The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-08

With the passing of yesterday the city of Montgomery entered upon a new era.
 The New Exchange, Montgomery's half q million dollar holstery. was thrown open to the public. For the first time in half century, for the first time since the early days of the Old Exchange, when Montgomery was a small town. the city has hotel facilities equal to its needs.
 On yesterday Montgomery took one ef It's greatest strides forward. It gressive modern cities of the South. for no city meets it's full responsibility unless it can furnish hotel accommo- dations for those who want to come
 There Is no fault to find with the Montgomery hotels which accommo- dated the travellers in the past, and which will continue to accommodate -hem in the future. No hotels in the some rooms, and none gave better ser vice. But the hotels were too small That was all. Montgomery was too large for their capacity.
 But a new future, new fame, new advertisement came to Montgomery yesterday The outside world knows now that Montgomery has a hotel big hotel. which has no superior in the Southern States.
 The importance of the occasion was not lost upon the people of Montgom- cry. It was almost made a holiday in the city. Thousands of people. visited the big hotel and admired the interior, which was that of a marble and ma hogany palace, seven stories high. Hun dreds of people put their name upon the brand new register and wandered through the beautiful building, com pIimsnting its splendid appointments.
 Little Girl First signer. '
 At II o'clock little Miss Nettie Cas- senheimer took her place at the marble. counter, escorted by her father, Prea- ident Simon Gassenheimer. of the New Exchange Hotel Company, and otner members of the family. Clerk John Moffatt turned the brand new register. around to her. smoothed down it's first page, and dipped a pen in ink for the little miss. Ihen & slowiy S S Sa.a ana Ma,t,a Sn Gassenheimer on the virgin page, and the New Exchange Hotel was open for the public.
 old and distinguished citizen of Mont gomery. He took the pen from the lit-. tie girls hand and wrote his name up- on the register. He asked for a room for the first day, and Clerk Moffatt as- signed him to room No. 40e. Jack Sistrunk, a well known travelling man. was the first of his profession to stop there and he WI, wns the oaf first tzayelng ,s ling ; customer in the new hotel was George P. Haardt & Brother.
 Seven stories in height. the New Ex-
  of Court Square. The ground upon which it stands Is said to be the most valuable piece of real estate of its kind in the State, what Birmingham may have to say to the contrary not terday declared that it was conser- vative estimate to say that the ground on which the hotel stands Is worth s20o. 900. The seven story structure It. self was erected at q cost of $25o,o00: The handsome furnishings, new and rd 6 nf xk0h00 new hotel which stands to Montgom- ery's honor represents easily an in- vestment of $500,000. And this money was spent without a dollar coming in. For up until last night no man had paid his bill. That will begin today. To successfully manage an enter prise of this sort requires a man with unusual qualifications. First. he must have money to begin. for the conser. vative business men owninget the hotel do not care to run the risk of money loss from inability and inexperience. Second, he must have experience of a wide sort. He must be gifted with a husIness acumen. have a certain grasp