St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-05-14
PRESS COMMENT
Hotels


Naturally, on leaving home, and
with the, hotel question fresh in
mind. We took note of this feature
while IN different parts Of tas South.
Naturally, and as might be expected,
every town that doomed was sup
piled with them. And, strange as
it may seem, it seemed 10 be the
hotels .thot Doomed the towns. That
is where it was known COOL hotels
existed. there the people seemed To
go. IL is strange now COED hotels
will attract people of the road. They
are the best, or worst, advertisers a
town can have, according to the
way they are conducted. And the
more good hotels there are in a
town, the more people they draw.
And the more the hotels are pat
ronized. 1t is said, tickle a man
under the chin, and you please
him." but tickle his palate, and
you have won him, head, shoulders
and all. Hotel keepers should re-
member this if they desire patrons.
In the Blue Mountains of North
Carolina we stopped at a town nam
ed Hendersonville, and asked for
good, clean hotel. Kentucky
Home said the driver, and to
kentucky Home we went. And it
was a good hotel. Substantial, we'll
proportional, tasty, clean, good
tables and beds, and capable of ac-
commodating $50 guests. Neither
was it a $150,0O0 or 100000, or
$4,000 hotel. By the way, we have
never been believer in one of these
$150,0O0 or $4,000 hotels in
large or even populous country
towns unless you desire to put
the money into them, or the patron
age demands them. Ornate towers
and minarets and fancy cornices do
not count as much as good bath
rooms, table and beds. Kentucky
Home" was built on a common
sense. rational plan. And as we said,
it accommodated $50 guests. And
it was owned, and run by a wom-
an. The hotel was three stories in
height in the middle, with an outer
wing on each side, running up four
or five stories. These wings were
wide enough for a set of. bedrooms
on each side, and hall in the mid
die. Broad verandas extended
across the three stories in front,
and in front of these the well-kept
grounds The entrance was in the
middle with stairs back, leading up
into the broad hallway above. Large
office. dining and sitting rooms on
first floor, with culinary departments
back Hotel square-topped, with
every room as planned, pleasant and
not shut in. If ever a demand, each
wing could be extended back, or up |
as the case might be. Not fancy |
bit of trimming about the hotel, and |
yet the outline of it attracted and |
pleased. When on the road we lis |
tened to conversations relating to |
hotels. D'yr know hotels are al
ways talked about on the trains?
They are advertised, slandered or |
praised three thousand miles away |
from home. Said a passenger,
Been up in the mountains?" yes"
stop at many places?" Eyes"
'Hendersonville, Brevard, etc.
Where at HendersOnville?" ''At |
The kentucky Home :" You did
aeh? Say; that's a grand hotel.
Clean as wax, plenty of good food,
nice beds and warm baths. And it's
run by a woman. always go out of
ny way to stop at that hotel" See
now it counts? Good food, baths
and beds always lift man off his
Jet.
We heard a travelling man talk to
another man, who with his family
had been sightseeing through the
Hills. Every hotel was discussed
rom Asheville to the Smoky Ridge
'ange. The poor ones we're condemn
ID and the good ones exalted to the
ikies. Not once was the contour of
hotel described, but the talk all
sNf
he food, rooms, ETC. Ibid you stop
It hotel at?" said the agent. YES"
aid the traveller, land went away
els perfectly rotten-rotten. Cater
o few summer boarders when they
ONE, but the rest of the year-bum.
top at Asheville? Mighty good no.
els there-up-to-date, and with
ables that make you smile. Hen
ersonville? Say; good hotels
here. The Kentucky Home
III, you stopped there. Then you we're
7ise Say; I'd go one hundred
niles out of the way any time to
top at that hotel. Food just melts /,
4 your mouth" There it comes
gain. Not a word how the hotel :
ras built, but what the table held. :
mother conversation related to !
igh-class hotels: 'tThere's--hotel :
t." said one man to another. :
High-class, clean, good tables, plen- .
2 of servants and all that, and $500 :
day. Now, while 1 like good things :
nd all that, my stomach could :
ever hold food cough to pay $500 ;
day" Food Again. :
We give these little exerpcts, or :
craps of conversation heard on the :
ain, as they are samples of what .
re- talked every day on every road i
the whole United States. .
town is advertised by the quality +
nd standing of its hotels. And, a
ley are patronized or Stunned just ,
as the hotels are con- s
ucted Or the lack of them. Or h
lie crowded and sanitary condition s
them Express and Standard. +
Rural Life s
To a person past middle life who,
Though country born and bred, has
zen hut little of the country for