The Republican journal., 1901-12-05

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ways leading into the station. which it
encloses, its massive tower which may
be seen for miles around, it's intermin-
in the sun, the vast but symetrical pile
cannot but surprise and please even the
most critical eye.''
While externally and internally this
hotel has an air of newness it was OPEN
ed in June 1888. stepping from the
spacious vestibule at the corner of Gar
den and Hope streets one finds himself
in an immense entrance hall of the
most noble proportions, the entire floor
of which is laid in marble mosaic. -
Here are telephones, writing desks,
leathern settees and lounges; the office
where visitors names are taken and
rooms assigned, and the headquarters
of the porter. In smaller hall adjoin-
ing are the passenger and luggage ele-
vators. Here we must quote again:
From this hall springs a magnificent
staircase of white marble-broad in it's
extent and gentle in its gradient-ris-
ing to an immense height through five
floors. The entire walls are hung with
Lincrusta, embossed with the Scottish
Thistle and the Lion Rampant upon a
shield being the well-known arms of
the Caledonian Railway Company and
the vast surface is overland with gold.
During the day, with the sun shining
through the huge windows, the effect is
very grand: but in the evening, when
the electric light is in full glow, to view
the scene from base to top is simply to
be daZzled with its magnifcence.
That is about so, and better than l
could tell it. Now, to come down to
plain prose, we find on the second floor,
the Entresol in the hotel vernacular-
the managers office, the reading, writ
ing and drawing rooms, the general
coffee room, ''richly decorated in Ameri-
can walnut, ebony and dark mahogany,
and the ladies' coffee room. Here we
must quote again:
At the end of the Corridor you enter
the Grand Dining Hall, which is really
one OF the most imposing interiors you
will find anywhere. 1t is of splendid
dimensions, being over 80 feet in length,
40 feet in breadth, and 30 feet high.
The design is old baronial and the style
of decorations rich and magnificent.
The walls are panelled to the height
of IS feet with oak, and upwards to
the massive roof is filled in with deep
ENDORSEMENTS of maroon and old gold.
But the most striking feature of the
room is doubtless the extensive double
arch supported by massive pillars of
/ dove-colored marble, resting ON base
| ments of pure white. The exquisite
shades of color on these monoliths-
for they are monoliths-iS universally
remarked and admired; and, altogether,
the Grand Dining Hall of this Hotel,
for perfect proportions and massive
beauty, Is unique, and stands alone.
At the opposite end of the corridor,
240 feet from the dining hall, are the
billiard and the smoke rooms, for the
exclusive use of the guests of the
hotel. The latter is a handsome and
very comfortable room, 81 by 30 feet,
and it is ventilated by San electric fan
of the most modern invention" Not
to speak of the rooms at the top of the
house required by staff of $50 ser
wants, the hotel contains 400 rooms,
10 public rooms, 10 private sitting
rooms, 40 lavatories and "a bath rooms.
This tells the story of a modern hotel
in Scotland; the Russell in London, to
which we shall come presently, is of a
more recent date, and even more at
tractive.
The dining room servants at the Cen
trail Station Hotel were French or Ger
man, the former predominating, and
some of them did not understand or
speak English very well and Numbered
with the orders; and on the whole were
rather unsatisfactory attendants. We
were told that these Frenchmen and
Germans come over to learn the Ian
guage and in order to do so are willing
to work for very small wages. When,
having accomplished their object, they
return home they are sure of good posi-
tons. Meanwhile the travelling public
which contributes to their education is
poorly served. The menu here was in
French, an absurd thing, it seemed to
us, for Scotch hotel. The table d'hote
dinner served Sunday at five shillings
(s125) per head was a trayesty on a
French table d'hote dinner of the first
class. The portions were meagre, and
there was not single dish on the
menu that could be commended. French
cooking should be done by French
cooks; but better still, in England an(
Scotland, have the fare of the country
and an English bill Of fare.
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