Arizona republican., 1905-08-13

or excursions to places of interest. Los Angeles is a headquarters for tourists and the vast army that goes there annually is not brought by the wonders of her metropolitan life so much as by the dozens of Interesting things within a days journey of the city. Phoenix may now lay claim to being headquarters. There are va rious side trips that can be made and that will prove enjoyable to visitors but the biggest and best of them all is the trip to Roosevelt.
 It might be inquired what is to be seen at Roosevelt? Not as much as may be seen a year or two later, but enough to more than pay for the trip The scenery along the road is incom- parable and can never be improved upon. The same may be said of the twenty mile road from the basin up into the Sierra Anchas and the high line road to Globe. At the present time the visitor can see one of the liveliest construction camps in the country and witness the preliminaries of dam building, sufficiently advanced to be of more than passing interest. With a good hotel there a year or two from now, the tourist can make him. self at home during his inspection of
 
 ervoir in the world. He can make side trips in every direction. The fishing and hunting will be excellent. Like wise the boating. There is no more eXhilirating atmosphere, no better mental and moral surroundings. It is not a. foolish vision 10 predict that even after the dam has been finished there will be as much travel over the road as during the construction. There will be fewer heavy teams. but it is almost a certainty that by that time it will be as notable a tourist trail as the Yosemite valley which has been visited by hundreds of thousands. And the major part of them will pass through Phoenix and not be wearing blind brides as they go. Thousands will come this way who otherwise would never think of it. Other thous- ands who would come anyway will have a better time if they take in the Roosevelt side trip.
 In order to encourage this happy state of affairs, Roosevelt wants hotel and Phoenix wants her to have 1t. Not a Jim Crow lodging house with bed- bugs and bare floors. but a well built up to date hotel affording all the mod ern comforts of life without the extra luxuries except for those who desire to pay for them. Not a hotel for mil lionaires alone. but a hotel for the av- craze American tourist. yet good enough to provide all the moderate demands of even the millionaires. At the present time everybody in Roose- welt is there for business. There be- ing no big hotel the restaurants and small lodging houses are doing the best they can. No unkind criticism is made of either the people or the accommodations. They are all right for the class of trade now there to patronize them, but a good hotel is the only thing needful now, to attract the class of money spenders who don't have to go there and who won't go un- til they can get what they want It will take a few thousand dollars to handle such an enterprise but those in position to know are positive that if ample capital is expended along right lines it will prove a money mak- ing investment. There are splendid sites for a hotel good water, an ice plant, and everything needful except the man who has the money. It is understood that certain men are nov making serious inquiry in this direc- tiOn. Their identity is not made pub lie nor is it known whether they have arrived at a conclusion or not But there is one thing that must be borne in mind by all prospective hotel build CTS and that is that it is on a govern ment reservation and the sale of liquor will not be permitted. It must be a prohibition hotel or at least an in stitutiOn that boasts of nothing more formidable than a soft drinks bar l Clean beds, good rooms, good cuisine | excellent service and reasonable rates l must be its inducements to the public ! The government officials it is gener- ! ally understood are in favor of the building of such hotel at the earliest possible time but they will see to 1t that it is the home of ladies and gen i