Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-30
PALATIAL HOTELS
In West and South. Some Marking Resting
Places Of Busted Booms."

Denis RYAN of St. Paul. has become
somewhat famous as the owner of one
of the finest hotels in the Northwest
and as the friend of Jim" Hill. presi-
cent of the Great Northern Railway.
A recent fire in St. Paul destroyed the
annex of the Hotel Ryan. The loss
was reported in the press dispatches to
be 100000, and most readers felt sure
that this was a typographical error
Perhaps it was $4,000. and it was taken
for granted that the intelligent COM
positor'' had added cipher. The re-
port was correct, however. The annex
cost, for building and furnishing, near
ly $500, 900. The whole property is worth
close to s2,OOO,oO0 The place is Mr.
Ryan's pride and the glory of ST. Paul
a city about one-half the size of Buffa-
10 or Cleveland.
An interesting fact in this connection
is that 80 years ago Denis Ryan was /.
day laborer in St. Paul. He went to
Montana to better his condition, and
struck a gold mine. He returned to
St. Paul a millionaire twice over and
his ambition and public spirit found
expression in the Hotel Ryan. which
was built and furnished with little re-
gard to cost.
What ST. Paul gained by Mr.. Ryan's
wealth and desire for hotel ownership
many other Western towns have ac-
quired from the boom spirit or some
other form of enterprise. There are &
great many wonderfully fine hotels in
smaller towns than ST. Paul.
When Jay Cooke built the Northern
Pacific Railroad to the Red River OF
the North, he built at Moorhead. Mimi,
the Grand Pacific hotel, which in those
days was almost as good as any of the
New York hotels. Moorhead in the
earlier days had a population of 5000
or 10000 people, and was the head
quarters for business in a large section
of rapidly developing country. The
Grand Pacific became famous, and for
few years made money. Moorhead
was soon outstripped by Fargo, n. D.,
and the hotel business, as We'll as the
population, dwindled. The Grand Pa
cfic exists today, but there is little
patronage to sustain it. Fargo has be-
come the commercial metropolis of the
Red River Valley.
Edward p Wells. New York man.
who conducts the James River Valley
National Bank at jamestown. N. D.. had
hand in the early boom in that re-
sites all over Dakota. One of his favorite
towns was La Moure, village on the
Fargo and southwestern branch OF the
Northern Pacific. The place never con-
famed famed a greater population than 600. and
today has less than 300. At a time when
II was believed La Moure was to become
something of a railroad centre, Mr.. Wells
built a $4,000 hotel there. 1t is one of the
most beautiful four-story buildings in the
state, and would be "a credit to any city
OF 2o,Ooo population. 1t has been idle a
great deal of the time and does not pay
per cent; on the investment.
DAD bismarck, the state capital has So
Wy motel property which is used for hos
p,tal purposes. Mandan,. just across the
Missouri river where the Marquis de
MloreS was tried for numbering a cowboy.
also mas $4,000 hotel property which
makes no return on the investment.
:. A traveller in the West is amazed to find
n such cities as Denver, Salt Lake City.
cortland. Tacoma. Seattle. Spokane
rails, Butte. and Helena hotels which are
equal in size and sty.e to those of Wash
iington and Baltimore. There is not a
MOTEL in the national capital that sur
passes passes the knutsford tat Salt Lake City.
rmough the Arlington. with its annex.
may have more room. There are few
houses houses IN the East that can be said to
ssurpass the Portland and the Tacoma, in
fneir respective cities.
IN These magnificent hotels are a striking
iledture of the West. In most cases they
nave been built by railroad aid or infiu-
ence: to draw tourists and provide the
comforts of. life for eastern and foreign
E; nIpn who have poured their wealth
!nto these localities. All of the transcon-
tlhental railways have found it necessary
70 encourage and assist the uobuilding of
nrst-class hotels in what might be called
provincial towns.
Inc young city of Tacoma on Puget
Souhd could not. in the nature of things.
nave secured the model hotel of which it
NV Now boasts without the backing of the
ttfh" n atr Pacific. While this house has
w vne SIZE: style: and equipment which
o Mould give i high rank in AN Eastern
Iity; 1t is still not the equal of the Port
iand, at Portland. Oregon, either in
em,;n,So OF architecture or expense of
me railroad inn has become a feature
We W me New South. The Norfolk and
Mestern. the Chesapeake and Ohio. and
ihM hun. districts of the Virginias have
uullt and are conducting at their own
Expense as series of delightful hostelries
n na art an accessory of their passenger de-
G;ssary in stimulating travel in the coal.
IRON. and lumber belts Without them
n nn1 OF the undeveloped sections that are
he e~ attracting Northern capital would
or.
hoottuIstomed to New York and Chicago
owl, one OF the most daring experiments
tion MADE in hotel building was the cree
H pn pt Ie Arlington Inn. on Arlington
va esnts. Fort Worth. Texas, about five
noanS;a ago. At that time Fort ,.orth was
tions iously deficient in hotel accommoda-
Inwe s; ana the now defunct. Chamberlin
cnnes;eht Company of Denver. Col.
Ia nd Se I'VE, the idea of turning a waste OF
into i've miles distant from Fort Worth
Eo, a residence district
beant Flyers of lots, the company built a
WIFI a ,ot motel. in the Queen Anne style
perstr,ot prick foundation. and frame SUI
was s9Ho 6 oun The cost of the building
rates luxurious waua Gus in the highest degree. and
waV u were IN accordance. A street rail-
with Vas @h QUILT to give better connection
fiour;sheea city, and for a time the . 1tei
eity r1 Wnea As soon however as the now 5Sv
dem wore sod on. the property became bur.
about s,n a ~ was an annual deficit Of
destrovvnloi;V 0 Two Years ago the inn was
PARK hn, =, disastrous venture was the
a vi1la laotel at Lampasas SPRINGS Texas
accnmlSs OF 1000 inhabitanfs Thern W..
accommodations for 800 people. but at M