The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-06-15
tcorrespoudenee Of the Rlehmocd Dispsieh.I

tCoTrestondence Of the Richmopd DfspatchI
HrGEIA HOTEL. June IL, 1851.
The season Is still backward here, yet
visitors are beginning to come In In good
earnest now. II is very noticeable fact
! that Richmond people constitute the
greater part Of the daily arrivals, and the
only explanation for this seems 10 be the
increased facilities offered our people for
reaching the Point. Strange 10 say, there
are but few from Baltimore here a. yet. The
season will necessarily have to be short,
but IL promises to be very active and gay.
Brief mention has been made OF the final
| improvements since last year, but all Who
visit this place win be pleased TO learn
I Just what hes been done 10 make the Hygeia
TIE nAxxorH HOTEL
of the Atlantic. But few years ago Ph9-
bus took the management at Old Point
with less than hundred rooms. and busi-
hess that scarcely paid during three months
OF the year. He has to-day, by virtue Of
his great administrative abilities, good iudg-
ment, and, in fact, genius for bookkeeping
aud enterprise, built up an establish
ment having q capacity for i,l00 people,
wonderful in its proportions, complete In
is appointments, and managed in a way
that leaves nothing undone which could be
done for the comfort Of guests, and which,
moreover, does q fine paying business niue
months in the year and makes expenses
the other three. This great hotel structure
covers an immense area Of ground. the fur
thest room from the Office being more than
q quarter of a mile distant; has over 5000
feet of ysrandas, contains seventeen acres
oi painted wood, and the fo0rs are covered
with four acres Of carpet.
THE GREATEST IMPROVEMENT
since last year i the building md finishing
I os the last aud eastern section u the hotel.
I II i built on three sides q hollow square,
one side facing the Rip-Raps and on line
with the older portion Of the hotel, and the
other side facing the lighthouse on the
I east. and the third facing on the street and
7 looking towards the Fort. II i surmouuted
/ by pretty tower. 10 which YOU ascend by
broad flight OF stairs, and from which an
extended view may be had Of the sur
rounding water and country. This new
section Of the hotel contain. 200 rooms, all
beautifully furnished and supplied with
I the latest inventions for convenience and
comfort; large passenger-eleyatOr and
handsome parlOr on each foor In each
room, and connected with an Office on the
/ first floor, i 3 call-pipe, through which, by
means a
Az iSCF,TO-s COSTRIvASCE,
you can order 1t once and very easily
whatever you may desire. You blow gently
! into the pipe IN your room, and your num-
l~r. which rts like 4 cork in the other end,
and faeing he clerk. drops out and causes
an electric bell 20 ring. The clerk imne-
diately inserts phone, which be always
holds ia bis hand, into your pipe and re-
| ceiyes your order. Tins, by means u q
telephone, be transmits 10 the main Office,
3 quarter ~ a mile distant. and your wants
sre most promptly attended 20.
oTHER IMPROVEMENTS
have been made, while others. again, are
in progress. For instance. bathers' pa
riliOn, about 25x30 feet. and situated over
the - ater just opposite the dressing-rooms,
l. in course Of erection. IL is % be con-
.rructsd 20 that the bathers may enter the
seFf beneath il urot-eryed, while those
who wish b look on can In comfort view
fhe bather. in the water. The dI.22reea-
Ole feature u having 70 run the gauntlet
through 4 crowd II gazing men and women
n costume that j. anything but ornate or
. grcsentable j. dispensed With. Another
arrangement i 20 protect the occupants n
the frst-fOor room. from the disturbance
Of screaming children and the inces-ant
buzz q "spoOniug couples" and promo
uaders generally, who take possession of
the lower yersnds. To accomplish this
PROMENADE
i b be built parallel with and some fifteen
feet out from the yerands, and across the
latter chains are 20 be placed. 80 that that
7 portion in front u each room will he the
private domain II the occupant.
The new diring-roOfn, which includes
AL q the former dancing-payiliou and
portion - the old dining-rocn, Is I51SGO
,eet. while the new danc'ng-payili9n,w which
Z. most tAstefully-nni-hed structure, h
G0xii0 ieet. 4 handsome entrance - the
hotel, and the zentlemen's reading- and
sitiing-room, and the ladies parior on the
right thereof, are amongst Tie most elective
- Well - Attractive improvements.
p I, would be an almost endless task 20 de-
scribe The many patent appliances for con
yenIeuce, ventilation, and comfort thzt are
operated in the sueces~ful conduct n this
establishment. When we have s.lid tslst
the Hygeia i cOnplete in every respect We
have only done justice to the genius of
Phebus.
RICHxosDERs REyIEgIsG yETsBAs-.
/ ON sunday morning, by special invita-
ton from the genial Governor Woodfin,
party u i4dies and gentsemen from Rich
mOnd, including your correspondent, Whit
ed the National Soldier Home, near by,
and attended tie weekly review and in-
7 speeti0n. Under the guidance Of mine
host" Ph9bus. who, ever ob-eFYant os the
:. eternal fitness u thing" went IN the
grave role Of preacher, dressed IN the
..eu-f0fnary .uit n s0lenn bLsek and
white necktie, the company eni"yed
pleasant drive iD the Governor. elegant
band-wagOn behind four fDe horses. Ar
rived al the Home. eigh, hundred war
Scared veterans, with = me bras hand -
their bead, we're found in line awaiting
our arrival. The review va most safts-
factory, and demonstrated by The cieznly
and tidy APPEARANCE Of the soldier the
wisdom II having this weekly inspection
and reyisw-sn Ocrasi0n II posnp and pa
rate which the heart u the true soldier
ever love- 10 cherish, and which serves ~
an incentive for the pfeser alton of the
pride u rnsnhood.
The lovely grounds were then inspected,
and
xEw FONT oy ISrEsxSr
gas found in the handsome theatre build
ing erected within The past year. In this
building l. a Spacious mss~-hsli, eseaniy
and eonInodiOu. kitchen. the theatre, and
the billiard-hali. TIE theair. Is very pretty
indeed. furnished with the most approved
patent chairs and fns scenery, and viii
se4r some $50 or ,gso leople. Entertain
-rnents are given for the amusement Of the
soldier, sad A. AZ snducenent for trave,-
ling COMPANIES 70 visit the Home, the pro
oeeGs from the ale u outside tickets 20 70
the eompsny. There will be several ope-
rztie and dramatic companies there thh