The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26
Some of the Local InnkeeperS
Seem Not to Relish Being
Assessed.
CONSIDERABLE FEELING RIFE.
How Funds Were Raised for the
Enter ertainment of Visiting Eastern
Hotel Men.

Grum blings OF dlscontent are making
themselves audible in the normally con-
viv1al ranks of the bonifaces. A good old
Book, little read and less understood, says
1.-THE love of money is the root of all evil"
and it would certainly seem as though the
tender passion for the dross of earth had
something to do with the present misun-
derstanding among the hotel men and
others who contributed to the $40, COO or so
which was raised by subscription for the
entertainment of the visiting hostelry
keepers.
It appears that some months after the
Hotel Mems Association of California and
the Southern California Hotel Mems
Union had agreed to unite in joint in
vitation to the Eastern hotel men a COM
mittee of the frst-named organization
started out collecting funds for defraying
the expenses attendant upon fitting re-
ception to their guests. The news that the
Fasteners had accented the invitation
filed the minds of local hotelkeepers with
visions of well-flled pocketbooks from
Boston and New York, and contributions
to the fund were many and, in the esti-
nation of the donors at least. generous.
The committee consisted of S. F. Thorne
president, and r. H. Warfeld, secretary OF
the Hotel Mems Association, ex-officio; ].
G. kirkpatrick, manager of the Palace
(chairman); K. B. Soule of the Lick House;
Charles Montgomery of the Brooklyn F.
S. Douty of the Hotel del Monte and the
Tavern of Castle Crag and president of the
Pacific improvement Company; George
P. Smell OF The Hotel Vendome, San Jose,
and John r. Chace of the Pacific Ocean
House and Sea Beach Hotel, Santa Cruz.
These gentlemen are business-like and
practical.
They are also well versed in the art o.
doing things sin style" Hence, when
they saw that the donations were not
pouring in as they should a list of hotel
proprietors and purveyors was prepared,
and opposite each name was placed the
sum which it was thought its bearer should
contribute.
One fine day Mr.. Soule sailed forth with
his list in his pocket to rake in the shekels
which were to warm the cookies of Eastern
bonifacial hearts. But it wasn't all
smooth sailing.
What do you want OF me?" wrathfuUy
inquired ]. c. Young of the Russ House.
"What do you mean by assessing me for
$3.50? There's only one assessor that csn
tackle me ana he's paid by the Govern
ment for doing it. 1 can't afford $3.50 any,
how, and won't pay it,
Others besides the genial Young rebelled
against the tribute. Gentle Major Hooper,
though he subscribed $500. intrenched his
patria1chal form behind the OccidentaPs
battlements and preserved inviolaple
silence whenever the matter OF payment
was broached.
Stanton, likewise, of the Baldwin, who
had been assessed for $400, drew about him
a mantle of impenetrable hauteur when
ever one of the collectors fell foul of him,
and numbers more followed the same
tactics.
Nor did the tradesmen take more kindly
to the thing. The wine and spirit mer-
chants, to be sure, donated large quantities
OF liquor for the entertainment of the
visitors, but the butcher, the baker and the
candlestick-maker formed a sort of triple
alliance, fiercely defensive in character.
Many were the complaints as to the as
sessments. and the collectors began to find
life burden.
Still, plenty of money came in where
with to defray immediate expenses. and a
tacit agreement was entered into that
grumbling and growing were to be post
poned until after the visitors from the
East should have returned thithel. Ali
would have gone well had not demands
been pressed for the payment of subscrip-
tons. Duns, however, engendered cool
ness, and in some instances heat as we'll
and the row which was to have been q
strictly family affair of a private nature,
now threatens to provide a Wild West
show for the sightseeing Yankees.
Most of the local hotel men exhibit an
infantile ignorance regarding the exist
ence of the tangle. Mr.. Kirkpatrick and
Mr.. Warren, when seen last night at the
Palace, were much surprised to learn that
aught beside brotherly love reigned among
their confreres.
"It is really very peculiar observed
Mr.. Warren. Perhaps there NAV be
some truth in it, but how can say? n
know nothing about the whole affair. II
the report has any foundation it must. at
all events, have been greatly exaggerated. "
Major Hooper and Mr.. Soule were '.out. +"
and their subordinates blissfulIy un-
conscious of trouble. Mr.. Stanton was
found at the Baldwin, but denied all |
knowledge of the affair when questioned. |
Mr.. Thorne, however, was more communi- !
cative.
In January, $685. be said "our organi- |
zation united with the Southern California |
Association in an invitation to the Eastern |
MOTEL men. Their last annual meetino |
took place in New York City during the |
ensuing May. We sent four deIeoatee N |
that meeting with our invitation. which |
was accepted. Some months later an
pointed the general entertainment com
mlttee' OF which was ex-officio member.
and to which the work of RECEIVING and
entertaining the visitors was confided.
"Of course, the business could not be
carried on without money SO the commit
tee started out to collect. The first dona-
ton, amounting to $1,000 was from the
Palace. The Grand gave 5000 and the Del
Monte $3.50. Mr.. Douty of the Del Monte
thought ne had been assessed little too
high, and at first sent us his check for $3.50
The committee, however, soon succeeded
in convincing him that he ought to act