The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-03-19
LARGEST HOTEL
IN THE WORLD
|. FOR NEW YORK
WILL COST FIFTEEN MILLION
DOLLARS AND WILL HAVE 2,500
ROOMS OR MOFE - CONTRACT
SIGNED.

New York, March 1S.-The largest
hotel in the world is to be erected in
New York City. 1t is to be situated
!, somew here in the Times Square dis
tvict. close to the conyerscnce OF two
of the city's principal subways. It
is to cost $15,OOO,OOO and is to have
$500 rooms or more, which is nearly
twice as many rooms as the largest
hotel now in existence. The $15,0O0,-
OO0 is to be divided between the cost
of erecting and equippins the build
! ing The hotel is to be called The
Commonwealth.
The largest single building contract
ever made for the erection of a hotel
is the one signed by the Common
wealth Construction Corporation, with
Hoggson Brothers, contracting design
ers. This single contract, with the
practice of Hoggson Brothers, covers
the designing, the construction, the
decoration and the equipment Of the
building The work is to be done
within a certain limit Of cost which
the builders guarantee they will not
Js&eeed.
Starrett & Van Week, and Beverly
S. King and Shiras Campbell, two
firms which have many notable build
ings to their credit, are the archi-
tects.
II. L. Merry, until lately of the firm
of Merry & Boomer, managers of the
McAlpin and Claridge hotels in New
York, is to be manager of the pro-
posed hotel. Mr.. Merry is among
the five most noted hotel managers
in the United States, his partner be-
ing another of the five, Mr.. Merry
Was signed two contracts, one WITH
the Commonwealth Hotel Corporation
ny which he becomes manager of the
hotel upon its completion. The other
is with Hoggson Brothers, by which
the famous hotel manager becomes
an expert adviser in the planning of
the proposed hotel.
The plan by which the new hotel
project is being financed is one OF
the many unique aspects of the enter
prise. The $15000,000 in capital
stock of the company has been di-
yided into 10000 shares of 500 each.
These are being sold to approximate
,Iy 10000 people. Under a cooper
ative plan, one shareholder will be
on the same basis as another, and
none of the shareholders will own
more than one share of the stock eX-
cept the directors.
The directors are required to hold
at least three shares of stock. Thirty
prominent bankers, merchants and
manufacturers will act in this capac-
ity.
Other cooperative features of the
enterprise are distinctly novel Each
shareholder is to be entitled to re-
bates up to 90 per cent on all money
spent by that shareholder for food
and lodging in the hotel. He or she
is also entitled to the service of a .
shopping bureau which, in addition to
giving expert advice upon buying is
to procure substantial discounts upon
all purchases made through it.
The whole plan of the Hotel Com
monwealth is in fact almost entirely |
different from anything else that eX-
lists. No matter how fat or how lean
the pocketbook of the shareholder, /
he can find among its classes of res
taurants and various supplementary
grills and dining rooms, several that
will fit the condition of his purse.
There will be cafe de luxe equal to
the most famous dining places OF the
world, which will charge price COM
mensurate with its service. There