The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-24
Gen. Hughes Tells How He Stood
Up for Kansas.
Eastern Hotel Men Went After
KansanS' Cash.
AND THEY GOT 1T, TOO.
He Paid $3.50 for a Little Fish
Without Batting an Eye.
Three Minute Carriage Ride at
81 a Minute.
AND THEY GOT 1T, TOO.

Some of the horrible truths about that
battleship trip leaked out the other day
during a conversation between General
J. w. F. Hughes. chancellor Of the
junket exchequer, and John H. Smith,
the governors executive clerk
They were talking about the way the
fasteners went after the bag of Kan
sas money
There in that Bellevue Stratford
hotel" said General Hughes, Il noticed
that everything on the bill of fare was
mighty steep, but concluded that they
probably served very large portions. So
I ordered a baked fish. The price was
$3.50. I knew that down at the Elks 1
can get q fish about a foot long for so
cents, and so I naturally supposed I
would get a young whale for $3.50. Well,
sab. I nearly fell off my chair when
that waiter came in with fish just
about as big as two of my fingers. I
got one bite of meat off each side of
that fish, and that was ALL
THAT wasn't as bad as the canta-
loupes," said Smith. What do you
think of cantaloupes at $500 apiece? I
ordered cantaloupe one morning for
myself and wife, and they brought in
two platters full of ice and a quarter
of a cantaloupe on each pile of ice. The
bill for the two pieces of cantaloupe
was $1.60, and that's at the rate of $3.50
per cantaloupe."
And what do you think they charged
for a half chicken" said General
Hughes, his eyes blazing with wrath.
General Hughes is an authority on
chickens, and he hates to see anybody
take advantage of them after they are
dead. "a half fried chicken" repeated
the general, was down on that bill of
fare for
But we didn't wilt" said Smith
proudly.
mo. sab, indeed we didn't" assented
the general. I'VE were there repre-
senting the great state of Kansas, and
we showed those chaps that we were
game. We came right down with the
coin without a sign of a kick"
"I have figured the thing out care
fully said Smith, land as near as I
can tell, we put in just three-fourths
of the time while in the east getting
something to eat
"Fully that much,' said General
Hughes.
you remember when we went up
on the roof garden for supper?" said
Smith. I'VE knew that the roof gar
den dining room was supplied from
the same kitchen that the other dining
room was, and thought We would
get just the same service and be up
there where it was cool, and where
we could hear the orchestra. We went
up for dinner at 7 o'clock, and in
tended to go to the theater in the
evening. Well, it was $3.50 before we
got through eating. I saw one man
come up there, order a glass of lemo-
made, and wait IS minutes before it
came up"
And when we did get it," chimed
in Hughes, 'the price was as high as
the building-eighteen stories"
But we stood pat" came in Smith
with the chorus
1--WE certainly did echoed Hughes
For we were the people from the
great state OF Kansas and everybody
was watching US to see how we would
act"
Down there on the board walk at
Atlantic City" said Smith, my wife
and I thought we would drop into a
restaurant for supper, to save the walk
back to the hotel, although our sup
per at the hotel was paid for. So we
went into a nice looking place and
gave our order. We noticed that the
waiter acted as though he was about
half drunk, but he seemed to be able
to navigate all right. After sitting
there about an hour waiting for our
order, we asked the head waiter about
it, and he said there had been no
order turned in from us. That was
one too much for US, and we just piked
out of there"
The only cheap thing found as long
as 1 was away" resumed the general.
was there on that board walk. Denison
and were out walking and ran across a
place that said: All the soda water you
can drink for a nickel SAID to Denison
That looks good to me. Let's go UP
against it So in we went and Denison
ordered root beer and called for White
Rock. We finished one glass apiece and
the man said: Have another? 1 said !
would, and Denison said he'd take the
same. We finished the second glass and
/ said: I believe can stand one more
on you, sah,' but Denison dropped out
However, I think we got our moneys
worth at that place"
The hotel prices were something fright
ful," said Smith. How much do you sup
pose that suite cost that the governor had
there at Philadelphia %
I reckon it must have been 500 day.
said Hughes. Those rooms that the rest
of the party occupied were SIS a day
each.'
But they were certainly elegant rooms, p
said Smith. 'All finished in mahogany
with magnificent bronze bedsteads and
bath rooms all finished in white tile''
And those carpets exclaimed Hughes
Il took my shoes and stockings off al
night and walked around on that CARPET
Just to feel my toes go into it. 1t was like
walking on bed of moss"
y. R-The shipbuilding company paid
for the rooms.
we stayed right in the game to the
end, said Smith. I'VE came to the hote
in a long string of carriages and we haf
money enough left to go away in the sam,
footmen, and all that; and they cost u:
81! Think of that Twelve dollars to rid,
three minutes!'
TT was up to US to represent the grea
state of Kansas, and we did it up brown
said Hughes. -
A. G. ClarIke's Vacation Over.