New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-01-17
NUMBER 23e.
Residence Of Hope, the Banker.


stands the elegant mansion known as Hopes
MOTEL. By grand portercoehere one enters q
large courtyard, st the extremity of which
rises the handsome front Of the main portion Of
the building, it's long spacious wings extending
the whole space on either side. It is two stories
in height only, but gracefully proportioned,
built in light colored granite and exposing two
large entrsnces-one conducting to the grand
staircase and used upon great occasions, and
the other at its left, employed for common use.
This is the world known residence Of Hope, the
banker whose life, could it be written in detail,
would form as amusing and piquant o romance
as any the world has known. Fancy eightmil-
lions Of francs laid out tastefully and with
genius in stones, mortar, marble, wood work,
gliding, paint and putty, and you may perhaps
have some faint conception of this palatial
abode. What stories have bsen related Of
Hopes hotel; what gossip was circulated about
the princely expenditures. Rooms shrouded in
silk, boudoirs muffled in velvet, walls hung with
choicest specimens of art, banquets worthy Of
Lucnllus, orgies and debsuches rivaling the
decadence Of Rome such we're the interard-
angs Of vague rumors concerning the hotel,
whose imposing and respectable portals opened
themselves to yours truly, through tie aid Of
sesame in the shape of q louis dor with Ma
poleon'e lovely features sharply cut upon its
surface Corinthian pillars, 0 staircase rival
ing the grand one at Hampton Court, and gar
den resembling the park at Versailles, orua-
mented with walks, AoWer-b beds, fountains.
avlarles end summer houses, awe the visitor
who regards the work in admiration of the COM
merclal skill and shrewdness which ACQUIRED
the means for such display Boxes for tfifsy
horses in the stable, place for as raany car
riages in the carriage houses, rooms above for .
world of grooms and footmen, houses for har-
ness complete blacksmith's shop, provender
houses, etc, snd in fact, an aggregation Of
'Forr's Stable Scenes,' enlarged, improved and
realized, engage your attention If perchance a
sporting man, and you pause to admire the
strong and handsome iron furniture Of q horse
menage exceeding the Emperor's even in point
OF comfort and magnifcence for the keeping of
thorough h-breds worthy millionaire.
In the hotel itself are all sorts Of secret
springs, private doors, etc. In the sleeping
room formerly occupied by the proprietor, in an
alcove where rested his bed, are seen four ivory
knobs, ranged side by side, and near them are
five or Six others, all marked by letters indicat-
ing their use. The ivory knobs close or open at
will, seyerally, all the doors of the room-the
others communicate by bells with the entire
servants department-so that without hardly
changing his position upon waking he was able
to satisfy any want whatever The springs
move like clock-Work. Pull any particular one,
and you hear the sound of shooting bolt, or
the tinkling of o bell away off in some distant
part Of the house. The effect is very singular,
and the machinery perfect. Behind the alcoye,
in the floor, there is just visible small steel
presto subito, o narrow door, slowly revolving
upon its concealed hinges, discloses @ small
winding stair. leading to a charming little
| room above. The present proprietor has made
of this bathing place. In Hopes time it was
| silken boudoir of circular shape, and SO con.
structed that neither door nor window was
visible. What was its purpose I am too inno-
cent to conceive-perhaps private chspel-a
devotional resting place! Beyond the sleeping
room are toilet-room and little boudoir.
The latter gives into q small summer. house
stocked with plants and miniature fountains;
door at the side provides an exit upon the ter
race and into the garden. In the garden, q
the extreme end, is quiet, modest little build
ing, containing only staircase and one sui
OF apartments, elegantly and voluptuously de
corated.
Within this, Hope only and his eonfdentia
servant ever penetrated. There are but tW
entrances; one from the garden of the hotel, an
the other from the Rue Grenelle, q street run
ming parallel with the Rue St. Dominique
This latter door was small and almost unno
tlceable and opened by spring terminating il
the wall Of the bedroom above. The buildin
was Of the style that noble ladies indulged in
in retired portions of Paris during the time o
Louis XIV. and &V.-quiet, mysterious places
where were no indiscreet eyes to observe, mo-
chattering tongues to gossip of the pleasures t.
which they were devoted. To match this struc
ture, occupying the corresponding space on th
other side, was one of equal size and similar ap
pearance, used for more innocent purposes
however, such as laundry and lingerie. T,
return to the hotel; upon the first floor, besides
the owners private rooms, are saloons anG
smaller rooms without number But most con.
spiouous is the large dining room, or more prop.
erly bauqueting hall. This is one mass of the
finest mahogany, floors, sides and ceiling, smooth
| and shining as polished steel. The space is vas
and tie appearance of panel and carving is rict
| and massive in the extreme. Here were give1
entertainments such as have never been sur
passed IN Paris. Palates Of epicurean nicely
have here been delighted by triumphs of cult
nary art, which, throwing Vatel or Soyer in tn,
shade, were capable Of gratifying stomachles
soublse or awakening the pallid taste of 8 Gul
oseton. Flowers sndlights and daintiesrare, ane
beautiful women and princes, and liveried ser
vents and sparkling wine, ETC., rush into o man
| mind as he modestly sits at one end of the hall
and gazing upon its superb appointments, imag
ines the scenes that its four walls have so silent
ly witnessed. Here were the feasts held during
| which mammoth plates were served, whose top
crust removed permitted the escape of female
| who, jumping upon the table, the pie crust
taking in her locks and adhering to the soles O.
her feet, gracefully twirled pas seal, to tn,
infinite admiration and astonishment, doubtless
of the surrounding beholders. Here played
fountains of choicest wine, and glittered stores
ofplate; and that neither daylight nor peerine
neighbors might check the flow of soul or i'm
pede the full tide Of orgie, ponderous mahogany
shutters excluded every ray of light, and pre-
vent the noise Of laugh, Of song, or peal Of mer
riment, from exciting the remark Of those with
out Days and nights were consumed in thi
room in dissipation reduced to science Of re
finement. Pleasure in its most captivating
forms was here imbibed in generous draughts
and hilarity, excitement, joy and all that sor
of thing, had the widest sphere. The host, too
was the heartiest of convives. He loved plea
sure, he loved to see others love it and enjoy it
and among the troops who gathered about hi
table none INDUCED in every species of gratif
cation more than himself His life was Mira
beau's minus the brilliant intellect; one inces
SAINT croWning with flowers and sprinkling will
perfumes. But the reflection that he is nov
rotting in his grave follows hard upon thes
fancies, and chills ones soul with the horribl
contrast, making one look fearfully behind hin
in anticipation of a home-sick ghost returnin,
to view the scenes where passed the joys of hi
mortal career
Hope commenced this hotel in 1888, it wa
finished in two years, and its proprietor die,
| ahout arht months aiDna Rut in hot rbo,