New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-09
AMERICAN hotels.

A disciple OF Mrs. Trollope and Basil Hall
has just dared 10 take upon himself the re-
sponsibiilty for a possible rupture Of the pres
ent friendly relations existing between the two
great branches Of the Anglo-Saxon race He
has been visiting America. and on his return
home has published his impressions one OF
the most vivid of which is that of typical
American hotel" 1t is not n hattering impress
sion for Americans TO read. and already we
notice signs of anger or Of studied contempt,
which is a substitute for anger over what is
regarded as a new insult to American man
ners and institutions. When the traveller de-
scribes "a raw, bony, frecklcd damsel' who
asks il he will have his eggs straight up CT
turned down" he naturally provokes fervent
American patriots to remind him that. while
such damsels doubtless exist he ISLANDERS
America by giving his countrymen 10 unGsr-
stand that such scenes as he recalls occur In
the really good hotels of the United States
He will he sharply told by the newspapers of
the leading cities that if he had visited their
towns be would have found admirable hotels
where the best of French walters would have
served to him the best of French viands and
conducted themselves with the most perfect
decorum.
This Is doubtless true. The Englshman's
description does not fit the good hotels-and
there are hundreds Of them-in this country.
We may fairly say that for one who wants TO
pay a round sum for entertainment no more
comfortable or elegant surroundings can he
found in the world than are to be obtained In
the st-class hotels of NewYork. and many
other cities are not far behind the metropolis.
There is nothing in London or Paris TO com
pare with our hest hotels. II is also true that
scattered over the country there are admirable
small and inexpensive hotels which offer food
as we'll cooked and tastcfully served as the
most fastidious person could desire. But we
fear these hotels are moi always easy 10 find.
and II was these hotels. we think. that our
English traveller was seeking when he ran
npcn In one town after another the dining
rooms made dreary by the raw. bony freckled
damsel" with her tastelcss dress and her I'M
couth questions and concluded that he had
had experience Of the typical American hotel,
md described its dinner rs follows
When YOU sit down to table knife Of silver
plated iron that won't cut--sharp steel knives
are unknown among our cousins-a fork and
teaspoon are thrown in front OF you. Then you
are given q cold plate. Your meal Is brought to
you In small oval dishes az big as saucers. on
one Is mush, another something called fish.
on another Tiny piece or STEAK. very StTlnRy,
on another eggs. two potatoes In one dish, some
asparagus in another and beans In third.
There are more dishes. but these will suffice.
The doses Infinitely small. and that ex-
plains the quantity. The whole number OF
dishes-tweve. thirteen. fourteen-are dumped
down before you. and at your elbow Is placed
a cup of coffee or tea; the American does not
drink wine beer spirits at meals. You
take saucer by saucer and empty the contents
your cold plate.
That docs not fl the Waldorf Astoria or the
Auditorium In Chicago or the great hotels Of
their class. and the tourist will be blamed for
not regarding them rs typical Of America. Yet
the picture which he draws Of a horrible din.
ncr thrown altogether In front OF one will
hardly bring n new concept TO any American.
II Is Just whit he has seen hundreds Of times.
1t Is the common dinner Of the ordinary hotels
in the towns of medium size and the only
hotels in the villages and railroad functions.
And this fact explains the Englishman's rendi-
ness to regard such meals as typical and con-
denim the whole country: for he was accus-
toned NJ hcme to much better fare and ser
vice in the average hotel that he might chance
upon.
The contrast between the small inn Of Eng
land and the United States Is as greatly to the
advantage Of England as Is the contrast be-
tween the great hotel palaces to our advan-