Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-09-30
PASSING
OF FAMOUS
HOSTELRY
THE OLD WILLAMETTE GOOD
ENOUGH FOR OTHER DAYS
AND SCENE OF MANY A POLL
TIAL INTRIGUE, GIVES AWAY
TO THE HOTEL MARION.

The Passing OF the Old VILLAIN
cite" hotel is the title of a sketch
that was published in the Septem-
Der issue of The Hotel Report, which
is published in Chicago and is ma
tion-wIde in circulation, has just
come TO light in this city. This
sketch of the old Willamette, which
is being rapidly transformed into the
new Hotel Marion, was written by a
young lady stenographer in the Of
fee of the Secretary of State, who,
in the modesty of retirement from
"too much publicity or notoriety"
signs the nom de plume of Ora
Conn" is reproduced from The Hotel
Report for the benefit of the Capital
journal readers, as follows:
after an existence of forty-one
years. the historic establishment
operated for the last twenty-one
years under the name Willamette
Hotel" located at Salem. the beau
tiful capital city of the Beaver
State" has been compelled to give
way for q new structure, The rapid
growth and development of Oregon
in general created the demand for a
fully modern and elegantly equipped
hotel at the seat Of It's government
which the most fastidious traveller
will find in the magnificent Hotel
Marion, which now graces the site
of the "old Willamette"
"The passing of the willamette
brings to the mind of the traveller
few reminiscent sparks which
readily enkindle the enthusiasm Of
the average Oregonian. The struc-
ture was erected in 1869 at cost
of $4,000, and called the "Che-
meketa", and in all it's appointments
was, at that time, a great source of
pride to the state and city; the main
object of its erection having had its
inception at the time of the strenu-
Gus, though successful, fight of
the people of Salem to retain the
state capital. After twenty years its
name was changed to "Willamette"
a most suitable change in lieu of the
fertile valley of its location, and the
picturesque river of the same name
to be viewed from the front of the
building as 1t wends its way in a
northerly direction, where 1t soon
becomes lost in the waters of the
mighty Columbia.
probably no hotel in America
ever had a greater number or variety
of political battles fought under its
roof than the Willamette 1t housed
the senatorial contests of Oregon for
several decades, and, If it could have
but spoken, might have revealed in
trigues equal to those of a Machi-
avelli. Here, in the good old days,
Generals Grant and Sherman were
entertained, and It was here that Phil
Sheridan and his headquarters after
he returned laden with glories Of
the Rebellion, It was from the VIII
iamette that on one occasion Sheri-
da dropped out of sight completely
for several days, when purported to
have gone "over to the Reservation
for last visit with his one time
''Indian Bride"
"This famous old structure so in
Innate in It's time with political in
trigues was also the scene of many
distinguished social functions mem
orable in connection with society
life at the Oregon capital, and, in
cidentally, romanoes of belle an(
beau. Strange TO say, 1t was rocked
to its final sleep to the sound o
wreckage tools for the very same
reason that It had its birth. AT th'
100 session OF the Oregon Legislature
many members busted themselves
over reasons why the capital shoulC