Evening journal., 1907-01-24
SiIminstOnianS Who Are In
terested Believe That a Mod
eTn HOstsIry Would Pay
UPTON ON PROPERTY
hAS BLEN SE URED

Plans arc on foot among several bua-
ncss men of Wilmington flr the e., cDon
ot modern hotel in the city a I'd one
which viii not oniy accommodate several
hundred gucs 81 but which VIII he nras-
Glass 100 every appointment
The steady increase 10 population of
Wilmington, its apid growth along busi-
Ocss lines. and the large number Of travels
ng men who yearly visit tho city ate
deemed sufficient reasons by the rr0iect-
ors TO warrant the erection Of hotel at
which an The accommodations TO be found
in houses In cities of similar size 10 VIII
mington may be obtained.
IL Is pointed out that the Clayton House.
the leading hotel of the city. when conn
pared TO hotels Ia other cities is 20 fnr be-
hind the times as 10 be Utmost anuuuated.
When built over a quarter OF 81 century
ago the Clayton House was then consid-
cred, and Il undoubtedly was one Of tho
up-to-date hotels Of the day In this sec-
tion at loast Since then. however, th.ra
has been many changes On hotel life and
guests are demanding dmly more comforts
and conyeniences than were TO be found
twenty-five years ago In this respect
Wilmington Is sadly lacking and 70 obvl-
ate this condition Of affairs that "a new
/ hotel is proposed,
May Use Building.
Furthermore than this. officials OF tho
First National Sank, which corporaton
owns the clayton House. desire moro
room for their banking business. ass their
present quarters undor the hotel are too
cramped In order 20 obtain the desired
space il may be necessary for the banking
Institution to occupy a large portion OF
the lower floor of the hotel along the
Fifth street side az least and It IS not
improbable that in the course Of year
or so the entire frontage on Market street
will bc devoted to banking interests. the
Artisans Saving FUND which Is already
located in the hotel building, also desiring
more space.
Feasible Project.
That the idea OF a modern hotel for
Wilmington Is not a chlmera Is ovinced by
{ the fact chat already plans and speclaca-
. ions OF certain large hotels IN the coun-
try have been gone over and their good
points noted with the view Of having
drawn composite plans Tor a new building
b here.
. Twenty three Years Experience.
Harry Bothman. who for the past ten
years has successfully conducted tho
? Clayton House. and who Is a hotel man
Of twenty-three years experience, states
emphaiically that he believes a modern
p hotel ia this city would be a paying propo-
, slton
lie said to-day in speaking upon the
subject 'T have no doubt but thar VIII
mington could and would support mod-
orn house of properly conducted There
appears TO be some who believe that Phi-
adelphla IS too near us 10 warrant the
erection and operation OF q large hotel
, but / do not agree with them. Whining
u ton is growing and with it the business of
the city Is increasing. There are number
Of men who at present a7e conducting
their business In Philadelphia who would.
believe. Il they could find proper hotel
accommodations in Wilmington spend "a
? greater portion OF tho year In this city
| with their families AT present this is
impossible as they viii not occupy aport-
monts which arc not modern in every re-
b. spoct DO you think that II we had O.
n modern hotel that the apartment houses
II would have as many occupants as they
y have at present 'Tis TRUE that many
a trvoung men do not remain over night I'm
m the city but this Is due largely to the
y fact that they cannot be accommodated
n here IN a manner which they are accus-
a toned TO-
ie Option on Site.
Al tt Is further said that the hotel pro-
feet has so far advanced that an option
has been obtained upon one OF the best
sites in the city for hotel purposes and
in one which will probably be vacated with n
n possibly the next year The men behind
u the new project are among the most SUBJ
% stantlal in the city and are not wont to
invest their money unless fair returns are
practically assured.