James B. Speed Hotel, Cosmopolitan Hotel
Life Span: 1887-~1910
Location: Clark street, south of Van Buren
Architect: John M. Van Osdel
- Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1892
Cosmopolitan Hotel, Benjamin L. Newman, prop. 307 Clark.
Inter Ocean, September 5, 1886
For James B. Speed, a $45,000 hotel of five stories at No. 305-07 South Clark street; stores on the first floor.
Chicago Tribune, September 12, 1886
J. M. Van Osdel & Co, have in process of construction a European hotel for James B. Speed of Louisville, Ky., on Clark street, south of Van Buren. The lot is 50×95. The building will be five stories and basement, of pressed brick, with Bedford stone trimmings. The first story will be divided into two stores. The structure will cost $45,000. They are also building the block to be used by the Kellogg Printing Company on Harrison street, Dearborn street, and Fourth avenue. J. T. Dale being the owner. The lot is 50×61, and the building will be eight stories and basement. The material will be of pressed brick and the trimmings in Bedford stone.
John M. Van Osdel’s Ledger
1886
Chicago Tribune, September 12, 1886
They are also building the block to be used by the Kellogg Printing Company on Harrison street, Dearborn street, and Fourth avenue. J. T. Dale being the owner. The lot is 50×61, and the building will be eight stories and basement. The material will be of pressed brick and the trimmings in Bedford stone.
Chicago Tribune, October 9, 1887
NOW OPEN—READY FOR BUSINESS. NEW HOTEL.
Cosmopolitan European Hotel, 305 and 307 South Clark-st.. corner Van Buren, one block from Post-Office and Board of Trade. Largest and finest furnished European hotel in city for the price; 150 new and elegantly-furnished rooms, 50c, 75c. $1 per day: special rates to permanent guests for the winter: a few rooms, single, $2 to $6 per week; double. $3 to $10: also family suites. Passenger elevator, electric bell calls: entire hotel heated by steam, all modern improvements: office, bar, and restaurant on ground toor; ladies’ restaurant on parlor floor. New building, new furniture. everything new and brilliant. Our clerks will show rooms all day Sunday…
Come and see for yourself. No trouble to show rooms. Everybody weleome.
B. L. NEWMAN & CO., Props.
Inter Ocean, May 30, 1900
UNSANITARY OPIUM DENS.
Report of Inspectors on a Number of Clark Street Places.
Sanitary Inspectors F. S. Thirkield and H. M. Hitchcock completed their Investigation of the Chinese quarters of Chicago yesterday. They, found the Mongolians living in filthy, Ill-ventilated basements, as many as fifteen sleeping in one room. The plumbing was generally defective, and the sanitary conditions bad all around. Incidentally, the inspectors found a number of opium dens that the police have overlooked.
At No. 307 Clark street an opium resort was in operation. At No. 309 Clark street Wing Wo Lung was found to be doing a merchandising and opium-smoking business, and at No. 311 Clark street Wo Kee was in the opium trade. At the next two doors south, Nos. 313 and 315 Clark street, other opium resorts were found. In the basement at No. 317 Clark street forty-eight men are employed, and twelve men live there. The wastes are not trapped, and the place was reported foul. Fifteen men sleep in the basement at No. 309 Clark street.
Inter Ocean, August 11, 1901
Nos. 307-309 Clark street, 50×100 feet, lease by James B. Speed to E. L. Harvey on a basis of $2,000 per front footy and $20 a square foot.
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