The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-06-24
HAD FAITH IN W0RKINGMEN
Built Hotel of IT'S Rooms in Order to
Give Homes to Men Employed in Big
Kenosha Factories-New Owner Has
Had Wide Experience in Business.

George Fischer, owner of the Fischer
hotel and the oldest of the hotel men
in Kenosha is going to quit. Mr.. Fisch-
er announced today that he had made
a deal for the sale of the big hotel
on Market street just east of Main st.
to his son, George Fischer, Jr., and the
son will take over the property on the
first of July. The elder Fischer is now
closing up his connection with the no
tel.
Few hotel men in southern Wisconsin
have been better known in the business
than George Fischer. His biggest asset
in life has been his belief in the work
ing people and by this belief he has
built up a fortune.
1t was sixteen years ago that George
Fischer first came to Kenosha. Then he
leased the Schlitz hotel at the head Of
North Main street and for four years
he was in business at this corner. He
wanted place to build big hotel and
In 1903 he purchased the old CONNER
cial House, which had been conducted
for many years by Peter Rhode Be
fore the end of another year he had
started building operations and for six
years he was busy building hotel large
enough to take care of his business
The first part of the present building
was occupied in 1904 and the work as
originally planned was completed four
years ago.
The Fischer hotel has IT'S rooms and
it has more guests than all the other
hotels in Kenosha put together. It has
been distinctly home for men who
work and at times as high as 300 men
have found board and lodging in the
hotel Mr.. Fischer was a sort of a
father to the men in the hotel The
coming of hard times meant more to
him than any other hotel man in the
city During times of slack work Mr.
Fischer has been known to carry some
of the members of his "big family"
for months without any hope Of being
paid until work got good again. Of
course few of them slipped away and
left big bills for board behind Them but
in all the time Fischer has been in
business in Kenosha he never brought
a proceeding in the criminal courts to
prosecute a boarder for jumping a
board bill. Most of the men who lived
with him came back and paid all that
they owed.
He has been something of an idol
among the single men who are employed
! in the factories in the city and in the
sixteen years that he has been in Ke-
nosha his hotel has been the home of
thousands of young fellows who after
ward went out and made homes for
| themselves.
Many months ago Mr.. Fischer was
stricken with paralysis. For months
he lowered between life and death at
the hospital and now that he is able to
be out again he finds that he has not
| strength enough to look after the many
details of the big hotel.
"George knows just as much about it
as do, - said Mr.. Fischer today; ftand
he is going to take it off of my hands. :"
For years Mr. Fischer has been plan
ming trip back to Germany for visit
with relatives. Sim going to make
that trip now just as soon as the war
is over and the time that am not trav-
cling the boys will be glad to have me
about the hotel.''
George Fischer, Jr., who is to take
charge of the hotel has had long ex-
perience with his father and for many
| months the details of the hotel business