The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-05-09

three stories of splendid architecture
closes the view. On either side this I'm
posing pile continues, the ground fool
being given up to dainty shops and
booths. The footways are e1quiitely
tiled, and the walks are of asphalt toned
into beautiful colors. Above, the fronts
of enormous lions, artistic and impres.
siYe, look down on the court. In the
centre, the asphalt is cut into running
way of crystal water, thirty feet wide
and q hundred feet long. From the
water rise delicate fountains, under the
plashing 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, viii seat
1000 guests and is as handsome as the
view it commands.
Beyond this stretches the Alcazar
proper, and 8 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
and billiard room when finished will put
to blush the tawdry inery of Stokes's
famous Hoffman House Place. It is
estimated that 800, 900 will be spent in
decorating and equipping the saloon
alone. In this part of the Alcazsr are
the Offices of the hotel, fitted with a
splendor to be compared only to the
Ponce de Leon.
Beyond the Alcazar proper come the
baths. These are simply marvellous.
There are huge 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 the Turkish end 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
g. ssupendous cave of solid concrete, 1S4
feet in length. 81 feet across and from 4
to- 30 feet deep. Do you get these d.
mansions? The builder who built the
base of the Bartholdi statue declares that
the ruins in Rome show no such mason
~ or concrete work, and that this bath
stands without a precedent IN sacred or
profare history. Into this cavernous
depth Mr. F1agler will literally let the
sea. Above it rise the three stories Of
the Alcszar, leaving the view clear, how
ever, to the glass roof 80 feet away,
which the tropical sun beats
genial y even in December. On the first
floor are hundreds of drswing-rooms,
Just as at Cape May or Coney Island.
On the floor above is cafe, the tables
so placed as to overlook the pulsing sea
beneath. On the next are bachelor
quarters, fitted with the utmost luxury.
Here gentleman can leave his rooms IN
the moEning in slippers and bathing
by elevator to the sea for
a plunge or swim-can splash to music
from 8 band suspended mid air above
him-return one floor, and while he
reads his morning paper eat such a
breakfast as Delmonico could not sur
pass, and return to his room to dress for
the dsy. About the bath and above it
vii be flowers galore IN hanging gardens
and terraces.
After going over this amazing build
ing, with its tennis courts, archery,
grounds, bowling alleys, etc., with Mr.
Flsgler and Senator Cameron, proml-
rent New Yorker said:
ssNow add million dollars more to
ihds and make Monte Carlo. You Will
b en- have such a resort as will attract
7ikltors from every qusrser OF the globe
he year around" :.
81 am too much of Presbyterian, ="
Mr.. Flsgler replied, 'sto establish a
gambling house. Besides I have firm
belief that if you give the American peo,,
pie wholesome, innocent ssnd healthtul
amusement they will be satisfied. l
asve spared nothing to do thls-but
nothing shall carry me further than
his"
The Ponce de Leon was built IN
eighteen months-the Alcazar will be
built in less time. To spend $4,000, ,OOO
IN building in less than two and 8 halt
years is big undertaking.
All the time Mr.. Flsgler has asked but
one question:
els it the best-the best that money
can buy or ingenuity desire?" -
That answered, he said: NBuy"
When he is away from st. Augustine he
has photographs taken of the work every
Saturday night, so that he csn see pre-
cisely how it has advanced. At frst ex-
cuses were sometimes forwarded with
the pictures.
81 will have no excuses" he replied.
ssI want results. am too old to d cal
with excuses and after that no excus es
were sent. He secures the best men,
Of price. He heard Of 8 man
who made bueiness in Los Angeles Of
raising Asistic plants. This was the man
he wanted for his Zanzibar lilies and
Nile plants. So he brought him over
from California and installed him at the
Alcazar. He paid over S100 day for
an orchestra for the Ponce de Leon, and
hung o $4,000 Bridgemon on his parlor
walls, though $1,000 would have bought
a choicer picture.
But has it paid?
Yes. Contrary to the expectation Of
every human being, except, perhaps,
Mr.. Flsgler, it has paid. For sixty days
this season people were turned away
from the Porae de Leon. Frequently
one thousand people sat down to dinner,
and the receipts for the sixty days were
over $500, ,0O0, or $1,000 day. The
running expenses could not have been
more than $500 day, and it is said
$4,000 would cover everything. At the
higher figure the profits for the sixty
days would be $3.50, 900, or six per cent.