The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-03-14
ST. CLOUD WOULDLEASE
A MODERN HOTEL HERE
And Philadelphia Capitalists Would Help
Finance 100 Room Hostelry to Cost
Around S325,000

''SSoi ~ Nioau, hidldSSl VI
the new Sir Walter Hotel, of
Raleigh, and lessee of several
hotel properties in North Caro-
lima will contract to lease and
operate a one hundred room
hotel in Elizabeth City if the
capital is Forthcoming to fin
ance such a hotel, according to
Mrs. Sallie NJ. Boettcher, man.
ager of the Carolina Real
Estate Agency of this city.
Mrs. Boettcher has been in cor.
respondence with Mr.. st. Cloud for
several months and has recently
had a personal interview with him.
At the same time Mrs. Boettcher
has Philadelphia connections who
are willing to finance something
like two thirds Of the cost Of n
modern hotel property In Elizabeth
City, II local capital will furnish
the other third.
A modern nre-proof hotel Of lc0
guest rooms, with stores on the
ground floor would cost in the
nelghborhood Of 100000 to 1926.
600, according to architects estiniat.
es obtained by Mrs. Boettcher. op.
tions on sites for such hotel have
already have been secured by Mrs.
Boettcher and II only remains for
local capital to interest itself to the
extent Of $125,000 or such a matter.
But right there comes the rub.
There are powerful interests In
Elizabeth City that are deep rooted
In their opposition to building pro.
grcss. +. +. Aydlett and those
business and financial interests In
flucnced By him do not want a new
hotel that might cause a depreci.
alton Of the ancient hotel building =
the Southern, owned by Mr.. Aydlct.
Thos. T. Nelson. who has ionr
time lease on Aydlett's Southc"r
doesn't want to see a new hotel
here. And then there are man.
merchants In the town who vii
quietly but effectually oppose
hotel that would provide stores IN
the ground floor for new mcrcnn.
tilc firms. There are n lot Of f,''.s
who; don't want progress that rr
destroy a monopoly they ho'd
give them anything like comp
tiOn.
And 80 while many things are
favorable towards Elizabeth City
getting In line with the hotel build.
Ing progress iof. other North Caro-.
lima cities. It is feared that Mrs.
Boettchcr will not have ensy sailing
In promoting tho new hotel.
And yet Elizabeth City is sore.
ly In need Of better hotel accommo.
dntions. Several times within re
cent years, Elizabeth City has lost
heavily by reason OF its Inadequate
hotel facilities. Officers of the
Aladdin Go. who looked upon ElIz.
abeth City as a possible site for a
North Carolina branch Of their
business, threw up their hands when
assigned rooms In the hotel I'm this
city several years ngo aud refused
to give Elizabeth City second con.
sideratlon. The Aladdin Co. locat.
cd In Wilmington. Other Northern
capitalists have SHE'D at Elizabeth
City for the same reason and, year
after year, Elizabeth City loses
many conventions because II hasn't
hotel rooms for any considerable
assembly.
At the snmc time. Elizabeth City
should easily be ono Of the best
hotel towns In North Carolina. The
possibilities have been dcmonstrat.
ed by Mr.. Nelson. who spite of the
dilnpidntcd condition OF the South.
cru. hns succeeded In making It one
OF the best paying properties of its
size In the state. Mr.. Nelson him.
self might he interested In d new
hotel property, were lie not tied ur
with lease OIL the shell which he
now occupies.