Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-22
The stranger Wtthtn Our Gates
Hotel Accom- ma odations.

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The stranger Within Our Gates
Hotel Accom- m oda tions.
The multitudes who are now throng-
ing into Los Angeles outline more
painfully every day the paucity OF
our hotel accommodations. This Is
all the more remarkable because this
city abounds in capitalists who either
singly or through syndicate ought
to have built mammoth hotel long
ago. Through the various lines OF
travel an average OF almost five hun
bred people day are arriving in Los
Angeles. II there were opened here
tomorrow hotel costing half mil
lion dollars it would be filed before a
week had elapsed, and with guests
who would be willing to pay for first
class accommodation. Perhaps the
unwillingness to build such struct-
ure may be explained by the fine OPP
portunites which have abounded for
speculation OF late. The temptation
to employ ones money in lines in
which IL will bring the greatest re-
turns Is almost irresistible. The time
ought to have come, however, when
those largely interested in local devel-
opment and in imparting stability to
real estate values ought TO realize
that one Of the best means OF secnr-
ing these results lies in the erection
of a hotel which should be commen-
surate with the needs OF the section.
There is scarcely place in the world
outside OF the leading cities where
there in such pressure OF travel as
there is in Los Angeles to-day, and
all the indications are that 1t will be
enduring. II Is Il marvel that no
wealthy syndicate has bought and
terraced Fort Hill and erected
thereon costly and handsome
hotel. In the absence OF such
a movement, il is pleasant to
learn that one OF our leading archi-
tects is at present engaged upon the
plans for four story hotel building
to be located upon Mr.. Louis Phillips's
lot, corner Of Spring and Franklin
streets. II the county Jail had been
removed at an earlier date we should
doubtless have seen already ON this
block a large and imposing structure.
II is pleasant to know that Mr.. Phil
lips has at last made up his mind AS
to the purpose Tor which he designs
the forthcoming ediiice. 1t is also
encouraging to know that Mr.. +. j.
Baldwin has signiicd his intention Of
erecting next year Los Angeles edl-
ton OF his superb San Francisco hotel
The HERALD also takes great pleas
ure in knowing that one hundred men
are at work on the Raymond Hotel,
near Pasadena, and that this hand
some caravansary will probably be
ready for occupancy by the LIST oi
May. We are none the less pleased
to learn that Mr.. Samuel kie,cr, OF
New York, the proprietor OF the Grand
Central Hotel OF the country's metrop-
oils, has announced it to he his pur-
pose to build, LITTLE further out than
the Raymond, hotel compared with
which that institution will be II mere
circumstance, lie proposes to build
wing OF the edilice as a starter, which
will cost $500, 900, and il the demands
of the tourist and invalid travel shall
call for it he will then build his hotel
in dead earnest.
But meanwhile what are we to do
with the strangers within our gates ?
with those who have come and who
are to come? They cannot live in
hotels which are not in existence,
nor can they sustain their solid flesh
on a cuisine which has not yet busted
itself with pots and pans. In conse-
quence, we shall have the mortitica-
ton Of seeing tens OF thousands who
would gladly have dwelt amongst us
HE them to other places. While
there is no profit in crying over
spilled milk, the HERALD is anxious
to provide for the future. Some SEN
sible steps ought TO be taken ut once
to provide for the thousands who are
certain TO visit us during the winter
and spring months. II has been sug-
gested that registries OF families will
ling TO receive guests ought TO he
opened at some central point. This
is a good idea. As far as II goes ii
will help matters. But the situation
is radically wrong. Los Angeles
needs and must have hotel accommo-
dations, and OF a superior grade. Two
years ago the Princess Louise and the
Marquis OF Lorne and their suite
were Obliged TO leave this city and
HE them to the West Indies because
they could not get suitable accommo-
dations in Los Angeles. Thousands
have since been subjected to similar
Inconvenience. Let MS end the dii-
ficulty by the concerted action of our
capitalists. A hotel centrally located
which shall cost half million dollars
is the only thing which will solve the
difficulty.