The Inn-Wide Hotel: A Foreclosure in Disguise
W. Tirtlot offers the town's oldest hotel for sale on terms that guarantee his income for four years—revealing the precarious financial state of local commerce in 1876.
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.
FOR SALE That very desirable piece of property in Snohomish City known as the Inn-Wide Hotel. The oldest hotel in town is now offered for sale. It is in slightly shoddy condition, out of repair, and fields are poor. But it will produce a good income. I will be sold, subject to a belief which supports four years' sum February next. Apply to W. TIRTLOT. V 1143 If Miami
This advertisement reveals the fragility of early Snohomish businesses. The 'Inn-Wide Hotel,' once the town's oldest, is being sold in poor condition ('shoddy', 'out of repair') with a financing structure that sounds more like a distressed asset sale than a standard real estate transaction. It mirrors modern housing crises where historic properties are often sold off to investors who prioritize cash flow over preservation.
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