The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-20
35|lfI tffftt L lJi'tS
ACKNOWLEDGES
HAv'EAMP IL ROOM
Dabney's Figures Show How
Easy 1t Is to Accommodate
Conventions.
ELEVEN CAN HANDLE THEM
Regular Patrons Not Disturbed !
by Sudden Rush OF
Delegates.
ELEVEN CAN HANDLE THEN

That Richmond hotels can, at any
SEASON of the year, without inconveni-
ence. crowding or extra effort. furnish
first class accommodations Tor INC
largest conventions is the gist OF the
statistics most recently compiled by
Business Manager William 7. Dabhey.
of the Chamber OF Commerce This
fact is of more significance than may
at first appear. 1t shows convinclngly
that Richmond possesses regular hotei
accommodations of which few other
cities can boast that Richmond pos
sesses extra or surplus hotel accom-
modations with which not many other
places can compare; 1t shows finally
that Richmond has this one addltlonal
advantage when 1t comes to being one
Of the best convention cities IN the
United States
business Manager Dabney's figures
show that eleven of Richmond's lead
ing hotels have total OF ia rooms
with bath and 654 rooms without. "a
other words. eleven Richmond hotels,
which will compare fayorably with the
best establishments elsewhere. contain
a grand total of LAPS rooms.
These hotels are Stumpfs, CONNER
cial. Lexington. Park, Richmond. Guer-
rant. Gilbert's, Murphy's, Jefferson,
DAVIS ana RueSeT y. l4a
What the Average shows.
On occasions of conventions II is Gus
tomary all over the country to assign
on an average of two and half per-
sons to room. This. OF course, de-
pends largely on clrcumstan ICE attend "a.
stated is a fair one and is not usually
considered objectionable. especially
when the hotels arrange that the con
vention. delegates share their quarters
with other delegates or people whom
they know.
Between May Is and September IS
only about 90 per cent. OF Richmond's
hotel capacity is consumed. AT this
rate, during the period stated. the no.
tells designated can afford l.64s accom-,
Ia grand total OF 1855
Several smaller hotels and many att
tractive quarters. such as afforded at
the Young Mems Christian Association
houses, when taken into consideration
with the above. justify the estimate
that 3,0o0 visitors can be comfortably
taken care of in Richmond. and with
out residents being called upon to sup
ply lodging conveniences and without
the regular transient patronage of the
hotels being disturbed.
Comparative investigation with other
cities discloses that few in the coun-
try which are not resorts afford a
lions than Richmond. And resorts are
usually exhausted in their supply with
out being called upon to accommodate
conventions. except when II is out OF
season at these places.
Few Real Big Conventions.
In many of the larger cities. this
being especially true OF New York and
Chicago. there are a greater number OF
hotels. but not the surplus OF accoinmo-
dations. which is due largely to the
fact that the hotels in these cities are
supported altogether by transient der
saand. and the most OF them are not
affected by seasons. On the other
hand. Richmond. being tourist city.
supports large number of hotels to
the extent Of consuming only one
fifth of its capacity during the seasons
when conventions are usually held.
One other fact should not be over
Looked In connection with the forego-
ing. which is that few Industrial con-
ventions attract as many as 5000 Wis
itors. Not five such conventions held
in the entire country in the year at
tract that many. one-third of the num-
Der being considered large 1t becomes
apparent. therefore, that in the matter
of hotel accommodations, Richmond.
as convention city. affords one great
advantage which most other cities do
not possess.