Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-16
our Corrcspondence.

Hotels-Burtis House, Davenport.
The first deficiency noticeable in the west
to traveller, is that of good hotels. Mos
OF our western towns, even those rejoicin:
in the mellifuous title of cities, are curset
with the most execrable institutions hayin,
the form and name Of hotels, but nothing
else in common with them.
Eastern papers are filled with complaints
of the dirtiness, tawdriness, and shabby een
tility of our western hotels, and we ar,
sorry to say that there is too much of truth
in their charges.
Such facts make US really glad at heart
when we find an Iowa Hotel, which in its
accommodations and all it's arrangements
promises to redeem the reputation of thu
west in this respect. We met such hote
in the Burtis House at Davenport Our sis.
ter city has just reason to be proud of such
house. For the benefit of the travelling
public, we send you brief description
Of this house, which we are able, through the
politeness Of its gentlemanly proprietor
DR.. j. j. Burtis, to give from our pers onal
observation.
The building itself is of brick, and is
finished inside and out at the cost of over
100000. The whole structure is 1l8 feet
on Fifth street by 100 feet on Iowa street
and is five stories high. The Dining Room
is 80 by 81 feet, supported by iron columns
and is beautifully frescoed. 1t has fifteen
capacious dining tables. The fare is the
best, the neatest, and the most skillfully
prepared that we have met with in any hotel
west of New York
Our inspection of the house began with
the store-room. There is kept the tableware
of all varieties and qualities. The china
and stone-ware, alone, of the establish.
lishment cost over$6O0O. Thence we visi-
ted the Engine Room, which, alone, is worth
a visit to the house. The engine, which is
a superb one, pumps all the water of the
house from an artesian we'll, and from the
cistern, and conveys the hot and cold water
to all parts of the house. The furnace heats
the water, furnishes steam for the kitchen
and laundry, and hot air for the pipes which
heat the whole house.
The. laundry is supplied with steam by
pipes, which heat the water in the washing
tubs. A drying room is cciled and plastered
fright, and in it all the washing is dried
by means Of hot air pipes.
The kitchen has most superb range, and
one of the most complete arrangements for
broiling and roasting that We have ever seen.
All the boiling and the cooking of vegetables
is done by steam, to the great saving of
labor and the improvement of the cooking
The neatness and cleanliness of everything
in the kitchen equalled anything We have
ever witnessed even in private house.
The Parlor is most elegantly furnished
with Brussels carpetiHg, mirrors, sofas and
ottomans Of the most luxurious character,
and superb rosewood piano. 1t is also
very beautifully frescoed. There are in all
two hundred rooms. These rooms, from
the second to the fifth story, are with
out exception, comfortably and tastefully
furnished, with high ceilings, and we'll
warmed and ventilated. The bedding is the
best that can be procured for money, inclu'
ding hair mattresses, et-c9tera. Besides
these rooms, there are Restaurant, Billiard
Room, Bar-Room. Smoking Room, Barber
Shop, Bath Room, and three Store Rooms.
The whole house is lighted with gas.
The Rotunda on the first floor is marble.
foored, furnished with bells and trumpets
for summoning servants, and is also taste
fully frescoed. The Ladies' Parlor, stair
case, and entrance to the Dining Room. are
most happily arranged, so that they have
free egress and ingress with almost the pri-
vacy Of dwelling house.
The Furniture of the house alone cost
$4,000.
DR.. Burtis is the type of an an old school
landlord, genial, attentive, gentlemanly,
and overfowing with humo and good nature.
We warmly advise all our readers, if they
wish to partake once in their lives of the
highest comfort attainable in hotel, to
visit the Burtis House. 10 crown all its
advantages, the clta,yes of the house are the
same with those Of surrounding hotels, and
are Gerry moderate. H.