But one season
was enough for me in that line of business. I concluded that I
would much rather take my chances on dry land.
In the spring of 1887 I took a trip to the Puget Sound country and
found Seattle a very lively place; in fact, as much so as any
place I had ever seen in my life. After remaining in Seattle about
two months I concluded that I would try my hand at the hotel
business, as that was something I had not tried, so I bought out a
man named Smith, who owned a big hotel on the corner of South
second and Washington streets, just opposite John Court's Theatre
Building, paying Mr. Smith sixteen thousand dollars for the
property, and besides this I spent one thousand two hundred
dollars in repairing and fitting it up in shape. I gave it the
name of "Riverside House." Here I built up a good business in the
hotel line. In fact, inside of six months from the time I opened
up I had all that I could accommodate all the time, and this was
the first time in my life that I had been perfectly satisfied.
I had all the business I could attend to, and was making money,
and as fast as I could accumulate a little money I invested it in
different parts of the city in good property.
In the month of May, 1889, two brothers named Clark, from Chicago,
came to my hotel for the purpose of buying me out, but I told them
my property was not for sale, as I was satisfied and liked the
business and did not think I could find a place that would suit me
better; but about the first of June they returned and made me an
offer of twenty thousand dollars.
Pages:
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564