New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-27
HOTELS AT THE EXHIBITION
PREPARATIONS BY CAPITALISTS.

vArR HousFs-THE HOTELS ESLARGED-LARGE
TEMPORARY HOTELS.
lrRox TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE IRibONh'
PuIIAprLPHIA, Dec. 24.-A year ago the
friends OF the Centennial Exhibition we're seriously
alarmed lest the OF the great undertaking souo
ne by the lack Of accommodation for vstors
The local complained long and loudly OF the
lack OF public spirit among capitalists, and made doeu
prupheces Of the results Of their refusal to put money
into new hotel enterprises People would elther
have TO go to New York for nights lodgings
they said or sleep on the inhospitable wm'e
marble steps OF this "City OF Homes" Two
or three projects for grand hotels successvey
preached successfully abandoned for want Oh Ios
Aeanw lille THE TRIBUNE advocated the dwellng-house
hotel system as the only which could no mpio'iseu
In short time and which with good management wouo
be sure 10 be profitable Month after month went by ana
no movement of any kind crystazed. Spring came
without the least sign Of attempt 10 add TO the ex
ceedingy meagoT hotel accommodations 0 the cy lhc
sed had been sown however, by the newspaper discus
son and terminating in the slow and sure fmlao'
pha fashion In the Summer number OF gigantic en-
terprises TO the surface so quietly hat even 'e
reporters Items did not discover
their eY stence until they were well advanced "a"
leyely enterprises 40 extensive that they re-
move all for further anxiety as TO how the throng
that will pour into Philadelphia next year from all parts
of the civilized world TO BE- lodged ana led Ihey ~
vide themselves into four classes First, dweilngho
hotels osed Of one or blocks Of houses designed
20 be sold or leased for dwellings after the close OF the
Exhibition provided with temporary structures Ior
dining rooms parlOrs &c; second, new hotes oil the
usual models being large structures OF cheap con-
strncton intended for only during the Centenniai
year and Others permanent buildings OF smaller dmen-
,ions third extensions the old hotels; and fourth
system OF lodgings in private houses controlled by com
pany.
Tie dwelling house hotel offers many advantages II
can be built on cheap ground in the suburbs, where
fpxaE
sdi6ce. When longer needed for hotel purposes the
houses are II anything more saabe than at first
because the neigborhood has been brought into notice
Guests enjoy something Of the privacy OF home wmie
In their rooms plunge into the hustle OF hoie lie
by stepping the great dningroom or the pubic par
lors. family a party of friends can have house
all 10 themselves, with comforts and secluson OF
home taking their meals in their own dlningroom or
going to the general table, it suits them best There
ac five Of these projects well advanced toward com
peton Two OF the houses will be opened on the hrst OF
January. Each has special advantages.
DwELLING-HoUsE HOTELS.
The largest the Grand Union, close by the crossing OF
the KewYork Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad ana
the Germantown Railroad, in the northern part of the
city Ninety houses, built three rows, furnish the
sleepng-rooms and private parlors-SiXty are three
stories hight with stone fronts, and Day windows on
two sides and thirty small story brick cottages
In all there $50 rooms. Between two of tie rows
the ground is occupied by large onestory dinng-ha
with twOstOry structure fronting on CanDrla-st lOf
Office parlors. receptonToOms Sc Every house has a
bathroom and every room an electric bell communl-
eating with the Office North OF the hotel the country
stretches away in pastures and woodlands southwark
the city les-a ten-me long expanse of red-brck An
old-time mansion with eight acres of shaded grounds
by the hotel has been leased for pronenadg ana
croquet, and Immediately adjoining there is field Of
military camps. Trains VIII run to the tx
hibhiou grounds ten minutes and there is direct ae-
cess 10 city horse steam cars in about half an
hour The Grand Union is expected TO be largely pat
ronzed by military organizations and civic societies
Connecticut regiment has already engaged the camp
ground, and New-York regiment is negotiating for it.
The landlord Is Col. Russell, native Of NewEngland
and OF large experience in managing hotels Tie house
viii he kept the American pau charges ranging nom
81 30 TO ~ per day.
The bcstarranged and most favorably situated of all
the dwelling house hotels is that put up by Mr. r. D.
Dobbins the known contractor for the main Exit
hilton building and the Art Gallery. II s called the
United States, and stands at the intersection OF Column
ba-ave, Forty-second and Nioa-sts, within stones
throw Of one Of the principal entrances TO the Exhibition
Mr. Dobbnss first idea 10 erect three or f0ar houses
10 accommodate some Of foreign commissions, but
before he began the work his plan expanded into one for
a hotel containing nearly 800 rooms The building is
composed Of two long OF three-story oifek dwell
ings Joined by shorter four stories hlgh OF inner
architectural appearance. The interior arrangement d
entirely from that OF other hotels Of the same class
All the outside doors walled up the dividing walls
are pierced in the center, the staTways ana balls are
left out, and temporary cross partitions put IN
30 as 10 make n WIDE corridor on each foor
running the whole length of each of
houses with opening from on
either hand Guests will therefore not be obliged to 60
ont of doors TO get TO the hotel Office aud paIors. The
dining-rOOm is a twOstOry brick structure occupying
part eourty ard On the first floor Is the gentle
meme ordinary and on the second the ladies' ordinary
Two Of e larger houses have been thrown together for
oAo nd II Wi ~ Mr. Dob
bins'e pan makes "a roomy and comfortable hotel which
can be converted Into dwellings after the Exhibition by
moderate amount Of alteration. The other dwelling
house hotel plans take more rows OF houses, ar
ranged throughout for dwellings, and separated by the
usual partition walls and them for lodgings erect
ing for Offices, dinngroOms &C., disconnected siIuc
tnre The United states will be opened after the
lat OF January. Sixteen have been engaged by
the japanese Commissioners, who will make the house
their headquarters and other foreign commissions will
doubtless be installed there.
NEW HOTELS.
On Walnut-st., IN West Philadelphia, a hotel to be
called the Aubray House is nearly completed. IL is
COMPOSED Of 20 houses in single row, reaching
from Thirty-second TO Thrtythird-sts The end
house. and the two central ones have four stories
and basements-tbe others three The situation Is
excellent being about half way between the Exhib
ton aud the principal hotels and places of amusement
with access both by three lines of street railway
in less than half an hours time. three-story frame
building back Of three central houses will contain
the fret floor the kitchens, the second dinngroOn
50x2OO feet and the third the servants quarters
The Aubrey House will be kept the European plan
and will have accommodations for about 400 guests.
row Of 20 large houses 1T the cOrncy OF seven
tteah and DiamOnd-sts, not far from the Odd Fellows
Cemetery, is being converted into hotel. han mas
been opened the whole length of the row by cutting OF
the front first nOOr-roOmS aud making arches III
the partition walls both sides of the ycstibues
spacious passage thus afforded from end TO end of the
block from which the halls OF the separate houses open
transvcrsely The number Of rooms in this hotel will he
about 200 will be well suited 10 the wants of families