1,000, and the person to btlong to
class in business life who did no manual
labor. Not laboring man was to live
within its sacred precincts. 1t was to
be, in fact, beautiful, substantial, and
elegant in the extreme.
A hotel was, of course, a necessity,
and plans were drawn up for struct-
ure large enough to accommodate two
thousand persons, and give each the
room required. In the course of few
months magnificent building raised
Its head far above the tree tops, and
costing within a few hundred dollars
of round
HALF MILLION.
Into this was placed furniture, cost
ing about $l75, 900, and silver, table ser.
vice, linen, etc., in propol tion. In the
meantime hammers had been busily
flying in all directions. Some had
built residences similar to the homes of
Southern planters; others had erected
mansions Of brick and stone; but all,
whatever style of architecture, were
elegant in the extreme. But one or
two had been built at the minimum
cost, the majority costing from $4,000
to $40, 900. On all sides were heard pre-
dictions as to It's future, but all coined.
ed in one particular that here was to be
PLACE WITHOUT CARE.
Hunger and poverty were never to
step inside It's precious limits. All
should be gay, light.hearted and free
from all annoyance, except perhaps the
petty trials of the ladies in regard to
costume or some such trine.
AT last the time Of opening the hotel
arrived. For weeks before, an anxious
horde had been clamouring for accom-
modations, and every room was easily
assigned. Three days before the
"opening" corps of over
FIVE HUNDRED WATERS
were sent down from the city, and an
army Of cooks under the command of
the most skillful chiefs which could be
procured. When all was arranged,
word was sent out, and perfect stream
OF people arrived. A carpet had been
laid from the door Of the depot to the
hotel entratce, and nothing was want
ing to make the scene brilliant in the
extreme. AS train load after train loa /
arrived, straiDs of music foated from
the grounds, from the instruments OF
sixty Italian musicians retained by the
management, and each visitor was al
most convinced that at last he had
stepped into paradise. Thus for sea.
son was this place carried on, but onv
thing was mcknight did Lot pay
Loan alter loan was obtained, only to
be renewed. Many of the stockholdert
had invested every dollar they were
worth In the enterprise, and when re.
peated calls for more moEey was made
could not respond. At last the Sheriff
closed the doors. What a sight tha
was. Not soul In any Of the hun
dreds Of rooms of the house. The diu
ing-room bar-room, ballroom anC
grounds deserted and silent. 1t WA
inJeed magnificent failure.
Since that time there have been mum
erous attempts made to resurrect tn,
business, but each has proved futile
| fVNI-