The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-26
The PUTNAM HOUSE ADORNMENTS.
The White Mountains Contribute to
FIorfda-The Art of Japan Pressed
Into Service for Its
Adornment

| sOE. Inc reputation Oh the mouse has,
among tourists, justified that pride in a
remarkable degree. Grand palaces have
| a certain charm but not every one pre-
fers as steady residence, such a sur
| as to detract in serious manner from
that h6me-love, which the true Ameri-
| can has so deeply implanted in his heart.
Before the days of the Ponce de Leon
| the Putnam had a reputation sec
| ond to that of none in Florida, and to-
| day, as a home-like residence for those
who like such union of grandeur and
comfort as will give enough of the one
as not to detract from the true value of
the other, the Putnam easily takes its
rank as the leading hotel of Florida.
The leading feature to be noticed in
all the appointments of the Putnam is
the quiet and refined elegance charac-
terizing it in all departments. Through
out may be noticed the traces of the
true artistic instinct which has inspired
all the interior arrangements. In the
order of the cuisine, the service in the
arranging and getting up of the menu,
especially of the Sunday menu, a guild
ing spirit is manifest which bears the
stamp of genius. And nowhere is the
truly poetic nature of this artistic in
stinct more noticeably shown than in the
nature and designs of the decorations
which are delight to the eye and
solace to the spirit. Nature and art have
joined to furnish the materials, and
genius have combined them.
As one enters the doors of the Putnam
House by the main entrance his eye is
greeted and charmed by display of colors
and designs that is striking. The bright
decorations which are arranged so artis-
tically ON the walls is toned down in
delightful manner by the more quiet
green of natures providing. Imme-
diately in front, as one looks down the
centre of the rotunda, directly facing
the office, are ranged two rows of coli
umns. From the capitals of these col
umns, six in number, long and heavy
festoons, made from the princess pine of
| the North, are hung, running from col
umn to column between the rows, and
| from the columns to the sides of the
| room, dropping low and crossing each
other diagonally. The green of these fes-
| toons is rich and dark, and in the general
| effect leaves nothing to be desired. On
| the walls are grouped in artistic and reg
| ular informality japanese umbrellas,
| fans, handkerchiefs, and bric-a-brac
work, in endless variety of brightness
and gaiety of coloring. In the rotunda,
| along the corridors, and in the dining
room, these combinations form the
| ground work, while at every point of
vantage natural colored and variegated
ferns and autumn leaves are displayed
in designs which strike the eye as the
| production of master hand.
| Over the arch which spans the office
the wall is decorated with massive yet
delicately outlined combination of fern
leaves and autumn leaves, while running
through the figures of the design is a
running wing which gives delicate
tone to the whofe.& At the springs of the
arch are placed pots i'll which are grow
ing plants of variegated colors, and from
which issue running vines. while under
the center of the arch depends hanging
basket with growing plants. Immedi-
ately in front of the office, between two
columns, hangs an immense blossom of
the banana plant.
To the left of the office, as one enters
| from the street, is seen an arch CORE
spending in size with the one spanning
the clerks desk and counter, and which
spans the entrance to corridor leading
to suites of rooms beyond. Over this
arch is an immense design in fern and
autumn leaves, the latter showing all
the rich colors and shading which form
their great beauty. Standing on the
floor at the sides of the archway are
large vases about two and one-half feet
high, and in which are growing large
specimens of species of the Yucca
plant, commonly known as the spanish
bayonet." At the bases of the Yucca
grow running vines-the Wandering
Jew.
just inside this arch is situated the
elevator, and the walls of the square
open spaces before the corridor is
reached are covered with decorations in
Japanese work, and designs in ferns and
autumn leaves. Directly facing one
passing under the arch, the wall is seer
to be profusely covered. The centra
points of the design are pair of snow
shoes and Canadian toboggan, while
surrounding the decorations are remind
ers of a cline somewhat colder than thai
of ours. The window placed alongsid,
the elevator is also utl lized as coigne O
vantage, and from the large hanging
basket are growing richly colored plants
with the Wandering jew meanderin:
through and around all at its own swee
will. From the center of the arch ais,
hangs large hanging basket, witt
| growing plants.
To the right and left of the Office run
two long corridors. That to the left lead
t to the hallway and stairs. The ceilin
is hid from sight by heavy and Ion
: festoons of the princess pine, and tn
: walls ON each side are tastefully deco
t rated with profusion of japanese d
: signs.
e The corridor to the right of the offics
+ leading along the parlors to the dinin
|. room has been used to display the ski
of the designer in truly beautiful an
remarkable manner. The windows O
d one side, with the hanging baske
h depending in each, and the doc
ways to the parlor on the oths