Schweitzer Hotel

The Following Articles Were Reprinted

Thank you to the

Graham County Historical Society

for making these articles available.

“The Reveille Newspaper”

April 30, 1886

“The foundation for the Pomeroy House was begun last Monday”

May 21, 1886

“Pomeroy’s Hotel, when completed, will be one of the finest in the South Solomon Valley.”

June 4, 1886

“The masons have rushed the worker on the Miller, Williamson, Pomeroy block this week”

July 9, 1886

“The Pomeroy block looms up and the first story will be completed this week.”

May 14, 1886

“The foundation for the Pomeroy house is complete.”

July 16, 1886

“Eight thousand, six hundred pounds of iron pillars and plates to be used in the fronts of the buildings adjacent to the Pomeroy House were brought to Hill City this week.”

July 23, 1886

“Hill City has underway one of the largest, most tasty and costly hotel and business block in western Kansas.”

July 30, 1886

“A carload of lumber for the Pomeroy block was hauled from Edmond this week.”

August 13, 1886

“Monday was one of the hottest days of the season.  Sam Snoddy, one of the workmen on the Pomeroy block was overcome by heart early in the forenoon.  In the afternoon he returned to work but about five o’clock, old Sol was again too much for him as he was stricken with blindness and was unable to work.  He has been quite sick all week but is now improving.”

“The second car load of lumber for the Pomeroy block was placed on the ground this week by the Chicago Lumber Company”

August 27, 1886

“The Pomeroy block looms up in grand shape, the observed of all observers.  The iron pillars in the front have been placed in position and the second story is rapidly rising heavenward.”

September 10, 1886

“The Pomeroy block, nearly finished”

October 1, 1886

“A galvanized roof and cornice is being put on the Pomeroy block by workmen this week.”

October 7, 1886

“The Pomeroy House is the pride of Graham County.  The Pomeroy block in this town is the finest structure in the county, and would be a credit to a city whose inhabitants number way up into the thousands.”

October 14, 1886

“The Pomeroy House is nearly completed on the outside”

October 21, 1886

“The Pomeroy House in this city is the finest building west of Stockton.  The carpenters and masons on the Pomeroy House are pushing the work forward at a rapid rate.  We haven’t heard any complaint about not getting their pay either.”

October 28, 1886

“The mechanics on the Pomeroy House will soon have the east half completed.  One room below will be used by H.A. Coffin, Jr. for his bank and the other has been rented to a firm from the eastern part of the state who have contracted to put in a $10,000 stock of goods.” Another article noted:  “Mr. Pomeroy has just built a large, two story store block, which is 86 feet front by 50 feet back and contains a hotel, two stores and a public hall”

November 11, 1886

“Next week the Reveille will be issued from its’ new home over in the Pomeroy building and the devils, typos and editor will soon be happy.”

November 25, 1886

“The east room of the Pomeroy House is receiving the last coat of plastering and will soon be occupied by a large stock of goods”

December 9, 1886

“The Pomeroy House, which is now nearing completion, is a magnificent structure. The west half (now Kay’s Korner, Ltd.) has been arranged for a hotel, the lower part of the east half (now A & A Gambles) is occupied by H.A. Coffin, Jr. for a bank and Manniear & Son’s mammoth stock of dry goods and groceries while in the upper part is a public hall and two front rooms for offices.  The hotel contains an office, parlor, dining room, kitchen, sitting room, ten bedrooms and two fine large halls.  The walls of this handsome edifice were built of limestone rock, are two feet thick and two full stories in height.  It contains thirty-nine windows and thirty-five doors, making seventy-four openings, not including the cellars.”

December 16, 1886

“The masons will soon have their work completed on the Pomeroy House”

January 20, 1887

“The masons are putting the finishing coat of plaster on the west part of the Pomeroy building.”

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“The old rubbish is being cleaned away from the Pomeroy building and will make it look very respectable in the future.”

January 27, 1887

“The dance given at the Pomeroy hall last Friday night was quite well attended but we understand that the proprietor, after balancing up their accounts, came out minus a few shekels”

February 3, 1887

“W.R. Hill has moved his real estate office in to the Pomeroy Building on the second floor where he will continue business.”

In its first advertisement for the Pomeroy House, the Reveille reported on June 24, 1887

POMEROY HOUSE

Hill City, Kansas

B.F. Roush, Manager

The LEADING HOTEL IN GRAHAM COUNTY

and First Class in Every Respect” Rates $2.00 per day

Sample Room Attached 

Special Accommodations for Commercial Travelers

August 19, 1887

“The new sign on the Pomeroy Hotel looms up.  By the way, we learn that Mr. Roush runs the best, cleanest and neatest hotel in Northwestern Kansas”

September 20, 1890

 “Mr. Keleher has again taken charge of the Pomeroy House, having reopened the same last Sunday evening.  Mr. Keleher’s old customers will be glad to hear of this as the Pomero0y House has become a favorite stop[ing place for all classes of boarders. It is a recognized fact that his popular landlord knows how to run a first class hotel.”

March 16, 1894

“The steel windmill on Main Street was blown down Saturday.  It has been running constantly for some time and was in gear when it fell.”

“The city council has contracted with Mr. Carney to put up a new windmill in place of the one blown down on Main Street.  He is to put up the mill and keep it and the pump in repair tow years for $150”

The Hill City Republican

December 21, 1900

“The hotel formerly known as the Pomeroy House-has been sold and transferred to a company in transfering the hotel, the owners retained the name it was for the new owners to select a new name under which to run the house and the Commercial House was the name selected.  The carpenters, stone masons, painters and paper hangers are now at work on repairing the building.  It was be put in excellent shape and made one of the best hotels in the western part of the state.  The old sidewalks are being torn away and a new 12 foot one is being put in its place.  A 10 foot veranda will be placed on the building extending from the north corner along the west side, the full length on the south side extending over the meat market and drug store building also, doors will be cutin the south side of the building up stairs to the veranda.  New floors and new roof will be placed in and upon the building.  The hotel will be run under regular rules and regulations laid down by the new owners.”

The Reveile

July 21, 1921

The Reveille noted that the hotel, then known as the DeShoup Hotel, was badly damaged by a fire which was believed to have started in “The big ice box in the back room of the Fenwick Meat Market.” The second story was gutted, the whole roof ruined and some of the ceilings on the first floor had to be replaced.  The fire was discovered between 2:30 and 3:00 a.m. and “It was noon before the firemen shut off the water and called it safe.”

The Hill City Republican

August 18, 1921

“Sheriff Carl Peterson recently purchased the burned building and site of the Shannon hotel and will soon start the work of remodeling and getting it in shape to be used as a hotel again.” While using a different name for the hotel, the article also referred to the F. R. Parker building, which also was damaged in the DeShoup Hotel fire.

The Reveille New Era

April 20, 1922“The DeShoup Hotel is nearing completion, the rock was on the west was repaired, a new concrete cornice has been laid on the top edge of the building, and a concrete walk is to be laid around the building.