The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-11-10
THE NEW HOTEL.
GROUND WILL BE BROKEN IN
MARCH.

DIR. Walter c. Browning, of EDhiIa-
delphia, the PrOjectOr-HeiHhts
North of the SwannanOa the
Site-MOdern Architecture.
DR.. Walter c. Browning, of Philadel-
phia, is in Ashevlle, and spent Yesterday
with party of friends in inspecting his
property. This consists OF 16O acres of
land and is part of the property for
merly owned by Major Rosselle. It lies
two miles south OF Asheville on the
Swannanoa river Upon his return he
was interviewed by reporter from THE
CITIZEN in regard to his proposed erec-
ton OF a hotel on that property. He
made the following statements:
"The new hotel, about which YOU ask.
is settled fact. The workmen will not
commence operations now as it is too
late in the season to lay foundations,
and even if we did begin building now the
hotel would not be able to be completed
in time to open for a summer season.
| Ground will not be broken until the COM
ing March, and the hotel will be formally
opened for the winter season on January
l, 1891"
"By the way wish you would disa-
buse the people of Asheville of one idea
they have. They seem to think that this
hotel is to be a sanitarium. Several
gentlemen have made remarks of this ma
ture to me. Now this building is to be
hotel, pure and simple. There will be
nothing about it that will suggest a san
ltarium, unless it is the health-giving at
mosphere of Ashevill~
MANY people imagine that the cree
ton of this hotel will cause i'll feeling
among the other hotel proprietors, but
assure you that this is not the case. The
number of visitors is such that another
hotel is needed to take those who cannot
find accommodations at the Battery
Park, the Swannanoa, and other places.
Why this fact was made known in THE
CITIZEN itself. 1t was stated there that
the Battery Park had turned away a
thousand people in one season, and that
is fact. The proprietor of the hotel
told me the very same thing himself.
But perhaps you would like to learn
something about the hotel itself. What
few facts l can give you at present
are at your disposal The dimen-
sions of the building will be 3S5 by
rs feet, and it is to face southeast by
south. The advantage of this exposure
is that every room iii the house will have
the sun at least half of the day. In the
centre of the building will be large oc-
tagon 33 feet in diameter and the top of
this octagon will form an octagonal sun
parlor SO feet in diameter. The porte
cochere will be built in the style of
fortress and will have two towers, one
square and the other round.
Eyes, | had forgotten to state what
would be the general style of architect
ure. Well, hardly know what to call
it. 1t is of the composite type which is
so much in vogue but if | dared to call
it by any one particular name l should
call it Gothic.
THE site ofthe building will be on
knoll located about 1000 feet back from
the river and 24O feet above it's level.
There will be two entrances, one opening
on the Hendersonville road and the
other opening on a drive which will wind
throug the ravine and up its side to the
hotel. All the underground will be
cleared away, and the grounds will be
laid out and graded down to the river
bank.
Are you going down town? Yes?
Well l am going that way myself. Do
you know that this air is perfectly Won
derful? This is far ahead of Florida.
There the air is rather depressing. And
what a thriving city you have here.
Why it is absurd people to tell young
people to go West if they want to make
money. There is no place that offers a
young man of enterprise and energy
more inducements than Asheville, and |
shall tell the young men of Philadelphia
that very thing when l return. Well
good night. | turn off here"