The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-09

In the heading OF the letter paper OF
one OF the best known hotels In the city
are the words "Robt. Stafford, Propr." Com
paratively few persons know that Robert
stafford" is really a woman, who. behind
the seclusion OF her late husbands name,
conducts one OF the largest enterprises
managed by woman In Manhattan. Mrs.
Stafford for six years now has had entire
charge not only OF the Hotel Imperial, but
also of the Hotel Grand and the Walton in
Philadelphia.
II she has less fame than Is due her 1t is
because she does not care for fame. She finds
her chief pleasure in life, not In crowds and
excitement, but in her own home, removed
by at least twenty blocks from the scene
Of her daily labors There she enjoys the
domesticity of private residence and the
society of her children, for whose interests
alone she works.
Mrs Stafford has lost little OF her South
ern accent and all OF her Southern languor.
She is alert and energetic. The first impress
sion one gains OF her Is Of the nervous
vitality which enables her to work on year
after year without any vacation and to
retain her health and strength under the
constant pressure OF details which might
She is about medium height, with very
dark eyes and hair, rather heavy eyebrows
and fresh. wholesome color. which she
says is not due to gymnasiums or athletic
fads
Il live regularly, eat plain food. and take
plenty of Sleep" is her explanation of her
complexion. When tell you have been
in Central Park only once in two years
you may imagine how busy am, especially
as live 80 near the Park and love the out
door life"
Just at present the Imperial is undergoing
process Of renovation, which leaves Mrs.
Stafford with only limited Office room.
As she talks she is interrupted every other
minute by workmen and workwomen,
each with some special question which
simply must be answered.
Her desk is an orderly chaos. 1t is
filed to the running over point, but when
ever one Of the breakers-in wants informa-
ton Mrs. Stafford reaches out a we'll shaped
hand and finds just the paper she wants
A man brings in a design OF chair that
will later adorn the mems new cafe Mrs
Stafford points out the exact places where
iron clamps must be put on and calls atten-
ton to the fact that certain widths which
were nominated in the bond to be an inch
and quarter are only one inch. Here is
given the first inkling Of the fact later
shown in many ways, that there is no de-
tail in the hotel which escapes her eye.
The chairs in a cafe have to be strong
she smilingly explains. Il have just fin
ished the furnishing of all my new rooms
and am now engaged on the kitchen.
take more pride in that than in any other
part of the HOUSE, interesting as it all Is
to me- for everything is the work of my
own brain and industry and woman has
a right to be proud Of that You wouldn't
be a bit interested in knowing about the
kitchen improvements
Perhaps the questioner did not look
practical, but certainly Mrs Stafford was
surprised at the eagerness OF the reply.
We'll, she continued, lone fact Is that
have ten thousand dollars, worth Of new
refrigerators. That is quite an item In
itself, is it not9
She takes from the overstocked desk
a sample OF marble.
This is a new sanitary marble. Ord
mary marble you know stains and absorbs,
and beautiful as it is in its fresh state 1t
soon loses that quality. Every part OF the
kitchen and the storage places where the
meat is kept is lined with this 80 that it will
always be clean and attractive looking.
Then the tables in the kitchen are Of
iron so that no grease or water will be alb
sorbed. Every part of the place is made of
thing, marble OF metal so far as is pos
sible."
Next to the kitchen Mrs. Stafford admits
that the reception room is her pride. This
room is done in deep rich red and follows
closely the style of Louis XVI. Mrs. Stat
ford points out with special interest the big
table of Crcassian walnut, protected by
bevelled glass top, the glass alone costing
800.
What do you suppose this room alone