The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-12
fcbioaso Special to r. Y. Herald

(Chicago Special TO r. Y. Herald
made mention short time ago of the
numerous hotels that are now in progress
of erection and those recently built in the
vicinity of the worlds fair grounds, par
ticularly iH reference to their dangerous
character and the difficulty experienced by
their owners in securing insurance upon
them because of their flimsiness of con-
s,ruction and the danger to which they
are constantly exposed from fire.
/ have obtained since then a complete
list Of these buildings. most OF which are
merely temporary, and will be torn down
at the close of the exposition next fall
There are, ali told, 279 Of them, containing
33.9t5 rooms, and they are located in what
lie known as the worlds fair district, COM
prising the territory south OF Fortieth-
st., north OF Seventy -fifth-st., and east
from the boundaries of the south parks
and the Washington park club.
Must Mean Disaster.
What are denominated as legitimate
hotel men are astounded at what has been
done in the vicinity of the fair. They have
given warning that this must mean dis
aster, bat the warnings have been un-
needed Underwrliera have looked over
the field in perplexity, and then, as the
essest way out OF the dilemma, have
named risks which they meant should
not be risks at all. The furniture and
houseiurnishing companies have drawn
the lines OF credit so tightly that much in
convenience mas resulted, but the result
shows that nothing on earth could stop
the craze for these worlds fair hotels.
The great profits TO accrue from these
hotels have been the bait held out to men
with money, although undoubtedly some
OF them have boen put up with the cash
sent in by those credulOus people VINO
thought they were purchasing accommo-
dations at reasonable prices during the
fair in houses already built and furnished.
Field for swiudlors
It's n great field tor swindlers of all
kinds and they have worked it for all it is
worth. These hotels will be filed; no
one need doubt that. Guests viii be in
danger from Ere, and some of these has
uly constructed houses may fall down,
but they viii be filed oil the same. The
great IDEA is TO make money for somebody,
and somebody will surely make it.
Ii should be understood that this applies
TO all the hotels in this district. Many of
them are solid enough, aud after the fair
will bo turned into apartment houses, but
most OF them will De torn down.
Hundreds of agents have been sent
| from one end Of the country TO the other
singing one song, and IL is feared these
gentlemen did not always adhere too
closely to the truth They often bad
| their credentials from come incorporated
| company with high sounding rite, and
promised accommodations at respectable
| figures IL was often the case that these
a ents represented hotels that were not
at that time erected, aud possibly are not
| at the present time finished.
All these agents wanted was that bills
| should be paid in advance. and in this
wav they secured many hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. Some offered member
| ships in clubs which entitled holders TO
accommodations at regular rates Others
| sold stocks and when prospective visitor
| bought share il entitled him to rooms
| for "A week or twO-so the agent said.
How many people have been swind.ed by
really irresponsible agents representing
mythical hotels will not be known for
come time, but fine howl viii 60 mp from
the throats Of the deluded ones when they
come here this summer and find how they
have been taken in.
Projects by the Hundred.
Projects TO draw dollars ont OF the peck
cts of visitors TO the fair were conceived
| by the hundred las. week, and many men
| OF good financial position put monev into
| them Being Incorporated, the investors
ran no risk except losing the money they
put in. Others. however, who entered
| into hotel projects, were of that class OF
| impecunious spectators who are ALWAYS
| TO the front Whenever any sort OF boom
| shows itself. \ list OF the people VINO are
| back OF some Of these hotel enterprises
would bring out names that are not worth
much on the business end OF check at
! any of the Chicago banks, and the history
| OF the promotion" OF some o. these
schemes would make an interesting chap
ter in finsnciering.
Out OF the large number OF people who
| have become Interested in these projects
| il would be unreasonable TO suppose that
| some knaves would not develop. Some
honest folk have been entrapped into
schemes that will prove too heavy TO be
carried out on the basis OF the capital at
| command and viii meet with disaster. the
| prospective patrons who have paid in adj
vance being among the heaviest losers.
Some of these enterprises will alec be con-
| Quoted in a way well calculated to bring
odium upon the city and the fair, but the
| projectors won't care much about this 80
long as they get the cash. This Is what
/ they are after.