New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-26

.rg, and supper from nine until midnight In addi
ton to this there numberless demands "a the nr
yste rooms In many Of on ,neus sre served three
or four times cay nth occasionally superb enter
tsipment IN 'ne evening, when the public authorities
or some association dine together, The complicated
oceaaon- necesssry to cauy ont this amentay order
Of exercises go from day to day without the slightest
hurry or confusion The waters chanbermaids por-
tors, and in fact an hands employed 10 the vast estsb
lsbment seem to take it essy, and not one Of the nu
merous guests wiz entertain the idea that any de-
sgns putting himself the least fraction out Of the way
for lis or her special accommodation; yet sy order
given is faithfully and promptly executed The inter-
NIL business end sos Of these great houses Of enter
IaDmert are conducted with clock wok like regu'ari-
ty. Let us look through Metropolitan Hotel. We
enter by the main door, and perceive at the far her
end of tho apartment number of guests registering
their names the gentemanly clerks of the house i'm
mediately tbereaf err assigning each his ROOM while
small army tf porteIs are attacking huge pile OF
trunks carpetbsgs and boxes which in the course
of few minutes they clear away and stand in readi-
ness for q flesh onslaught.
Asue ascend the main starway 10 the second story,
and BASS throueh the rescoed halls we behold magnl-
6oontlv furnished drawing on either sife in
which ara seated parties Of ladies and gentlemen en-
cac ed in conversation
The halls AID suites Of rooms, or single rooms
Tut the house are pictures Of neatness and
cesnr ess every article of furniture Is in pe,ec.
Der, AID scarce a speck Of dus! can be ssen. The
chsmbemaids have completed their morning duties,
and with broom and dust pan in hsnd are moving
away to their own apaitn EMS. ter walking through
pert ct LADY rinth of hss and passages, ascending
and descending iOnumeraole staiswsys we find our.
selves In the grand dining all where from twenty to
thirty waters are engaged 10 arranging the tables for
tie "fiye O'Clock dinner" Sons a'e spreading the
cloths tome fDing the casters, Others arranging the
plates, knives and silver ware. Esch man under
stands bis individual duty, aud the business goes on
without confusion LesviDg this apartment, we de-
scend another fight Of stairs and od ourselves in
second hall Of extensive dimensions where the tables
are in course Of preparation 70: the two O'Clock Or.
djnary."
Passing through this hall to the further end, we are
about descending rather gloomy-looking stairway,
when our eyes meet conspicuous plscard, on
which are written The emphatic words" Positively
"No Admittsnce."
While STUDY ing over this inscription, and wondering
how we can gain access to the Underground potion Of
the establishment the steward OF the house makes his
appearance and, leaning wish, politely invites us
10 foHG W him. In few seconds We are in the midst
of warm snd busy world, surrounded on every side
by fires Of different dimensions designed for various
purposes Moving about the huge apartment are sssl
wsrt me attired in white trowfers and white aprons
and cape, with their arms bare TO their elboHs On
enc side of tbis great chen four five brosd
fires for brotrg purposes, each covered with grid
iron three feet square, and each presided over by
professional cock. Those fees used for broiiDg
chickens, muttoE-cbops, beefsteaks, fish and other
bDick. knacks for breakfast, and are not much en-
ployed except in The preparation Of the morning meal
But at this moment the cooks are devo log their a.
tenion to preparing the grand dinner. The kitchen
lie as hot sc MidsummeI's day. Great cauldrons Of
soup boiling end bubbiug; boilers of vegetables
ere rumbling and stesmpg; huge baking ovens each
as large as the one formerly used by the celebrated
"EIe King" are filed with dishes Of game and other
deicacies.
On another side Of the room is very singular
looking fire used for roasting presenting the appear
once Of wall Of burning anthracite coal, five feet
high. In font of this fire several sps seven eight
feet long, stu tx full of Chickens ducks, turkeys JOINS
of beef mutton and lamb, are made to revolve by
means IF small seam engine. The entire business
of roasting requires the supervision Of but single
nl6n. 4DOub Hd1 an DSiOiO tho wv Ni"On
ordinary" or O'Clock dinner the OPERATION of TAX
ing up" con mer ces the food being transferred by
duInb-wsi,er TO suite of carving adjoining the
UPPER OF lower diDirg ro=ms, where on stsam-tabes
everything is kept hot until all have finished their
dinner.
A qunter Of an hour before the sounding of the
gorg TIE csrveIs are at their posts Remembering
poultry and game that the guests shall not be kept
waiting At the precise moment the gong so1nds the
doors are thrown Open the guests slowly enter, and
are h3wn Their places by the stewards. In an hour
ard half they have al retire', and fish, flesh, fowl,
vegetables and pastry numbered among the things
that were So complete are the arrangements that
the most querulous guest cannot find occasion for
complaint.
During our visit to the kitchen we omitted to man-
ton the coufectioneIs room where the pies puddngs,
pastry snd connections of every kind made ready
for each days consumption The traits are prepared
by women; kneadiog the dough, being the mere labo
rious part of the work, lie done by men.
Adjoining the confectionery establishment is a
bakery where several bakers are continually engaged
in making bread, rolls snd biscuit.
Not sr from these rooos is large apartment resem-
bling wholesale grocery stoye filed with barrels OF
-four, sugar and potatoes, bags Of rice and coffee,
boxes of soap, tea and other groceries, with all the
necessary apparatus for measuring and weighing.
Into this room daily the marketing is brought, and
here the steward of the house reigDs supreme. In
this store-room clerk is waiting to receive the srti-
cles sc they arrive from market. Everything is