Telegram-herald., 1891-06-21
SWEETS ONCE WAS
"reminiscences Of the By Gone
Times.
LUNBERlEy MADE THE MONEY FLY
Something About ats Propris,ers Fast
sad Pr~sent-Ihe English s"arts
and Judges-Eisgiiag Bros
GIrcas lonlinS.

cali Il tavern. IL has existeu long
| enough To be part Of the history OF
Grand Eapids. Today IL changes hands.
the lease ot Norman {. Johnson expir-
ing, and tomorrow the new proprietor,
Frank Riseley, will assume control. IL
was away back IN 1869 when this hotel
was thrown open 10 the public under
the propr.etorship of ". T. Lawrence,
who was succeeded in year by liowley
! Lyon. who had made a fortune out OF
| the old Rathbun House. Under kisruie
the hotel just fiourisned. Money was
| plenty in its earlier days and business
was thriving, particularly the Iuinbef
| trade. Grand Rapids was then the
chief market for supplying the great
lumber camps of Northern Michigan.
All OF the banking was done here.
When the prosperous lumbermen came
10 town people knew il for they
were. as a rule, great money spenders.
and notorious for their revelry. They
| all stopped at Sweets. 1t Was the most
popular resort for both transient and
citizen. Nearly every prominent resi-
| dent has been in association with some
event. either private or public part
of its history. The old settlers have
| freqently danced and dincd there.
| Secret societies have held reunions and
partaken of many bounteous spreads.
Politicians have frequently held earnest
conferences in Its parlors ana rooms,
with the purpose OF changing
The Destiny OF the state.
Weddings have been solemnized there.
I-- ,f->~ tAA rnh
other in convention, and filled the hall
| with
Grim and Ghostiy Specimens
OF their wares. Poker has been played
there and fortunes have changed own
ership on the guessing of the cards. The
tales of the cards and the good citizens
who have night after night tried TO call
| the turn and draw a full hand would
make very interesting reading. 1t Is
| known, however, that some prominent
business men have left the game bro ke.
But all of this occurred in the early
history of the hotel. The gentlemen
who have made it q popular lounging
place are full of yarns descriptive OF the
life and goings on in the flush and
palmy days of the early seventies.
| Lyon, who went into the house with a
fortune, left it with less money and
more experience. Several tried to keep
the house after he left. and for a
while the owner, Hon. NJ. l.. Sweet, was
the proprietor. He was succeeded in
1881 by Norman c. Johnson. Mr..
| johnson was born caterer, aud had
the advantage of good experience in
the etfete East. He pfsSod himself IN
being mechanical and mathematical
and his gifts in this direction made hie
connection with the hotel prosperous
and successful. Those who know Mr..
johnson like him, and admire him for
his many good qualities. No more
honorable man ever controlled any
enterprise. His integrity is established
and honesty and promptness in the at
tention to all business details is the
reputation that Mr.. Johnson will leave
behind him. Under his direction the
hotel has been we'll kept. 1t has been
first-class In all its appointments. In
the days to come more will be heard ot
Norman Johnson. for he will leave a rep
utatlon in Grand Rapids that will per.
petuate him in the memory Of ms
acQuaintances. His Yankee wit, gen.
Ial manner and blunt and frank fashion
Of assertion will be long recollected
Friends will think Of the
Feasts ana Happy Hours
they have passed In his presence. Mr.
Johnson said yesterday: swell, my
time will be up at midnight. l leave
with the best of good feeling and there
is perfect harmony and understanding
between Mr.. Risely, Mr.. Sweet aud
myself. OF course | dislike TO leave
Grand Rapids, but have great conf.
dence in my Ohio hotel. j Will serve
my last meal tomorrow morning, and
then Mr.. Riseley will have full control
1t Is understood that the house will bt
closed for about ten days, aud during
that time it will be refurnished and re-.
fitted throughout. Mr.. and Mrs. John
son have endeared themselves to q
large circle of true friends. Mrs
Johnson has been a great belpmate tc
her husband in the conduct OF tn
hotel, and she will be especially vel
remembered by the guests. boarders
and help. for her kindness aud attention
John p. Andrews eaid the other day
"l am an American, and every time
go to foreign lands il but increases m,
fidelity 70 my mother country; but
will cay that I have a good deal of
Respect for the English Courts
not for the reason, as you may suspect
that l have had any personal dealing
with them. You can get justice N
England without fear or favor. Tb,
Judges are far and impartial. Amer
cans could learn something from th,
Ecgllsh courte that would be of advan
tage. If practically adopted here. A
Judge should receive large salary
and his position should he permanent
and he should be absolutely free from
political association whatsoever. Tha
makes him independent, and he car
administer Justice fairy and regardless,
of any personal Obligations pact or
prospective. | think a man has bet
ter show for his rights in Englisi
courts than in the American"
John Ringing, OF Ringing Bros' cir
Gus. has been IN town during the pas
week. There are FIVE brothers of then
interested IN the show and they lool
alike and seem 10 be of shout the same
sge, hut of course they are not. Jbey
are doing splendld business. THE,
are not very well known in AichieaF
and they will make their first VISIT Il
Grand Rapids next month. The circu
. riodern and fun Of novelties ant
soecIaltIes and i presented under !
canvsse Of the same dimensions a.
Forepaugh's.