The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-09-14
A Famous Hotel.

Thirty-two years ago today, Col.
Sinnott took charge of the Umatilla
House which he has owned and man.
aged ever since that time. The Col.
came down from the mines and stop
ping at the old hotel. complained to
the proprietor, Mr.. Newman, that the
bed-bugs had driven him out of his
room and that he had taken his blankets
and slept in the hall to get away from
them. Mr.. Newman listened patiently
to the tale of woe, and when it was
concluded remarked ''if you think you
can run this house any better than l
am doing you had better take it. :"
"All right said the Colonel "vhat are
your terms?" An offer being made
that the Colonel thought reasonable,
he accepted it and although he had
but $40, he closed the bargain and took
possession. In company with his
brother he had year or two before
managed the old Columbia hotel at
Portland, but which had been closed
on account of the property becoming
too valuable to be used for the pur-
pose, and other buildings being about
to be erected on it. The Colonel still
owned the furniture and had it shipped
up, taking the late Major Handley
into partnership with him. The hotel
under the new management soon took
the lead and became the headquarters
for the merchants and miners who in
those days comprised the travelling
public. May 81, 1879, while new
building was being constructed and
when nearly completed the buildings
both old and new were destroyed by
fire, and nearly everything the firm
owned was destroyed. The embers
had hardly cooled however, before the
plans for the present building were
being prepared, and the wreck being
| cleared away for the present building.
Today it is the best known hotel in
the state, and could it speak what u
history of the northwest it could give.
Beneath its hospitable roof, many q
man who now boasts q long bank ac-
| count found shelter when wealth was
yet but hope. At its table many q
hungry man has fed whose pockets
were empty, and whose ability to pay
was measured only by promises. In
side of its doors the immortal Grant
found shelter while yet a lieutenant
and years after when he had twice
been honored with the highest position
within the gift of the people, he stood
Wlbulu lIS pOItdl W SFdSp Lue uiuuS Vi
our citizens who gathered to welcome
him. There President Hayes, and
later, President Harrison were greeted
by our people, and there the immortal
Bakers voice was heard. DR.. Nc
Laughlin, Nesmith, Delazon Smith,
Oregons pioneers, and Oregons bright
est intellects, were its frequent guests.
Today it is still almost like home to
most of our people. A few years ago,
death severed the partnership that had
existed for a quarter of a century and
took the generous and tender-hearted
Major Handley. Since that time Mr.
J. S. Fish has became partner in the
business, adding to the prestige of the
hotel by his genial disposition and
excellent management, but the Colonel
is still in the harness, an active, Wig
orous man, despite his silvering hairs,
and one who after 80 years of active
business, in which he has met almost
every man in the northwest, commands
the respect and friendship of all who
know him. May Fate and Time deal
kindly with him, and may he retain
his health to celebrate the golden an
niversary in 1913, and may we be there
to write it up.