Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-21

| the public spirited mer who We're as .
| ISOLATED with him on the Augusta
| board of trade, the Augusta Fotel AS
ISOLATION assumed and carried to sue
| cesstul completion plans for the cree
ton and equipment of this great hotel
The builders contract alone totalled
| $50, 800. and when this amount had been
expended the old Augusta House had
been transformed from three to six
stories; from 100 rooms to $50; from
equipment and facilities somewhat
;ntiquated to convcniences entirely
and exclusively and delightfully."- mod
ern. \ swarm Of guests appeared the
very first day. and more the second.
They have been coming ever since, and
when they go it is with regret and the
unreserved promise of a sure return.
The handsome siX-storv brick struc.
sure is painted in buff ana white. The;
entrance is be Meath a tNo-story portico,
1anked on either side by an open
piazza. The lobby is S0N4O feet done
in White and green. with the Woodwork
! in OLD ivory. There are two large IRE
| places. On tho west side of the lobby
are the desk. private room coat room.
telephone Booth and elevator. A broad
entrance at the north end Of thu lobby
leads into the ladies' reception room.
The main dining na'i. which opens
from this room rs We'll as from tho
lobby seats 120 people. A door lead
ing into the dning-room. now known
as the banquet hall. enables the two
| rooms to be thrown into one. At the re
cent banquet of the Augusta board o.
1r1 a ah "a
| one time. and there was room for more.
The writing room at the south end OF
| the lobby is a very popular part of tho
Augusta House. A private dining
| room for small parties. card room.
| barber shop, and several rooms avail
| bic for check rooms are located on
this floor.
Two broad staircaSeS, one at the
south end and the other at the west
! ern side. just north of the clerks desk,
| lead from the lobby to the UPPER sto-
| ries of the house. The rooms have
| been described in detail in previous is
sues Of this paper. Suffice to say that
all arc well equipped. and many of
them have private bathrooms adjoin
| ing.
The rear wing and the north portion
can be completely shut off from the
rest of the hotel, in any story. and ii
| il is desired any story can be cut off
| lis a whole
| AS for the question of total cost of
| building and equipment it is generally
| believed that in the vicinity of 500, 900
were expended.
| The work on the hotel was done by
| the following contractors: Building, c.
+. HoNie & Co, Augusta; plumbing. j.
| II. Cogan, Augusta: wiring and tele-
phone service, L. w. Cleveland Co.
Portland; elevator, Portland Elevator
| CO.. Portland: fire escapes, Fletcher &
| Crowell. Portland; electric fixtures.
| Mckinney & Waterbury, Boston.
The fact that a, full description of
tine Augusta House has been given in
the Journal is the reason for not max
ing q more extended notice of this mag
nficent building in the present article
The addition to the Kennebec County
court house, begun a year ago, may
rlgntfully be claimed as one of the
achievements of 1908, as it was but a
month ago that the finishing touches
were put onto the addition. although
Z few renovations were still in progress
this week in the old part or the build
ing. The contract price of this build
ing, exclusive of plumbing and furnish
irgs, was $4,000, and a glance at the
building from the outside shows that
the money was wisely expended.
The addition is built of rough faced
stone, matching the material of the
rest of the building. 1t is two stories
and a half high, surmGunted by
graceful cupoia, il marked contrast to
the rather awkward bell tower on the
main building. Graceful Doric pillars
support the portico, giving an ensemble
effect that is at once classic and pleas
ing.
But the beauty of the building is not
all on the outside. Within, on the first
floor Of the addition, are the offices Of
the judge and register of probate, the
treasurer and other officials A broad
staircase leads to the second floor, and
as the other interior stairway is the
Judges, private way and the public
entrances to the court room are from
f1f th,,lo @f h.