The Republican journal., 1875-01-28
Gambling in Washington.

John (. Chamberlin's Washington Club
house IS now open in the late residence of
the British Minister and his legation, on
tarragut Square and Corcoran's ward
Seventeenth and | streets 1t is the most
elaborate and spacious gaming house and
restaurant in the United States, and cost
$50, 600. Mr.. Morrissey's Saratoga Club
is a prim, pl ain, business-like affair COM
pared with it, although Morrissey's four
large rooms are larger than any OF Cham
ber!ius, but the interior architecture of
the Washington Club is more novel and
elegant than would appear in any house
built especially for gaming purposes. 1t
was esteemed tit for Prince of the house
Ilanover-Brunswic to make it his home,
and was erected by one of the most sub
stantal bankers in the United States for
his durable family mansion. 1t was rented
by the British Government for Sc 900 a
year in gold, equal to Sl2 900 or more in
New York City and has been the scene OF
the greatest parties and receptions ever
given inWashington, viz. Charles Knapp's
grand social party in S67 and the state re-
ceptiOn Of Prince Arthur in 1870.
This house was built by Elisha Riggs
with the design of having a house wholly
manor-house style. Mr. Knapp made add
dlliOns to this in the same style, and raised
a Mansard roof over the whole 1t is a
brick house, plastered a pale yellow stone
color, with buttresses, bays, pointed Goth
ic windows and doors, and luxurious
growth OF green creepers covers part Of
the end and wall and anglc A bay-window
At the end is as large as an ordinary room
There are two doors from the street, both
in the side of the house. one leading to
the private office and the other to an octa-
gon room at the center of the house which
rises through three stories and is Gothic
to the grained arch at the roof, the balus-
trades and rails being all in Gothic car
pentcry, to be consistent with the rest of
the decoration.
ITS GEORGEOus FITTINGS
An arch out OF the gaming room dis
closes through the octagon the retectory, 4
beautiful apartment with the famous SD, =
900 Long Branch side-board in it. The
table is elegantly spread for supper at mid
night. Behind the reiectory, a hall inter
vening, are pantries, and at the end OF the
hall is knapp's bachelor office, with tiled
floors, chambers Of ease and bath. This is
to become reading room, letter-desk and
lounge. Over this office in the second
floor is The celebrated chamber occupied
by Prince Arthur, hereafter to be Mr.
Chamberlin's own apartment. 1t is octago-
nal, with a couple OF square dressing
rooms, baths, cedar closets five feet deep.
and princely accomplishments of all sorts
The rosewood mirror suspended to the
floor is something before which Marie
Al IA i,rbt bnx
also the etage, dressing-case and bedstead
are OF solid rosewood, little like the fill.
gree furniture of modern manufacture
Five other bed-chambers and sitting
room are upon the second floor, and step
ping out Of any of them the round balcony
shows over its ratings the floor below
while q large chandelier is suspended by a
rod about forty feet long from the eve o.
the Gothic dome. Three of the sde-room,
in this story are for whist and "Boston'
In the third story are twelve bed-cham
bers.
THE CUISINE.
The basement floor contains kitchen
OF ample proportions, in which new
range has been placed large enough for 8
motel. Inns is the only article required tC
be added to the establishment, Sir Edward
thornton leaving most of Knapp's furni.
ture as he found it, The cook Emeline
Jones, is the well-known colossal quadroou
woman who has roasted and stewed 90
daintily at Long Branch. The steward
Washington Trusty, is also known to men
about town in New York. There is a dry
wine-cellar of large size under the corner
of the house.
The intention of Chamberlin and hi
partner, Charles Mann, of Philadelphia
is to con6ne all gaming after this winter
to the second floor, and make bachelors
hotel and restaurant of the first floor, after
the style of the Saratoga Clubhouse
Gaming will thus be no more visible
feature of the place to bon yiUau than il
he were at Welcker's, or the Owen House,
or the Washington Club, or any place
where poker and Boston amuse the nights
l DO not see, indeed, whence the mate
rails are to be found for faro-playing in
this capital, unless the next Congress