Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-27
HOWTOKEEPHOTEL
A. D. Young. of Chicago. Says
II Requires Some Ability.
THE G00D-FOR-NoTHlNG FAILS
Short Seasons Are the Bans Of the Re-
sort Hostleries- Things That Cannot
BE Avoided by Landlords

A. u. Young OF CnicaGo u sue0 -
the Morton. Mr.. Young 10 one Of the
brightest and best-known hotel men in
the country. At present he conducts
Lookout Inn on Lookout mountain
during the sumner season, and 70 con-
nected with the firm of Rand, McNally
and company during the remainder OF
the year. 1--WE are making prepara-
tions to open the hotel, although Ne
shall not do 90 for two or three months
yet. We DON'T keep it open more than
three mouths-June. July and August.
Notwithstanding the fact that Lookou
mopntain 10 one OF the ioveliest places
the Almighty ever fashioned out OF
chaos, and that the historical associa.
tions ought TO attract throngs Of pat
riotic Americans every year, the snni-
mer resort business on the mountain
has not proved success. II 10 almost
impossible 10 get any patronage from
north OF Louisville. II 10 entirely USE
less to argue with the average north
erner, trying TO convince him that cool
weather could exist in the summer,
south OF Ohio river. He simply knows
you know, aud that endsit. OF course.
as matter of fact, he is utterly mis-
taken III regard to 1t. You Will
find as beautiful weather during the
summer ut Chattanooga - you could
expect to find anywhere. 1t IA 800
feet above high tide and the climate is
all anyone could ask. IL the travel
that goes down the coast could be
turned into the Shenandoah valley, 1t
would give a great impetus 10 the
Tennessee resorts; but that would be .
difficult thing 70 accomplish, and would
require considerable time. Taking all
these things into consideration, the re-
sort business there could hardly be
called q money making institution.
The shortncss of the season 10 Al addl-
tional draw back. You have TO close
up your hotel about the first of Sep
teulber. There is no use fighting
against this. IL is something you must
do.
why They stampede.
When I was connected with Saratoga
hotels have heard the manager an
nounce that the hotel would positively
be open until the first of October. 1t
would be lammed full of guests until
would have 70 grease the stairs In order
To get the trunks out fast enough.
When il gets time for the children to 60
back to school, the parents are going
home, and that 10 ali there 10 to IT. IL
il were not for the youngsters you
might keep the hotel open longer, but
ii 1t were not for those Same youngsters
many Of the guests wouldn't come at
all.
Taking 1t altogether there are great
many difficulties in the way of man.
aging hotel. and it isn't arrange that
more men are not successful. have
kept rather close watch. and find that
very few men VINO take hold OF hotels
can be called even good Motel men.
Men who have failed IN some other oc-
cupatlon make up their minds that they
will run . hotel, their qualifications
being that they have sometimes stopped
at q hotel. 1t is very much on the
came principle, suppose. that because
man has read newspaper he think
he knows more about running IT than
tile editor does. II requires an
extraordinary knowledge Of the
publlc's wants and tastes to run
first-class hotel. When the Puritans
came over in the Mayhowcr they d.
g,ded the occupations among the mem
bers of the party in accordance with
general fitness. They told one man tha,
he was TO he the shoemaker, another
the blacksmith. third the village car
pentcr. Finally they came TO one easy
going. noudescript sort OF an individual
and said. You don't seem to he good
for ANYTHING, so we'll let you keep the
tavern That has remained the public
idea Of landlord even unto this day.
Nothing could he farther from true
conception. 1t takes more than an or.
dinary business man IN mango hotel;
and for my part, would infinitely
rather be good landlord than poor
In wver'