Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-01-05 | Page 14 | Veteran Hotel Clerk Dies at a Hospital

VMII HOTEL CLERK -DIES AT J HOSPITAL J. J. Phillips, Known to All of the Old-timers, Passes Away. EIGHTY YEARS OF AGE Came Here in the Long Ag-o and First Worked al Valley House. J. J. Phillips died yesterday at a Socal hospital. Thousands in modern Salt Lake City don't even know who J. J. Phillips was. but there are many "old-timers" here and throughout this section of the west who do and who will be sorry to hear of his passing. Still, he lived ten years more than the allotted three score years and ten a.id death came after an active life. He was one of the first hotel clerks In Salt Lake . and there are many who travelod In those days who recall with pleasant memory the smile and handclasp with which he greeted guests at the old Valley house and later at the Walker house. TrT.w called him "Father" Phillips, not because of his years, but for a sort of paternal benevolence he exuded. Had Wide Acquaintance. In the days when "Father" Phillipa was one of the best-known and most-loved most-loved hotel clerks in the west, the Valley house was considered the last word In pretentious hostelries. The city was a ' stripling then. Teams were tethered at railings along the sidewalks and ttha streets at this season were mires of mud. Automobiles, paved streets and caravansaries caravan-saries like the Utah und the Newhouse were many years ahead. At that time there was not a rancher from the hills or the valleys below, not a casua I wa y f a r er or a dm m m e r of the period who did not know J. J. Phillips and who. in all probability, had not discussed dis-cussed with him the virtues of the tabu set by the Valley house, the prospect for crops and kindred topics. Time came when "Father" Phillips transferred his activities, his smile and his handshakes to a place behind Ijie desk at the Walker house, which came to be "the" hotel of the town. For many years he w-as a clerk there. With the passing of the -Walker hous as a de luxe hostelry, Mr. Phillips betook himself to the White hcyise. Thre he remained until comparatively reef nt years. Employed in Postoffice. During the administration of Arthur L. Thomas as postmaster, Mr. Phillips was employed In the local postoffice. The last two years the ailments of old age crept y upon him and his health became feebp. He gradually declined until death cartie yesterday afternoon. Mr. Phillips was born In Carmarthenshire, Carmarthen-shire, South Wales. He was converted to the Mormon church, Incurring the displeasure dis-pleasure of his family at the same time. He came to Utah and remained here -the rest of his life. At various tlnifs he took part In the Mormon church activities of the Ninth and Fourteenth wards. He leaves a wddow and two daughters here. The funeral will be held Thursday noon at the Larkin-Hull company's undertaking undertak-ing rooms.