The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-23
Active PreliminarieS Are Now
Under Way
Toward Construction of Mod
ern, Fire-PrOOf Hotel Here.
THE LOCATION IS SECURED
Is To Be Called "The North
American"
To Be Built, Equipped and
Operated by One Company.

Topeka is sure of modern fire.
proof hotel, a magnificent hosiery to
cost 100000, ten stories in height to
be erected on Kansas avenue by the
North American Hotel company"
This announcement, made in the
State Journal four weeks ago, is con-
firmed by the coming here this week
from Omaha of four of the gentlemen
active in the company: Peter Elvad,
largest stockholder in the North
American Hotel company and presi-
dent of the Bankers Realty Invest
ment company; B. F. Thomas, FORMER
postmaster of Omaha; Arthur w.
Gross and w. L. Johnson. These gem
other hotels operated or constructed
by their company in various cities in
Nebraska.
Among the options secured in To-
peka are the three lots 75x150 feet
at the northeast corner of Kansas av-
enue and Ninth street On this prop
, erty Mr.. Elvad has deposited the
funds required and agreed to purchase
from w. E. Sterne of San Diego, CAL
ifornia, formerly of Topeka, the plot
OF ground, If the pending arrange
ments for proper encoura cement from
Topeka people are completed. If To-
peka subscribes to the stock of the
company to the extent of 100000,
the company will provide for the re-
mainder of the 100000 and construct
equip and operate the hotel in con-
nection with their chain of hotels.
The company is building hotels only
in such growing localities as Topeka
where the hotel facilities arc already
inadequate and where there is pro-
nounced demand for a modern hotel.
The hotel will be fireproof, modern
and first class in every respect with
management in keeping
The terms of subscription are so
fair and attractive and the assurances
already given such that the hotel is
practically assured and only the fail
ure to raise the 100000 can keep To-
peka from having on this beautiful
and eligible site the finest hotel of its
size in the whole country.
The North American Hotel COM
pany is capitalized for s4,OOO,O0O and
undertakes no hotel construction I'M
til the locality as an evidence of good
faith. contributes the lesser part of
the investment. The hotel corporation
is backed by the Bankers Realty In
vestment company, an institution
whose statement for July shows assets
of S2,299,O0O.
Mr.. Elvad said today: IF Topeka
takes the smaller share in the enter
prise which we are asking and which
we believe it will take, actual work
can be begun within sixty days the
dations of the new hotel put in before
cold weather sets in. The entire build
ing can be finished, equipped and
ready for operation by January l,
1919, or just before the next session of
your legislature convenes."
Among the people who have been
active in inducing Mr.. Elvad and his
company to come to Topeka and who
have agreed to make liberal financial
investments in the project are David
Bowie of the North Topeka Mid-Con-
tinent Mills; F. NJ. Pelletier of the Pei
letter Stores Co.; Earl Akers of the
Kansas Reserve State bank and Frank
P. MacLennan of. the Topeka State
Journal.
Each of the hotels is known as the
North American with the exception
of the Harrington Hotel at Harting-
ton, Neb., and the Blackstone at Oma :
ha, both of which have been icon-
structed and are now in operation
| The hotels at Kearney, SCOTS Bluff
| and Grand Island, Nebraska. are all
/ under process of erection and have at
! present three or more stories above
ground. The hotel at Kearney is of
seven stories, the one at SCOTS Bluff
seven stories and the one at Grand Is
| land ten stories. At Norfolk, Neb.,
the money has been raised and site Sc
| cured for an eight story hotel