Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-06-09
The New Hotel.


ergetie contractor, Mr. HENRY HEFFERNAN Of thi
city, The basement story viii soon be finished. whel
the brick-work will be commenced. The work o
excaEating the basement, covering an area Of abou
$4,000 square feet, through solid limestone to TIL
depth Of eight or ten feet, has been havy job
and even with the large force employed has requir
ed several months. But that portion Of the grea
hotel viii soon be completed.
Now that the enterprise is beginning TO assume the
shape and appearance Of house, description Of
the building viii be interesting. For this we are
indebted to our excellent contemporary, the Southern
Homestead.
Il may be well, here, says the Homestead to state
few facts in regard to the inception Of this hotel
enterprise This city has for many years, been sadly
deficient in the matter Of hotel accommodations for
the travelling public Many dire and universal com
plants have been made inregard to the subject but
without avail Although several Of ou- best hotels
have been conducted as well could be expected in
the antiouated rookeries Of buildings, politely termed
botels-sti. it must be conceded that they are, by
no manner Of means, up to the times, or to the i'm
perative requirements of the knowing public. A
radical reform was needed; first, to the improve
ments which have been made with such great rapid
ity in the last few years in regard to the comforts
Of the body; secondly as to the Increasing Gocommo-
dos necessary in our growing city for travellers;
thirdly, there was an almost imperative demand by
the public and the voice Of the people is all power
fall for something better, in architectural point
Of view, that is as far as the outer elevations at
least were concerned. Many efforts were made to
obtain subscriptions charters were obtained, 6e.,
but none were successful At last arrangements
were entered INTO, by some Of most liberal and
wealthy citizens, with Mr.. JNO. OvERroN, by which
Mr. OyERroN agreed to build hotel his lot on the
corner Of Church and Cherry streets, to cost about
$4,000, exclusive Of the value of his ground, if
they would lend him 100000 a certain number Of
years, without interest The grounds are probably
worth over S25O,OO0 and his capital in the house
viii be over sI25,OOO, making altogether for Mr..
OvEEToN's share in the whole capital, about sS75
600. This arrangement being decided on, after some
negotiations, the plan for hotel proposed by the
well known and distinguished ,archect, Mr.. ISAIAH
RoGERs was adopted, after some notifications, and
Mr.. RoeERs was then appointed architect, in con-
nection with his son. The foundations were then
commenced, and the work is being prosecuted vigor
ously.
Mr.. RoGERs' Office is at the corner Of Cedar street
and the Public-Square, over the Nashville CONNER
kind attention of the very gentlemany architectural
assistants Of Mr.. ROGERS, at the Office. (Messrs. W.
WooLDHEDGE, and F. G. SCuRAc1) quite nulhber of
facts have been obtained by the Homestead in regard
to the dimensions, materials construction, etc, Of
the hotel Mr.. WOODBRIDGE gave quite detqiled
and interesting account of the proposed work Illus
tratng il BY numerous and to the Impractical eye,
intricate plans, elevations, sections, etc. No one
unacQ TAINTED with the SUBJECT form an adequate
idea Of the great and continued labor thought and
calculation required in making the plans, specihca-
tons and estimates for such extensive baildng,
before a blow is made at the actual construction;
or of the number Of plans elevations, sections de-
tailed drawings etc, of almost avery part Of the
building which arc required, almost absolutely, for
the proper understanding Of the architects idea,
bv the builder. This thought viii naturally occur
10 any mind especially to unpr0iessional One)
on coming into the studio (for It may be called)
of any experienced. capable, and busy architect.
But saws the Homestead, let getatthe main point
The hotel, the name Of which has not yet been
decided on, is a parellelOgram, fronting on Chelry
street lis feet and on Church Spring street Loo
feet covering an area Of about $4,000 square feet
or over half an acre. The height from the pave
meut above ground, TO top OF enta0lature, Is %
feet or abou. the same as that OF the Masonic nan
is of kind mOHd5rH-coHg Ouerate American StIesiho
bel facade style which hard 10 describe IL is GER
tainly American in the main, though lis principal
prevailing tpnc is of the modern Italian or GreeA
and Roman combined. The front, in the height Is
composed of five stories, showing five rows OF WIN
dows: the stories are respectively 10, To- l. a. 10
feet HIGH and in the rear there are sN stories The
centre norton Of the front projects some twelve
feet from the main line having on ITS two lower
stories a grand entrance portlcO, % feet VIDE Dy
30 feet high composed of eight iron COrlnthian col
umns. detached several feet from the wall, with
heavy entablature GROWING It. Ihe-eulunus arc
each feet and inches IN diameter, and % feet
high Above the pOrucO, IN the three upper stories
the windows are covered by ornate terra Gotta IRON
cornces Ateach end Ct the front are wings about 80
feet wide projecting abOut6 feet from the main IonI
and also returning the same width on the OlluIcH
street front and the north front Each OF me slorles
f these wings is decorated by Iron COrlnthlan ana
Doric columns between the windows. and on the
corners The main wall on the Cherry street ana
Church street fronts, between the projecting parts
or wings is left flush and undecorateu, except Dy
the stone fronts on the ground floor the stone string
courses between each story, the window hoous anu
cornices and the grand entabature OF the Wnole
building The Church street front has no PROJECT
inc wings or portiCO. Mr., I. N. Brennan mas con
tracted 10 do all of the iron work All of the main
entablataTes and COrnices columns, etc, about the
building will be of iron. The first story above the
foundations, viii be of cut limestone; the other
stories will be built OF very hard, smooth, anu
conpact messed brick The front will then be
paiuted over and sanded in imitation Of stone, max
ing a handsome appearance. The brick VIII be
manufactured in this city by machinery under the
superIntendance Of the archltect-new machinery
for t7.t purpose having already been obtained. The
brick CLAY will be ground up fine, and each brick Is
put under hydraulic pressure OF tty tons, without
having been wetted, and then burnt IL Will require
about 600 600 brick for the whole building Mr..
VIM Johnson being the cortractOr) all 70 be laid in
the best cement and not in the mud mortartoo much
used in our city. The contractors for the carpen-
terlnr are Messrs. MClay Il Co. Plasterlng and
other finishing work are not let out Tor contract
AN the materials during the construction OF the
house are to be hoisted by pulies with steam pow
era steam engine of 40 horse power to be en-
ployed. The architect is determined not to employ
80 or 100 negroes to be carrying mortar and bricks
upon their heads when steam power can be SO con
venientv had TO do il so much better, more eNpedi
tiously. and cheaper. We would commend hs en-
terprIse to some of our large builders Tor lm'Iauou
They surely VIII find it TO their advantage.
In giving description Of the interior planning
this immense GrHlvrHSe0T7l-whch contains Owe
24O rooms, exclusive of the main and public halls
corridors, parlOrs, utcat first Is view very PEI
picking matter not SO much from the mtIlcaey
the plans for 1t is beautifully simple but IRON IN
difiu,ty of so arranging the description that IN
very great variety of the details and facts may b
brought into their appropriate places. so as TO CT
able person. IN his minds eve 10 be in the built
ing with the writer or see IL as he docs with pIa
before him.
The cellars of the building are to be used FOX
variety of purposes for storing fuel for the reCel
tion OF the provisions which are to be daily used
immense quantities for large steam engine an
boilers, which are TO be used for heating the hous
and which will be done by pipes running all throug
zach room and hall-tOr huIsting. and for othe
work Running through these cellars Is a very pei
feet system of sewerage for the whole house. cor
nected with the new sewer just being complete
down Church street 10 the river. Just here
sbould mentioned that all of these cellar wall
and other stone walls in the building. are TO b
lined inside with brick 20 prevent dampnes
There IS an area all around the cellar story. /
give light and air. Some Of these cellar Ioom
On tbe street. viii be rented out
The first door OF the building Is partly occupied 4
II verv nee store rooms-of which there are q
Cherry stree.-each fronting 20 feet and runuig
back a. feet. There are stores on Church stree
oT H. same dimensions The hotel entrances, ,
Church street. are two one for the public bal
rooms and barber shop; the other, The ladies G
trance from which a stairway leads 70 the ladIC
reception room on the second floor This entrdn
hail connects OF the first floor. with the chief cierl
Office in the centre of the main entrance halL i
al IN Ifo Is