The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-04
THROOP IS SOLD.
Topeka's Largest Hotel Changes
Ownership.
The Purchase Price Is Eighty
Thousand Dollars.
BY OLD HOTEL MEN.
G. F. Morrow and id. O'Rourk,
Owners.
VIII Spend $4,000 in Remodel
ing and Furnishing.
HOUSE HAS A HISTORY
C Ost Late Col. H. P. ThrOOp
$4,000.
Mr.. DOOlittle Retires From the
Management.
HOUSE HAS A HISTORY
G ost Late Col. H. P. ThrOOp
S24O, 900.
Mr.. DoOlittle Retires From the
Management.

At private sale. today, the Hotel
Throop, one Of the principal hotels in
Topeka, was purchased by G. F. Nor
row, of Lawrence. and J. J. O'Rourk, OF
Ell Reno, o. T. The property sold for
$780, The transfer is immediate and
the new ! roprietors will formally tale
charge on Monday morning. The sale
was made by Emmett E. Roudebush,
successor to J. 8. Collins and J. B. Bar
tholomew.
1t is the intention of the purchasers to
put SIC, goo into interior improvements.
relnodeling and furnishings. Some OF
this work viii be done at once, with
further and more extensive repairs to De
put in in the dull summer season when
it comes.
One of the members of the new hotel
firm, G. F. Morrow, is a man of long
experience in the hotel business in KAN
sas and elsewhere. He is a native Of
the town of Lawrence, and was for
many years associated with his father.
the late 1lobert Morrow, in business. He
is a -son-in-law of his present partner,
J. }. O'Rourk.
Mr.. Morrow was proprietor Of the Io-
tel English. in Indianapolis, for several
years, until last July when he left there
and has since been at his home in Law
renee. He was formerly in the hotel
business IT. Emporia, in Atchison and al
SO al several places in Nebraska
J. J. O'Rourk is a banker at Ell Reno.
He expects to remove here with his
family at once, but viii also retain his
business interest in FL Reno.
The deal is completed by which we
become owners of the Hotel ThroOp."
sald Mr.. Morrow. The invoicing of it is
now in progress which will be finished
in a day or two and we will take fun
charge on Monday morning.
II am an old Kansas hotel man and
have many acquaintances in Topeka. I
was in the hotel business at Emporia
for three years, and It Atchison for
eight years, among other places. was
last proprietor Of the Hotel English in
Indianapolis. where sold out last July.
We viii take hold here at cnce and
give the best service that there is to be
had in this part Of the country
In regard to the improvements that
the new proprietors intend to make, Mr..
O'ROufk said. We expect to expend
$4,000 to $4,000 on making alterations,
painting, papering and otherwise en-
bellishing the interior fittings. New car
pets, furniture and other furnishings
viii also be procured.
THE greater part of it will be post
pOned till after the legislatures sessions
are over-when the summer luli comes
more likely. The house will be main
tanned at the highest standard of ser
vice. 1 have business and banking in
tereStS in FL Reno, which I shall main
tain although L expect to bring my
tenilon to the business which is my FIRST
venture in it,
The present Hotel Throop was built in
the years 1SS7-SS. The late Henry p
Throop bought the property from Mrs
Mary Burtis in December, 1886 for S52,-
000 It was then the New Gordon hotel
occupying the corner Of Fourth street
and Kansas avenue, so feet front Mr.
Throop enlarged it to the size of the
lot, 10Ox150 feet.
During 81 and 'sS the building was
enlarged and extended to it's present
size. being completed late in the fall of
'S8. The cost then, including purchase
price, was $4,000.
There are 115 rooms in the Throop,
including eight handsome suites of
apartments. It is four stories high and
built of Bedford stone facing and ZaneS-
vile pressed brick. 1t has interior 1T
tings of the handsomest hard wood,
marble thing, baths and all conven-
fences.
Irving W. Doolittle retires from the
management of the Hotel Throop. He
has had charge Of it continuously since
its beginning.
Mr.. DoolfttIe says: ST have been man
ager here for twelve years and, of course.
will now sever my connection with the
Hotel Throop. I have not now any
plans for the future.
THE Throop enjoys an excellent COM
mercial patronage of the highest class.
Within the last four years the business
has about doubled"
While Mr.. Doolittle retires, Clerk
Chambers stays behind the desk under
the new management.
Messrs Morrow and O'Rourk in buy
ing the Hotel Throop receive the title
from Bennett r. Wheeler, receiver for
the Investment Trust company,in whose
hands the property was last vested