The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-01-22
Occidental.

One of Wichita's greatest enterprises was
the building of her mammoth hotel, which has
been named Occidental. This building stands
on the corner of Main and Second streets, with
q frontage to the west Of one hundred feet. and
q depth o: eighty.feet It's three stories high.
the first story being fourteen feet, the second
twelve feet and the third nine feet in the clear.
The building is lighted by arched windows OF
four-lght glass which are liXis inches each.
The height of the wall above the upper WIZ
dows is eight feet. and the height OF the build
ing from the pavement forty-eight feet. The
iepth of the corncc il three and one-haIf feet
with projection OF four feet, supported by
doubled scroIled brackets. The main entrance
is in the centre Of the building and from Main
street. Of two doors. the one leading directly 10
the main stairway and the other to the lower
office and billiard room. The ground floor Of
flee is 20x2i and the billiard room 2ex5j feet.
The main stairway is ten feet wide, and can
be reached from either the outside or from the
Office direct The landing is into the main al
Of the second story, which hal! is ten feet vide
and runs north and south. The dining room,
which is at the south end of the hall. Is 49X40
feet The ladies' parlors adj0in the dining
room on the west are furnished with folding
doors and are 20x40 feet. The geIiiemen's sit
ting room, which is entered through M arch
way of fourteen feet span, il 2iX2G, and stu
atcd immediately to the right Of the stair land
ing Connected with this latter room Is inc
mercantile sample roam, l2X24 feet. Each turn
OF the main hall j. supported by arches. Over
the main entrance, and between the gentle
mems sitting room and ladies parlors, i.
small bridal chamber, with entrance from the
parlor, and adjoining this baggage room with
entrance from the gente!men's sitting room.
Back of the dining room is the main kitchen.
30x22 feet, with china and queensware room,
two servants rooms and a store room adjoin-
ing. The kitchen il supplied with waste and
supply pipes. In addition to the above DE-
.cribcd rooms there are twelve spacious bed
rooms upon the second fOor. There are two
.tarways leading to the third story. one from
the main hall and one from the ladies' pslor
In the third story is one main hall, one hun
lred feet in length, two side halls, sixty feet
each in length. and forty-four single and double
bedrooms The inner bedrooms front upon an
open court. There is a rear stairway through
the court with balcony roof. The fir-t and
third stories are finished in oil and lead, and
the second story in oil and yarnish. This fin
i.hes the hotel proper, which has been rented
by Mr.. Rouse. But what we started out 10
write about was the formal opening or banquet
given at this house on last Thursday night,
which was attended by abouttwo hundred and
ifiy of the good people Of our city, and quite
number from neighboring towns. All the
beauty and fashion were present. We noticed
number of ladies dressed in very rich and
fashionable attire, and would like TO name a
lew. with description of their good clothes,
mt We can't. The fore part of the evening,
until 10 O'Clock, was spent in social chat, mel-
ry-making, promenading. etc. But the grand
1t sight WAS TO be found in the dining room.
TWO tables extending the fun length Of the
room with two smaller ones, set for the occa-
,oG, decorated with cake, fruit, can lies
moulded jellics, etc, while in the centre stood
he meat table, and better display we never
before bcheld. Nineteen different kinds Of
meats. and some OF them were prepared in five
,r six afcren ways, aud, by the way, We're
prepared by that prince OF COOKS, Richard |
Dimes and il did seem like sin to disturb that !
handsomely arranged table; but nothing would
.ati.fy the large party present but 10 open the
lining room door. which was done at about 10
o'clock in the evening. without the assist
incc of ligh,nin, calculator we shall not 1T
cmpt 10 give a computation Of the amount of
prov that was actually disposed of during
hc two hours which followed. but suffice il TO
,ay that they all late and were filed and
,nougl was left 10 run iir,,-cla>s hotel for IA
week. Aner supper the tables were cleared
rom the dining room and those inclined spent
The rest ofthe night in tripping the light fantas
tie toe, or shaking a No / boot. The guests
expressed great delight at the mlgnitcence of
entertainment. and the perfect manner in which 1
everything was conducted. irca; praise i, |
Tue Mr.. Rouse and Mr.. Lamb for the cfioris
put forth on their part 10 make each individual 1
guest happy, and they succeeded admirably /
We did not hear Of any dissatisfaction or re- 1
sreis expressed on The part of any one, unless I
it was that they were not able to eat more.