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Caption: Book - Banks of the Boneyard (Charles Kiler)
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I • 6a On the Banks of the Boncyard from Bradford and Percy Alden from London—two English newspaper men who came early to get the atmosphere of Chicago and to send home reports about the Fair. They came April 26, and were two very line men, who got a big kick out of everything in Chicago, and were much intrigued by conversations with the Illinois baseball team which had come up for a couple of games with the new University of Chicago team, which was coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg. When the baseball team went back to Champaign, a lot of hotel towels, soap and soap dishes were missed. The two English newspaper men were decidedly interested in this episode and were happy when most of the loot was returned and the rest paid for by the manager of the team. Our furnishings may best be described as "fearful and wonderful." I shopped around for the cheapest goods on the market. We put showy leather furniture and gorgeous rugs in the lounging rooms, but the bedroom suites cost $15 for the bed, dresser, and washstand. Of the springs, mattresses, pillows, and bed clothes the less said, the better. Nearly everyone who stayed with us on their first visit to the Fair, came to us on the second and third visits. I asked them why they were good enough to come back, for no one knew better than I did, that our hotel did not measure up to other down-town hotels in accommodations and furnishings. In every case the people replied that they liked the location, the atmosphere, and the staff—for all of which I was deeply grateful. Jim Cook '93, alternated with my brother, Bill Kiler '97, as day and night clerks, an Irish woman by the name of Nellie was the head chambermaid, and a unique and mysterious character by the name of Thomas was head of the janitors and man of all work. The song about "Nellie being a lady" didn't apply to our Nellie. She came properly recommended but one day we saw her leaving the house all dressed up and carrying a traveling bag which obviously was not hers. Jim Cook stopped her and learned she had not only taken the bag from one of our guests but had it filled with the choicest bits left in the rooms by the people who were down at the Fair. The next head chambermaid bore another name, and was a real lady. Mr. W. H. Colvin, the coffee man, who owned the buildings, made it a condition precedent in our lease that we employ Thomas as head man among our workers. There never was a finer character than Thomas. It was easy to see that he had a good education,
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