The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-10
THE GRAND HOTEL.

Splendors Of Lace and Damask, Of
Mirrors and Carpets-Improve-
ments Of ConstruotiOn-Cost
of tho Undertaking.
Some days ago the HERALD chroncled the formal
opening OF the magnificent caravansera corner or
Thirty -drst street aud Broadway aud gave a brief
sketch OF It's general features The subject will bear
much moro extended notice. as showing the degree
OF progress reached In the architectural embeisn-
ments. interior arrangement ana general manage
ment OF hotels The matter Ia OF more than second
AIRY interest to people who consider the hotel one
or their leading social institutions and to the fullest
development Of which 0 marvellous degree Of
inventive skill and Ingenuity has been applied.
Where there is room for tnAt kind Of Improvement
which tends TO the greater comfort and luxury OF
hotel residents, ana where there Is that abundance
Of wealth ever ready to patronize higher and more
elegant style OF living, the man who ventures an
extensive capital In the effort to cater for
superior and exclusive taste, seldom, Ia
this city at least and at this particular
epoch OF its history, passes unrewarded.
The evidences are all around where ven-
lures OF this character have found appreciation,
slowly In some instances but ultimately justifying
the foresight which projected and the expectations
which accompanied them. The Grand Hotel. from
the vastness OF its proportions In locality where
all else Is dwarfed and mean by comparison where
business IL in embryo and tho tide OF Broadway
travel as yet makes slight IMPRESSION would appear
to have been built for comparatively distant
future when buildings equally pretenttous will
their mighty Mansard roofs above six and seven
stories Of marble all the way to the Park BY the
light OF the past. however, we can easily determine
that very lew years will elapse before the Grand
Hotel Will be the grand centre OF travel, and the
thousands who now visit New York and land near
Its lower extremity will DO conveyed to much
higher point OF the island. anywhere between TWEEN
ty-thrd and Forty-second streets.
The Grand Hotel Is built Of Westchester marble
In the Romanesque style of archltecture-a compo-
site order aordlng lavish room for both pretty and
imposing effect The architect, Mr.. Henry Engle-
BERT had an awkward corner to manage, which was
neither square nor triangular, but which might be
lndnerently called either. by cutting or the point
Of the acute angle-the razor-edged corner OF
Thirtynrst strickland substituting q narrow front
obiiquely facing Broadway. the difficulty on that
score was overcome and the beauty Of the building
vastly enhanced. A glance at the exterior Is sufl-
cient to convince one that none but man with q
big account at his bankers could afford to
raise such palace OF marble 80 high up In
cir. Mr.. e. 8. Higgins, successful merchant
Of this CITY, devoted $500, 900 to the undertaking.
which gives him q good right to be called the
owner. The builder was Mr. Paul, and the supern-
tendent Mr.. George Higgins Each story OF the
eight 1t will be noticed, has distinctive architec.
tural feature in the marble framing Of the windows
one set being round. another segmentary. another
aoror the ch - weight Of e.
involved for forms OF architecture can but furnish
an s,hec feeling o. delight while physical n.y. com
majority Of people. The entrance to the hotel Is
under portico, not quite commensurate with the
towering height OF the building OF which It forms
once inside, however. the visitor ia struck by the
rotunda where the softened light streams down
from the dizzy dome over hundred feet above.
m 70 e once and the the oe II ing
direction OF the bar the barbers shop the reading
room and the cigar stand In ss des Sa there
other hotels Al 2 glance all these places Of neces.
Is saved the trouble OF wandering In bewiderment
from corridor to corridor TO lind lrst one conveni
ence and then another Walk up to the office and
ner Of the concern toll, porty gentleman, busy at
one thing or another, and very likely you WIN also
partner, slngularly youthful looking for one
who has already ,S owned mans ana admirably admin
we aIAs Calculated to render the manasems sle
a success. The ONCE room embraces considerable
space Even mere where one would think 7, there
ment on the precedents furnished by other hotels
has also entered. The indicator, for instance, is
placed directly opposite TO where the hall waters Sit
and thus every call is instantly recognized without
the necessity Of the clerk inside the olce exercising
facing the counter and Is profuseiy gilt and frescoed
on three sides. Coming down into the rotunda,
black walnut, carved In medieval design and
fit for regal procession to ascend. We
60 up 70 see e 81 ArrTea
nrst floor we. ind the LADIES' dining room at one
side, ladies' parlors adjacent and suits OF rooms
n fovnt iiooo oil m nj
ment is gem in its way, perfectly square, with
snowy paneed ceiling, from which depend q series
Ing mirrors In frames OF cnastely carved walnut, q
centre piece reaching to the ceiling. surrounded by
nialiy dowing fountains; tables round and
square, and chairs with rich uph0lstering are
w1arnes sat Of was AID lonely sSs
common to many hotels, Is agrecably missed.
sOa INTO me IN ts me Ses Ia s9
greet the eye as happy blending OF cheerful UNITS
that one might SIT down and gaze upon half day
without q feeling Of WEAKNESS. Proceeding forward
from the dining room the visitor enters let US say the
front corner apartment, which Is OF heptagon shape
with i've windows hung with deep crimson damask
and snowy lace. The foot falls softly on the yield
ing velvet carpet, the eye Is rayished with the
and gliitering gold, while the screened and mellow
light coming through the may patterns OF
Lace an The ar carpes sqe m
selves and having come from the three well known
establishments OF T. s. Higgins, A. I. Stewart aud
ton.
"Tnese are rooms in suits for families cx-
claims chaperone, throwing open the yielding
entrance to a c0sey bedroom with q marble mante-
aud polished crate. Next ia the sitting room, wall
nut table In the CENTRE walnut chairs around, and
from the ceiling Is suspended q cur0usly cOntrlved
chandelier, which can be moved up and down at
pleasure. These chandeliers ana candelabra In gilt
and bronze were supplied by Mitchell, Vance Il Co.
Inc suits are complete In themselves, with ward
robes, water closets bathtubs, hot and cold water
forever flowing, and In fact, all the conveniences
that space alone can limit The ladies' reception
ROOM at the head OF the Grand stairway, rs iur-
nished with one OF the celebrated Administer car.
pets, with figures In emblem and allegory. Mount
Ing higher. to the third io0r we come into the
region where all things minister to repose, and
higher stili to the fourth ifth sixth and seventh
floors, the din OF the busy streets dies gradually
on the ear and oil around reigns the silence Of
another sphere, family agitated BY vague, rum