The San Francisco call., 1905-03-23
MRS. OELRICHS
AWAITS A BID

Whether the Fairmont structure on
California-street hill is TO be a mag
nificent modern hotel or an elaborateiy
arranged apartment house, rests en-
tirely now upon whatever results are
obtained by Thomas Magee from nego-
tiations with whomsoever comes for
ward to lease the handsome monument
to the thrift Of the late Senator James
Fair. 1t was announced yesterday that
Thomas Magee has been formally des-
ignated by Mrs. Herman Oelrichs as
her sole representative in the leasing of
the Mob Hill building, and that the
question as to whether il will be I'm
ished as a hotel or an apartment house
will be left exclusively to his personal
judgment.
Mrs. Oelrichs departed from New
York for Europe last Monday, and be-
fore sailing she made arrangements
with Magee for the completion and
leasing of the Fairmont. Until re-
Gently Magee, while enjoying close
business arrangements with Mrs. Oel-
richs, was in reality the representative
Of the Sharon Estate Company in it's
dealings with the Fairmont's owner
for a long lease Of the structure as
hotel The Sharon Estate Company,
beng recognized as a desirable tenant
for the building, was practically given
an option the property, but could
not come to satisfactory arrangements
with Mrs. Oelrichs. When this option
expired recently Magee received an Of
fer from Mrs Oelrichs to act as her
personal agent in the matter, and they
arrived at terms by wire last week.
About six months ago, as was then an
nounced in The Call, Mrs. Oelrichs de-
cided that her interests would be better
served If the Fairmont was finished
as an apartment house instead of
hotel
APARTMENT HOUSE PREFERRED
She said that the only thing that
would change her in these views. which
were shared by Thomas Magee and
other friends and advisers, would be
satisfactory arrangement with the
Sharon Estate Company. This having
failed she is still determined to have
an apartment house. Discussing the
matter last night at the Palace Hotel,
Magee said:
Il have been empowered by Mrs. Oel-
riche to use my own discretion in the
matter, and If 1 can obtain a good offer
for a lease OF the building for hotel l
will accept ii. But I much prefer to
lease II as an apartment house, and If
some one comes forward with salts
factory offer / will use every possible
influence I have with Mrs. Oelrichs in
convincing her that the apartment
house project has more promising re-
suits as an investment than hotel.
The fact that the dealings between the
Sharon Estate Company and Mrs. Oel-
richs have ceased does not mean that
the Sharon people are prevented from
getting the hotel II they want It. They
are as free to bid as any other people.
KIRKPATRICK'S EYE OPEN.
Colonel ]. C. Kirkpatrick, manager
of the Palace Hotel, when asked last
evening whether his company had
given up the idea of leasing the Fair
mont. replied that ii was still consid-
ering the proposition and might later
reopen negotiations with Mrs. Oelrichs'
representative. Just what obstacles
stood in the way of the Sharon Estate
Company and Mrs. Oelrichs coming to
a satisfactory understanding in their
recent prolonged dealings the colonel
would not say.
yesterday the fact became known
that the presence at the st. Francis
Hotel this week of II. r. Bowers, man
ager of the Hotel Portland, is in con-
nection with a plan OF number or
capitalists to secure the Fairmont.
Associated with Bowers in the under
taking Is Commander Phelps of the
battleship Ohio. who has held several
conferences with the Portland man at
the ST. Francis during the week. When
seen yesterday at the Occidental Hotel,
where he makes his headquarters when
ashore. Commander Phelps reluctantly
admitted that a deal was on hand, but
declined TO make known any of its de-
tails Thomas Magee also admitted
that Bowers and his associates are ne
gotiating for fifteen years lease. but
he. likewise, declined to discuss the af-
fair further.