Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1916 — MAY HAVE A BIG NEW HOTEL [ARTICLE]

MAY HAVE A BIG NEW HOTEL

In Rensselaer In the Near Future If All Goes Well. A MOVEMENT IS STARTED To That End, and It Is Hoped That Ere Long Something Definite May Develop—Would Be Great Advantage to Our City.

There has been quite a little talk for some time about the need of a big new modern hotel in Rensselaer, and the matter has lately taken a turii that may result in this much needed acquisition to our city being' an accomplished fact. The hotel accommodations here at present are wholly inadequate, and scarcely a day goes by that people are not turned away from the Ma-j keever House, the only hotel in the: city, while the transiet businessj might be more than thribled had; we accommodations to take care of, those who would like to remain here over night. The automobile tourist business alone has assumed much greater proportions than Rensselaer is able to take care of, and the need of a big roomy hotel here has been felt for the past two or three years. Situated as we are on the main line of automobile travel, with no hotel accommodations nearer than Lafayette; the business that might be done here in this line had we the accommodations is indeed a matter that is worthy of serious consideration,’and the sentiment of our more progressive people is that an effort should be made to provide the necessary accommodations.

To this end negotiations have been pending for the purchase of the B. S. Fendig property on the corner of Front and Washington street, an ideal location, 100x128 feet, and a gentleman in another city, it is said, will furnish the financial sinews to erect a fine four or five-story modern building of sufficient size to accommodate the traveling public for some years to come. The people here are asked to subscribe the money to purchase the site and will be given stock in the hotel company to cover the amount of their subscriptions. Half the sum necessary to purchase the ground has already been subscribed and it is probable the remainder can easily be raised when once it is seen that there is a reasonable prospect of getting the building erected after the ground is purchased. There is no better location fbr a good paying hotel in the state than right here in Rensselaer, and the location proposed is an ideal one in every way, well situated where most of the first floor could be rented for business rooms, fine drainage and three sides that could never be shot off from ventilation and view. It

is also an economical building site, as; the excavation for the basement would be very inexpensive. It is understood that the gentleman who is expected to handle the financial end of the erection of the building itself is being communicated with and that something definite will soon be made public in the matter.