West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-02-13
TAMPA BAY H0TEL.
A MAGNIFICENT MODERN MOOR
ISL PALACE THAT OUTRIvALs
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.
Said TO Have Cost Several Million
Dollars.
Editorial Correspondence Of TsE ARovs.
TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA,
jan. 21, 1896.

which is more like an old Moorish
palace and reminds me of Aladdin
and HE Lamp, In the Arabian
Nights. Perhaps old De Soto dream.
ed all this when he landed here at
Tampa, aad il he did, behold twas
prophecy-for the swaying pines
have toppled and In their places
have risen higher the golden cres-
cents OF the Orient, and the sill
vercd domes and Moorish mlnlrets
that ornament palace, and here
at Tampa Bay the Splniard's dream
has been realized two hundred years
after. The tourist of to-day does
not approach from the direction of
his iilustrious predecessor. but has
the decided advantage. whether the
coming be by night or day. If by
day, the grandly magnificent pic
turc comes suddenly upon the view
as the train makes turn and stops
between the little town and the
river. The foreground is the river,
Che middle distance green sloping
lawns dotted with flowers, around
whose beds are winding walks that
circle fountains and lead through
groves Of palms aud oranges to the
pines beyond, the same great pines
that DE Soto walked under in the
struggle to get off his ''sed legs"
In the brightness of semi tropic
sun the dones and crescents glisten
intensely, and the massive pile
grows to immensity. The broad
galleries., wider than any, extend
all along the front, the roof com.
mencIng above the third story win
dows, slopes only gently not to 90
struct the view. and vt its outer
edge drops in hinge ornam .nts. IN
arched and hanging pendants end.
ing IN brackets at every column.
and at the walls; the grateful shade
inviting MS ona summers d ~. The
lawn, c.refully kept aud green as
one of Kentucky's own, has a mia
iature fort with mounted cannon
and fl Igstaff that floats the coun.
try's colors by day and sports
crescent of electric fire at night.
The fountains. the flowers and
tropic fruits growing here as if
twas their natural home, serve Ms
ornaments.
a dainty lIttle boat house at the
Dot ON of the lawn is Headquarters
for all sorts of boats for rowing and
sailing, as we'll as naphtha and
steam launches. The view from
the cars comprises all this. as also
from the bridge that spans the river
from the hotel to the town. The
intending guest need not leave the
train here; after "A short stop it will
cross the river and come right 20
the galleries of the west entrance
and stop under the shadow of the
great hotel at Tampa Bay.
The horseshoe arches OF the
Moorish curve are everywhere, from
the grand galleries to the rotunda
doors, in the salon entrance and to
the grand banquet hall, for it is
nothing less, aud every minaret is
crescent crested, and passing under
them leads TO some old picture. an.
tIque or cIbinet, that Ornanented
some palace hall before the land on
which this one stands had been dis.
covered, aud herein is the ument
that this is the only one Ia the
world. The others bUast of their
especially made" appointments.
while these were made before the
land was discovered.
The rotunda is grand assembly
hall with It's polished floors. rich
carpets and hIngings, antique vases
and brio brdc, divans and luxu-
rious lounges, as little like a hotel
Office as the Feast room" OF the
White House is Ike railway sta
ton. The apartment is 7S feet
square, and is 30 feet from the noor
to the ceiling. The massive doors
are Of Spanish mahogany, highly
polished, encasing heIvy plates of
beveled glass; the frames are carved
10 designs Of great beauty.
Thirteen marble columns support
q bllc0nY that looks over from the
second floor, around which is a
carved rail, also in Spanish STYLES
which prevail in the architectural
work DO not always obtain in the
decorations aud furnishing the
digans in the rotnnda we're once in
the Tuileries lions, ard there is
an originsl portrait in oil OF Louis
XIV. or France; also a clock Of the
same period.
The paintings are varied in de-
sign. as they are in age aud history
sud every one, every antiqnc and
cabinet hss us history o. one
wall Is beautiful Canvas, The RE.
turn from tho Masquerade" on
another. Wine, Wife and Song. y
suggest the ray side ~ life, while
como If the old (ld-d ev.,n,s,fc, ~