Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-04

V and IN lS91 Paxton, Huiett ~ DaNenpoft
took II and conducted Il until 1893.
skin Dundy NJ Landlord.
Then for a short time Il was managed
by Dundy e. Bittinger. This was skip
Dundy, who later went 20 New York and
built the hippodrome and Luna Park at
Coney Island.
they expected 10 make q fortune out
OF the hosiery during the Trans-Miss-
issippi and Greater America expeditions,
but were disappointed. and when the ex-
positions came 10 a close they decided
that there were black days ahead for
omaha- They displayed a desire TO get
out from under the MerchantS and lost
no time In doing So
Alas for theml They were like pros
pecfors who have dug a hole and finally
have become discouraged and sold their
claim Just as their picks were about to
bring UP the yellow gold nuggets.
Il was true that the expeditions were
over. But why did II follow necessarily
that Omaha was to suffer from that fact?
Events showed that the very reverse was
the case.
AT any rate Dundy & Bittinger gave
over the hotel to II. II. Hake and on
November I, 1909 Herman b. Peters came
70 Omaha as manager fthe Merchants.
He didn't come quite voluntarily. He
was an experienced hotel man and the
Merchants didn't look 20 him very
promising as a money maker
However william Paxton, the elder,
persuaded him 70 take hold OF II because
he knew Of his work In the Hotel Koehler
IN Grand Island. This is getting ahead
Of the story little. for Mr.. Peters was
not proprietor az once He managed the
hotel for Mr. Hake for while. several
months, and then In 1900 he took full
charge.
Hotel Finds Itself.
with him the Merchants found itself"
I'D TO that time II had struggled along
somehow with very indifferent success
Mr.. Peters methods and management set
Il off on q marvellous career OF success.
II is said that in his fifteen years Of
management he made half a million dol
lars.
In fact he made 20 much money and
acquired so much property. chiefly in the
shape OF farms. that he sold out the hotel
on December to Dan Gaines because he
didn't have time 90 look after it--he was
so busy going around looking at his farms
and other property.
Up ON the second floor I'm q pretty suite
Of rooms, Mr.. Peters lives now. He is
a guest instead OF n proprietor but he
occupies the same rooms and lives very
much az he did while he was the land
lord and Boniface. He could afford q
marble palace. but he, like the other
gueste OF the Merchants, cares more for
the solid comforts than for the SNOWY
things OF life.
Mr.. Peters was born in Holstein, north
ern Germany When he was well
grown boy his parents looked about them
and took an invoice OF the family. They
saw that they had four sturdy boys, who
would soon be reaching the age when the
kaiser's minions would demand them 10
contribute three OF the best years OF
their lives TO the glory OF the German
army.
GcftIng Away from Mars.
.~Three times four 10 twelve" ssid hil
parents. Twelve years In the army
Es ist xu yiei. We love our Germany
but oh. you America"
So Father Peters wAnt down to Che
steamship office ana inquired for excur'
sion rates 20 a first class part Of Amer
iea. The agent evidently knew from this
request that he must want to so 70 Ne
brasla. So Father Pteers bought The
necessary number OF tickets and the
Peters family got permission TO leavS
while the recruiting officers probably
cast longing looks az the four sturdy
youths and marveied at the Kindness Of
the kaiser.
In due time they arrived In Nebraska
gaining twelve years Of time at once By
this movement ana at least one Of thu
sons destined 70 gain more property and
wealth in this land OF the free than n
could have gained In the ola country II
several iifetlmes.
Mr.. Peters mother IL stall living OF
the farm out near Grand Island and h
displayed with pride some letters in nea
German script written by his mother
who Is now a well preserved lady OF
years.
Herman Peters. VINO first found tn
combination 20 the Merchants hotel gol'
mine, declares there was nothing yer,
wonderful or mysterious about his sue
cess. Nor Ia he keeping It a secret 70
future use In making another fortune.
FecSsar Ven Br'nra SucresE.
Il Just started right in feeding the peo
ple," he said. II knew what our peop
Mnnlfu 70 cat huu hNtW NV wv
wanted to have II cooked. spared n
paine OF expenses In putting up q mea
that tasted like II had been cooked a
home by the wife or mother. and II wa
served IN the same way. There was al
ways good table ware. but nothing OF III
too fancy OF formal stuff A man coul
70 into my dining room ana sit dow
and find all that was necessary In tn
way OF eating utensils. but none OF tn
frills that have been invented by wouid-h
sweils
"Aiso. 1 gave my guests good clea
beds 10 sleep in refurnished the plan
pretty thoroughly and still l did nc
change The general look Of IT, put
steel ceilings In a number OF places.
II soon began 20 notice that trade wa
flowing IN very rapidly The news {
those good meals and good beds and hor
est prices soon spread out through th
state and other states and the bushes
came nearly faster than ! could tax
care Of H.
Bill Paxton Helps.
bib Paxton had a hard time 10 cot
vince me that I should take hold OF n
hotel. but after / had Il ! was might
eiad. can tell you. for ! saw Il va
a gold mine He staked me 20 half