Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-05-25
CROWDS IN BIG HOTELS.
CaravAnsaries Of New York Increas-
ing Fast, Says VIM. E. Curtis.

ing Fast, Says VIM. E. Curtis.
%
NEW YORk,-The more hotels
the more patrons seems to be the
rule in New York, just as 1t is with
he transportation facilities. Toe
CONSTRUCTION of new lines, like the
subway, does not lessen but increases
the patronage of the elevated and
surface cars. 1t was never necessary
TO send telegram ahead for rooms
TO any of the old hotels in New York
before the new big ones were built
and that was not very long ago
There was always plenty of room
But nowadays the big hotels seem to
be always crowded, and If you arrive
late in the evening you run a risk OF
naving to hunt accommodations
somewhere else if you have not writ
ten or telegraphed to announce your
coming
There are more and larger hotels
in New York than in any other city
even more than in London and Paris,
and they are increasing in most
marvellous manner; yet every one OF
them seems to be crowded.
The Ansonia, on Broadway, near
Seventy-second street, is the largest
hotel in the world. 1t covers an en-
tire block, is seventeen stories high,
has 5000 rooms and more than $500
souls live under its roof. 1t belongs
TO tine estate of the late Anson Phelps
and was named for him, and not for
town in Connecticut, as some peo-
pie suppose.
Plans have been made for a TWEEN
ty-ive story hotel to replace the ven
cradle and famous Fifth Avenue, on
Madison Square. which belongs to the
Emo estate. But the managers tell
me they do not think the old house
will be torn down this year or next.
ized and is making so mucn money
that they hesitate to take any risks.
If the plans are carried out the new
house will be nearly as large as the
Ansonia
The Plaza hotel, on Fifty-ninth
Park, which cost a million and a nalt
of dollars, has never paid expenses
because It is not large enough. SO
much space is devoted to lobbies
drawing rooms, dining rooms, and
other public purposes and the bed
rooms are 30 large, that it will be
torn down and give place to ten
million-dollar hotel, larger tnan any
thing in Europe and surprising ever
the Waldorf-Astoria in size.
The new Belmont, now approaching
completion on Park avenue at the
corner of Forty-second street, across
from the Grand Central station, will
have more sleeping rooms than the
Waldorf Astoria, although 1t is not 81
large. The ceilings are not so nigh
the rooms are smaller, there are few
er sitting rooms, parlors, bathrooms
banquet nails and other public apart
ments. and it has twenty-six stories
The Waldorf-Astoria has 1885 liv
ing and sleeping rooms, not includin,
bathrooms. banquet halls, dinin,
rooms ana OtneTs uSeu lOI puuhC pui
poses, and it has $40 bath rooms
The largest number of guests eve
taken care OF under its roof at an,
one time was 1,543. The averag
number OF guests in winter is l,2O
a day and in summer about 700. IN
number of employees varies betwee
l.20O and 1,5O0. according to the ses
son While the horse show is on an
the social gayeties of New York ar
at their height, extra walters and otl
er servants are employed, but tn
standing army is about 1900 stron,
IL is not generally known that Ia
Waldorf.Astoria has about 300 reg'
lar boarders, who for their room
alone pay from $1,000 year, which
the price OF a single inside room o
the fourteenth floor. to 100000 Yea
for suites OF fifteen rooms. John v
Gates pays that much for the apar
ments which Mr.. Boldt originally Il
ted up for his own use. He has
private entrance at 13 Th!rty-secon
street, and a private stairway co
Meeting with the brokerage office
his son, Charles G. Gates 4 Co., .
the ground floor Of the hotel. Hem
Clay Pierce OF st. Louis also pa!
$4,000 year Tor the fifteen room
composing what Is known as Il
royal suite" He IL president Of a