GADSDEN HOTEL SOLD; TO BE ENLARGED

Douglas Daily Dispatch

June 18, 1927, page 1 & 3

Transcribed by Jean Walker

HOLSTERY TO BE RENOVATED

Amout (sic) of Money Involved In Transaction Is Not Made Public

TAKE CONTROL

New Owners Will Take Over Management of Hotel Immediately

Announcement of the sale of the Gadsden hotel to F. O. Mackey, El Paso business man by the Douglas Investment company, owners and operators, was made yesterday by S. P. Applewhite, secretary of the investment company.

The amount of money involved in the transfer was not made public, both Applewhite and Mackey declining to make a statement in that connection.

Coincident with the announcement of the sale plans for the building of an annex to the Gadsden hotel on the two lots directly south of the present building and for the renovating and improving of the present building were made public.

Negotiations for the sale of the hotel have been going on for some time, the deal being completed yesterday. Mr. and Mrs. Mackey assume control immediately, the latter to have the active management of the hotel.

At the request of the Douglas Investment company, Jack Faulkner, who has been manager at the Gadsden since July, 1919, will remain there until July 1 assist the Mackeys in familiarizing themselves with the hotel and its management.

Faulkner stated yesterday that he had made no plans for the future. He has made hundreds of friends in Douglas and throughout the entire country while managing the Gadsden and all regret to see him leave.

Immediate improvements to bring the hotel up to date in every respect will be made, Mackey stated, twenty or more baths will be installed in the present building. The hotel will be furnished with new carpets, rugs, and furniture throughout.

New elevators to take the place of those which have served the Gadsden for so long will be installed. Work on the improvements is expected to be started within the next few weeks as soon as the Mackeys become settled.

Plans for the building of the annex of the Gadsden are incomplete at the present time but will probably be complete within the near future, Mackey stated.

"The deal was just closed today and we haven't had time to get our thoughts together since," Mackey said yesterday. "For the present we are going to be busy with the renovating and remodeling of the present building."

According to present plans the annex will be operated from the present lobby and offices, which are spacious enough to serve both the present building and the annex taking care of requirements of both.

While negotiations for the sale were being made Mackey insisted that the Douglas Investment company secure the two lots adjacent to the hotel before he would close the deal. The lots were secured and the transfer was made.

The Gadsden was the show place of the southwest for a number of years after its erection in 1907. The hotel was once operated by the Gadsden Hotel company. There was a reorganization and consolidation in 1912.

The Gadsden Hotel company, Douglas Street Railway company, International Land and Improvement company and the Douglas Improvement company were consolidated to form the Douglas Investment company.

The Douglas Investment company in the last few years has disposed of its public utilities - the electric plant, gas plant and ice plant - following out a decision of the owners made some time ago.

The directors of the Douglas Investment company are scatting and it was decided to go out of the public utilities business, the sale of the Gadsden hotel being the latest development due to that decision.

For years after its erection the Gadsden hotel was far ahead of the hotel requirements of Douglas and for some time operated at a loss. For the past 10 or 12 years it has proved a profitable investment, Applewhite said.

The hotel has 68 rooms but only 26 baths. When it was built it was just as unusual for a traveler to ask for a room with a bath as it now is for them to want a room without.

The sale of the hotel marks the most important transfer of real estate in Douglas in several years and with the remodeling of the building and the construction of the annex will give the city a hotel of which it may justly be proud.

The Gadsden hotel is a four-story brick building in the heart of the buisiness district of Douglas and within five minutes walking distance of the Southern Pacific depot.

Plans now being considered call for the erection of an annex to contain about 60 rooms. The annex will probably be three or four stories in height.

GADSDEN HOTEL      GADSDEN BURNS

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