The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-23
HOTEL ON THE BEACH.

poses to Join Our Citizens in the Free.
ton of a C~ommodious Hotel at Ocean
view-It Will Have Sixty-Five Rooms
and VIII Open This Season.
The people of Wilmington and the
thousands Of people who visit Ocean
View beach during the summer will be
gratified to learn that there is every
probability that a nice hotel VIII be
erected on the beach in time to be
opened the approaching season. The
Messenger so stated last Sunday and
we are now at liberty to say marc
about the enterprise.
Mr.. Geo. r. French, president OF the
Wilmington Seacoast Railroad Com
pany. has been in correspondence with
Mr.. Geo. Campbell, of the Central no
tel, of Charlotte, with reference TO the
matter. The correspondence resulted
in a visit to our city by Mr.. Campbell
who came down on Tuesday and re-
turned on Wednesday. While here Mr..
Campbell conferred with the president
and directors of the Wilmington Sea-
coast Railroad Company and propsed
if they would interest themselves in
organizing a stock company TO build a
hotel and would raise half the stock
he would take the other half n take
the MANAGEMENT of the hotel in hand.
The conference between Mr.. Camp
bell, President French and the di-
rectors resulted in an understanding
that gives every promise that the hotel
will be built. 1t is proposed to build
the hotel on the site of the Brown bath
house. which is one of the most elligi-
BILE locations on the beach. Plans for
a sixty-five room hotel building were
secured from Mr.. H. E. Bonitz, the
architect, and were examined and dis
cussed by Mr.. Campbell and the others
interested. Some changes were made
in the plans, and Mr.. Bonitz will have
the new plans ready in a few days. The
parties concerned in the enterprise will
then take some definite action.
The cost of the hotel will be from
$40, 900 to $40, 900, as may be decided
upon, and the plans for the hotel will
be such that the building can be added
to it becomes necessary.
President French tells US that the
hotel will be a creditable and commo-
dious one. The railroad company will
not be concerned in the enterprise but
gentlemen connected with the COM
pany will take individual interest in it.
He thinks there is no doubt that our
citizens will at once raise the amount
Of stock expected from them.
Mr.. Campbell is an experienced and
successful hotel man n one Of the
best known in the south. A man of his
standing and enterprise will be worth
a great lea in building up our beach,
n it is hoped the scheme for the hotel
will be consummated as early as pos
sfble. We are informed that when the
plans are agreed upon, the building
can be erected in sixty days IND be
ready for this summers business.
We take the following from yester-
days Charlotte Observer with refer
ence to this matter:
HMr. Geo. Campbell. of the Central,
returned from Wilmington yesterday.
He arranged while there to open a no.
tel on the beach this summer. This will
be good news to Charlotte people, for
it will give them an outlet, from in
land, highland points. Mr.. Campbell
will run his beach hotel as an annex,
as it were, to the Central. He will, no
doubt give his personal anagemen
to the hotel"