Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-22
THE UPTOWN HOTEL.
ANOTHER THOUSAND DOLLAR SUB
scRIPTIoN ToiT.
The People Seem to BE Dead In Earnest
This Time and Mean
Business.

"Merchantsn card in this paper Sunday
stirred up the people.
All agree that we must move in this di-
rection forthwith. or else surrender the
claim that we are "live" and progressive
city.
Talk is very good; but money is better.
The capital is here in great abundance,
and all that is needed is to arouse public
spirit sufficiently to make men OF means
come forward with liberal subscriptions.
Here is another encouraging card, and
others Of like import are on the way to tins
Office:
RICHMOND, April II. 1890.
TO ne Editor Of the Dispatch:
read with great interest communica-
| tion in your issue of Goth instant Sunday
signed Merchant The object of that
communication was to interest our people
in the question of building modern hotel;
After stating his reasons why such hotel
should be built. Merchant says that not
withstanding his need for oil the money he
has in his business, yet he will subscribe
| $1,000.
Every one who hos considered the sub
| ject is convinced that Richmond needs a
modern hote.-a hotel that Will compare
favorably with the best hotels in the large
cities of this country.
Several of our public-spirited citizens
have at various times within the last ten
years made an effort to have such hotel
built in this city. Their efforts have
proved unsuccessful. will not try to ex-
plain why their efforts were unsuccessfui.
The fact is that they did not accomplish
their object.
The question which now submit to our
businessmen and capitalists is this, Shall
| the project be abandoned or shall another
effort be made?
1t seems to me that this is a favorable
time to make another effort. IL this be
/ so, the question arises, What plan shall be
adopted? Isuggest two plans. One is to
raise $500, ,o0G by stock subscriptions, the
other is to raise 100000 to be paid as q
| bonus to any responsible party who will
spend S5OO,0O0 in building modern hotel.
| III the stock subscription plan is adopted,
then the subscribers will own an interest
in the hotel in proportion to their subscrip-
tions. If the other plan is adopted, then
the parties giving the 100000 bonus will
have no interest in the hotel further than
the benefit which they will derive from
having q modern and weil-kept hotel IL
| this city. | am not welded to either OF
the above plans. I suggest both in order,
| il possible. that some plan may be adopted.
| am not suited to the work of getting
up subscriptions, and therefore could rem
der hut little practical aid III raising the
| funds necessary to carry out an4 scheme.
| shall content myself therefore with the
foregoing suggestions and with an agree
ment on my part TO subscribe. 81 900 II the
stock scheme is adopted and $500 II the
other scheme is adopted. Let the Cham
ber of Commerce and the real estate agents
Of this city take hold of this matter IN
earnest, and a modern hotel Will be
erected.
The object of the Chamber of Commerce
| is to look after the material interests OF
! this city, aud therefore this subject Will
interest them.
The real estate agents have deep in
terest in it, AT this time the. Southwest
and other portions OF Virginia are on
are selling for almost as high price as
| similar lands in this city. Most OF these
! towns have TO be made, and their tuture
therefore is somewhat uncertain.
Richmond. on tho other hand, is large.
well.known, and prosperous city. Its tu-
ture is certain. All that is needed to add 10
/ its rapid growth and development is the
united energy of its citizens-and this
united energy cannot now be better used
than In raising sufficient funds to build a
modern hotel. These citizens are now car
! fled away by the wonderful reports OF the
growth of the smaller towns in Virginia,
and are investing their money in those
towns instead of investing it in their own
city. Their investments in these smaller
I yities may prove profitable; in this city
they cil prove profitable. Ii what have
! said be true. then let the real estate agents
be most active in any scheme which will
build hotel. Let them use their endea-
vors TO properly represent to their own
people our great need of a modern hotel,
and the merits of this city as a field for
| substantial and profitable real estate in
yestments. If this be done we will have
not only modern hotel, but We will also
have Richmond real estate ON substantial
] boom. -.
What have written has been written
hurriedly and is not pointedly put. My
object is to further the effort Of "Mer-
chant" in the hope that it will bear rich
fruit. J.O'