New-York tribune., 1896-10-18
THE FEEDERS OF A HOTEL
THEY EITHER OWN THE HOUSE OR ARE
OWNED BY 1T.
SOMETIMES THE BILLS GROW TOO BIG AND m,
PTRYEYORS ABSORB THE HOTEL-HOrEIS
THAT Rim FARMS AND STORES

THAT Run FARMS AND STORES.
When a large commercial enterprise is PROJECTED
and put into actual operation. 1t Is expected ha,
the corporal tion Is TO have extensive dealings with
other firms and perhaps individuals That isn
maintain its identity through all these trans.
actions is generally supposed. There seems TO M
however one class Of business which, soon az ,
now firm undertakes II. means that eventually
number OF changes will be involved either In til.
firm itself or in It's feeders This Is the hotel buu
ness II seems to he an unvarying rule that when
new hotel starts into existence. unless backed BY
almost fabulous wealth and managed by thos
peculiarly deslrous of avoiding al, entangemenu
one OF two things happens-either tho hotel
absorbed and controlled by those who purvey Tor
it or the purveyors are drawn in and become
part of the hotel
The last few years have witnessed marvelow
growth of hotels In this city Several OF the ok
time houses have gone 10 the wall and owing "a
competition have suspended business. Several Of
the new ones have been remarkably successful and
have gone ahead and done a good business Otheu
Of the new ones. and some OF the OH ones that have
stood the strain and are still open. along In
sort OF a hand-to-mouth way, and are so entangsd
financially with multitude of obligations that
concise and clear statement Of the firms standing
could hardly be given with an exhaustive over.
hauling OF all the accounts. II is a condition 0.
affairs to-day where the hotels either own their
own dairy farms truck gardens. meat shops and
so on. owned by them.
\ striking example Of this system was AFFORDED
when the Hotel Brunswick closed recently. II had
at one time been most prosperous and was fairly
coming money. Then competition cut in and the
decline came. When the manager OF hotel Ands
that the revenue does not equal the expenditure
he Immediately looks around 10 see where he
tide over until business picks up and ne can mako
good the deficit. He cannot cut his rent. lie must
pay that or he will be sued and perhaps dspos.
s.sscd. He cannot neglect his light bills or tho
light will he cut OFF He cannot cut down his corps
of servants He must continue all the outward
signs of prosperity as guests will leave a house as
soon as II is evident that the little niceties are
he done away with IN order TO economze.
IIe naturally turns 10 those who supply the hoid
with meat bread fruits and other groceries He
asks them TO allow the bill 10 go over month
The patronage OF the hoN is not be despised
and they don't want him TO turn somewhere elss
for his goods and moreover. II serves their end 70
a certain extent have the house in debt TO them
They gracefully give the time, and the hotel hu
taken the first step that means gradual absorptM
by the purveyors. With a large bill due ihs
groceryman the hotelkeeper does not dare % take
his patronage anywhere else or al once he vSlA
he summoned to court for the bill. The grocsJ.
man. or the meatman. or the milkman or s: wnos':,
II is. sees his advantages. he extracts as fuch s
he can each month. and in turn gives indne'ea.
material for the money. The hotel man is boIri
tightly and the hotel guests realize that tners
a falling off In the character OF the goods. TM
also initiates against the hotel.
Things will 20 on this way for weeks. months and
perhaps years but the end is inevitable. one dag Al
assignment has 20 be made. and the house pass
into the hands OF receiver; In looking over u'
of hotels that have failed Is interesting
note that i'm almost every instance the assignment
has been made TO some one connected with hrn
the case OF the Brunswick. il was the butcher ard
the grocer who acted together in having the r.
James and other hotels. 4 prominent member q
one. OF the greatest grocery firms IN the countrI
There a dozen hotels i'm this city carried %
by the firms that furnish them with the daily sup.
plies These firms absorb every individual donsf
OF revenue. and still their accounts mount up ons
day the hotel goes under. and the sale nets them
fair percentage or. on their investment. with WI"
! That is the tale of how hotel can be absoree.
veyors. Take hotel like the Waldorf or the In,
this hotel will pr,ine his expense seyeret
lie will Sc. that he is paying more for milk ,ns. =.
chance to reduc" that expense lie viii talk wit.
/ the VINO runs the dairy farm and pernals
milk every day at much reduced price The mIE Iai
man will eventually get into straits and ne wa wa
come TO he hG,el man for momsy 1 Ths sgrsss rs a.
amount that the dairyman cannot repay Thes
he will consult with the hotel man. and the rssa' s
/ will be that the hotel man Il taken into pattne.
! ship. and so the dairy farm becomes an adJun"
/ OF the hotel
! George &. Bodt. proprietor OF the Waldorf, scns
time found out that the wine men and s, ON,
| purveyors plundcring him and he bethous..
himself 10 remedy the evil. The result was tE,'
! he started an importn g-house Of his own. ana !,
! has been successful adjunct Of the nos
that IL will In all probability be kept up. There q.
| several hotels in the city which practicaly S Sss
! their own dairy farms. truck gardens, butcne.
| shops. wine stores and on. through the nteIns
of the hotel man in the stores. There is no proIns.
cuous sale Of milk from the great dairy farms. TaN
/ a farm like Governor Morton's AZ Eers.ie. TIE en-
tire estimated output OF milk is bought months T
fore IL IL ready for market. The business Is llksy
TO extend. and in time every successful hote ins,
manufacture or grow everything II uses In It's oS"
| ness.