Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-02-28
HISTORY OF THE FONTENELLE
Omahas Need Of New Hotel Felt
Since Period Of Transmissis-
Sippi Exposition.
CREpTr TO CrTY OF 100000


Omaha has had hotels and hotels since
Che city wac n frontier settlement on this
great overland trail to the gold fields OF
California and each time when a new
hosteity has been erected It has been
with the idea that the building has been
an keeping with the importance and
growth of the city.
The matter Of hotel building has been
continued for more than fifty years until
now when Omaha feels pride IN hotel.
the Fontenelie. a structure that In size
and appointment IN every particular
would be- credit 10 city OF 10000, or
more population. And II IL doubtful II
there are many cities In the United
states that has a hotel more beautiful
and more perfect In every detail than the
Fonteneile.
The inception Of the movement that
eventually brought about the erection OF
the FonteneIie dates back into history.
As long go as the holding of the Trans
mississippi exposition in 1898. Omaha felt
the need OF more adequate hotel facilities
However. that exposition was held and
during the Elk months OF It's continuance.
something like 100000 strangers were
within the gates Of the city. They had
been housed and cared for and everybody
knew that Il would be a long time be-
fore such crowds would again visit the
city during a like period. Consequently
the interest in the much talked OF new
hotel waned
Following the exposition ana with the
advertising that the city secured. the
fame OF Omaha continued TO be spread
far and wide Conventions and other
large gatherings continued TO select the
city az their meeting places and the hote
facilities continued to be taxed.
First Attempt Fails.
n was not until 1877 that the hote
project took on any tangible form. Dur
inc that year leading business men de
ulded that newer and larger hotel Il
Omaha had become a necessity and earl
IN the summer a hotel company wa
organized and capital stock TO the amour
OF $4,000 subscribed. An option wa
taken on tho site now occupied by tn
Fontenelle hotel. Eighteenth and Doug
las streets and II commenced 10 look a
n new hotel. one In keeping with IN
importance OF the city would be erocte
in the near future. The movement too
on shape and progressed 10 the extent q
preparing tentative plans for a building
Later in 1907 and before the harvest wa
garhered tho situation changed. Thecro
throughout the west was not up TO e,
pectations and the country at large e,
perienced something Of a depression. Tt
strings Of the money bags were tightens
and the enthusiasm that had characte
ized the hotel project. almost wholly al
appeared. For five years the idea OF
new hotel was allowed to rest. In Il
meantime. however, Omaha was forglr
ahead. not by leaps and bounds. b
with a steady growth.
On every hand palatial business hous
were being erected; the residence al
tffcts were expanding and new ana mo
ern homes were being erected STRANGE
were eomins in large numbers and I
common comment was that Omaha W
without hotel such as a city Of It's 81
ana Importance needed and would su
port.
Meeting fH Nineteen-TsxeIve.
Along IN 1As he hotel talk had reach
the stage shere ieeal capitalists and Or
gressls@ business men Preached the CO
cl1esion that the time Tor action had a
,flved. DHlne the early summer Arth
y. Brandeis and John L. Kennedy call
public meeting OF tho leading busins
men OF the city and presented a propo
ton thar has had IL elimination in
erection and completion OF the s,O0c,
fontenelie hotel. Al that meeting IN
offered 20 donate plat OF ground,
feet sqhara At the corner OF Elghteen
and Douglas streets wherV the n
tenelle has since been erected. providi
that the citizens n Omaha would organ
. hotel company and ala in the financl
OF project looking 70 the erection Of
first class hotel.
At this meeting thee wece i,ross
sues men as G ". wattles. cespcr
fost. Veto. b. CALDWELL Joseph
Willard. A. L. Reed. Arthur srilth a
many others. The proposition submit,
~ AFR. Brandeis and MF. Kennedy "
80 attrpetive that before the mtetl
adjourned. 4 waa accepted ana tlbO
Of hotel stock subscribed. Followl
this. subscription books we're opened .
inside 81 thirty days tbs required 81 900
Of stock was taken. Then followed
orsanization Of the Douglas Hotel co
pany. ne company that has built 4
boleL
Ffom the time ct the organisation
che Douglas Hotel company. Interest
me hotel project never nasged for
monsnt The first thing that vas d,
Vac 70 levy an assessment on the ca
tai stock of the company II ives D
with remarkable DromptDess and d
Thomas X Kimball. local architect '
enSaEsd 10 prepare The plans f6r.
haIldlng. shortly after the aoesptal