The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-08-07
A SUMNER HOTEL.
The Strategy Required In the Manage
ment Of an American Pleasure Resort.


The Strategy Required In the Manage
ment Of an American Pleasure Resort.
1t happened to be at the KaaterskiI
House-itmight have been at the Grand.
or the Overlook-thatt the young gentle
man in search of information saw the
Catskill season get under way. The
phase of American life is much the
same at all these great caravansaries.
1t seems to the writer, who has the
greatest admiration for the military
genius that can feed and fight an army
in the field, that not enough account is
made of the greater genius that car
organize and carry on great American
hotel, with thousand or fifteen hun,
dred guests. in short, sharp and de-
cisive campaign of two months. at the
end of which the substantial fruits OF
victory are in the hands of the land
lord, and the guests are allowed to de.
part with only their personal baggage
and side-arms, but so well pleased that
they are inclined to renew the contest
next year. This il triumph of mind
over mind. 1t is not merely the or
ganization and the management of the
army under the immediate command OF
the landlord, the accumulation and
distribution of supplies upon this
mountain-top, in the uncertainty wheth-
er the garrison on a given day will be
one hundred or one thousand. not
merely the lodging, rationing and
amusing of this shifting host, but the
satisfying Of as many whims and preju-
dices as there are people who leave
home on purpose to grumble and enjoy
themselves in the exercise of a criticism
they dare not indulge in their own
houses. Our friends had an opportu-
nifty of seeing the machinery set in
motion in one of these great establish
n,ents. Here was a vast balloon struc-
tlIre. founded on a rock, but built in
the air, and anchored with cables, with
towers and high-pillared veranda. ca
pable, with its annex. of lodging fifteen
hundred people. The army of walters
and chamber-maids, of bell boys and
scullions and porters and laundry-folk,
was arriving; the stalwart scrubbers
were at work, the store-roOms were
filled, the big kitchen shone with its
FURNISHED coppers, and an array of
white-cappcd and aproned cooks stood
in line under their Chef; the telegraph
operator was waiting at her desk. the
drug clerk was arranging his bottles.
the newspaper stand was furnished,
the post-office was open for letters.
1t needed but the arrival of guest
to set the machinery in motion.
And as soon as the guest came, the
band would be there to launch him into
the maddening gayety of the season.
1t would welcome his arrival in
triumphant strains; it would pursue
him at dinner and drown his converse
ton; it would fill his siesta with mar
tial dreams, and it would seize his legs
in the evening and would treat him to
caper in the parlor. Every thing was
ready. And this was what happened.
1t was the evening of the opening day.
The train wagons might be expected
any moment. The electric lights were
blazing. All the clerks stood expect
ant, the porters were by the door, the
trim uniformed bell-boys were all in
waiting line, the register clerk stood
lingering the leaves of the register
with gracious air. A noise is heard
outside, the big door opens, there is .
rush forward and four people flock in
a man in linen duster, stout
woman, a lad of ten, smartly-dressed
young lady, and a dog. Movement,
welcome, ringing of bells, tramping Of
feet-the whole machinery has started.
1t was adjusted to crack an egg-shell
or smash an iron-bound trunk. The
few drops presaged a shower. The
next day there were hundred on the
register; the day after, two hundred;
and the day following, an excursion
Charles Ouikeu Warner, in HQrper' 5