The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-21


New York HOeels.
TEE PRESCOTT uoUss-Irs GORGEOUS DESIGNATIONS
The last year win hereafter be regarded a. an
epocA in the history Of the hotels of New York.
Ae Crystal Palace and the anticipated rush Of strain
gers IN our city has turned the attention Of many Of
our capitalists and most euterprising citizens into
this channel Of business and each has We'd with the
other 10 rear the most gorgeous structure where one
might most agresably enjoy lis otium cum dign,-
tate In the exercise of this spirit blocks have been
demolished. and upon the site OF their ruins have
arisen marble palaces and stately structures supass
mQ In their splendid halls and golden drapery, all
Of which poets have written or Dards have sung.
The Metropolitan, with its marble pillars and uxuri-
Gus folds; the St. Nicholas, with It's mtrored parlors
and damasied walls, and Tayors, with its gold
araped ceilings and transparent fountains, have ali
had their share Of public praise, aud must now bow
TO others, Others have bowed to them. The Pres
sOtt House, on tie corner of Broadway and Spring
street. is almost finished and has ecpsed, thus far,
all competitors. This hotel has been long while in
building end, account II the qdetness with which
u work has been carried IN, the public attention
has not been attrsic.gG ty H But while the other
hotels were heralded TO the world each as the
greatest triumph of elegance and skill, silently,
within the walls Of the Prescott, was going on
he work of ornament and decoration, which
ultimately to win the palm. In fact, 50 quietly has
been performed the work Of the interior that il
thought by many ali labor upon it had long since
ceased aud the pedestrian, as he cast his eye upon
the exterior, and adnmed its architecture, mingled
his praises Of the building with words Of commise
ration for the pro pretor, who, supposed had
undertaken work lie WAS unable to complete. In
spite. however OF opnositica and false report, Capt
DegroOt the proprietor IA. come Out OF the contest
"right side up, !" as his works will show, when the
public are admitted To make an examination This
hotel viii, be opened IN few Gays, and, from per-
sonal observation We are already able to lay sketch
Of it before our readers The building, when COM
pleted through to Mercer street which we learn, is
the design Vi Capt. Desroot, will accommodate from
three hundred to three hundred and fifty guests.
The main hall the ground floor is one hundred and
twenty-five feet deep, by about twenty feet wide.
The entrance to this Is on Broadway and in this ball
we have magnhceace which rivals all our concep.
tons Of Oriental speld r. The floors are composed
Of mosaic work which material we have spoken Of
as among the most valuable aud ornamental contr
buttons OF the Crystal Palace. With this mosaic the
floor is laid out ils, octagons, lnterspersed with
squares variegated With swans, flowers and other de-
signs. This material, composing the entire ground
floor. including the MAN hall, barroon. &c., was
specially imported Tor he Prescott House, st
an immense cost, and IS the Only door OF the
kind in the United States It's various c0lors, pol
shed surface, and rich appearance src beyond des-
erpten. Through the middle Of this hall stands a
row OF pillars highly decorated. aud surrounded with
0erinthian caps; enstnwise from column to column,
and crosswise nom wall TO pillar ard from pillar 70
wall, arches, thus dividing The ceiling into quar-
ter sections, each section being spenddy enbelish-
ed with architectural designs Upon the sides OF this
hall various paintings, representing the costumes
of the Court Of Louis l4h of France, each paint
ing being o WORK Of aiti tic merit. The ARCHITECT
ture Of this hall bearrlful add harmonious union
of Eizabethan and Corinthan, bat that Of the bar
- AZ L n..n h ID nc
row of pillars. through the nai hangs OF bril-
liant chandeliers.
The Office at the end Of the hall is fitted up with
the most lavish expense; cop es from ancient archi
tectural designs cast III zLc, ornament the wall and
give an historical interest 10 the Whole. On each
side Of the office i an entrance Into the baToom,
which is on level with the ground floor. This
room like tie other. il AL that money artistic ge
MUS can produce. In the cfice Capt. Degroot has
taken the precaution to arracge q beautiful steam
guage, which indicates 10 The guests every inch Of
steasa used, thus slaying al apprehensions which
may arise from explosion 81. The guage is q beau
Hful ornament, having the appearance of clock,
with one hand the face Of it being composed Of pa
pier mache. Near the Office, upon the scroll Of tho
stairway. stands victory, a figure about four feet
high, and made of zinc. In ono hand she holds the
palm, and In the other the wreath OF victory The
6gure Is bronzed aud gilt.
The stairway is of solid iron, constructed in the
building st an enorno Gus cost and reaching from the
cellar the roof This is che frst instance, we be-
Eeve, that such guard againss fire was ever placed
n hotel In this country.
The dining. room On the second floor is built in
style in keeping with the brilliancy OF the loor al
ready described Its capable of seating 200 guests,
and is heated with steam pipes, enclosed vita iron
taelis work The ceiling is supported by Cornthan
columns, and on ell sides are painted, IN the most
beautiful STYLE various fruits and flowers. Almost
the estre surface OF this gilters with gold and
at each end of it is mirror reaching from floor 10
ceiling, both set in very large and richly carved
frames.
From here we passed into the pa,'ors We sup
posed we had seen tie perfection Of embellish-
ment, when we had examined the lower hall
and dinpgroom, but when we atepred into
the pariors our mistake was manifest. The
parlors extend the eutre width Of the building
o. Broadway, and IN the centre Of the room stand
two Egyptian colCInns supporting Two arches, all
wrought and ornlmeLted 10 the extent OF human III
gsGuity. Around fhe parlors are hnng beautiful
mirrors and from tbs ceiling lTs suspended Gorgeous
chandelier. II Is impossible to give a true conep
toE OF the rcanes. OF this rooni Ii must be seen TO
be known.
The work Of lie hote, Ia carried Oh by steam. In
the basement il an be Of twenty i've horse wcr,
ti,as supplies the dttIent rooms With hot and cold
water, winch Is scuG even - The highest story OF the
building. where are several water tanks, precau-
ton against ire. TIE two srge steam boilers Of The
hotel sre pa cd IN Al oSe1 yId, tbs being guard
against Slury IN cs4e OF a. sAplosion.
The kitcnen, wosting. and pestrg rooms, ard the
ether Div sions icr u different aoors Of the Use,
are an upou an extensive scale and nlsJr assed by
any other ho,el il TIE city or perhaps, 10 the
world.
Wa have thus i.r given only limited notice Of ne
Prescott Honse Only tie arollNctsral beauty OF
the hotel has bea1 alluded p Gpc that 81 out ,wo
Gocrs. che furniture, widco We aavc not spoce now
% pert;cufe, i3fs gorgeous ~ anything ever manu-
hctnred 1be Prescott ltOg,e, n>aed after VIM. a.
Prescott the eri al historian aad il ua worthy
hf this iustr, eiat,oG. Ins entre structure
Tas b,lilE under tle eject sopeiateDdence OF it,
proprietor, Captain DeGroott wao II vel .Raown 10
&u citizens h.yir2 b, en- for nauy years the COM
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