The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-18
New York T,mes.1


York on so grand a scale aud OF such vast
proportions that all the other hotels, net
only In New York city, but on the Ameri.
can continent, wilt be mere pigmies In CON-
parison, may perhaps strike the American
mind as a chimericai scheme; but
such scheme IL resIly on foot, and In such
hands that should II actually be under
taken Il would no doubt be carried
through 10 a successful termination. The
originator of this bold idea is Mr.. Bnrnap,
OF Burnap 4 McKinnie. The success at
tanned by Mr.. Buruap in the management
OF the Manhattan Beach enterprise within
the last three years is sufficient guarantee
that he understands his subject thoroughly,
and that his plan OF building a mammoth
hotel In New York Is not wild scheme,
but sound business proposition. Mr..
Burnap does not consider himself profess
sionally "hotel man." He says that I" no.
tel men" have not usually been successful
In the management OF great hotel enter
prises. The man at the head, he thinks,
must be sound businessman, a man OF
excellent sense and judgment, aud one
whose equilibrium Is not easily disturbed.
." | tell MIR. Corbiu." he says, IL / should
die he must not get a hotel man TO conduct
these hotels. He wants something more
than
HOTEL MAN.
alt is no uncommon thing" said Mr..
Buruap, in conversation with Times re-
porter last evening, ito hear about the
magnificent hotels we have in this country,
and their vast superiority over all the other
hotels of the world. This is great mistake.
Our hotels, fine as they are. are not only not
superior TO the hotels OF the Old World,
but they are so far behind the best CONT
mental hotels that they are not TO be named
in the same breath. IL would sound like
gross eXaggeration II / were 10 say that the
best American hotels compare with the
great hotels OF Paris just about as Cables
compares with the Oriental. but such is the
case. There is fully that much difference
between them. Any one who ever tray-
eIed through Europe and lived in the best
hotels on the Continent knows that the idea
that our American hotels lead the world IL
mere nonsense.
"Nearly all the knowlege / had OF the
hotel business before began at Manhattan
Beach," Dir. Burnap continued, 81 gained
from the
GREAT HOTELS OF PARIS.
When / was a young mana very young
man, mean, for am a young man yet
and was studying in Paris, | lived for near
" six years in the Hotel du Louvre. That
was quarter OF a century ago-frOm 1852
to 1S5S-when the hotel was nearly new.
There was then in that building nearly
every convenience that can now be found
in the best American hotels. including many
that we are inclined TO consider distinctly
American. There is the electric bell, for in
stance. Most people in America think that
81. riu a1 no "A 4
was built, more than thirty years ago. every
room in the Hotel du Louvre was connected
with the office by an electric bell. The no.
tel was then in every respect far superior
TO anything now to be found IN this cOun-
try. The fact is our best hotels are far be-
hind the mark. A quarter OF century
ago there was not the wealth in this coun-
try, nor the refinement, nor the demand for
luxurious appointments, that there is now.
Now there rs as much wealth here as in
many of the European countries, and as
much refinement, and people who can az
ford it desire TO live luXuriously. The cOun-
try was never more prosperous. We are
flooded with gold, and almost every man is
producer.
"lt hes long been my
PET IDEA,"
Mr.. Burnap continued, to build hotel in
New York that shall fully equal the Hotel
du Louvre, the Grand, or the Continental
OF Paris, the Kaiserhof OF Berlin, or the
Midland OF London. All these hotels are
as much in advance OF anything we have in
this country as it is possible to conceive.
There is nothing 10 prevent the success OF
such hotel in New York-everything to
assure il. You must understand it will
take vast amount OF money TO build such
a hotel, and capitalists must take hold OF the
scheme before il can be carried through.
| have not yet approached any CAPT
talists on the subject, and shall not
do so until | have my plans fully
matured. / have consulted with architects
and builders and have some close estimates.
The hotel have in my mind, and Which |
believe can be built and successfully con-
Quoted in New York, will be the greatest
hotel in the world, and that is saying good
deal. There Is abundant support for such
hotel in New York. There are many
families in the city who are willing to pay
almost any price for apartments If they can
only have good ones, with all the surround
ings in keeping, and there are more and
more of such wealthy families in New York
every year. They do not want the cares OF
housekeeping, but prefer 10 live in hotel
where everything Is in the best possible
taste and style. They want.
PALATIAL ACCOMMODATIONS,
and are able and willing 10 pay for them.
There are examples OF this in New York
every day. Every one OF the frst-class
family hotels is full and prospecting. Wber-
ever the bandsomest and most expensive
apartments are to be had, they are quickly
taken. The large new apaItment-house
lust finished IN central part OF the city is
good example. Although in poor loca-
ton, and in many respects undesirable, IL
was crowded as soon as opened, and Its
proprietors are about to build large addi-
ton. Its success has been so great that
similar building Is soon TO be erected just
across the street from it. IL succeeded be-
cause it was well built, ire-proof, and Of
fered fine accommodations 10 people who
were able to pay for them, and who did not
care to keep house.
"The hotel that / propose must, in the
first place. be fire-proof-noS tire-proof in
the way OF being slow burning build
ing, which is all that large number OF our
'fire-prooi' buildings are, but as absolutely
fre-prooi, from cellar to garnet, as the Trea-
sury building In Washington. 1t must be
utterly indestrucible. II is TO
FILL ONE ENTIRE BLOCK OF THE CITY
that is, between two cross.streets and two
avenues. The blocks between the num-
bered streets are about 200 feet, and full
blocks between the avenues 800 feet. This
would make the building 200 by 500 feet,
with grand frontage OF 800 ieet. IL is to
be built OF brick, stone, iron, and glass,
without much attempt at architectural
disFsay. 1t Is to be nine stories high,
and only the upper stories are TO