The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-01-17
lis A STREET RAILWAY
FRANCHISE INCLUDED? ?
A Proposition Alleged to Have
Been Made for the Sale of the
Highland Inn to the Ma
tional Government.
@RAT OUT OF THE TRAP. "

It is not improbable that the anxiety
exhibited by Mr.. w. A. Scott, Of Pitts
burg. 10 grab three of the most important
streets Of this town without the Formally
Of letting the owners OF the streets know
anything about it until after an ordi-
nance conveying them 10 him and bis
associates had passed council. viii appear
from careful perusal of the following
article clipped from the Pittsburg Com
mereial-Gaze Of last Wednesday:
Negotiations are pending for the sale
TO the government Of the Highland Inn
near Somerset, Pa, a summer resort
much frequented by Pitts5urgers, and in
which several Pittsburg men are finan-
cially interested, for a soldiers home
and military hospital. The deal has
been on for some time and is not yet
closed. President Mckinley has visited
the place while at Somerset on visit to
his brother, Abner Mckinley. and has
expressed himself as pleased with the
site, remarking that 1t would be an ad-
mirable location for home.
The Highland Inn has been in opera
tion for several years, and is one of the
pleasantest mountain resorts in the
country II is located on the brow Of a
bill, and has an admirable view of the
surrounding country for miles. A hand
some little lake is located near the home,
aud there is also plenty of ozone Of the
proper sort. The home is operated by
corporation Of seven stockholders, each
of whom is a member of the board of
directors. The stockholders are Ed. ID.
Smith. division passenger agent Of the
B. & o.. with headquarters in Pittsburg;
j. II. Meyran. Pittsburg; w. A. Scott,
Pittsburg; Capt. Charles Harrison, Gen.
w. II. Koontz, George II. Tayman and
DIR. J. NJ. LOuther, Somerset. w. A.
Scott is president of the company.
Several prominent officials of the gov
ernment had visited the Inn at different
times during the past few years and were
taken with the beautiful Surroundings
and the healthful location. They re-
marked that The government needed
such site as that for a soldiers home
and hospital and that arrangements
ought 10 be made whereby the govern
ment could secure possession Of it, This
led 10 the serious consideration of tho
matter by the stockholders of the Inn
and the directors investigated the posi-
bility OF the government wanting it.
When President Mckinley visited the
Inn in compsny with his brother, Abner
Mckinley, who has a summer home at
Somerset, his opinion of the site for such
a purpose was asked. He answered that
in his Judgment it whould be an ideal
site, all the qualities which made the
place valuable IS summer resort fitting
it for a home and hospital.
At the last meetins of the board of di-
rectors, which was held some time ago,
the project was discussed and it was de-
eided to offer the place to the government
at a reasonable price and sell, providing
lhe government wanted it. The negotia-
tions are principally in the hands of Gen.
| KoOntz, who, as a representative OF the
board, has carried on the negotiations
with the government. IL IS not expected
that the deal VIII he closed for some
/
deal more importance that the govern
ment is attending to, and the purchase of
the Inn will be left until suitable time
| is found for looking into the matter.
There are fifty acres of land surround
ing the Inn and the building itself is ad-
mirably adapted for the purpose of a
home. It is believed that the building
would not need great deal of changing
if it is purchased, aid that the additions
TO it which would have to be built could
be easily arranged without interfering in
any way with the present building.
There are also fifty-six acres of land lying
near the Inn which are now owned by a
land company which will undoubtedly
be purchased by the government when
the Inn is purchased.