Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-09-23
RENTING THE new
! YORK H|PPODROME
That Il the Sort Of Big Deal the Y
N. G. A. Puts Over In Paris
for the American Soldier.

Paris.-The Y. M. G. A. has been carry
Ing on real estate business In France
that would make veteran at this
game stagger. Modestly housed In
two small offices at IL rue d'Agues-
seau Is the department which has In
vestigated and secured leases on 265
properties, outside of huts or transient
premises, for which the "Y" pays
yearly 4,347,700 francs, or nearly a
million dollars. In Paris alone 1t has
leased 38 properties whose approx
mate annual rental Is 1887 900 francs
The emblem of the Red Triangle
has bloomed on some Of the most
splendid properties in France. Walk up
the famous Champs Elysee in Paris
and your eyes soon inform you that
the Y. M. c. A. has secured the well
known Palais de Glace for the recrea
ton needs of Uncle Sans fighters
some of whom may be seen daily play
ing baseball under the trees between
the palais and the avenue. Not many
know that the rental Of this famous
skating rink which has been converted
into an auditorium and equipped with
canteens is given free to the Y. M. c
A. by the city of Paris which owns the
property The expenses borne by the
association are those of taxes, insur
ance and other expenses OF upkeep.
The Cirque de Paris. an enormous
theatre with seating capacity fol
1000, is another famous property BE
cured by the "Y". To see this thea
ire packed with tier upon tier o.
shouting doughboys on the nights box
ing bouts are held leaves no doub
in ones mind but that the soldier ant
sailors in this crowded city needs space
in which to stretch his lungs and have
his recreation. The rental OF this
sc, 1000 francs for a lease Of 60 days
seems costly at first glance. But hav'
you ever thought Of renting the New
York Hippcdrome? And the task con
fronting the organization that endeav
ors to provide entertainment for tn
| $4,000 Americans stationed In Paris
and the thousands Of permission
naires here. involves just such enter
prizes. Mr.. Franklin E. Edmunds. d.
rector of the Legal Department. t
whose initiative and foresight tn
early development Of the department
is due, selected John T. Donnen, o
Los Angeles. present Director OF tn
Department, and H. N. Falk, Of Mime
apolis, field representative, to WIFI
the situation into shape.
Through the courtesy of the cit
zens of Aix-les-Bains the. rental Of tn
magnificent Casino there-the recrea
tional center in the largest leave are
of the A. E. F. in France-has beel
given free to the Y. M. c. A It ha
not been possible however for the "Y
| to secure without rental any other o
the chain Of famous casinos at Mont
Carlo, Nice, Cannes and Mention, tn
securing Of each of which has involves
a task of three months Of negotiations
Unlike Americans the French hav
a custom of taking complete inver
tory at the time the property is lease
and a second inventory at the termtns
ton OF the lease on the basis Of whic
the depreciation is figured. In the o.
fetal inventory, for instance. OF tn
Enlisted Mems Club at Il Avenue Nor
taigne-a beautiful hotel built by Ne
poleon for the wife Of one of his Ger
erals-are brocaded chairs valued q
5000 francs each. This building. b
the way, housed the first ADMINISTERS
| ton offices of the "Y".
The largest hotel property in Paris
the Hotel Rochester, accommodation
500 men. In addition to the Hotels d
Palais and Richmond for officers, tn
Pavilion for enlisted men, and tn
| Gibraltar for "Y" secretaries, an
other smaller properties. the "Y" ha
leased In Paris two big warehouses
one of which is six-storied bufldtn
with canal on one side and railroa
on the other, and three big garages.