The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-08-08
PLAIN TALK.
H. S. ALEXANDER,
CITY Clerk


Colonel ~ hItiey states HIS Position
with GespecG 90 Sewerage, and
What NO Sewerage Means.
The most of the citizens of this city
have, no doubt, had their attention
called to the Importance of the question
of sewerage. AS this matter has be-
come an interest of vital Importance to
some, and no small concern to others,
L desire to offer few words upon the
subject. The time, l think, is already
at hand when there is a condition of
things actually existing that should be
fairly. presented to the property hold
ers who pay the taxes of this city. If
they will take a little time to ponder
upon the matter as it presents itself,
there is no question of their being bet
ter able to determine in which direc-
tiOn their interests lie. If the senti-
mentS of the majority of the people
who packed the court house few
evenings since are to be considered as
fair sample of those of the entire
voting population of this city, then
there is no mistaking the results that
are to follow in it's wake. The hOstil-
itY expressed By One Of the leaders at
least, towards the principal hotels
while constituting prominent
feature did not cover the entire
foundation upon which his prejudices
seem to rest. But as this class of pro-
perty came in fOr a considerable share
OF the speaker S vengeance have con-
cluded to offer few remarks to the
public upon the subject. | do this
more particularly because l know the
carrying out OF the sentiments there
expressed will most certainly end iii
| closing the doors of the only two first
| class hotels in the city. If that is what
the community desires it will be ac-
complished much sooner than they an
| ticipate, not because | desire it, but
simply because it is for my interest
and propose 30 protect myself. The
day for running hotels in Emporia
| without an outlet for the Stops and
| water closets has passed. Rails in the
fence corners, noXiouS vaults, and
death dealing boxes have had their
day with me and l no longer recognize
| their usefulness. If a hotel man can
be found that will come to EmpOria
and put $4,000 into hotel property
| and its necessary accomplishments,
| and run it without sewerage, let him
| come; and there never was better
time to buy location cheap than to-
day, think my old friend Jay would
donate literally towards the enterprise.
My hotel property is for sale and L Of
fer all my property interests in this
4
cost. Here is an opportunity tor IA
| man to come in aud battle with the
contending elements and hostile fac
| tiOns, whose names are legion. The
Hotel Whitley has been run at loss
to its proprietor for upwards of two
years. In the month of June last my
current expenses exceeded my receipts
by nearly $500. The 5th Avenue hotel
l have no doubt has been gradually
running behind from the day it was
built. Now, if any respectable man in
the city wants to know why l bought
| it, can give him good and sufficient
| reason. There is not custom enough
coming into Emporia to support two
first-claSs hotels. In fact the trade is
should be kept up. This is the condi-
tion of things, and my books and re-
ceipts are here to prove it. Notwith-
standing ali these difficulties with
which l have been contending, have
paid all my bills regularly, expanding
on an average, including wages, not
less than $50 per day in the city. The
two notels have, assume, expended
about $50 per day. l had determined
. to open the Fifth Avenue and run it as
first-class 81 so per day house.
: had employed my help in part and was
getting ready to open, when l found
upon examination that the former pro
prietor had permitted the sewage Il
run under the house. This, coupled
with the rainwater pouring in from
Z the outside, has flooded up to the lowel
+ floor, and made the condition of thu
basement such that it cannot be used
Ithas been conceded by nearly ever
\ city in the state that the city author
, tiles should supply an outlet for drain
age and sanitary purposes. This en-
2 terprise is beyond the power of an in
4 dividual in Emporia. Let us ASSUME
/ that Emporia had no hotels, and tina
a capitalist should offer to come il
here and put up good one, such a
: would be credit to the town, upoI
condition that a proper outlet wOuIC
! be furnished by the city. How
many of our citizens would oppos,
. the measure? i do not pretend Il
say that am the only property holder il
s this city who wants sewerage. 1 thinl
= they all need it and ought TO have it
= But / suppose it is fact that it is re
0 | quiFed in hotels much more than il
Y many other places. In fact a first-clasi
y hotel cannot be run without it. l have
dug several wells here to the gravel un
der the street opposite the Garfield
school house. These wells are still re
ceiving the sewage from the hotel
How long they will do SO / am unable
to tell. But they are liable to give out
} any day. Should this occur and the
city authorities refuse to provide me
with an outlet shall have but one al
} tentative, that is to close the hotel UNI
til such time as the proper sewerage
can be secured. l will also say a word
in regard to the Whitley opera house.
} of which / am one-third owner. The
cellars of this building have been full
Of filthy water, washed from the water
closets in the allies ever since the
house has been built. We were OBJ
/ liged to forgo the use of the furnace
and put stoves in the auditorium up
stairs. The house has never been prop
, erly heated since it was built Steam
cannot be put in on account of water
! constantly coming into the cellars.
This piece OF property has been ham
died at a positive loss to the owners
from the day it was built. have earn
estIY and repeatedly insisted upon
closing it, as my losses are twice as
much as any one of the other owners.
/ But as the majority of the gentlemen
connected with me have insisted upon
keeping it open have acceded TO their
wishes. The house will soon need re-
| fitting, but / will say this much, that
no more money will be spent upon it
except to keep il painted on the ont
aSf9e until QIlr1l time az steam can he