The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-12
Russian Prince Was Entertain
ed in Building.
LANDLORDS REQUEST.
Stanton Wanted Marshall Play
at His Funeral.
Little Russia" People Victims
of BuenOs Ayres Man.

The passing of the Union PaGlIlc
hotel to the management Oh the Coi9T Nc
Co., owners of the Throop' recoiI'
many interesting incidents IN lne -
tory of the hotel. Charles Gerueseh'
agent at the Santa Fe depot reIneIlr
bers how the Grand Duke Alexis oi
Russia was entertained at the hOleI
when he was on puIId1O ia
through Kansas in the early 'Us. II
residents will also recollect WI iGl -
H. Stanton was one of the proprlS,to I :
OF the hotel, a few buffalo We're EePI
in the park opposite the pullol.ls. 81,
THE hotel was opened IN april
1872" said Mr.. Gertiesen, TINS morn
ing. III. D. Meekin was the mrs. lo.nu-
lord: Mra Meekin was tormeIiy Which P
prietor of the old left mousse which
was later remodeled and known as
the Windsor and then as the NtttloliaI:
When Mr.. Meekin took charge OF
the hotel it was owned Dy stocn
company of people from the Nor. I
side. including DR.. f. NJ. Campdoras'
now dead; T. J. Anderson, then sta
ton agent for the Kansas Pacl1lc anu
later secretary of the Topeka Com
mercial club; r. NJ. James, kopert
Waterman, now manager OF the t1o"
ard Overall factor at Atchison' ana
"a little after it was opened the
Grand Duke Alexis from Russia
was entertained there. He was passing
through Kansas on buffalo huhtlns
trip. He came on special tram on
the old Kansas Pacific. A pilot engine
went ahead to see that the track was
safe. T. J. Anderson, then station
agent for the road. and Col. T. w.
Dennison, then general solicitor LOT
the line, had charge of the entertain
ment for the distinguished guest
A banquet was given him at the hotel
and he was taken in cab all over
the city. He was rather tall and wore
a high silk hat. I was in the crowd
that watched him come in.
After Mr.. Meekin was in charge of
the hotel two or three years 1t burned.
Fire started at high noon one spring
day. Incendiarism was charged.
Later it was rebuilt The Union
Pacific bought the property from the
stockholders at nominal price. as
it had been losing venture from the
first.
col. H. H. Stanton was placed in
charge. He was quite a friend of the
late John Marshall, organizer of Mar
shall's band. He built bandstand in
the park opposite the hotel and there
the band gave concerts nearly every
week in the summer time. Mr.. Mar
shall once asked Stanton what he
wanted in pay for building the band
stand. Mr. Stanton replied that all he
wished in return was that the band
play at his funeral.
And it came to pass. Col Stanton
died in California. His remains were
brought here and buried after q ser
vice at Grace cathedral. MarshalPs
band met the body at the train on
Sunday and followed the procession to
the church and from there to the GEM
etery.
After several years John Cramer
assumed proprietorship and was in the
hotel until the late Mark Pullman took
charge, some twelve years ago. Mr..
Putnam before this was In the hotel
business at Beloit."
The Colson Hotel company, control
ling the Throcp, will also take charge
of the Union Pacific hotel beginning
May 10. The building will be refur-
nished and remodeled. Since the
death of the proprietor, Mark Put
man, several offers of management
have been made, but it is said tina: the
willingness of the Colson people to ex-
pend considerable in improvements
was partly responsible for their gacur-
Eng control
The ball team of the North side
Baptist church, will play against the
team from the First Christian church
at Skene's park. Game will be called
at 3:45 p. m
Peter Long and Peter Steib. re-
Gently here from Russia, are TODAY in
quiring after their families. who are
also on their way from Russia to
America and are expected to arrive
here soon. The people of Little Rus
sla have sent 1886 to pay the passage
of the immigrants from Liverpool to
America.
This brings to light story of how
a. willy booking agent at Buenos
Ayres. S. A, embarked these Russians
for the wrong destination on account
of the larger commission he wouId
receive. The Long and Steib families
some time ago arrived in Buenos
AyreS from Russia. Now it hammered
that although Buenos Ayres is consid-
cred one of the wealthies+ cities in
the world. there was no work and NO
money for the newly arrived immi
grants. They had heard of Topeka
and the Russian colony here through
their friends on the North side.
They decided to come here by wav
of New York and told their circum-
stances to a Buenos Ayre.. Shylock
It happens that Shylock of Buenos Avres
knew that he would get more shekeIs
for sending the families to LivernooI
than to New York City SO he took
advantage of their ignorance of the
language of the country and their ig-
norance of the ways of travel and
shipped them on the wrong steamer
The vessel carried them to liver
pool. Here they found themselves sick
and almost destitute However. among
them enough money was raised to nav
for the passage of the two men to
Topeka. After arriving here thew told
the ueople of Little Russia" Of the
circumstances of their families. Then
the amount necessary for passage. hos