Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-07-22
HARPER AS IMPROVED
One of Finest End Most Modern.
Iy Appointed HosteIries
i'm the West.
LARGE AMOUNT EXPENDED ON IT.

Work of RemodeIing Has Been In Pro-
gress Nearly a Year and Will BE Com
pIeted within the Next Ten Days-Re-
furnishing of the Rooms and Placing of
Ten more DAYS will witness the fin
ishing touches to the II rper Eous e
Improvement, the completion of
which will insure to Rock Is'aId
one of the finest and most mod
ernly appointed hostelries west of
Chicago. The Harper's side partner
is the National at Peoria. The two
houses are run under the joint man
agement of Messrs. Charles McHugh
and j. Z. Montrose, who, by their en-
terprising and up-to-date methods in
catering to the travelling public, have
come to be recognized as top-notchers
in their business. They have ex-
pended money lavishly, but it will all
come back to them dou ble-fold eventu-
ally, for they have invested it in
properties that cannot fail of profita-
BILE returns.
Manager McHugh states that he is
not ready for house warming just
yet, however, at the Harper, and will
not be until the improvement is done
in its entirety. Then he will be pre-
pared to swing the doors from top to
bottom open to the inspection of the
public.
The remodeling of the Harper rep
resents an outlay of $50, 900, although
it was estimated when the work was
begun last October it would not cost
much more than half that amount. But
as the operations progressed, here and
there it was seen where something
could be done that would enhance the
beauty and convenience of the house,
and it was ordered done. A great part
of the expenditure, of course, has been
assumed by the Harper estate, yet in
furnishings, etc., Messrs. Montrose
and McHugh have invested upward Of
$50, 600.
Aside from the remodeling the house
has been refurnished throughout.
There are now 125 sleeping rooms.
Twenty-one are provided with bath.
The rooms are so arranged as to be
used single or ensui:e. No two rooms
in the house are decorated alike. All
the Railways have been refrescoed
with n greenish effect. The furniture
L
is cold and hot water in every room,
which also has stationary lavatory.
The fixtures are all new, both gas and
electricity being provided.
Mot Notable improvement,
The most attractive portion of the
improvement to the outside world is
the spacious ground floor Office, lead
ing to which there are entrances from
Second avenue and from Nineteenth
street, the latter facing onto Spencer
square, affording a most beautiful
view, and making one lounging in the
soft-seated chairs of the hotel feel
as though he were swinging in the
arms of garden of fragrant blossoms
and playing fountains. A portecocheie
hangs over the Second avenue en-
trance. The office ut night, with it's
many incandescent lights shining.
affords a magnificent view to the
passerby.
The main dining hall has not been
remaining on the second
floor, where there are also three pri-
vate dining rooms. The main dining
room is carried out in empire style of
ornamentation. The prevailing tones
are buff and olive. and for the ceiling
and walls a willow green. The orna-
ment is combination of painting and
relief. These decorations harmonic
perfectly with the furniture, which is
rich mahogany with leather trim
mings. The floor is of hard wood.
ParIor Decorations.
The prevailing shades of color in
the main Parlor are ivory, blue and
gold. The ceiling is done in a deli
cate shade of ivory. blended to n blue,
with neat empire wreaths, torches
and festoons for the decoration. in
finely modelled plastic relief. high
lighted with gold. The ceiling is
framed with a heavy old ivory cor