The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-03-10

him from hls purpose H. would sim
ply have hig Oan way. whether or not
10" public was pleased w incDnvcnl-
rnced ono time--thls IL . story often
told Ben. w1ho ran line of steamers
between Portland and san Francisco.
invited an Eastern friend 10 take a
trip tD Seaside with him The gen
tl"man WIS booked for the next Fan
Frhnclfcp steamer. which was already
at her dock In Portland discharglng
cargo. The Eastern gentleman hesd-
ialed. saying that he could not AFFORD
10 MFRS the steamer which waa 20 stant
Tor Frisco the next day.
THAI II alright" sald Holiday. I'VE
VIII iusl run down tonight ana you can
make the steamer at Astoria. IN see
that you don't miss a."
Well. the gentleman accompanied
Holiday 10 Seaside. and found his host
II royal entertainer They remained at
the beaoih several days. and the visitor
at last b'-cpming alarmed lest he should
miss ils steamer, preached the subject
60 Old Ben
Never mind the steamer" he an
swcred. = left orders AT Astoria for
them TO wait FOR you
And 40 he had The next day the
two men took the stage from Seaside.
and when they arrived at Astoria they
found the steamer. and on board we're
about two hundred passengers. enraged
at being delayed for several days and
compelled TO await the pleasure OF the
high-rUiling proprietor u a clatsop
Beach resort, But Holiday owned the
steamer and what he said went in
those days"
Holiday used % smploy quite
number Of colored people al his Seaside
resort. principally In the dining room
and kitchen Of the hotel. One day
he tuok a notion into his head that
the help were spending too much time
on ahe bearh and he forthwith Issued
an edici that none of his hotel en-
on, first procuring nm order from the
manager. The same afternoon ne met
the head waiter stroliing along the
sands. enjoying the ocean breezes. and
with an idea Of seeing how faithfully
his decree had been obeyed, he held
the das'ky up and demanded 20 see his
pass. The darky didn't have one. and
old Ben was raging In second. He
made a straight line for the hotel and
fired every coiored man on the place,
refusing to give them sranSPertation
20 Portland, and compelling rhem 10
walk to skpancn: Tor there was no
railroad In thosc days. He soon had
a new rorce from Astoria and Portland.
and before the month was out he had
sent for and reinstated nearly all of
the old employees Oh. he was a daisy.
and no mistake"
The captains 0f his ocean steamers"
continued the old pioneer. were under
orders TO run close in shore when pass
lHN NlNlA AaAtAA ifsAlA ~ bAif A'aieA NH'A1 Z
the hotel is situated. and salute with
"a series OF whistles. on shore a tall
flagstaff was erected and when the
steamer whistled the flag was dipped
as a return salute. At times Ben's
wine flowed as freely as the water OF
the Necannicum, and many high-rOll-
ing stag party has he given during
the summer months. The best people
on the coast were patrons Of his place.
and they paid big prices for the priv
ilege Of going there. He was fond of
horses, and had a fine race course on
his place just north Of the hotel. He
spent a fortune there In Improvements.
but since his death the place has grad
ually gone 10 ruin, until now but
slight traces OF its former beauty re-
main"