Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-14
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THE opening Of omaha's handsome new hotel has
been duly heralded With all the artistic and his
torio setting. We have had the story OF the
Fontenee family retold in explanation Of the selec
ton Of the name; have had the promotion and
execution Of the plan for building the hotel described
In detail; and have passed in review again the
succession Of hotels from the early day Hernd"n
house down that have from time 20 time marked the
progress Of the city IN its forward march. There is
one chapter however that has not yet been told any
where because It left visible or tangible marks.
but which forms vital link in the chain OF events
eliminating In the Of the latest project.
refer to the abortive efforts made ten to
secure for Omaha hotel commemorate with our de-
mands which every then listed the cty's
most imperative need
Let us give brief account Of the COSMOPOLITAN
Hotel company, which got far completed
stock subscription and Incorporation but no further
People were impressed with omaha's lack OF ade-
quate and upto-date hotel facilities during the
position era and TO was II clear than
to my father. the late Edward Rosewater and his
sociates In the exposition management when called
upon TO entertain the distinguished guests who
here from all over the country upon that occasion
After waiting in vain for private individuals to
launch the enterprise he settled the convic
ton that new hotel must be taken up public
enterprise in the way that the exposition had
been promoted and Auditorium built The mattel
came to a focus toward the latter part OF the
year 1906. when associated with Mr. Emil Brandels
Mr. Arthur d. Brandeis, Mr. wattles Mr.. Rome
Miller and few others. method of financing was
formulated, under which active campaign was I'M
mediatey begun Part Of the money was 20 have
been donated outright by public spirited citizens the
building company was to be formed BY the usual
stock subscription. and the remaining requirements
met by building loan. have in my possession tie
payers bearing the original signatures which outline
the proposition follows:
The hotel shall contain over 200 rooms and be
not less than eight stories IN height the base
ment. the building fittings and furnishings shall
cost at least approximately $50ooOo in edition 10
the cost OF the ground. The hotel shall be located
west Of Fifteenth and east Of Ninteenth street;
north Of Harvey and south of Dodge street"
IL should be explained that two sites at Seventeenth
and Douglas streets at the time under consider
alton one the old Grossman corner, now covered with
the Baird building and the other. known as the old
Iundt corner since occupied by the new Brandeis
theater The tentative agreement provided for tho
lease OF the hotel when built TO Rome Miller and on
his inBstence a site nearer to Farnarn street tho
location definitely fixed for the Pundt corner,
Mr. Miller thought a Farnan street entrance so es.
sental that arrangements made to build a COW
ered colonnaae over the sidewalk on the Seventeenth
street side Of the Bee building clear up TO Farnan
street the entrance to the being placed close To
tine alley, which was actually vacated through an
ordinance enacted by the city council comply with
Mr Miliers desires. To secure still further room an
additional lot the west, belonging to Mrs Grover
Cleveland was purchased for the Cosnopolltan HoteI
company, and for the moment It looked as II Omaha .
long-hoped for fireproof hotel was about to ma
teriaze.
Just at this turn. however. Mr. Miller. who was
making success Of the old Her Grand. concluded il
hotel. at what ne considered bargain offer ana bv
remodeling and adding to It, make it into what soon
became the New Hotel Rome which would be his
sole property. and under his own control The last
document In my fIe OF the Cosmopolitan Hotel com
pAny' 10 notice of meeting for dissolution OF the
corporation. fft&5 81. - r. tFa ~
Although the original Cosmopolitan hotel protest
had gone by the board. OF stil hoped that Il
might be revived II other capitalists could be per-
suaded TO take hold OF t.. Knowing what Mr. D. T.
Thompson had done for Lincoln with his Lincoln hotel
down there. tried to interest him with the suEges-
ton that combination management OF two hirh-
class hotels. one in Omaha and other In lincoln.
would be to the advantage OF both OF them. and
economies OF operation would make for additional
profits MT thompson was just then devoting his
energies 10 his Pan-American railroad ana could NOT
see hts way clear to enargins his activities as hotel
builder Before another lsad could ba taken up the
place where the Cosmopolitan hotel was 70 stand was
pEe-empted already stated for the Brandeis thea
ter which forced the Fonteneiie hotel location ona
block further west and half block farther from
Fanam street. but apparently without seriOus detri-
ment