The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-06-16

Mr.. Ramsey, one of the lessees of Browns
new hotel, came to this city yesterday from
Boston, to inspect this magnificent structure
accompanied by Mr.. George e. Hill, Reporter
of the Journal, Mr.. Alfred G. Harlow from
the Post, Frank E. Priest of the Transcript,
Edgar I'll. Davis of the Traveller, Charles A.
Ryan of the Gazette, and Louis A Fabyan of
the Commercial Bulletin. 1t was our pleasure
to walk through this mammoth building with
these gentlemen, and, with them, were struck
with admiration at the magnificent manner in
which it has been flushed up, and the elegance
and grandeur that is displayed in furnishing
it. After spending an hour and half at the
hotel, a bountiful dinner was given at the
Preble House by Messrs. Ramsey & Wheeler,
and here another hour and half was spent
pleasantly. After dinner the guests took
drive about the city, and returned to Boston in
the P. M. train.
Nofull description has yet been given through
the columns of the Press of this large and no.
BILE structure that has been erected in this city
since the great fire. Nor do we propose even
at this late time to go into details, but shall
only attempt to speak of it in general, asd-
make mention of some of the special arrange
ments that struck us as being particularly
meriterious and we'll calculated. All article,
written in haste on such an immense building
as this, covering as it does 26,622 square feet,
and containing, with the stores, 300 rooms,
must be imperfect at best, and probably in pass
ing through We neglected to notice many
things that justly deserve mention. The exte-
rior appearance of this building-especially
the Middle street facade-is eminently salts
factory and faultless in its architecture. The
immense size of the structure as seen from diff
ferent stand points, carries with it fair idea
OF its internal capacity. We enter first the
Office of the hotel, which is on level with
Middle street The main entrance to this is
fourteen feet wide with marble floor. The Of
flee is fitted up in splendid style, having all the
modern convenienCes, and is separate build
ing placed in the court yard in the centre. 1t
is 30 30 feet, and lighted partly by large win
dows in the dome overhead. 1t is frescoed in
very artistic style, and in fact everything about
it is arranged without regard to expense From
this broad staircase, built wholly of black
walnut, leads to the main floor over the stores,
and the first floor of the hotel. The ladies' en-
trance is few doors above the main entrance,
and this leads directly to The ladies' parlor,
which is being furnished in the most gorgeous
style. Next to this is the gentlemen's parlor,
equally well fitted up, and beyond this, on I'm.
ion st .eet, is suit of rooms opening directly
into the grand dining hall. This is a magnifi-
cent apartment, beautifully succeed and fres-
coed, and will be, when fitted up, one of the
finest refectories In the country. The cornices
and capitals display exquisite taste in art. In
the rear are convenient ante rooms and sinks.
Beneath this room is a large billiard hail. cal
cuated for eight tables. atG
The parlors and sleeping rooms in the upper
stories are of larger size than is usually found
in first class hotels, and the principal ones are
furnished with marble mantes. The great
height of the building renders all the rooms in
the upper stories remarkably pleasant, those
in front commanding good view of the city.
and the rear ones overlooking the harbor and
the shipping. There is not poor room in the
house.
The stairways are very broad and easy of as
cent. There are twelve steps when you come
upon flat, and then turning directly round
go up twelve steps more and come upon the
next floor. ..t.-
The hotel has an abundant supply of water
of its own. Last winter large we'll was dug
in the cellar, aud fine vein struck which
promises an abundance of good water Be-
sides this large soft water cistern, holding
400 hhds., in the cellar, and large tanks in the
upper story. Two tubular boilers, Is feet long
and feet in diameter made by the Portland
Company, will heat large part of the build
ing. There are also plentiful supply of bath
ing rooms, &C., ON the different floors.
The furniture is black walnut throughout,
and that on the first floor is very rich and elab-
crate. The carpets on the first floor are vel
vet; on the second and third floors solid Eng
lish Brussels; on the fourth floor tapestry, and
on the fifth floor ingram. There is a coal ele-
vator running from the basement to the fifth
floor. The gas fixtures are splendid, and were
designed especially for this hotel; as was also
the silver ware. They were furnished by
Messrs. Shelves & Stanwood of Boston. The
carpets are from the ware rooms of Messrs
Marrett, Poor s. Co.
Ezra f. Beal, Esq, has been the general SUI
perintendent of the hotel, assisted by Mr..
Woodford. Messrs. Lockwood & Lumb, of
Boston, did the plumbing work; j. j. Wal
worth & Co., of the same city, the steam and
gas work; Sheridan & Griffiths, plasterers; j.
B. Pickett & Co., painters; S. c. Chase & Co.,
masons. The frescoing is from the brush of
Schumacher, and the architect is c. A. Alex
ander, of New York, long known to our citi-
zens as the designer of some of our finest build
ings. The work on the superstructure was be-
gun about the first part of July last, and the
plasterers began their work in January last
1t is to be opened to the public ON Thursday,
June 25th-in less than one year from the COM
mencement of its construction. At the time
of opening we shall give some further descrip-
ton.
THE friends of the 1st Congregational Soce-
ty will notice the advertisement of an enter
tainment, to be given by the young people, ON
WodI IL