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

York. he has made q success of the ven
ture which he undertook, when without any
experience whatever IN the hotel line. he
put much of his own capital and good
deal Of his friends into the Hoffman, and
started out to give it an almost world wide
reputation. Why John w. Mackey,. the
California millionaire. who, up to few
months ago, always made his home at the
hotel when in town, and whose money was
it is understood, largely invested in the
business of the house during tho first year
of MIR. Stokes management, no longer
visits it now, is one of the things that no
ordinary man in New York can easily find
out.
Selling Saratoga Spring water is exactly
what James j. Breslin used to do when he
first started ont in the world to make iv-
ing for himself. To-day he is the proprie-
tor of the Gilsey House and is one of the
most prominent hotel men of the country.
He will not tell you how many years ago it
is since he carried pailful of spring water
about Saratoga and sold it to the country
visitors at two cents glass, but he did it
Just the same. When his first season ended
as roustabout in one OF the fashionable
hotels there.
He was careful. polite and attentive to his
business, and before long was offered q
place, which he accepted, as assistant clerk
in the United States Hotel at Saratoga.
1A0I0 no ldlu t00 xOUuudtxOU VI Uu0 6UCC0AS
which has met him in his later years.
William H. Vanderbilt was then frequent
guest at that hotel, and took great liking
to young Breslin. It came in Mr.. Wander
bilt's way one day to lend his name to the
young clerk, and he did it unhesitatingly.
It happened in this way: The Gilsey estate
had almost finished the new hotel on the
corner of Broadway and Twenty-ninth
street, and Mr.. Vanderbilt, standing one
night at the desk of the United States hotel,
laughingly suggested to Mr.. Breslin that he
ought to apply for the lease of the place
and run hotel of his own.
"You lend me your name and will, y was
Mr.. Breslin's joking reply. "You can have
it, was Mr.. Vanderbilt's quick response.
Come up to my room tomorrow and we
will arrange the details.''
As it was said it was done. The Gilseys
took William H. Vanderbilt as security for
the rent; furniture men, at the mention of
big white building with all the necessary
appointments, and James j. Breslin, with
scarcely dollar of ready money in his
hands, started the Gilsey house on the road
to success which it has attained.
The proprietors of the Windsor hotel are
The name of the firm which controls the
house is Hawk & Wetherbee, but Hawk
died several years ago and the management
of the hotel now exclusively in the hands
of Mr.. Wetherbee, although the family of
his dead partner still retain an interest in
| the house. Mr.. Wetherbee himself was at
one time porter in Philadelphia hotel,
but he was a bright young fellow, pushed
himself to the 'front.' got to be head porter
and finally head clerk, found men to back
him with the requisite capital, got control
Of the Windsor, and is worth two or three
millions of dollars to-day.
Frank j. Allen. of the Astor house. used
to sell dry goods in Lord & Taylor's store
at Broadway and Grand street, and waa
so unsuccessful in his trading with the fair
freauenters of that shop that he was made
floor walker, and finally had general su-
pervision of every department. in the store.
From that place he graduated into hotel
keeping. and it is not surprising that he
has made a success of it..
| Capt. Conner, of the st. James hotel in
his earlier and younger days, was clerl
on Mississippi steamboat, and there are a
dozen other hotel mon in New York who
began low down on fortunes ladder, and
who have since acquired abundant wealth
in catering to the wants of the thousands
who live in New York hotels, and of the
other thousands who dwell IN them occa-
| sionallv.