San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-11-29
A PALACE OF ART
Is THE NEW RICHELIEU.

eS become intoxicated with the
transcendent blending of colors, all
in harmony with the surround
ings: The name "Richelieu" has
been selected significant of the
fact that it was this renowned
French statesman and cardinal
who protected the arts and sciences
in the fifteenth century, and was
the founder of the academic
Franchise"
The proprietors, Messrs. CHAM
bers & Ballard, have leased the
building known as 81 Alamo
plaza, for term of five years, and
in selecting this place they did not
lose sight of the fact that from
their door the historic old Alamo
looms up in full view, and that in
its old walls, ages have not OBJ
liberated the delicate touch of the
artists chisel.
More than two months have
elapsed since Martin r. Chambers
came into the city quietly and UNI
obtrusively, and in making the
rounds of the city came to the con-
clusion that a modern resort,
where ladies with their escorts
could come and refresh themselves
would be an acquisition to our
city, appreciated by the general
public, and a profitable and legiti-
mate investment for themselves.
Being an artist himself the
credit of the interior decorations,
which we will now try and de-
scribe, are to rebound to Mr..
Chambers, who is the original de-
signer and architect, and who, for
the past several weeks, with a
score of assistants, has worked
early and late in order to have his
artistic resort open by December
first.
On entering the front door one
beholds the glowing and blending
of colors and mingling of delicate
shades, Kaleidoscope variations
of soft and gentle lights. The
plastic art of the modeler in frieze
and coping is matched with field
of sky from the painters brush,
illuminated and toned by the skill
of the electrician. The general
field of the ceiling is fiat work,
hand frescoed; surrounding this is
a moulded style of stalactite work,
which, with their glistening effect
reminds one of those seen and so
often described in the Mammoth
cave of Kentucky.
The style next to the stalactite
work, dividing the cave from the
frieze is done in hand painted
grape leaf effect, the cave is circu-
lar and finished in plain olive.
The frieze is a handsome design
of hand modelled relief work with
forty electric lights located at in
tervals, each of which form the
center of a rosette and are of differ
ent colors.
The background of the wall is of
a delicate fawn and bordered with
artistic vines and flowers in water
colors. The wainscoting is of re-
lief work of apple blossoms and
grapes, the latter so realistic as to
make ones month water, so natural
are they portrayed. The back bar,
in itself a beautiful piece of furni-
ture, is the full height of the room
and eighteen feet long. The large
plate mirrors therein were fur
nished by Messrs. b. c. Reilly &
Co., together with all the paints
and materials for fresco and relief
work.
Mr.. Chambers has patronized
home industry where he could pos
sibly do so, and where an article
was not to be found in stock, had
our merchants order same for him.
The entire bar fixtures are the
work of the well known wood turn
ers and cabinet makers, Messrs.
Wagner & McVicar, of 21S East
Houston street, and their work
does the firm much credit.
The electric wiring was put in by
the San Antonio Electric Supply
Co., Mr.. III. Handshy superintend-
ing the work, all of which required
a certain amount of skill and
mechanical ingenuity.
Messrs. West & Gutzeit, the
practical plumbers, plead guilty to
furnishing the marble stationary
washstands and closets, and also
made all connections for water and
sewage.
The entire floor surface will be
covered with a heavy imported
moquette carpet of rare and rich
design, and the portieres, which
divide the private drinking rooms,
of which there are two, Zone fin
ished in pale blue, the other In
tan, both reached by private en-
trance leading from the plaza. are