Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-18

NH1CAGO has invented a new sort OF hotel.
~ Chicago likes its invention. The men, too,
who have made the experiment like it, and the
patrons of the hostelry are pleased. The idea
seems to be good and 1t Is growing. Repre-
sentatives Of the enterprise are plan
ming to study conditions in Philadelphia,
where it is likely the next hotel in the system
will be built.
The Rufus r. Dawes Hotel, situated
quiet side street OF Chcago's West Side,
within a stones throw OF the old vice district
and in sight of the cheap lodging house
gon, is a memorial, tribute and a success
full venture. 1t is a memorial to Rufus Fear
ing Dawes, the son of Charles G. Dawes,
president OF the Central Trust Company of
Chicago and former Comptroller of the Cur
rency. Just on the edge OF young manhood
Rufus +. Dawes died in the waters of Lake
Geneva.
Patronized by Migratory Workers
The young mans career is continued in the
development of the idea of the hotel The
enterprise, too, is a tribute to the public it
serves. It Is patronized by travelling men
whom professors call migratory workers.
These travellers represent the hardworiing
privates in the construction army of the ma
tion. They do the heavy work of railroad
plants or irrigation schemes. They cut and
store the ice from the Wisconsin lakes dur
ing the winter, and in harvest time they do
their stint in the wheat fields of Kansas,
Nebraska and in the neghboring wheat
States
The Dawes Hotel Is a successful venture,
because 1t has proved that attractive accom-
modations can be furnished and wholesome
food provided at n mere pittance and still
with profit to the investors. That's the point
which interests Charles G. Dawes who put
an even hundred thousand dollars into the
first investment.
Anybody could establish another charity"
said he, "but that's not the point The Rufus
F. Dawes Hotel Is not philanthropy. It's
a business. 1t has to be run as carefully as
watch bank. Given the proper busi-
ness supervision It will pay. Our first year
has demonstrated that. The Dawes Hotel
in prices bears the same relation to the Mills
hotels that the Mills hotels bear to the Black
stone or to the Congress. But even on that
basis the Dawes Hotel will pay. We intend
now to build a number in other cities It is
a slow business. But If the thing is to pay,
you have to find out about needs and cond-
tons first. The next hotel, think, will go
to Philadelphia and the third to Boston. But
neither will be established without a thor
ough investigation. My brother Henry NJ.
Dawes, who built the Chicago hotel, will go
to Philadelphia with William B. Taylor,
manager of the hotel, to look over the sltua-
tion."
It's a Real Hotel
Despite the fact that 1t costs as little as
one cent to buy supper and only nickel
for nights lodging at the Rufus F. Dawes
Hotel in fittings and in service the hotel COM
pares very favorably with it's higher priced
competitors. The building is spacious, we'll
lighted and thoroughly ventilated, and for
tunately the architect, Arthur G. Brown,
evinced fine sense of beauty in its design
ing. The lobby. with its heavy stone fire.
place and decorative mantel, its duh oak
woodwork and simple Colonial furniture. sug-
gests the accommodations offered by expen-
slve clubs.
The guest OF the hotel registers at the
clerks desk with no formality nor questions
asked His name is entered on the register,
and that is all. Five cents buys a locker, a
comfortable bed and the privilege of a shower
bath. One two. three or fiye cents buys sup
per- Ten cents is sufficient for a private
room. or cubicle, more accurately. The guest
pays for what he gets, and he is under no
more obligation to the management than are
the patrons OF the BelleYue-stratford
The hotel management does not permit
propaganda OF any sort. There's no preach
ing Of religion nor OF economics. Friends OF
the founder have wondered that teaching OF
some sort was not tackled upon the hotel
THAT is something else again; hire a hall"
is the invariable reply made 10 such sugges-
tions. Mr. Dawes repeats; I'VE are run /,
ming a hotel"
At o'clock every afternoon the doors OF
the hotel are opened and they are kept open
until 1915. Within the course OF a few hours
All of the 81 beds are rented. great hre
roaEs ia the open fireplace OF the lobby. and