The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-14

Mr.. c. E. Smith. formerly proprietor Of
the Victoria hotel. on FRS, avenue. be-
tween Seneca and University streets.
whose where& bouts was tse subject o. aux-
ious inquiry 10 number of small credit
orS Saturday. is il seems now In Victoria.
g. c., where he is looking for employment,
and an opportunity 10 retrieve reverses OF
the past. His family, consisting Of a wife
and two children. departed yesterday
morning for California. where they will,
temporarily reside with relatives.
Mr.. K. Myers, from whcm Smith had
leased the hotel. has resumed possession.
and the business will he conducted with
out any interference with the comfort of
the guests. Mr. Myers also settled salts
factoriiy with all OF the employees of the
house. leaving Smiths deficiencies con-
fined To some not very large bills Tor sup
plies furnished the dining room.
Mr.. Myers takes very charitable view
of Mr.. Smiths actions. lie says that
Smith. when he took the house. expected
some considerable amount of money from
some outside source. which he failed 10
get. He had built up a very fair business
and had he succeeded in getting some $40
in cash he would have been enabled &c SO
ahead and make a fairly good income out
of the property. Smith was not in any
sense beat" II he had the money he
would pay his bills promptly. Failing to
get the expected money, and having n
number of small bills falling due, he
lacked the nerve to face his creditors or
attempt TO carry on business on the
stand-on principle, SO he simply left.
He took no money away with him. and
left none for his family. In fact. Mr..
Myers assisted the latter In paying their
way 10 California.
Mr.. Smith has several times met with
business reverses. When doing a good bus
mess he has been considerable of a
spender. and, in fact, as his friends put
IL, was liberal 10 a fault His record in
that direction was pretty thoroughly eS-
tahished during the last session of the
legislature, during which time he was
lessee of the Hotel Olympia at Olympia.
and was there known TO every member of
the last legislature. While not a candidate
for the United States senate, he did not
fall behind some of the leading candidates
In his liberal distribution of the liquid re-
freshInents, in which he dealt as an incl
dent to his business as hotel proprietor.
Prior to going to Olympia, he conducted
restaurant in the old Chamber of Com
merce building, at the corner of Third and
Marion. and 1t was owing to debts con-
tracted while conducting the latter insti-
tuition that his connection with the Hotel
Olympia came to an enforced termination.
Since he took charge of the Victoria
fotel, however. he has not been at all ex-
travagant. and his financial troubles were
not due to any reckless spending upon his
part. His sole trouble was that the busi-
ness required the use of certain amount
of capital. or an established credit, which
would tide him over until the ordinary coll
lections could be made. The capital he ex-
pected to get from some unknown source,
but his expectations were not realized.
Unfortunately for him, his credit was al
most equally non-existent, his previous
business reverses having destroyed what
credit he formerly had. His creditors
We're pushing him and threatening suit.
and he anticipated the inevitable by get
ting away in advance of the storm.