The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07
WORK RAPIDLY
PUSHED
HOTEL MAY BE READY FOR OCCU-
FANCY IN THIRTY DAYS.
Perfection of Details Result Largely
OF Manager Lawrence's Planning
"A Word Picture.

unusual efforts in order to get the building
completed at the earliest possible date,
and every man that can be used about the
place is at work The force now numbers
some 400 men and they are accomplishing
wonders. every day marking material prog
ress. that 1T will be but a short time
until the building is ready for the decora-
tors and furnishers.
The hotel will be ready for occupancy In
thirty or thirty-five days, unless some un-
foreseen delay occurs. Half the force now
at work are plasterers but their task will
be finished the first of this week, and 200
woodworkers will take their places. AT
present the rotunda, corridors and larger
rooms are full of scaffolding and the debris
Of the plasterers, and the visitor finds 1T
difficult to believe that the building is so
near completion, but If a second visit Is
made the next day the visitors eyes are
opened to the possibilities Of modern con-
tracing when he sees what has been &C
complished In twenty-four hours.
The visitor is also able to get a definite
idea now Of what the new hotel will be, its
magnitude and the perfection of all its ar
rangements. From the magnificent rotunda
to the glass-domed palmroom on the ninth
floor every detail has been so worked out
that the Claypool when ready for guests,
will be the embodiment OF everything that
makes for convenience, comfort and lux
ury: it will represent all that money and
brains can do in the creation of a thor
oughly modern hotel.
SHAPED LIKE AN z.
The hotel, which occupies a plot of
ground 195x165 feet, is in the shape of an
immense capital E, with the back fronting
along Illinois street and the three prongs,
which are of equals length, extending to
the west. Between the prongs. wings,
are courts, twenty-eight feet in width from
the third floor up This arrangement gives
every room in the building outside windows
and light.
The main entrance opens off Illinois
street in about the same place as the en-
trance to the old Bates House. On either
hand, just inside the entrance will be the
telegraph and transfer offices. On the left,
just before reaching the rotunda, are the
elevators one of which opens only to the
SOUTH where the ladies' entrance comes in
from Washington street. Opposite the ele-
vators is alcove for the cigar and news
stand.
The rotunda is a great hall, 96x112 feet,
with a thirty-five-and-a-h alf-foot ceiling,
supported by sixteen immense scagliolo col
umns. Opposite the main entrance is the
wide marble stairway, leading to broad
landing whence the steps ascend to the left
floor The office desk will extend across
the north end of the rotunda.
In the northeast corner of the building,
on the ground floor, is the cafe, which will
be the largest in the city and is so arranged
that its present size can be almost doubled
by throwing into it two rooms on the south
that have been leased to business establish
ments for the first year. West of the cafe
are the buffet bar and Manager Lawrences
private office, and the stairway and eleva-
tor leading from the kitchen. West of
11xv1
closets, all finished in marble and porce-
lain.
West of the rotunda lies the billiard
room. 5Ox1OO feet, the ceiling of which is
supported by solid concrete beams, extend
ing across the width OF the room, without
a single iron or steel girder. Along the
west side of the billiard room a narrow
platform with an elevation of about three
feet will be built and furnished with cozy
corners and easy chairs for the guests who
wish 10 watch the billiard games. To the
south of the billiard room, with an en-
trance on Washington street, is the stand
up bar.
On the second floor, directly over the
cafe, is the ladies' restaurant, which is dis
tinguished from the cafe only in that smok-
ing will not be permitted there and men
| in shirtwaists will be barred. South of
the ladies' restaurant, fronting on Illinois
| street, are two large private dining rooms.
| followed by a parlor which will be the
most elegantly furnished one in the hotel.
| BY using one of the private dining rooms
as a bedroom suite of three rooms may
| be arranged here for use on state occa-
| sions when the President or some other
| distinguished person is a guest.
Opening off this parlor is the large writ
| ing room and parlor for men and women.
| which opens on the loggio, great portico
| 14x1O0 feet, that will be inclosed with glass
and heated during the winter. In the ex-
/ hon r of lie Go
mems lcunging and smoking room.
The eight finest bedrooms in the hotel
| are arranged en- suite along the south side
! of this floor. All of them, or any number
/ of them, can be thrown together but the
doors between them are double, sc that
| each can be made absolutely private. Each
room has a bath. The furniture for these
| rooms Will be the very finest that can be
bought and will cost 1850 per room just
west of these bedrooms is the breakfast
| room and then comes the American-plan
dining room, 5Ox142 feet, fronting on Wash
ington street, but lighted also by two large
skylights. North of the dining room lies
the kitchen, SOxl22 feet. The kitchen has a
mezzanine floor or balcony across both
| ends and along the south side to be used
as a servants dining room.
The third, fourth. fifth. sixth, seventh
! and half the eighth floors are devoted tc
| bedrooms and sample rooms, so arranged
that any number OF, them may be thrown
| in the house, 2S4 of them having a private
bath. and all the others connecting with q
bath. There are 126 large sample rooms
CONVENTION HALL.
In the north wing of the eighth floor is {
| large convention hall and banquet room
50xlO0 feet with a fifty-foot CALLER,
on the east end. ~ small stag
will occupy the west end. In thi
convention hall and balcony a gather
ing of 1000 to 1900 people can easily b.
taken care of. There are number of small
parlors and ante-rooms on the east end an,
on the west is a large room for use il
serving banquets. Here a complete servic
for $50 plates will be kept. forty dozen o
every article used for such affairs. Tn
linen. silver, china, etc. will be used onl,
for banuuets and will never be taken from
this floor. An elevator in this room con
meets with the kitchen.
The hall and banQueting room, which 4
two stories in height. has hardwoo,
floor and IL may be used for dances and re
ceptions.
on the ninth floor. which cannot be seei
from the street, are the housekeeper'
ROOM linen room. and forty-eight servants
rooms In the middle wing of this floor /
the glass-domed palm room, which open
into the roof garden that extends along tn