The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-01-21


excitement caused by the first passen-
ger-elevator to crawl up to the fifth
story. 1t was really thrilling ex-
perience, as they recall it, and good
long one, too.
Even twenty years ago it was an
unusual thing to have music with 3
hotel dinner, and when the Waldorf
Astoria furnished the first adequate
promenade for hotel guests, women
put on their finest in order to be
fittingly arrayed for it. Before then
there was little for women to do in a
hotel except sit around great barren
parlors or secrete themselves in their
rooms.
These rooms, too, who does not
remember their discomforts2 The
essentials were ali right enough, Of
course, but no taste was displayed nor
! luxury lavished. They were, in
fact, places to sleep in, or if one re-
manned awake, to think of ones lat
ter end.
Only yesterday one paid extra for
grate-fre in a hotel-room to-day
one sets the degree of the thermom-
eter to ones mood or state of health.
Just touch the button, and the trained
officials in charge of the hotels atmo-
sphere will do the rest.
The difference, in fact, between
this near past of moderation and this
present of excess is that in those days
there were millionaires, and now there
are billionaires.
AS these great fortunes keep ex-
panding. so extravaganza in New
York hotel life keeps increasing.
There is a constant comparison of
good, better, best, and the best of
to-day may not be more than the
good Of to morrow. However, it
would seem as if the limits of caprici-
Gus luxury had been reached, unless
perchance it becomes possible to
annex the resources of the solar sys-
tenn, and prevent the youthful million
aire from crying for the moon in vain.
At least six New York hotels now
represent this luxurious living.
They are the Manhattan, the Imperial,
the Holland, the Waldorf Astoria,
the Hotel Astor and the St. Regis.
1t is safe to say that the man with
money to spend and regal aspirations
to satisfy can be adequately accommo-
dated in any one of these hotels.
The only embarrassment he can suffer
from is the embarrassment of riches.
1t must not be thought, however,
that the luxury of one is the luxury
of another, tor each one of these
hotels has its own personal charac-
teristics, and each one excels in some
particular thing. For instance, for
quiet exclusiveness one should go to
the Holland, the very personifcation
and home of old Knickerbocker aris-
tocracy. There is an air of Partisan
gaiety about the Imperial, while if
you want to see and be seen you go
to the Waldorf. Then, for recherche
dinner with Aladdin Lamp Access
series, the Manhattan is a favorite
among the gilded youth.
One mustn't think for a moment
there is any competition among these
hotels; they are always glad, in fact,
to speed the parting guest, for half
dozen stand ready to take his place.
At special social seasons, such as
Horse-Show Week, the rush for ac-
commodations becomes almost riot,
and prices rise as high as the spirits
of those who are eager to pay them.
But the various advantages of these
hotels have been exploited so often
and so well that it is difficult to say
anything new about them. The
latest ideas in hotels are, of course,
those that people are most anxious to
hear about. Luckily, of these there
are now two conspicuous examples.
Early last fall two luxurious hotels
were opened in New York, both built
with few of the many Astor millions.
There are two Astors, it should be
noted-one William Waldorf Astor,
citizen of the world the other his
cousin, John Jacob Aston, citizen of
New York. Each built hotel, and
in SO doing expended all the money
that could be used, not to say wasted.
The hotel built by the former is the
Hotel Astor; that built by the latter
is the St. Regis.
The Hotel Astor is massive struc-
ture, having none of the qualities of
the modern sky scraper. 1t is only
nine stories high, and is very broad,
but proportionately occupies much
larger ground space than most of the
newer hotels. It's inde6nable air is
rather that of European capital than
ofthe city of New York. It's manager
was for many years proprietor of
restaurant famous for fine cooking
and good cheer, and this idea of liv-
ing to eat seems to permeate the at
mosphere of the now hotel.
There are dining rooms galore, /
public and private, representing diff
ferent nationalities ard different pur-
suits. On the main floor is the Italian
garden, cafe for men and women,
where the soft light gives noon
light effect. The room is filled with 1
small tables of delicate green color.
In the way of decoration there are
flowing plants and twining vines
which conceal electric-1ight bulbs.
In the rear one can catch the iridescent
hues of a fountain, with the splashing
81 Al r
orchestra mingles.
On the same floor is the German
hunters room, set with trophies of
the chase, its chandeliers being made
of antlers. Up on the eighth floor
there is series of private dining
rooms, which may be used separately
or thrown into oDe. In room
specially designed for the college boy
the walls are divided into panels by