Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-08-07
The Hotel Proposition.

On Friday meeting was held at
School hall for the purpose of look
ing into the possibilities of new and
larger hotel for Newport. The meet
ing was fairly we'll att nded and all
agrees that the need was great and
that steps should be TAX Ell to further
the project. G. A. Pfouty. E. c..
Blanchard, c. F. Bigelow. DR..
Gaines, F. E Alfred, +. D. Flint.
Geo. B. Young and 0. &. Miller made
remarks faVorlng an attempt to Sc
cure the hotel, the latter backing his
remarks with an offer to be one OF
twenty men to build it. The amount
necessary to build such house as is
needed was agreed to be from 100000
to Sl25, 900. After the matter
had been discussed sufficiently. a
committee was appointed to secure in
formation regarding the securing ct
a site, the amount of money possible
to raise and other necessary facts,
with instructions TO report at meet
ing called for Friday evening, August
2. The committee was as follows
Chairman C. A. Prouty, F. +. Al
FREQ, F. D. Flint, C. F. Blgelow and
r. C. Williams. The meeting of Aug
asst 2 as largely attended, fully 100
of the business men and other tax
PAYERS being present. Chairman
Prouty read the report of the commit
tee. which contained the following
essential intelligence. A stock COM
pany with capital of Sl25, 600 was rec
commended. No mortgage to be car
ried on the property when QUILT. Two
sites are available, the Brady lot on
Main street and Field avenue and the
railroad lot, so called, The old Mem
pt1remagog House site. Arguments
were advanced in favor of both these
locations, the initial expense OF the
site rather seeming to favor building
on the railroad property. The lnVes-
LEGATIONS of the committee however IN
the matter disposing of the necessary
stock led them to give rather a dis
couraging report in this particular.
It appears that about $50. 600 Will be
taken care of by five of our citizens.
In looking for the next S5O,OOO the
committee were met by the refusal OF
several leading business men to invest
a dollar in the scheme. Rejecting on
the fact that these gentlemen had
secured their competence from the
community in years gone by and that
they would be in position to profit
| largely by the increased business
brought to town by the hotel. theil
| attitude so discouraged the committee
that they desisted from further or
ganized attempts to secure stock tax
ers and reported accordingly to the
adjourned meeting. The committed
gave as their opinion that hotel OF
the size necessary could be run so a.
to pay,at least four per cent on the
investment. They stated that the!
regarded the proposition as one en-
tirely up to the business men OF INT
community but assumed that some
stock would be taken by RESIDENT
who of course would profit only lndl
rectIy. They were of the opinion tina
a hotel of the nature indicated
would probably enhance the value o
all real estate in the village TO some
extent. Regardless of the dlscour
agement of its committee the meet
ing was still in favor of making FUR
Their effort. and the committee was
retained with instructions to make 1ur
Their investiga tons regarding actua
price of location and to solicit sup
scriptions for stock from every resi-
dent who should be able to take 1t
during two weeks. and then repor
again. Remarks in favor of contlnu
ing the agitation for hotel wer
made by several gentlemen. and eac
for himself or his firm, signified HI
Willingness to take stock to the ex
tent of his financial ability. IN dis
cussion, the following facts wer
brought out THAT there is no hote
between Burlington and White Rive
Junction, by way of Newport, tia
can accommodate the tourists that dc
hot OF
port is the logical stopping place c
automobilists on the routes from tn
large United States cities to Montre'
and Quebec. That our scenery an
atmospheric conditions are favorab
to summer tourists-and that all "
need to be complete, in that matte
at least. is good, large hote
Here's hoping for a favorable fna
cial report from the committee at ii
next meeting.