Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-06
CENTRAL HOTEL SOLD.
Kaufman Brothers, the ClOthierS,
Buy the Property for s35O,OOO.
TO BE PUT In FIRST T-CLAsS ORDER,
And to Continue for Some Years as One OF
the Leading Tayerns.
TRADE GOING TO sMITHFIELD STEET.

Pittsburg is to have another frst-class
hotel. The Central Hotel has been sold to
the Kaufman Bros, the clothiers, for
$780, 900. 1t has been rumored more or less
for two years that this valuable property
had changed hands, but this time the report
is correct. The sale was conducted by c. II.
Love, the real estate agent at % Fourth
avenue, but he declined to furnish any in
formation when asked about it. The Kauf-
mann Bros. were appealed to, but they
would neither affirm nor deny the report,
but from an outside source through friends
Of the owners the sale was confirmed.
Negotiations have been in progress for
three weeks, and with the bond money or
first payment put up yesterday the pur-
chase was concluded. The lease on the
house expired last April, but the hotel was
rented for another year. 1t is the intention
of the buyers to thoroughly renovote and
improve the property and make it, as OF
yore, one of the leading hotels of the city.
One of the City's Finest Sites.
Just what will. be done with the
house, the new owners do not know
themselves. The site, diagonally op-
site the new postofice, is one
of the finest in the city, and it is
claimed that ultimately the clothing store
will be removed there. Kaufman Bros.
still have lease for about IA years on their
present location, and it is understood they
will stay in the old quarters until the con-
tract expires. 1t has been apparent for sew
eral wears that the drift of trade has been
away from Fifth avenue, and it is concen-
trating on Smithfield street in the vicinity
of the new postofice. This thoroughfare,
with the numerous new buildings of gener-
GUS proportions now projected, is destined
to become one of the finest business streets
in America.
The Central Hotel was owned by Col. J.
P Speer, of Pittsburg, and Henry Wheeler,
Philadelphia banker, and for many years
fiscal agent of this city at that place. The
property faces 160 feet on Smithfield street,
80 on Third avenue and 112 feet on Second
avenue. The house is four stories high.
Mr. Anderson, of Anderson & Rowan, the
present proprietors, remarked last evening
that the only objection he had to the hotel
was that it is not deep enough. He heard it
was sold, but was not sure about it. The
sale is one of the largest real estate trans
actions that has taken place here for long
time.
One of Pittsburg's Oldest Hostelries.
The Central Hotel is one of the oldest in
Pittsburg. 1t was built shortly after the
Monongabela House, and during the war
was used by the Provost Marshal in this
section as his headquarters. The hotel
covers the block between Second and Third
avenues, facing Smithfeld street. When it
was first built it didn't occupy so much
ground There were two hotels on the pres
ent site. The original house occupied
about half the square toward Third
avenue, and was called Browns
Hotel after the owner, Allen Brown. The
other half facing Second avenue was the
Merchant house. The two hotels thrived
separately until they were bought by Will
lam Phillips, the President of the Valley
road, and he combined them into the Girard
House 1t was subsequently called the
City Hotel and finally the name was
changed to the Central, its present nom de
plume. 1t is famous old house, and like
the St. Charles was at one time on the same
footing with the Monongahels House and
St. Clair Hotel, now the Anderson. The
register of the Central will show the auto
graphs of men who were noted for states
manship, literary ability and business
acumen from all parts of the country.