The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-10
E. B. Gresham, of Charlotte, N. c., to Build
Hundred Thousand Dollar Hotel.
WORK WILL Be COMMENCED IN ABOUT NINETY DAYS
Hotel of Seventyfve to One Hundred Rooms to be Built
Options Being Secured Suitable Sites-Sumter
Citizens to Put Up Forty Per Cent
of Cost of Building

Sumter is at last assured Of a new
hotel. Mayor L. ID. Jennings, as
chairman of the hotel building COM
mittee, Monday stated that sum
ter was at last assured of a new
hotel and that work would be COM
manced on the hotel within the next
ninety days. The prospective builder
of the hotel is Mr.. E. b. Gresham,
who now runs hotels at Florence,
Charlotte. Richmond, and great
many other places.
Mr.. Jennings received an inquiry
from Mr.. Gresham about two weeks
ago as to the hotel situation here
which he at once replied to, stating
in full the hotel question as it had
been discussed here at various times
and telling what was being done here
now to get the hotel. Mr..
Gresham came on here Sun
day and went over the ground and
saw how things were and then got
down to business. A meeting Of the
Hotel Committee appointed by the
Chamber of Commerce was called
and Mr.. Gresham made two PROPOSE
tions to the committee. One of these
propositions was that the citizens Of
Sumter build the hotel and that he.
rent it and run 1T. and the other prop
osition was that he build the hotel
and that certain per cent of the
stock be subscribed to by local par
ties This was the proposition which
was agreed upon and it was decided
that all arrangements should be
made at once so that the building
could be commenced in the next
ninety days. Options were called
for at once and today Mr.. Jennings
was busy securing options on all of
the proposed sites for the hotel so
that Mr., Gresham could choose from
these which he considered best when
he returned to Sumter in a few days.
This proposition that has been made
to Sumter is the one that Mr.. Jen-
nings has proposed all along, and at
last it looks as If his wishes and the
wishes of the city will be realized.
Mr.. Gresham has agreed to build
hundred rooms and capable of pro-
viding for the many travelling man
who come through Sumter and may
wish to spend the night here. The
citizens Of Sumter are to furnish
40 per cent of the money for the no.
tel, this being primarily for the pur-
pose of securing local interest in the
hotel. The amount thus furnished by
citizens of Sumter will be covered By
bonds bearing per cent interest, the
bonds to run five years. The balance
of tha funds for the hotel building
and for furnishing the hotel will be
furnished by Mr.. Gresham himself,
who stated that he intended to move
here as he found this climate very
much to his liking.
1t seems with this proposition be-
fore the city and agreed to by the
hotel building committee appointed
by the Chamber of Commerce that
the hotel question which has been a
burning ISSUE here for the past five
Ns2lp 10 70. h.,
people OF Sumter desired it settled.
tn Chamber Of Commerce sometime
ago took up the matter of getting Il
now hotel here and appointed a com
mttee To raise funds with which to
build hotel, and this committee.
through Mr.. Jennings. who was at its
head. has at last, seemingly. wound
up its work. 1t has secured tho hotel
which was the aim desired.
Mr.. Gresham left ON the II o'clock
train today for Columbia, after his
meeting with the hotel committee.
and ne expects to return i'm a few
days To look ovcr the sites selected.
and upon which options have been Sc
cured, and to choose from them the
ON" most to his liking as tho ono
best suited for his hundred thousand
dollar hotel Immediately following
'h' selection Of the site the contracts
ana plans for the building Will D.,
drawn up and work will be com
menc'd on the building. It is there