Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-29
PACKERS INVEST
IN HOTEL STOCK
IN LARGE CITIES
Grip Of ''Big Five frightened
in Order to ''0btain the
Business Of Provisioning"
These Big Establishments,


Chicago, Oct. 2S.---Letters indicat- |
ing that the big Chicago packers had
invested large sums in the stock of
large hotel companies. especially in
New York CITY, were introduced today
in the Interstate Commerce commits
sion's hearing of the National Whole
sale Grocers association complaint
that the packers receive special serv-
ice from the railroads. The letters
went into the record over the objec-
ton of counsel for Swift Il Co.
The letters, chiefly written in 1917
by Louis F. Swift head of Swift &
Co., indicated that Armour & Co. held
100000 in stock in the Biltmore and
about 100000 in the Commodore
Hotel Companies of New York, and
tnat swift 81 Co. mad laken $4,000 in
the Hotel McAlpin. The letters, to-
other officials of Swift & Co., sug-
gested that it should be a good policy
to take stock in substantial hotel en-
terprises in order to obtain the busi-
ness of provisioning these establish
ments, and told of an effort to obtain
stock in the Biltmore and Commodore
hotel companies, adding:
But ii was impossible; Armour
had arranged it in advance"
Louis f. Swift in a letter dated June
so, 1917, replying to an official of
Swift Il Co., said:
Answering your letter of the six
teenth concerning Swift & Co.'S policy
in connection with taking stocks in
hotels, ! will go back to 1910, when
this first came up.
''McAlpin: l highly recommended
taking $4,000 stock in the McAlpin
hotel, which carried with it their en-
tire business. Sol Zahn the hotel man
in New York, took what we refused
and ! don't doubt his profits are $50
900 annually. No contract for supply.
"Biltmore: The next was the Bilt-
more hotel. Armour took stock to the
amount of 100000 but we had no op-
portunity. No contract to supply their
meat, but this is assumed and they
hold the trace. l don't doubt the prof.
its exceed $4,000 annually.
"Commode: The new hotel you
speak about on Forty-second street Is
the Commodore. Edwards, Moon and
| have seen Mr.. Bowman five or six
times and begged him to let us be-
come stockholders. But he has re-
fused. claiming the stock is all sold,
or something of that kind. Armour
has, 1 think, 100000.
stocks VIII BE Profitable.
''While there is contract to supply
the meat, it is assumed he gets 1t.
There is no doubt but that the stocks
in both the above hotels will be prof
table. Moon sees Mr.. Bowman almost
every day.
Manhattan: The same owner has
taken the Manhattan hotel, which the
Metropolitan Ga Swift concern) sup.
plies to the extent of about $500 per
week, which is quite small. We are
trying TO get more but cannot get away
from Armour
"Ansonia: Capital 100000, per-
cent cumulative preferred; $50,000
common. John NICE. Bowman, presi-
dent, and William j, Cummings have
recently acquired a stock ownership
and in order to assist him and Mr..
Bowman to straighten out the affairs
of the hotel, Swift & CO. have loaned
them $4,000 and some of the individ
uals s25,000 additional, with the un-
derstanding we will get their business.
"Pennsylvania; The Pennsylvania
hotel in New York City is to be run
by Mr.. Statler. George Edwards and
have seen him several times and
have a partial promise of his business.
stock. Equal Commodore in size.
Hotel Policy in General.
''Policy: AS to our policy, I should
say every opportunity we can get to
do anything like the above we would
better take it.
There are a good many questiona-
BILE hotel enterprises which / think
should be turned down, and I have
recently turned down three or four of
them"
In a letter dated April II, 1917,
Louis f. Swift wrote an official of
Swift & Co. regarding the taking of
stock in the Ansonia hotel. In con- !
cluding this letter he said:
"You know that l tried to make an
investment in the Biltmore and Com
modore hotels, but it was impossible; |
Armour had arranged it in advance"
Louis F. Swift wrote the following
letter to Edward F. Swift, dated Sep
tember IS, 1917.
"r think the time has come when I,
Swift & Co. have got TO adopt de-
clded policy about their hotel BUSH !
ness. and not have any more OF this
hapyy-go-luiky way