Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-10
ROSE OUT OF TRAINS ANGER
Genesis of the Cossens House Now Converted
Into Theological Seminary.
PRESTIGE IT HELD IN FORMER DAY.
Some Facts About the Early Hotels OF
Omaha, Many of Which Have Totally
Disappeared-Tho beginnings of tho
Present Metropolitan Hostciries.

Present Metropolitan Hostciries.
The recently consummated transaction by
which the old Cozzens property at Ninth and
Harney streets is passed to the more serious
uses of theological seminary recalls the
chain Of interesting incidents which make
the history Of that time-worn landmark.
While its present condition affords no indi-
cation of the more palatial adornments Of its
earlier days there are still many old citizens
who readily recall the time when 1t was the
pride of Omaha, and one of the most luNuri-
Gus hostelries in the then undcveopcd west,
Although the passage of three decades has
left its imprint and Its proportions have
shrunk into insignifcance beside the more
elaborate establishments which have sue
ceeded it in popular favor, yet the time was
not so very long ago when it stood without
a rival and every visitor to the growing city
was expected to view 1t with unrestrained
admiration Some Of the most distinguished
names of a quarter of a century ago have
been inscribed upon Its faded register, and
the most lavish banquets and festal occa-
sions of the early Omaha had a place beneath
its roof. With a new generation and new
Omaha, it has long ago dropped from public
view, but as it passes forever beyond its
original purposes, its history may be re-
viewed with a degree of interest.
1t is familiar story that the Cozzens
hotel had its beginning in one OF the char
acteristic eccentricities of George Francis
Train. This was in the spring of 1867, when
Train was in the zenith of his visionary
achievements, and was engaged in pushing
his greatest enterprise in connection with
the planning of the Union Pacific railroad
A hat t1n ctr, iaI no
a headquarters by the Union Pacific company
was known as the Herndon house, which was
the leading hotel in Omaha. Train was stop
ping at the house, with a number of other
celebrities, and one day at dinner his seat
was target of draft of the raw spring
wind that entered the dining room through
broken window. He complained to the
landlord without obtaining satisfaction, and
finally hired waiter to stand between him
and the window while he finished his repast
For this unusual service the darkey received
10 cents a minute, and Train left the hote
in high dudgeon.
HOW HE GOT EVEN.
Right then he determined to get ever
with the unaccommodating landlord, and be-
fore night he had taken the preliminary
steps toward carrying out his design. He
went to John w. Clarke, who was tht
| father-in-law of Lyman Richardson, and con
| tracted for the purchase Of the lots at Nintl
morning he had a force of men at work OF
| the excavation, and before night he haC
| let the contract for the construction of
| seventy room hotel on the site, which wa
| to be completed in sixty days The con
| tract was carried out to the letter, and IL
| that time Train was the owner of a $4,000
| hotel, with which he proposed to make /
| interesting for the rival establishment.
| Mayor Bemis was then Trains secretar.
and associate, and was stopping at the Clar
endon house in New York City. Will
| there he met the Cozzens brothers, who wer
| then running hotels at West Point and othe
cities, and interested them in the Omaha es
| tablshment. One of them came on I
Omaha, and made a contract with Train t
take the new hotel at $10500 year. Thu
the Cozzens house acquired its name an
landlord. CozZens ran the house for nearl
a year, during which 1t became the leadin
hotel of the city, while the Herndon hous
was unable to pay expenses, and was finall
closed. Then Cozzens~ went away, leaving
| number of unpaid bills as souvenirs of hi
sojourn, and Philo Rumsey came from f
Wayne, Ind, and took the house at a rer
tai of $4,000 year. He remained in po:
session for about three years, after whic
Train disposed of one-half interest to Set
w. Hale of New York. 1t was afterwar
sold to Joseph d. 1ler and James G.. ChaI
man, from whom 1t passed into the hands
Dr. McMenamy who held it until his deaf
few years ago.
1t was only during the first five years
, it's existence that the CoZzens house enjoye
, its position as the leading hotel OF the cit!
} After that other and newer establishment
came in, and 1t gradually fell to the level {
cheap lodging house, after which 1t VIZ
converted into a medical institute
SOME OF ITS PREDECESSORS
!, While the Cozzens house is the most cell