The Great Hotel Fight: Olympia’s Race for a First-Class Inn
As the state capital swells with new residents, locals realize private developers won't build what they need. So they take matters into their own hands, raising $10,000 in days to force the construction of a grand hotel before the constitutional convention arrives.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
OLYMPIA NEWS.
The New Hotel -- Council Proceedings -- Immigration Meeting.
For the past two months it has been very evident that the hotel accommodations of this city were entirely inadequate to the needs of the rapidly growing city. Various persons talked of constructing a first-class hotel, but as their schemes did not take definite form, the people became tired of speculative discussions and compelled to leave town for want of a place to sleep, and accordingly resolved to take the hotel matter in their own hands.
A meeting to consider the matter was held about a week ago, and it was decided to ask the new governor to assist in the construction of a first-class hotel. In accordance with this decision a committee consisting of Messrs. A. H. Chambers, T. C. Van Kappin and I. McKinney was appointed to solicit subscriptions and take the general preliminary arrangements in hand.
The committee at once set to work, and now have about $10,000 raised, which amount they intend to increase to $25,000. With this they can secure a loan of several thousand dollars, all of which will be used in the construction of one of the best appointed and finest hotels on the Sound.
Several liberal propositions for a site for the hotel have been received, which will be read at a few days' meeting. Work on the new structure will undoubtedly be laid before the end of two weeks, and it will be a pleasant task to make ready for occupancy by June when the constitutional convention meets here.
In 1890, Olympia was caught in the same bind as modern Washington cities: rapid growth outpacing infrastructure. The fear that outsiders would leave town due to lack of lodging mirrors today’s concerns about tourism capacity and housing shortages in growing hubs like Seattle and Spokane. This community-funded approach to public infrastructure is a precursor to modern civic bonds and special assessment districts.
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