The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-23
TO BE OPEN CHRISTMAS.
THE DE SOTO TO BE INAUGURATED
WITH A GRAND BALL.

Lessee Baker Arrives and to Begin
Furnishing the Hotel at Once-A
Train Load OF Furniture to Arrive
Next Week The Silver to Cost
$4,000, the Linen $4,000 and the
Kitchen Furniture S4,OOO-One Hun
dred and Fifty Employees Required
to Run the Hotel
Lessee Baker of the De Soto arrived last
night from Grand Rapids His son Roy
accompanied him. Mr.. Baker was seen at
the Pulaski He said that he has come
prepared TO go to work at once He had a
conference with Lewman Bros, the con-
tractors, upon his arrival, and be was in
formed that he will be able to get access to
the upper floors Of the hotel as soon as he
wishes.
Mr.. Baker said that he expects to have
the De Soto opened by Christmas. His plan
is to have grand ball and banquet Christ
mas eve, and throw the hotel open to Wis
itors Christmas day. The opening will be
extensively advertised, and it is expected
that prominent people from all over Geor-
gia will be here.
the hotel by Dec. Is, Mr.. Baker said. 1t
will require a week or ten days more to
finish the dining room and get everything
In readiness.
TRAIN LOAD OF FURNITURE.
The furniture is expected to arrive here
over the Central the latter part of next
week. 1t will be transported from Grand
Rapids in a special train of eighteen or
twenty cars. The cars were loaded before
Mr.. Baker left the north, but he preferred
not to have the furniture reach
here before the work of furnishing
begins. The cars are decorated with flags,
aud strips of canvas are attached to the
sides of each car with the inscription:
Furniture for the De Soto, Savannah, GA.
The new million dollar hotel, open Christ
mas day. Furnished by the Phoenix Furni-
ture Company, Grand Rapids, Mich"
The furniture train, Mr.. Baker said, will
leave Grand Rapids Monday and is ex-
pected to arrive here Friday. He has been
informed that the carpets for the upper
rooms will be here the first of next week.
He thinks that the furnishing will begin
about the first of the month. The ranges
are expected to be here in few days.
A COSTLY KITCHEN.
The kitchen furnishings will approximate
in cost $4,000. The ranges are those ex-
hlbited by the John Van Company of Gin
cinnati year ago. They took the first
premium, aud are considered the finest in
any hotel south. Mr.. Baker takes especial
pride in his kitchen furniture The large
boilers will be placed in the boiler house, at
the corner of Drayton and Harris streets.
To put in the boilers and equip the kitchen
will require week or ten days
Mr.. Baker said that he will not put up
any furniture until the carpets are down.
The silverware is from the Gorbam COM
pany, and will cost $4,000. 1t is Of the
latest designs, and will equal that of any
hotel in the country. The crockery is fur
nished by the Greenwood Pottery Company.
The service for the banquet room is made
by the Haviland China Company, and all
the glassware is cut. II. B. Clahin & Co.
OF New York furnish the linen, which will
cost between $1,000 and 1000.
ADVERTISING THE DE SOTO.
MIR. Baker is satisfied that he will have
the De Soto open by the time which is an
nounced. He has advertised extensively
through the east, and also through the north
and west. He has distributed over the
country unique folders, with frontIspiece
steel engraving of the De Soto, and on the
back wreath with ribbon tapestry bearing
the word De Soto. The inside of the folder
gives description Of the hotel. As soon
as the hotel is finished and furnished Mr..
Baker contemplates getting cuts of differ
emit parts of the interior for the folder.
1t will take $50 people to run the hotel.
This will include clerks and cashiers. Mr..
Baker will devote his whole tune now to
furnishing the hotel. While the concerns
furnishing the materials are under contract
to equip the building, the work will be
under Mr.. Bakers supervision.