1914-08-19aa

“It was announced this morning by H. L. Frost, vice-president of the Hamilton Hotel company, that practically all the obstacles confronting the projected Royal Connaught hotel have been overcome.”

          Hamilton Spectator.   August 19, 1914.

          The site of the former Wesleyan Ladies’ College, (the building was later used as the Waldorf hotel) had been vacant for some time. The property on the south side of King Street East, east of John street, was considered a prime location for development. It was also widely acknowledged that Hamilton was in need of a first-class hotel.

          The Hamilton Hotel company was formed with the intention of putting a first-class hotel on that vacant site. The assembling of sufficient financing had been a challenge, as it was intended that the hotel would be of a very high-end nature using the very best of materials and internal amenities.

          While the financing arrangements were being put in place, the Hamilton Hotel company went ahead and ordered the needed structural steel from the Hamilton Bridge Works company.

          Mr. Frost also hoped that tenders for all parts of the needed work for the hotel would be examined by local contractors. Every effort would be made by the company to give the work to Hamilton firms as much as possible.

          In an interview with the Spectator, Mr. Frost said, “I am glad to say that practically all the monies paid in have been applied towards the purchase of the land, and the actual expenses incurred have been extremely small. Barring extreme conditions as the result of the war, there should be no further delays in finishing this undertaking of such extreme importance to Hamilton.”¹

               ¹ “Royal Connaught : President Announces That All Obstacles Have Been Overcome.”

          Hamilton Spectator. August 19, 1914

          The next day, August 20, 1914, the directors of the Hamilton Hotel company, held an afternoon meeting at the board of Trade rooms.

          At the meeting, one of the directors, Sir John Gibson told his fellow directors that the previously agreed estimated budget for the hotel would have to be increased by an as-yet-undermined amount, the increase was believed to be between $50,000 and $100,000.

          Sir John Gibson defended the increase saying that “the work would be carried through without cheapening any part.”²

               ² “Won’t Skimp in Building New Hotel : Cost May Be $100,000 Greater Than Estimated : Local Contractors Will Likely Get the Work : H. L. Frost Speaks Enthusiastically About Outlook.”

          Hamilton.  August 21, 1914.

          The directors were told that the work for the proposed 12-story building would begin almost immediately. It was confidently predicted that hundreds of thousands of dollars in labour and materials would be paid out by the Hamilton Hotel company during the upcoming winter.

          H. L. Frost spoke to the Spectator before the meeting, saying “the business interests of Hamilton cannot afford to have the construction of this hotel postponed any longer and if they will support the directors by subscribing  for five hundred shares of the 6 per cent, preference stock carrying a bonus of 50 per cent of common, the project can be immediately gone on with.

          “Business conditions are naturally influenced by the war, but by many men of keen foresight this is regarded as America’s opportunity. This hotel will be indirectly be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to Hamilton and just at the present time it is most desirable that the work be proceeded without further delay. Hamilton has goods to sell which will be required all over the world and with a number of European countries wholly out of the export business, it should not be long until there is an active demand for nearly all lines of goods.”²

               Despite the fact that war had been declared, the hotel project would proceed nevertheless. In August 1914, it was anticipated that the war would be over in a few months, probably by Christmas.