Page 144 - John Anderson

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verandahs, charming towers and cupolas, dominated the riverfront at
the east end of the Ormond Bridge. At the gala opening of the hotel
there were over four hundred guests, including such celebrities as
Alexander Agassiz, son of the great naturalist; George Shiras, an
editor of the National Geographic Magazine; John Sargent, artist; Don
Byrnes, poet; George Barr McCutcheon, and Robert Chambers,
novelists. James Ormond III and his wife Elizabeth were also there,
and James delivered a short speech.

As mentioned earlier, the first managers of The Ormond hotel were
Dr. S.E. Churchill, and his sister, and a few years later, when
purchased by Henry Flagler, John Anderson and Joseph Price became
the managers. The Ormond hotel (now called the Hotel Ormond after
purchased by Henry Flagler) soon became an outstanding success
because of its peaceful, isolated location that appealed to tired,
wealthy, and sometimes jaded businessmen and their families from
the north. The woods, rivers and ocean contained plenty of game and
fish for sportsmen, and Anderson and Price were excellent managers
and masters at keeping well-healed guests entertained.

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