The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-04
Exclusive Refreshment Privileges
for Forest Park Go With
Contract.
CITY SEEKS HIGHER RENTAL.
Charles Schweickardt, Present
Lessee. Will Be an Applicant
for Renewal, Which May Be
Let to Highest Bidder.

|
| Worlds Fair the lease on Forest Park
Cottage" ard all ground refreshmeat privil-
| eyes. one OF the most important concessions
outside the Exposition grounds, will have
expired and It is the opinion of city officials
! that the new contract should be let to the
highest bidder and for a shorter term.
Charles Schweickardt. former State Sen
| ato- and Republican politician. who recent
| ~ gave Circuit Attorney Folk some inter-
! esting Information about his connection with
| certain Doodle deals in the Missouri State
Legislature holds the present lease. He will
| he an applicant for renewal OF the lease
as he 10 interested to the extent of more
| than seccoO in Improvements. which will re-
| vert to the city at the end of his con-
tract.
Park Commissioner Aull said yesterday he
| thought the city should have a larger rental
| and that he had no doubt that an increase
| would be provided for in the new lease
| which would be drawn Up at the expiration
of the present one on April l. 1894.
| WILLING TO PAY MORE.
| Schweickardt. when seen by The Republic
| reporter at the Cottage" last night, said
| that he would be an applicant for the new
| lease and that ne would accept any reason
! able terms that the city might propose,
realizing that since the last contract was
| entered into, the privileges had increased in
value.
But 1 don't think" said Mr.. schweick-
| ardt. that the business anticipated during
the Worlds Fair should be taken as
| basis for the entire term OF the new lease.
| The Cottage will not profit heavily by
| the Fair. although it expects TO increase its
| revenue TO some extent. just as every bust
in ,plriS 7 boya haan
| here for eighteen years and there has not
| been a single complaint about the manner in
which l have conducted the privileges.
| SUMMER GARDENS HURT COTTAGE.
Schweickardt says that the opening OF
several summer gardens in the vicinity Of
| Forest Park has greatly reduced the profits
| from rcfreshment privileges in Forest Park.
and that the volume of business at present
| Is not what it should be in consideration of
the increase OF population and attendance
| at the park
| City officials who were interviewed on the
subject say that owing to the large increase
In the numbe, o: private vefcle1 IN use.
automobiles. carriages etc. the road
traffic at present through the park is heav
| Ter than It ever was before. Schweickardt
| says that this is true. but that the automo-
biles go to the country beyond the park and
that he does not profit from their trade.
! HISTORY OF THE LEASE.
| By an ordinance passed March s. 1891.
| lease was given by the city of ST. Louis to
| Charles Schweckardt OF the refveshment
| privileges at Forest Park. Under the enact
ment the Board of Public Improvements
| was authorized to enter into contract with
| schweickardt which should continue In
| force for ten years
For an annual rental OF s1.cco. payable
| monthly. the lessee secured permission to
erect the restaurant building known as the
| Cottage" to cost not less than $1,000. and
| such other refreshment stands mot to ex
coed three the Board OF Public I'm
| Wovements might approve, and TO lave the
exclusive refreshment privileges OF the
| park.
| It was provided that at the termination
| OF the contract such buildings as had
been erected by Schweickardt should be-
| come the property Of the city. and further
| requirement of Schwciclsardt was that he
| should keep the buildings fully covered by
insurance. and that II they should be
destroyed the policies should be made
| payable to the city, If the buildings were
| not replaced.
BAR FORBIDDEN IN CONTRACT.
| one important STIPULATION in the contract
| entered into between Schweickardt and the
| city Is that no public bar shall be main
| tanned within the limits OF the park. and
that all liquors and refreshments must be
| served by walters to patrons seated at ia
| bIes. This part of the contract has not been
| literally carried out by the present lessee
| as drinks are served at regularly equipped
| bar.
| Attached to the contract is clause that
| for each day the lessee fails TO keep the
| terms of the contract he shall he fined $50
| and when the total amount OF the fines
| reaches s1.GtO the lease shall terminate and
| the Improvements mace by SchweiclidrJt
| shall be given over to the city,
| LEASE EXTENDED THREE YEARS.
Nothing in the contract was to interfere
| with the Park Commissioner granting per
mission to any school or church to sell re-
| freshments on the grounds, but otherwise
| the ordinance conveyed exclusive privilege;
to the lessee for selling drinks. food, ETC., to
| Forest Park visitors
Schweickardt is under bond of 800 go to
| faithfully carry out his part of the con-
| tract and to indemnify the city from loss.
On July Is. 1894. ordinance was passed
term of three years because Of delay in the
! erection Of buildings the suit of Charles
| Gibson against the city. which was not de-
| cded until February 81. 1893, and because
| of the total destruction Of the Cottage" by
| fire on May IA. 1894.