Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-28
HARPER LEASED
TO C. j. MUELLER
New Manager of Hotel Will
Open It on European Plan in
Course of Two Months.
CHANGES: WILL BE MADE
Cafe Will Be Established on First
FlOOr-Entirely New Equipment
Will Be Installed.

A deal which had been under way for
a week was closed Saturday evening
whereby Carl ]. Mueller secured a
term of years from the new owner of
the property, DR.. Joseph DeSilva. Mr..
Mueller will conduct the hotel on the
European plan, and will open 1t as
soon as new furnishings can be Sc
cured and improvements that are to
begin immediately can be completed.
Speaking of his plans today the new
manager of the hotel said: Il have
not as yet entirely completed my plans.
as the deal was not consummated until
late Saturday and have had but lit
tie opportunity to consider the matter.
/ expect to be ready to open the Har
per in about six or eight weeks. The
hotel will be run on the European
plan, and a particular feature will be
the cafe service The cafe will be re-
moved to the first floor when improve
ments are made. and the present din
ing room will be retained as banquet
and ball room until conditions are
such that it will be necessary to con-
vert this room into guest rooms. | in
tend to conduct the hotel as first
class establishment in every depart
ment, and no effort or expense will be
spared in fitting the building for this
purpose I am arranging to install new
furniture and furnishings throughout,
from the basement to the roof There
will be new furniture in every room,
new equipment for the kitchen, new
table service, new carpets, new bath
rooms and new fixtures, and the re-
newal of the equipment will extend
aven to the boilers in the boiler room"
Mr. Mueller was represented in the
negotiations by Reidy Bros.
Not New I'm BUSINESS.
Mr.. Mueller is at present the local
pany, and has been in the company's
service for IA years. He is not a stran-
ger to the hotel business, having been
literally born in it, spending his boy
hood in the old Union house on TWEEN
tieth street. He is a native product,
and although but So years old, he has
proved himself successful and able
business man, and a hustler. He is
popular, wide-awake, and has the quail
fications for success in his new ven
ture. Mr.. Mueller was one of the or
ganiZers of the Twin-City Driving as
ISOLATION, and its secretary, and is n
stakeholder in the Rock Island EXPOSE
tion company. He is interested in the
Nicholas Kuhnen Cigar company of
Davenport Mr. Mueller will sever his
connection with the Henning Brewing
company in order to devote himself ex
clusively to the management of the
hotel.
=. DR.. DeSilva, in discussing the con.
(: templated improvements in the build
ing this morning, stated that the nm
prOvements will be commenced the
first of the month, and will be pushed
as rapidly as possible. He spoke OF
/. the lease as follows: 81 have leased
the hotel for a long term of years tC
Mr.. Mueller, after carefully consider
ing several applications and PROPOSE
tons In considering these applica
tiOns ] gave attention first, of course
to my own interests as owner, but
have also considered carefully the in
terests of the public in the matter, anC
have taken steps to insure the people
of the city a hotel of which they ma!
be proud, not only for its accOmmoda
tons, but for, its safety. The improve
ments contemplated will mean an out
lay of about $4,000, not including thu
cost of the new furnishings and equip
ment, which the terms of the lease re
quire.
Cafe to First Floor.
"The first floor will be remodele'