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1. Warden B. ELLIOTT, proprietor of the Park Hotel, Atlantic, Iowa , was born in Elgin, Canada, May 27, 1851, and lived there until April 1st, 1856. Went with his parents to Columbia county, Wisconsin, lived there eight years and then moved to Dodge county, Minnesota. Came to Cass county in 1869, and remained with his parents on the farm until January, 1893, when he came to Atlantic and took possession of the Occidental Hotel, operating it for one year. He went to Maryville, Mo., in July, 1894, and engaged in the hotel business and in 1897 returned to Atlantic and purchased the Park Hotel, which he still owns and operates. He belongs to the K.P., M.W.A. and the Elks lodges and is a firm believer in the fraternal principles they teach.

2. Frank P. DILGER, proprietor of the "Two Restaurants," Atlantic, Iowa, was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on the 17th of June, 1877. Learning the baker's trade he worked in the best shops in many cities and in 1895 located in Des Moines, where he followed his trade until 1898, when he went into business for himself. In 1900 he came to Atlantic and in company with Wm. CURRY, now deceased, engaged in the bakery and restaurant business, and upon the death of Mr. CURRY he succeeded to the business. He operates two places, the one at the corner of Chestnut and Fifth Streets, in the Gillispie Building, and the other at the old stand opposite the Odd Fellows building, in Atlantic. He is thoroughly conversant with his business and has made a flattering success of it. He likes his fellow men and is a member of the Modern Woodmen and runs with the Whitney Hose Team, being a member of that company.

3. Russ W. HODGKINS, proprietor of the Calumet café, Atlantic, Iowa, was born June 19, 1871, near Marshalltown, Iowa, and came with his father to Atlantic when a child. He was educated in the Atlantic schools and went west in 1890, where he was in the Pullman and dining car service for eight years. He returned to Atlantic in 1878 but again went West, and was with the Union Pacific dining car service for some time. Coming back to Atlantic he found employment with the Libby restaurant, and in May of this year opened the Calumet Café and Grill at the corner of Walnut and Fourth Streets, which he still owns and operates. He is a member of the Forresters and is pushing and progressive in his business. The Calumet, under his guidance, has attained a high order of excellence and enjoys a growing trade. Its cuisine is first-class in every particular and its lunches and short-order meals are the talk of the city.

4. Chas. M. CARDIO, proprietor of the Depot Restaurant, Atlantic, Iowa, was born in Naples, Italy, April 20, 1864, and came with his parents to this country in 1866, landing in New York, then going to Boston and then to Chicago. Longing to see the West he came to Illinois, then went by wagon to Denver, afterwards teamed on the contruction of the St. Louis & San Francisco road, and finally found employment in a hotel at Rich Hill, Missouri.

It was there that he concluded to go on the stage and became a part of the combination of barn stormers, put on the road by the Ray-Hayden Novelty Company. Eventually the company came to Atlantic and went broke here and Charlie found himself stranded with a hotel bill holding his trunk in the grasp of a cold storage landlord. He found employment with Henry MOELLER in the Commerical Hotel and stayed there three years. He then opened a billiard hall and lunch room which he afterwards sold and went to Nebraska. He returned in a year to Council Bluffs and had charge of the Singer Sewing Machine Agency there. Then he engaged in the same business here. Then he engaged in the restaurant business and being convinced that he had "struck his gait," has been in it ever since. He is a member of the Elks , Woodmen, Maccabees, M.B.A., and has been a member of the fire department for years. He has met with deserved success in his business.

5. C. P. CORNELL, proprietor of the Walnut street restaurant, Atlantic, Iowa, was born in Napanee, Ontario, November 15, 1859, and went with his parents to Oswego, New York, in 1864. He came to Atlantic in March, 1880 and engaged in painting and paper hanging for about twenty years, and engaged in the restaurant business in 1901. He is an active member of the Modern Woodmen. His restaurant business is one of the most successful in the city and in this business he is to the manor born. He is an enthusiast in all that pertains to the welfare of Atlantic and Cass county and does not lag behind when the good work is going on.

6. Edward C. SCHELM, baker and confectioner, Atlantic, Iowa, was born in Crawford county, Iowa, April 4, 1878, and lived in that county until he came to Atlantic in April, 1901. He was in the clothing business four years in Crawford county, and upon arriving here engaged in the bakery business in the room now occupied by him. There is such a thing as being born to one's business and the success Mr. SCHELM has attained in his is positive proof that he made no mistake when he picked it out. The name SCHELM has grown to be a household word in this community and its stands for the best and choicest in the bakery line. His trade has grown from the date of its birth and the smile that greets you always is that of a man well contented with his business, himself and the public. Mr. SCHELM is a public spirited citizen and deserves the success he has attained.

Mrs. Geo. B. HOLLAND, the very capable proprietress of the Pullman Hotel, Atlantic, Iowa, was born in the north of Ireland and came to America when but thirteen years of age, finding a home in New York City. When only sixteen years of age she was married to George B. HOLLAND, at Saratoga Springs, and that same year they came west and located at Beatrice, Nebraska, and from there went to Red Cloud, Nebraska, where they opened and conducted the Holland House. Mr. HOLLAND was Mayor of Red Cloud and Vice-President of the Red Cloud bank. From Red Cloud, on account of Mr. HOLLAND's health, they went to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and opened the Pullman Hotel, but failing health made another change necessary and they went to Indian Territory. After Mr. HOLLAND's death Mrs. HOLLAND went to Omaha and from Omaha came to Atlantic and leased the Pullman Hotel and is still conducting it. She is a model landlady and has given the Pullman the best reputation it has ever had. She personally supervises all of the details and caters only to the traveling men and other transient trade. The Pullman is a model of neatness throughout and the cuisine is first-class in every particular. The Pullman was built by John REYNOLDS and has had a varied experience since he traded it off. The house has been re-modeled throughout and is now a pleasant place indeed for those who stop within its hospitable walls.


From: Exposition Souvenir Album, published by Democrat Publishing Company, Atlantic, Iowa, 1904. Transcribed by Brenda Magee, July, 2012.