The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-18
MEETS MUCH FAVOR
MANY PEOPLE INDORsE PLAN FOR
HOTEL AT THUNDERBoLT.
WOULD COST ABOUT $4,000.
SHOULD BE MANAGED ny A CATER
Err OF REPUTATION.

Mrs. BHnnon of BannOn Lodge Prom
e. tnentIy Mentioned in This COnnec-
tiOn-HOteI Would Re Assured of
Large Patronage From Savan-
nahians--SuggestiO Made That IL
BE Roilt on Parsons Property just
North of CasinO-With Grounds
For Outdoor SpOrts-Estnblish
ment Would Be Assured Patronage
of Winter Visitors to savannah.
The proposition that a hotel be built
at Thunderbolt, which was advanced
at a meeting of the Commerce and
Trade Committee of the Chamber OF
Commerce a few nights ago, and re-
ported in the Morning News, has been
received with much favor.
While it is admitted that such a
hotel with the proper sort of grounds
may be a golf link, tennis court and
other facilities for outdoor sports
would prove quite an attraction to Wis
itors in the winter, chiefly Northern
ers, yet the main support of the house
would be received from Savannahians
in the summer
Mr. c. H. Dorsett who is thorough
" familiar with real estate and build
ing matters, is of the opinion that
hotel that would meet all requirements
could be built and equipped with light
ing apparatus. if desired, and with an
artesian well for say, 1000. The
material would, of course, at this cost,
be of wood. The interior might be
of Georgia pine, finished with hard
oil.
Near the Casino.
Mr. Dorset thinks the proper site
for such an establishment would be
the plot of land just to the north OF
the Casino grounds. This, it Is I'M
derstood, is owned by Mr.. George
Parsons, who was formerly largely in
terested in the railway lines prior to
the merger of them into the Savan-
nah Electric Company. 1t is thought
possible that Mr.. Parsons could be
interested in the project for the hotel
and that the Savannah Electric Com
pany. too, might be induced to become
a stakeholder.
This is believed to be the more prob
able because of the value of the IN
terests that the electric company now
has at Thunderbolt. A hotel would be
of value to these by increasing the
travel over the line to and from Thun-
derbolt besides furnishing many pa
irons to the Casino shows during the
summer.
IT is conceded, of course, that the
success of such a hotel would depend
in a great measure on the manage
ment. Though Mrs. Bannon has not
been approached on the matter, her
name has been prominently mentioned
in connection with the management by
all who have discussed the project. 1t
is felt that the reputation she has
achieved as a caterer at Bannon Lodge
would assure the hotel a large patron
age from the very beginning of the
enterprise.
Advantages of Hotel.
Some advantages of ffrst-class, if
not very large, hotel at Thunder
bolt that have been pointed out are,
that being near the city and easy of
access by street car line, by automo-
biles and other vehicles ii would prove
a popular place for summer residence
even with those who would expect to
spend at least a part of the hot wealth
er months North or in the mountain
resorts.
This is true because business men
who cannot afford to be out OF the
city on prolonged trips for more than
few weeks at a time could yet spend
much of the hot weather at Thunder
bolt, coming into the city for business
hours and returning to the resort in
the late afternoon and spending the
night there.
Other resorts have been discussed as
proper sites for a summer hotel but
it is admitted that Thunderbolt offers
the greatest number of advanta ges, Of
fering, as it does not only a quicker
trip to and from the city, with better
schedules than any of the other places
but having in the Casino with its vau-
deville and band concerts an admira-
Bile place for the spending of the ev-
enings.
Nothing definite has been done in
connection with launching the enter
prise, but the interest in it seems to
be sufficient to assure it's serious con-
sideration by those who are interested
in having hotel facilities at so con-
Venienf "A resort