Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-04-12
The ST Charles Hotel.

This magnificent hotel has been crowded the
past winter to an extent hitherto unparalleled.
1t has been constantly filled and latterIy quite
difficult for one to get accommodations imme"
diately upon registering his name. Sixteen to
seventeen hundred guests, we have been in
formed, is abont the number that has been con-
tinually under the charge of the admirable
l%essees, Messrs. HALL & HnDRETH, who well
deserve their unaxampIed popularity.
1t is wonderous with what order and regu-
larity every thing is managed in this vast edi-
fee, peopled with a population greater than GU
town, where so many orders are constantly TO
be attended to and so many wants supplied
But The ~lessees have so disciplined all in their
service that the order and regularity of clock
work prevails everywhere, while the servants
are polite, active and obliging. The most tri-
vial want is instantly attended TO. The yisis
tor when he first ascends to his apartment
passing up the plated stairs, and through Minis
iature squares and streets-in surveying the
crowd which meets him at every turn, hearing
a thousand voices around him, and seeing the
servants h~urrying hither and thither, naturally
concludes that all is confusion and tumult. It
is only the consequence resulting from the bu'
siness of a great hotel which he sees and hears.
Let him but press with his thumb the appa-
rently useless brass knob alongside his door,
and he will Immediately understand one secret
in the mystery of hotel management, and the
apparent confusion explained.
The Gentlemen's Ordinary at three O'Clock
presents a rich and grand spectacle-hundreds
of guests from all parts of the civilized world
sitting down to a feast unsurpassed perhaps, on
the same day, by any other public dinner on
the face of the globe. But step into the La4
dies Ordinary at quarter past four, if, united
with gorgeous furnishings and vast tables rich
ly decorated, you would like to see beautiful
women from all parts of the Union, gIfttering
in jewels and costly attire. In the ladies' wing
Of the hotel ones eyes are fairly dazzled by
the sight of female loneliness which he cons
tinually meets: none, however, but married
men are admitted into this wing of beauty and
elegance--a just regulation with reference 10
the old bachelors. But, if you would wish to
feast your eyes at a glance upon female per-
fiction and female splendor, attend one of the
grand soirees of the St. Charles, or step into
the ladies' parlor of an evening, when the gas
jets of the chandelier are lighted up and send
ing forth their brilliant flame.
We cannot close this imperfect sketch of
one Of the grandest hotels in the world, with
out paying a due compliment to the efficient,
polite and attentive gentleman who attends to
receiving, registering and furnishing apartments
for the guests. We allude to Mr.. HITCHCOCK.
How it is possible that one man (and one mind
alone it seems must attend TO his Department.
can attend 10 so mauy wants at one time, ans
swer SO many interrogatories almost in the
same breath, and at the same time continually
giving orders, surpasses our comprehension he
does it, however, and with that grace, polite
ness and good temper, in SO trying a position
which is truly to lie admired. Mr.. Fl. reminds
us very much of CHARLEY STETsoN, of the
fremont House in Boston, some twentyeone
years ago. We are confident that not one man
in a thousand could ill The station of the above
gentleman in the st. Charles with half that
ease and elegance of manner with which he
seems naturally gifted.
Truly, the st. Charles is a wondrous Hotel.
and richly do Messrs. HALL & HILDRETH de-
serve the success that has attended them.
"
Our Levee.