 Among the
agreements made with the Monon
railroad when the hotel
corporation was set up, was a
clause whereon the hotel company
agreed to build an electric
railway to connect the hotel with
any depot that the railroad night
construct. While planning such a
railway, actually more of a
streetcar line, it was decided to
construct it so that it connected
French Lick with West Baden. It
would get use from guest of both
hotels, as well as townspeople
and employees of the resorts. In
the last decade of the 19th
century and the first decade of
the 20th, the interurban
railroads in Indiana linked city
after city. The incorporation of
the French Lick and West Baden
Railroad Company was merely
another addition to the many such
companies in existence. This
company was incorporated in June
of 1902, following the passage of
favorable city ordinances by West
Baden and French Lick. Both
ordinances granted Thomas Taggart
a franchise for fifty years and
agreed to let him use any of the
right of ways in the towns for
the construction of the railway.
Fares were to be five cents and
the tracks and equipment were to
be first class and so constructed
that there would be no impediment
to the normal traffic on the
right of ways in towns. Taggart
had proposed that all
construction costs and
maintenance would be handled by
the company and agreed that the
company would be liable to any
damages or accidents which might
occur from the operation of such
a line. Crawford Fairbanks, L. V.
Dickason and W. H. McDeal were
the other incorporating members.
$50,000 in capital stock was set
up and work began immediately. By
1903, the railroad line was in
operation. The line only ran one
mile, but altogether there was
almost two miles of track.
In 1905,
Taggart conceived a third utility
for the town of French Lick which
he would supply at the acceptance
of the board of trustees of the
town. He offered to lay pipe,
fire hydrants, and all necessary
equipment for supplying water to
the town. The waterworks and
reservoir were already located on
the hotel. Taggart merely had to
connect the town with the hotel
water supply. Once again, the
town agreed to the utility as
offered by Taggart and agreed to
purchase water under a franchise
which was to last for twenty-five
years. Agreement was made whereby
the town could, after 1917,
purchase the equipment and begin
operation of the utility
themselves, if so desired. Work
was begun immediately and the
water was soon being supplied to
the town. In all his dealings,
Tom Taggart exhibited an honesty
and fairness which soon endeared
him to all the townspeople. Not
only did the town progress
because of the hotel company and
its president, but the hotel in
turn benefitted from the loyal
support and backing of the people
of the town.
In 1904,
Taggart sold the Grand Hotel in
Indianapolis, and around 1905
Taggart bought out his partners
in the French Lick Springs Hotel
Company. Taggart wanted to build
new additions to the property
with the profits which were
coming in, while his partners
wanted dividends on their
investment. Taggart offered to
buy them out, stating that if
they would not sell, he would
drop out of the company. They
decided to sell and named a price
five times higher than their
original investment. Taggart was
allowed ten days to procure the
money. Taggart borrowed money
from many sources, and in the
prescribed amount of time he
bought the controlling stock for
cash. Within three years Taggart
paid off the debt from the
profits of the hotel.
As
soon as Taggart had gained
complete ownership of the springs
property, he began |
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a program of
additional expansion and
improvement. In 1905 work was
begun on an annex to the main
building of the hotel. The annex
was a smaller six floor addition
on the south end of the main
building. The bath House was
added to, as was the power house.
The spring houses at Pluto,
Bowles, and Porserpine springs
were rebuilt, and a sixth floor
was added to the old hotel
building. In 1910-11, even
greater steps toward material
improvement of the property was
taken. A new main building was
built joining the north end of
the old hotel building and
running to the west. This
building also had six floors and
was built of fireproof
construction and faced with
yellow brick so that it matched
the older portion of the hotel.
This new addition, costing over
$400,000, was built in the spot
once occupied by the Windsor
building, and it front faced the
springs. At this time a new bath
building was constructed at a
cost of over $130,000. With the
hotel capacity almost doubled,
the appearances were further
improved by the addition of the
famous French Lick marquee
covering the main entrance. The
hotel lobby , kitchen and dining
room were also improved and
modernized. All these
improvements moved French Lick
into the category of a first
class resort with facilities
equal to any in the United
States.
The profits
of the business were soon
reaching pyramid proportions.
Wide advertising of Pluto water
to physicians had boomed sales of
the water. The "red
devil" was becoming familiar
all over the nation. In 1910,
sales of Pluto water exceeded
$290,000, and the next year they
jumped to $368,000. In 1915 sales
passed the half million dollar
mark. Tom Taggart as a
millionaire, seemed unlimited in
his capacities for turning
opportunities into dollar signs.
Hotel profits spiraled along with
the water sales. By 1912, hotel
profits reached $276,000.
Three
factors account for the new surge
of life which came to French Lick
Springs: First, the springs and
their new found renown coming as
a product of intensive Pluto
water advertising and increased
sales; second, the money spent
and the improvements in
facilities and the third, the
magic of Tom Taggart.
During the first decade of the
twentieth century, Taggart
contented himself with stepping
out of political office holding
completely. But as a political
force he gained in stature. His
interest and fame outgrew the
state and he acquired national
prominence and prestige. He
became a maker of office holders,
and actively assumed the role of
Democratic "boss" of
Indiana.
In May of
1904, the Democratic state
convention endorsed Taggart for
re-election as national
committeeman, and recommended him
for the national chairmanship.
The convention also instructed
the Indiana delegation to support
Judge Alton B. Parker for
president at the nation
convention to be held in St.
Louis. Shortly after the
convention which saw Taggart and
Indiana lead the way in
nominating Parker for President,
Taggart was chosen by the
Democratic national committee as
national chairman of the
Democratic party. Taggart
received a hero's welcome upon
returning to Indianapolis,
speeches, parading and cheering
all attested to Taggart's
popularity with large numbers of
people. Taggart immediately began
his duties as national chairman.
He worked hard at New York
headquarters striving to put
Alton Parker across for
president, but Teddy Roosevelt
had things his own way. He
received the Republican
nomination as well as the votes.
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