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The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., December 19, 1919, page 4

HOOD RIVER'S OPPORTUNITY

That there are good prospects of a first-class tourist hotel for Hood River is evidenced by the report made at the annual general meeting of the Commerce Club on Monday night. We, of The News, feel particularly elated at the prospect because this newspaper has consistently called for action on such a project, just as we have persistently stated that Hood River, through its location on the Columbia River highway and at the very gates to Mount Hood is destined to become a great tourist center. We have been scoffed at by the few to whom the novelty of the mountain scenery of this section had worn off and others who had decided five years ago that as a city Hood River had reached the ultimate.
But, today, even those people are beginning to see the light, although still groping around in the half gloom in an endeavor to ascertain what the future holds for this valley. To some extent, the possibilities of the Hood River valley of boundless; in fact, it is safe to say that if the entire community of this section decided to remain passive during the next two years, they could not entirely hold back the flow of prosperity which will, from a new source -- tourist travel -- because there would be many who would, on their first visit here, discove what an opportunity presented itself for securing handsome returns on investment.
There are a few residents of the valley who persist in the opinion that a big tourist hotel in Hood River will be of benefit only to the business man in town. But they forget that a very large percentage of the produce consumed by the tourist will, of course, be grown in the valley. Eggs, milk, chickens, vegetables of all kinds, small fruits and apples and pears, in fact, everything of the fresh variety will be in great demand at practically all seasons of the year. It has been computed by competent authorities that the average tourist spends ten dollars a day when traveling, and this estimate coincides with figures arrived at in Hood River last summer. When we realize that instead of tens of tourist visitors, Hood River will, from next summer onward, be called upon to care for hundreds every week, it does not put imagination under any great strain to compute the sum which will circulate in the city and valley. There is no class in the entire valley that can escape the benefits derived from this promised increase of prosperity, and it is for this reason that, when Hood River is called upon to subscribe for the bonds which will be issued to meet the cost of constructing this hotel, every man and woman who has a few hundreds available, should get behind the project. In all probability interest on the investment will be assured from the outset, and, unless we are greatly mistaken, the capital will be well taken care of by the returns which will be of increasing amount in each year. This hotel will be but the beginning, others in the city and different parts of the valley will undoubtedly come when the Loop Road is nearing completion.
Some are now asking what is to become of our present hotels. There is no need to worry on this score. They have served Hood River in the past as good commercial hotels and they will continue to prosper in an even greater proportion than during the past year. As tourist propositions, their locations do not meet the requirements of those who travel for the pleasure it offers them. But they and the popular hotels will continue to be landmarks in the progress of Hood River valley.