Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-01
LIKE A SCENE IN FARMLAND
Is the Beautiful Dining Room of the Morris. A Pen Picture of the Sumptuous
 Interior.

A scene from Fa1ryland; a VlSlOn or loveliness; a palace of entertainment; su-
 perlatives barely describing the new FL dorado, the Morris hotel dining room, busy Birminghams bright and beautiful
 buffet.
 This addition to the former commo- dious and excellent dining room of this most popular hotel was opened to the
 public yesterday, and it's opening marks
 an era in progressive Birmingham's ca
 reer.
 Seven years ago MT. C. H. Nabb came to this city from Louisville, Ky, anu having had much experience Tn the mall agement of the art of cuisine he at once
 opened up and took charge of the Union
 Depot dining room, of which he made a brilliant success. While in charge of the
 restaurant at the depot MT. Nabb be-
 came impressed with the fact that Blf- mingham needed and would support something it did not then have-a first class restaurant, a restaurant where IL one wanted something choice 1t could be immediately had. MT. Nabb became SD strongly convinced that such ven ture was a necessary adjunct 10 a clty of Birmingham's capacity that he at once made arrangements with the owners of the Hotel Morris for the lease of part of the first floor Of that, even then famous hotel, and at once began to put into execution his already well conceived and, as has been proven, successful ven ture. So successful was MT. Nabb that the owners of the hotel insisted that he take entire charge of the property, which he did about three years ago, and to his splendid executive ability is due the widely-known merits of the Hotel Mor- riS.
 Hardly had the dining room of the Hotel Morris been opened before it began to receive the commendation and patron age from the public, who found that here
 indeed could they receive meal just such as suited their tastes, and be as Sparlng or as lavish in their desires as the most
 fastidious could possibly ask. and so
 popular did this feature of the hotel be- come that MT Nabb soon found that to
 meet the increasing patronage he must have more room. After series of manlp-
 ulations and trades with the occupants who held office leases on the rooms ln
 front of the dining room, fronting on
 First avenue. MT. Nabb obtained the
 premises, and at once began to plan
 and put into execution dining room
 that would be a marvel of magnlfcence,
 service and epicurianism. To this effect
 contracts were made with Messrs. Colby 6 Roll the paper hangers of this city, to
 fit up, from the selections made by MT. Nabb a perfect dream of harmony in
 wall and ceiling paper.
 To MeSsrs LoVeman, Joseph Loeb an
 
 linen to be made of special design by the
 manufacturers in Scotland. In this con
 nection it might be well to mention that
 after receiving quotations from the largest importing houses Of New 4ork,
 Mr Nabb found that the prices given by MessrS. Loveman, Joseph x Loeb were lower than thCS SC given by the largest
 New York importers for the same goods
 This order was given eight months ago.
 Lincrusta walton wainscotting was or dered from the manufactory in Europe
 and a beautiful pattern of floor tiling se-
 lected, and as soon as the tenants va cafed the best and most Skilful labor was employed to begin the work which was
 yesterday thrown open to the public, and to which every citizen in Blrm1ng- ham may point with pride as being the finest arranged and equipped dining
 room in the south unless one excepts the Plant and jRockefellow hotels in Florida. Those that visit the dining room today will see a room covering a floor | space of 21S5 square feet, on which are laid handsome tiles alternating in star and diamond patterns. The wainScot- ting of old gold color, Llncrusta fabric, with lion head designs deeply embossed. The walls of embossed paper of blue, pink and gold interlaced by flowers and scrolls, blue border and ceiling in per feet harmony with the wall decorations.
 In the center of the long room springs beautiful arch decorated in handsome turned oak scroll relief which breaks the view and adds to the comfortable and ele- gant look of the room. One hundred and forty electric lights .symetrically dis tributed makes the room lighter than even the rays of Old Sol in their brilliant diamondic luster. Chandeliers, arranged for the lighting by gas or electricity, hang in profusion from the ceiling, while the handsomely brass finished and highly polished fans make summer life 1iyinO yhila ha | finished in mahogany and oak, adds rest to the eye.
 Forty tables are arranged about the | floor, each covered with the whitest of whie linen. every piece of the linen be- ing woven expressly for this house, each piece, tablecloth, napkins and spreads having woven in the center a beautiful scroll bearing the words .The Morris in large Gothic letters and under the scroll the initials. C. H. N.
 Every dish served at the Morris Is a gem, being of finest china lightly flow cred in pink and bearing the imprint '"rhe Morris" The glassware is of cut crystal and hand-engraved, each piece
 of ware having the Morris imprint The
 entire room is in charge of Mir T R
 Shields, who makes an excellent and
 most efficient steward.
 One of the objects contemplated by
 MT. Nabb in getting the entrance cn
 First avenue, and of which he will maHe
 special feature, is the careful and es-
 pecial attention which will be paid to
 meals la carte for ladies who are out
 shopping and ladies without escort, who
 will receive the best of attention.
 Speaking of dishes, Mr. Nabb in con-
 versing with an Age-Herald reporter
 said that one never received a cold dish
 in his house; that every dish as soon as
 washed was placed in a steam heater
 and kept warm until required for use
 There is no doubt but that. with the
 present dining facilities. with a seating
 capacity of 200 people, the Hotel Morris
 ranks at the top mark of first-class hotels
 ;.. 4I.ac Ia