The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-01

I'D educated to 1t. twenty years ago men
hose names were famous in this line were
w and far between. There were noted
miles, like the Lelands, for instance, who
vned hotels in different sections of the
suntry, or like the Willards, who gave to
;eir Washington house national reputa-
ion, or the Brewsters of the Eutaw House
/; Baltimore. or the Blows, who ran the
aanteSs' House in st. Louis, with half a
}roughout the states, who grew to be
lown az the prince of their calling.
Of late years this family business in the
heping of hotels has fallen away, and the
tccessful men at the head of great hostel
ss to-day, especially in New York, have
bt sprung from generation that had
coupled itself in such business.
Before the outbreak Of the civil war the
stem of running hotels was very differ
tergy and capital to back him would es-
iblish hotel in some of the large cities.
i'd succeeding there, would eventually
Ting under his control other houses in vari-
as sections of the country, establishing a
ain of them through the most populous
arts of the country. Paran Stevens was
lie of those men. When he first establish
|, the fremont house, in Boston, and
iaving it went to the Revere, he gave his
a1ole energy to pushing that one house
wards success.
How he succeeded every travelling man
iroughout New England, New York and
Ne Middle States knows to this day, but
8 ambition grew with success, and he
on had under his control the Fifth Ave-
lie hotel of New York, the st. Charles no.
n of New Orleans. the Continental hotel OF
and two or three others of
m prominence elsewhere. He managed
E,-11, had 1nkn 1f he
Isiness himself, and though he was man
,tably illiterate and conspicuously mac
rate in figures, he succeeded in making
Ii- himself magnificent fortune, which,
|iough he never lived to enjoy it himself,
y enabled his widow to lose almost every
ar, without special regret, thousands of
liars worth of diamonds.
Paran Stevens was an example of the old
sne hotel keeper. the like of whom does
! Il exist to-day, for the competition in the
,siness is too wide and far-reaching to
|,irmit of any one man owning and manag-
| IL half a dozen great hotels at the same
'ae. It would be necessary nowadays in
tler to succeed in that way, to establish a
tel trust with too many millions of dol
| is behind it to sustain it.
More than thirty years ago the Battle
numerical travellers. II had the reputa-
In of setting the best table and charging
, lowest prices of any other hotel in the
isole city. Paran Stevens owned it and
| ts there four or five months every year to
tch the business. 1t made him more
| .,ney than any other he owned, except his
;ston place. The man who is at the head
the Fifth Avenue hotel management to-
", and who is eaid to be worth at the
Gsent time at least SIC, 900, 900, Mr.. A. p.
rrling, was then assistant clerk in the
title house.
l1e was a bright, pushing sort of young
low, we'll educated, polite and intelli-
| lat, and in the three years that he worked
i,re he grew on Mr.. Stevens attention,
u the latter finally made him steward of
|, house, and practically gave him charge
the largest items of its expenditures.
FIRING the same period Hiram Hitchcock
i's clerk in st. Charles hotel, New Or
ms. He was a hale fellow we'll met, a
'stler for trade, who knew almost every
In in the Mississippi valley who did bus
lsss with New Orleans. He had also made
Af dozen trips to New York to become
illuainted with the men who wandered
lwn occasionally on business or pleasure
New Orleans.
These two men to-day are the principal
,nagers of the Fifth Avenue hotel, and
sye been SO ever since the house opened,
III the exception of a short period when
|
now they happened to acquire control of
hotel and amass the fortune which they
hh have. The Fifth Avenue was built by
ii. X. Emo especially for Paran Stevens.
had been the Boston ex-restaurant
iiter's ambition to manage great hotel
|e, but the years were gathering fast
pn him, and when he had the opportun-
to take charge of the great building at
lth avenue and Twenty-third street, he
litated to accept it.
1t was a new movement, this establish
INT Of an immense hotel in what was
| IN the upper section of tho city, and Mr..
!vens, looking about him for assistance.
tse the two young men in New Orleans,
fuaht them to New York. organized the
Ia of Hitchcock, Darling & Co., with
Ilself as the Co., and started the house
that career of prosperity which it has
lowed ever since. Not long after the es-
tlishment of the hotel, Mr.. Stevens died,
II Mr.. Darling went to the head of the
10, where he has remained ever since.
! Ten the hotel was first opened, most of
Use in New York connected with such en-
lorises predicted that it would be fnan-
failure, as it was supposed that there
y not trade enough willing to come so far
town. Paran Stevens himself had very
t.ous doubts as to the result of his ven
70, but the hotel has made profit averag
VSAOsOVV p04 yOuAs AL q ANAAU04 Va
Ira past.
Jhen the Hoffman house was good deal
i,ller place than it is to-day and long be-
I, the establishment grew to the pro-
tions it has attained of late years, there
10 some men in its kitchen who hardly
ectea to be proprietors of big hotels to-
I. Franz Kinzler was one of them. He
|. cook, and known to DO q good one.
4 his salary-a phenomenal one for those
lee-was $500 year. Working by his
b in the same kitchen, but at consider
ID less salary, was Charles H. Reed.
,se name appears now at the he&d of the
II which owns and manages the Hoff-
70 house.
.inzler did not remain q cook always, fol
went upwards, step by step, in his bust.
.s, until he became what he 10 now. one
the principal managers of the Hote
lnswick. The success which has me,
house and made it the fourishing re-
i it il to-day il largely due to the efforts
he man who graduated from the kitchen
|. made his way mp to the position whicl
how occupies
Ipeaking OF the Hoffman House recalls
fact that the connection Of Mr.. Ed
lkos With tbs establishDsus b one Of III
luIiagitiss Of hotel management in New
VIII