The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-10-21
By NEA Service

Ahll ANIo AIIlOlu MIKE
by keeps his promise TO Chicago
TO reopen the world't largest no.
tel, the Stevens, by November /.
less than 60 days after he pur-
chased il from the Army and
no one doubts that he will-he
will have performed little short
OF miracle.
The Army bought the 25-floor,
3000-room structure in July.
1912, for use as training school
for the Air Force technicians,
and auctioned off most of It's fur
nishings A year later. military
authorities decided to vacate,
and rumors were rife in both
Chicago and Washington that the
building was TO be converted in
TO: l. An Army hospital; 2. An
office building for Federal bu-
resus moved from Washington;
3. A home for servicemen' s
wives; 4 A technical college
The one ignored possibility
was that the huge structure
might be reconverted into a no.
tel Furnishing 5000 rooms plus
innumerable lounges and reStau-
rants in the face of shortages
and prioritieS seemed an impos-
sible task
But the experts hadn figured
on Arnold krkeby
DEVELOPED HOTEL CHAIN
Kirkeby, who astonished the
hotel world early in September
by offering S5,58l,000, is some
what Of legendar figure around
Chicago. He started his career as
q clerk in La Sale street in
vestment house in 1918, immedi-
stely after graduating from high
school. Two years later he had
accumulated enough money 20
open his own investment firm,
which he continued 10 operate,
very successfully, until 1884 At
this point he took over the man
agement OF good-sized reSlden-
tlal hotel in Chicago. and soon
added others, including the
Drake and Blackstone. two of
the citys finest hotels
Today. at AZ. as president and
general manager of the klrkeoy
chain of hotels, ne Is one of the
largest, and certainly the young
est, hotel flnanciers in the coun'
try. In addition 10 It's holdings
here, the kirkeby chain operates
a hotel in New York. in Florida
and in Havana, Cuba. Names OF
the other businessmen associated
) in the enterprises are. as yet, a
closely guarded secret
Even apart from his financial
dealings. Kirkeby has been the
center of extravagant. bizarre
stories. Society columns in Chi
cago newspapers back in 1928
and 1929 carried lush descrip-
tons of his palstial estate in
Tampa. Fla. of his marriage TO
Consuela Cuesta. wealthy heir
ess and belle OF Tampa OF his
regular trips in a private plane
between Chicago and Tampa.
kirkeby's plane made the first
nonstop flight between Chicago
and Tampa.
How is Kirkeby going 10 over
come the problems OF priorlties.
help shortages, and the scarcity
of food and liquor?
He now has a crew of purchas-
ing agents canvassing the coun-
try. Among other things, they
are seeking 10000 separate
items of furniture, $3.50 box
springs and mattresses, $4,000
pieces of silverware, 100000
pieces Of china and 5000 gold
chairs for the grand ballroom.
When completely furnished.
the hotel uses 81 miles OF 81
inch carpeting. This was not re-
moved by the Army, but after 10
months of contact with 10000
pairs of Gil. boots, a good deal Of
it will have TO be replaced.
Next TO box springs, mattress
es and silverware, the purchas-
ing crew Is having the most diff
ficulty tracking down kitchen
equipment. Fortunately, some Of
the old equipment was saved and
used by the Army; and a few of
the dining rooms could be open
ed Immediately with equipment
on hand. Present plans call for
the opening of ten ball rooms.
five restaurants. three bars and