The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-02-24
EVANSVILLE.
sr. GEoRGE \

i Ile st. GeOTH6 Will SiNO WIS OPASSAN !"
local habitation and name, significant ofthe
few things to be said in a supplementary
wav. The Opening and the mardi grss
festivities have been so fullytold in the Senti-
mel, that itIis only left for me to make a few
notes of persons and things. although the
event has passed and the story of Evans
ville's triumph has been recorded before
Some m on the energy and en-
beavers of the responsible managers may
not be without practical suggestions to
those energetic home folks. who Ia
ment the shortcomings of Indian
apolis in a few needed improvements The
state already knows that this bright little
river city has, in a season of business de-
preston and financial adversit v, pro-
jected and completed one of the
finest hotel structures in the coun-
try. Evansville, like Indianapolis,
mad been crippled for a hotel com
mensurate with its position. Approaching
the inestimable disadvantage under which
a growing city labors by such a lack, the cit
liens encouraged the building OF a fine
structure. which should be g pride as
well as profit to the whole people. To
this end money was subscribed to the
capital of the projectors, and the work OF
building began last spring. Messrs.
Lemcke and MRckey, two prominent and
wealthy citizens, taking the burden of ex-
pense and the contract into their own very
com petent hands. The final strokes upon the
edifice, suggested an opening ceremonial,
which should acquaint the country With
Evansville's new possession, and it was de-
termlned to make the mardi gras festival
the occasion of the grand outburst. Through
the irresis ,ible energy of the executive
managers, Messrs. John w. Bingham, ID. IL.
Kumler, andT B. Byrnes the machinery for
MEMORABLE SOCIAL
was perfected. BY dextrous articles, all the
n~eighboring towns were melted into
attendance. and many Of the celebrities
of this and other states captured
into the grand company. 1t is
quite beyond my capacity to tell the wonders
achieved by the managers OF the feast and
festival in the way of adjusting means to
ends. Each train as it arrived was boarded
by Messrs. Bingham, Kumler and Byrnes,
and other representatives and the invited
guests carried off to the elegant quarters
prepared in the hotel. In the perfection of
all the details, the occasion seemed more
like a great fete in a private masion, than
the hurry burly, neglect and confusion of
of a rushing public edifce. Although
hOb OPCh AbhoA NA ooNOAAh6 am
Tuesday, the hotel was in all respects
completely equipped. From the spacious
and marble -foored office to the highest dor
mitory, the finishing was perfect. The gen.
eral style of the hotel resembles the Sher-
man house, Chicago, but it is i~ncomparably
superior in the careful attention to details.
The stairs ON every floor are broad, well fin
lished and easy of ascent, and the halls tiled
and carpetedin the completest fashion,. The
!, rooms are all we'll lighted and heated. COW
cred with Brussels carpet and suggestive in
every way of home comforts. The hotel is
in every particular a surprise and would
? pass for a prodigy of good taste
and completeness, in the largest cities
of the continent. The offices, read
ing rooms and incidents to a public
t place are on the most liberal plan. The
r finishing of the house is superb, nothing
cheaper tina black walnut, appearing in any
conspicuous place. The dining hall is one
of the finest in the country and the table
equipments elaborate beyond comparison.
The cost, dimensions and general statistics
= have been stated before in the Sentinel's col
umns and these brief but fragmentary
glimpses with soon show how well the money
was expended.
THE GALA NIGH
The opening night of the hotel, found the
city seething with excitement and anticipa-
ton andby nine o'clock the elegant corridors
and resplendent parlors of the hotel,
were filled with gorgeous visions
I in the way of dress and display. The invi-
~tations, though numerous, had been circum-
specify sent out and the a~ssemblage was, as
a whole, one of the most impressive ever
< seen in the city, When the music began
in the ball room, the scene was indescrib-
/. ably dazzling. The elaboration of dress on
tho mart of the ladies hnrrQUaI nnmiGfala-
? bly, the preponderance of the southern bellies,
although the Evansville ladies carried of
the palm in costliness. The dancing began
Q at ten and was kept up incessantly until six
e in the morning. There was no perceptible
diminution in the dances till after 5 O'Clock,
e ballroom and corridors being alive with
dancing and promenading until nearly
morning. The billiard hall had been selected
d to dance in, the hosts desiring to make a
!, display for a feast and they die. A more
sumptuous supper was never set before a
= company. Detail or description ia simply
Impossible. The delicacies of the season from
every part of the country were spread out in
bewildering confusion; the fruits of the
a tropics and al the edibles,
RICH AND RARE,
which could tempt the appetite, or excite
wonder. The tables in long lines were
piled with the glittering silver and
china. Five hundred people sat down
at each instalment. The service fol-
such an occasion was perfect, the
hosts seeming to nave bent themselves with
particular emphasis to this final triumph OF
q a great undertaking. This you must un-
derstand is the calmest and most constrained
; accor mt of a really striking event in the
municipal history of Evansville. The oc.
8 casion could be made much of il it were me-
cessary, but it is not. The st. George hotel
a is a mOnumant tn the scpaciOus foreSiUhf
e and liberal spirit of a thriving commercial
/ city and when the results are reaped, as they
s inevitably must be. the undertaking will be
the best memorial that could be erected to the
t conspicuous public spirit, which has stimu-
lated sustained and carried out the enterprise.
# Every visitor, of the hundreds present at the
opening night was impressed, not only with
= the enrnrisinn anarnv nftha neonla Of this Oft II