The Newtown bee., 1879-04-29
TRIP TO THE PACIFIC.
PALACE HOTEL,

San Francisco, Apr. 5th, 1S79
 Perhaps some of your readers would be interested in a brief description of the greatest and in many respects the finest hotel ill the world. It must be remem- bered that in the American Continent can be found hotels far superior to those of any other nation, and while New York has it's Windsor, Buckingham. Fifth Ave nue and others, Chicago it's Palmer, Grand Pacific and Fremont yet it remains for | the Palace Hotel, of San Francisco, Cali | fornia, to out-vie them all.
 l This hotel occupies the entire block on Market St., rearing it's huge front 125 feet, and extending 275 feet westerly and 375 feet southerly. It lifts itself above the very business and social centre of the Pacific Metropolis. This great building was commenced nearly four years ago It out-generaled in the foresight, enter prise and iberality of the Great Pacific banker, the much-lamented Vim. c. Rals- ton and his financial peer, Senator Shar- on. Before it was finished, financial dis aster befel Mir. Ralston, and the whole of the enterprise fell on the shoulders of California's distinguished U. $. Senator, A. L. Shar nn, Esq, who still is the sole owner of this great building.
 To form any adequate idea of this CO., lossal structure, 1 would say that 9G, 25O square feet or nearly } II acres encircle the stupendous structure itself, and if its sidewalk extensions were added it would exceed acres.
 Its form is an immense hollow quad rangle, including one grand central crys- tai roof garden court, flanked by lesser courts parallel on each side, stories high. The lower story is 27 and the up- per story It feet in height The founda- tion wall is 12 feet thick and is composed of stone, iron, brick and marble. The outer appearance is rendered very impos- ing by the fact that every room on the outside of this hotel has very large bay window which i. quite feature. But the Grand Central Court IA feet by 84. is the great crowning feature of this house. It hasa carriage and promenade entrance of fl feet wide, expanding into a circular driveway, 52 feet in diameter surround ed by marble-tiled promenade with trop- teal garden of rare eXOticS, with choice Statuary and artistic fountains. The whole is illumed by hundreds of gas jets and the recently invented electric light, which gives it more than mid day brightness. Within this court. oppo- site the main entrance, is the Music Pa vilion which is exclusively attached to the Palace, rendering choice selections at stated intervals during afternoon and evening. All the rooms of this hotel. are in the same proportion as the hotel. Tho office is G5X55 feet, breakfast-roon, 11Ox 55 grand dining-roOm, 150xG5, ballroom. 65x55, parlor, 40x40 biliiard-room, 65x4O These large proportions extend to the sleeping rooms, most of them being 20 feet square, none less than 16 feet square. and what is remarkable all are equally weil-furnished. I omitted the ladies' parlor, which is SIX feet wide and is the finest furnish ed eyer seen Al$
 There are hydraulic elevators. They ascend to the roof promenade, which is another prominent feature of this house. One can walk for miles on this promenade at height overlooking the entire city
 The total number of rooms exclusively for guests, above tho Garden Floor is 775, and what is the most remarkable. those of the north or highest story, com mand a preference. Every sleeping room in this hotel has at least 3 connect ing rooms. The massive furniture, orig inal and unique ill design, was made by special contract in San Francisco, out of the woods of the State and cost over half a million of dollars. The cost of the whole enterprise was about six millions and when iS added the running of such d house with it's hundred servants, it can easily be seen that amaster hand is need ed. As to the living, it is in the same bountiful proportions as. the house. It's table is unexceptional, embracing every variety that the market affords There is about 1.000 regular boarder5 and with the transient boarders, keep the hQQse we'll filled. Within or without in all it's ap- breaches, belongings and appointments, far surpaSSeS not only life but in gran- deur all the hotels in Europe and Amer ica, which richly iustifies the propriety of it's chosen name, The Palace Hotel.
 April 13
 To-day is poor specimen of Caiifor- mia Easter day, for instead of the bright gladsome, sunny joyousness which brings with it the sense of Summer, there was to be found cold, disagreeable, dreary day, mixed with fog and brisk showers but notwithstanding the outward unpleas- antness the streets were thronged at an early hour by large numbers on theirway to attend the Easter services. Inside of all the churches, not only the Catholic and EpiScopalian, but Congregational and other denominations vie with each other to celebrate this Holy Festival.
 It is pleasant thought that the ob- servance of the Easter Festival is an- nually becoming more popular, not only with all sects but even with all classes not haying any prescribed form of faith. This was particularly noticeable to-day. Some of the finest decorations and great I est floral displays were to be found ill the 1 Congregational and Presbyterian church. es. That of the First Congregational church, Rev. A. l.. Stone, being particu- larly marked. The pulpit and organ loft, were profusely decorated with white and I pink flowers. tube roses being the nest l prominent. The artistic decorations with rarehowers that nowhere else can ] be had in such profusion as in California, was the leading feature of the occasion, added to Il service of song from thousands of voices which made all within happy.
 Services at the Holy Trinity, Rev. Dr. Beers, was also largely attended and the fine music was beautifully rendered.. The altar and chAncel were iitetefnlIy and ele- l gantly dressed with massive floral deco rations. "A fine motto of white letters on red velvet was quito conspicuous, span ming the front of the chanceI. reading
 am He that liveth and was dead, and l behold, l am alive for evermore.
 If fto-tlay was unpleasant to those who wish to make it q day for recreation il