Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-13
The Uptown Hotel.

Tho pubic craving Tor nOtei IN tne
| fashionable section of the West End OF
Richmond-now about to be satisfied
does not imply that there are no good
hotels here. On the contrary, we have
several excellent houses, but they are
all on prominent business thoroughfares.
For this reason they will command the
greater part OF tho patronage of business
men and will doubtless continue to be
profitable. but mere pleasure-seekers. rich
people travelling for health or amusement,
may prefer quarters in an uptown house.
especially If the house is set in the midst
of spacious lot ornamented with trees
and fountains. shrubs and walks, and is
made to combine picturesqueness with
comfort.
We have never had such a hotel here,
but the success of hotels of this character
in other cities OF the South warrants us in
believing that it is RlchmOnd's greatest
present need. The community will there
fore rest under everlasting Obligations of
gratitude TO Messrs. GISTEB. PoPE, and
ARENTs for supplying it, as they are about
10 do.
The site chosen (the lot on which stands
the residence of the late General JOSEPH
r. ANDERSON will give the hotel q bust
ness front on Main street; q private en-
trance on Franklin street, and abundant
space for beautifully lighted rooms on
jefferson street. The location allows-in-
deed. suggests-the display ofarchitectural
skill. as it is in n neghborhood where
there are many elegant private residences.
All the large hotels of other DAYS were
built on business streets. Richmond had
not then become noisy with electric street
cars OF with rough springless wagons roll
ing over Belglan-block payements, and TIE
country people who then made mp the
bulk Of hotel-patrons did not come here
for quiet, bat for hustle. They did not
seek seclusion. but the activity and excite
ment of city life. Under such circum-
stances were founded the Bell Tavern, sue
ceeded by the st. Charles Hotel; the
United States Hotel now the colOred
theological institute; the famous Eagle
Tavern, burned about forty years ago; the
old American Hotel, which went down in
the evacuation fire of April 3. 1862 the
Spotswood Hotel, which WAS destroyed by
fire December 25. 1870, and the Exchange
Hotel and Ballard House. which. united
under one management. continue in pros
porous existence. The Washington Ia
vern, now ST. Claire Hotel, and Pow
hatau House, now Ford's Hotel, were
not built on what could then have
been strictly called business streets :;
but came into existence as board
Inc-houses for members of the General
Assembly and officers of the State govern
ment, and grew IL importance as the city
grew So, too. the Columbian Hotel
(Which stood near where the Grain and
Cotton Exchange now Isl was built as a
resort for planters, and for that reason
was put in the neighbOrhood OF the chief
tobacco warehouses and the great -four
ing-mllis. The Columbian. like other
of our hotels, disappeared in the smoke
and ashes of the great fire which burned
out the core OF Richmond at the close of
the war. Our newest hotel, Murphy's,
was built in pursuance of the same plan,
and Is on the chief retail street OF the city.
Now we are 10 have new departure in
our policy of hotel-bulldinG, thanks
10 the great publio-spirit of Messrs.
G1STEG, PORE, and AEEETs. We are to
have a hotel to cost half million, with
one front upon fashionable residence
street and another front on west Main
street, which in that section is not bust
ness street. but may become one as time
passes.
For fifteen years it has been the ambi-
ton of the community to have such ho-
tel. Effort after effort was made only to
fail. Organization after organization to ac-
comphsh tho purpose was half effected
only to crumble away AID leave the peo-
pie disappointed and dIsmayed. Now We
are TO have what we want, and we cannot
doub, that it will prove of great advantage
to Richmond. II will also be monument
tothe hberatity Of Major LEWIS GINTERa and
his associates.