Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-10-05
THE METROPOLITAN HOTEL.

All of our readers doubtless are cognizant of
the fact that within the past two years, number
of hotels have been opened in New York, which,
for splendor of arrangement and luxury of ac-
commodalion, are not to be equalled in any part
Of the world. Foremost among these palatial
houses is the Metropolitan Hotel, under the
management of Simeon Leland & Co. The
magniiicence of everything pertaining to this
house is beyond description, as has been abund-
antly certified TO by the almost countless num-
bers of travellers who have made it their sojourn-
ing place. TO show the extent of business
which is transacted by this hotel, we annex the
following article from the N. Y. Herald which,
we are assured by gentlemen who have had OPP
portunities for personal observation, is not ex-
aggerated in the least
"The rise, progress, and partial results of the
system recently introduced,upon which the large
hotels of this city have been conducted, are illus
trated in the success of the Metropolitan Hotel
under the management of Messrs. Leland Af-
ter more than two years occupied in the con-
struction of that immense edifce, it was OPEN
ed to the travelling public on the lst day Of Sep
tember, 1852. 1t was finished and furnished
throughout with degree Of magnificence (which,
up to that time, had never been attempted in
any city in the world, and has not been surpass-
ed since. From the first hour Of its opening
the house has been literally crowded with guests
and the enterprise Of its proprietors has been
richly rewarded. The arrivals and departures
have averaged more than one thousand per week;
and such has been the desire to secure even a
temporary habiation at the Metropolitan, that
! frequently more than one hundred cots have
been spread for weeks in succession. The pub
lie parlors, reception rooms, reading rooms, bath
rooms, and in fact, every available spot has been
in requistion for sleeping places. To make
room for this rush of Travellers the prOprietors
have leased two large houses in their immediate
vicinity, for the accommodation of their employ
ees, and they have also been compelled to pro.
of their regular boarders. The Metropolitan
Hotel proper will comfortably accommodate six
hundred, and it has had, from the start, more
than that number within its walls. Three hun.
dred persons are employed in different capacities
throughout the establishment, averaging one
employe to every two visitors. Experience has
proved that any thing short of this prevents a
proper and prompt administration of internal
and external affairs. The wages of employees
range from two shillings to five dollars per day
This will give pretty good idea of the expend
tures under this head alone. The laundry oi
the house is, probably, the most complete and
extensive of any in the world four thousand
pieces are washed daily, and in an emergency fif
teen minutes suffice to wash, dry, iron and de-
liver linen for occupants of the house.
There is one continual round of feasting from
morning till night, or rather from morning til
morning again. The first breakfast table is
spread at five o'clock in the morning, and unit
one o'clock the next morning the different meal.
are served; at every hour of the day and nigh
the, travellers arriving or departing, can supply
the inner man with every luxury the market at
fords. The frequent arrival and departure o
trains and steamers makes this Indispensable
The consumption of solids and liquids at th