Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-13
BABY CHR|STENS
THE ALEXANDRIA
BIG BRONZE DOORS FORMALLY
OPENED BY ANOTHER TOT
Then Guests Swarm In and the Fine
New Hosiery Invites the World
to Enter-Vsitlng Elks
Swarm In Lobbies

With the sweet llsping accents of a
baby voice and the gentle caress of
baby hand the new million dollar
Alexandria hotel at Fifth and Spring
streets was formerly opened and chris
tened yesterday at noon by little
Nancy Bilicke, 8 years old, and Albert
Constant Bilicke years old.
The youngsters are the children of
Mr. and Mrs. A. G.. Biicke of Pasa-
dena, and for weeks the little ones
have been looking forward to the time
when they would be allowed to chrsten
the big hosiery.
Although the new building was
thrown open to the public Saturday
night, there was no register to use
and visitors only were allowed.
When the hands of the big hotel
clock began to close in on the figure IL
at the top of the dial yesterday, little
Nancy Bilicke went tripping over to
the big north door at the Fifth street
entrance.
Dashes Champagne
The child was such a tiny figure
that she looked more like some butter
fly lost from the sunlight as she stood
in the doorway beneath the high arches
and waited for the signal from her
father.
Just at IL the signal came and the
pdpy'. WIFI DlB, frightened eyes at Ine
crowd of spectators, held the bottle of
champagne high above her head and
dashed 1T to the threshold.
II triSten 90 AleXvrander," she lisped.
while the champagne of good cheer
and welcome trickled over the stony
threshold and settled on the mosaics
of the lobby.
Just as the bottle broke on the
Constant Bilicke, master OF
ceremonies nj 10Th
of his full years. strength upon one
of the big bronze handles of the door
and swung it open to the public.
The ceremonies were over and the
crowd cheered.
Tots Register
For a moment the baby girl looked
startled while she heard the shouts of
the crowd, but her brother patted her
hand and reasurred her. The lad was
master of ceremonies at the laying of
the cornerstone for the hotel and was
the first to break ground for the build
ing. so that he was used to the crowds.
Following the christening. the tots
were taken over to the hotel register.
which had been placed on the counter
by Manager S. j. Whitmore. With the
assistance of her mother over some of
the difficult curves and twists incident
to the English script, the baby
her name over the top of the
register and the first guest had been
received.
The boy was next In line and was
able to get through the performance
in a creditable manner. Then the
Manager S. J. Whitmore of the Alexan-
dria, John S. Mitchell of the Hollen-
beck, Mr.. and Mrs. A. G. Bilicke and
Joseph Reichl, signed their names, and
after them about fifty guests who were
awaiting rooms in the hotel.
Later in the afternoon about two
hundred and fifty Elks arrived from
Salt Lake and the northwest for the
and their signatures COW
cred several pages of the new register.
Engine Toots Encore
The management of the hotel ten
Tered a banquet to the managers Of the
prominent hotels of California Sunday
night in the private banquet hall Of the
The dinner was the first
% be turned out from the Alexandria
sitchen and was a marvel of the
caterers art
Norris Chase acted as POSTMASTER,
md one of the first speakers to be
was Manager John s..
of the Hollenbeck.
II want to introduce to you one of
he wittiest and best all around good
elbows in the southwest" announced
he toastmaster, and as Mitchell arose
fire engine stationed just outside the
pumping water for a South
conflagration emitted three
'ousing cheers.
The noise was a signal for more coal,
,ut the guests insisted that even the
ire department Endorsed Manager
Mitchell.
Following is a list of guests: Walter
Raymond of Pasadena, John S. Mitchell
# Los Angeles. ]. T. Linnard Of Pasa-
lena, Milo B. Potter of the Van Mugs,
\. c. Bilicke and about twenty others.