The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-05-10

offices of tho hotel, above which rise
three stories of splendid architecture
closes the view. On either side this i'm
posing pile continues, the ground floor
being given up to dainty shops and
booths. The footways are exquisitely
tiled, and the walks are of asphalt toned
into beautiful colors. Above, the fronts
of enormous lions, artistic and impress
sive, look down on the court In the
| centre, the asphalt is cut into running
way of crystal water, thirty feet wide
and hundred feet long. From the
water rise delicate fountains, under the
FLASHING of which are masses of Zanzi-
bar lilies, rare flowers from the Nile, and
lotos plants. On every side are acres of
flowers and grass, fashioned in curious
beds and growing with startling luxuri-
ance of color but blending in reposeful
harmony. The dining room looking out
on this court and through the broad
archway into the court beyond, will scat
1000 guests and 10 as handsome as the
view it commands.
Beyond this stretches the Alcazar
proper, and nobler pile it would be
hard to find. There are lines upon lines
of rooms en- suite and single, finished
with lavish but tasteful hands. The bar
to blush the tawdry fnery Of Stokes's
famous Hoffman House Place. 1t is
estimated that $100, 600 will be spent in
decorating and equipping tho saloon
alone. In this part of the Alcazar are
the offices of the hotel, fitted with a
splendor to be compared only to the
Ponce dc Leon.
Beyond the Alcazar proper como the
baths. These are simply marvellous.
There are hugo marble rooms for the
Turkish baths. Great concrete spaces
in which an ordinary house might be
placed, and enormous pools for the
plunge. [ believe the rooms and pools
for tho Turkish ond Russian bath alone
occupy more space than the Markham
| House entire.
But the wonder is yet to come. Back
OF these rooms is the sea bath. This is
q stupendous cave of solid concrete, 1874
feet in length. 81 feet across and from 4
to 30 feet deep. Do you get these di-
mensions? The builder who built the
base of the Bartholdi statue declares that
the ruins in Rome show no such mason
ry or concrete work, and that this bath
stands without precedent in sacred or
profane history. Into this cavernous
depth Mr.. Flagier viii literally let the
sea. Above it rise the three stories of
the Alcazar, leaving the view clear, how
ever, to the glass roof 90 feet away,
through which the tropical sun beats
genially even in December. On the first
floor are hundreds of drawing rooms,
just as at Cape May or Coney Island.
On the floor above is a cafe, the tables
SO placed as to overlook the pulsing sea
beneath. On the next are bachelor
l.
Here gentleman can leave his rooms in
the morning in slippers and bathing
suit-descend by elevator to tho sea for
a plunge or swim-can splash to music
from band suspended mid air above
him-return one floor, and while he
reads his morning paper eat such q
breakfast as DelmOnico could not sur
pass, and return to his room to dress for
the day. About the bath and above it
will be flowers galore in hanging gardens
and terraces.
After going over this amazing build
ing, with its ionnis courts, archery,
grounds, bowling alleys, etc., with Mr..
Flagler and Senator Cameron, n promi-
nent New Yorker said:
"Now add q million dollars more to
this and make Monte Carlo. You will
then have such resort as will attract
visitors from every quarter of the globe
the year around"
81 am too much of q Presby terian,"
Mr.. Flagler replied, "to establish
gambling house. Besides [ have firm
belief that if you give the American peo-
pie wholesome innocent and healthful
amusement they will be satisfied. /
have spared nothing to do this-but
nothing shall carry me further than
this"
The Ponce de Leon was built in
eighteen months-the Alcazar will be
built in less time. TO spend $4,000, 600
in building in less than two and half
years is big undertaking.
AL the time Mr.. Flagler has asked but
one question:
els it the best-the best that money
can buy or ingenuity desire?"
That answered, he said: "Buy"
When he is away from ST. Augustine he
has photographs taken of the work every
Saturday night, 80 that he can see pre-
cisely how it has advanced. At first ex-
cuses were sometimes forwarded with
the pictures.
81 will have no excuses" he replied.
81 want results. l am too old to deal
with excuses" and after that no excuses
were sent. He secures the best men,
regardless of price. He heard of q man
who made bueiness in Los Angeles of
raising Asiatic plants. This was the man
he wanted for his Zanzibar lilies and
Nile plants. SO he brought him ovor
from California and installed him at the
Alcazar. Hepaid over 500 day for
an orchestra for the Ponce de Leon, and
hung Sc, 600 Bridgemon on his parlor
walls, though 81 900 would have bought
q choicer picture.
But has it paid?
Yes. Contrary to the expectation of
every human being, except, perhaps,
Mr.. Flagler it has paid. For sixty days
this season people were turned away
from the Ponce do Leon. Frequently
one thousand people sat down to dinner,
and the receipts for the sixty days were
over $500, 200, or $4,000 day. The
running expenses could not have been
! more than $4,000 day, and it is said
$4,000 would cover everything. At the
higher figure the profits for the sixty
J days would be $l5O,000, or six per cent.
on $2,500,0O0, the cost of the hotel.
But for tho thirty days preceding and
the thirty days following this flush
period there was an estimated profit OF
81 600 q day-so that the profit OF the
hotel, which in this case means the rent