Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-01
THOUSANDS
AT OPENING
HOTEL VIRGINIA is SCENE OF
BRILLIANT FUNCTION
GREAT CROWDS INSPECT GRAND
BUILDING
Furnishings Draw Forth ExcIamations
of Delight from Guects-Many
Travel Long Distances
to Attend

Special to The Herald.
LONG BEACH, March 31.-Memor-
able social functions today and tonight
marked the formal opening of the state
ly Hotel Virginia.
Thousands of stunningly gowned wo-
men and fashionably attired men from
this and surrounding cities and towns
accepted the hospitable courtesies ex-
tended by ID. M. Linnard, manager of
the Virginia and other great hotels of
Southern California. Their exclama-
tions of delight at every turn testified
to the splendor of 1t all.
With the great crowds sweeping
across it's broad floors and through it's
corridors the Virginia seemed even
larger and more magnificent than be-
fore.
hotel was visited by perhaps 1000 per-
sons, mostly Long Beach folk. The
general entrance was through the
Moorish passageway on the north, the
real front of the hotel, the long aisle
being lined with Belgium bay trees,
neatly trimmed and arranged in green
tubs.
Uniformed attendants met carriages
and automobiles as they moved up the
broad cement drive, one after the other,
and assisted the occupants to alight.
In the lobby, grand salon and ball
room a striking crowd was gathered at
all times. The lobby was beautified
with bay trees and other ornamental
trees, many of which were in flower.
The bay trees and many of the box
woods used were from fifty to sixty
years old.
Orchestra Present
Beautiful music was rendered by a
twelve-piece string orchestra in the
ballroom. Punch was served in an al
cove and in the main salon tea, lemon
ade and other light refreshments were
dispensed by liveried employees.
Though the event has been referred
to as formal, there was charming in
formaity about it. There was no reg
ular waiting line. The same informal
spirit prevailed tonight when the more
formal affair connected with the OPEN
ing was given.
The spacious dining room was opened
for the first time tonight at $3.50 o'clock,
for which hour all the dinner tables
had been reserved.
At that time a large number of the
guests of the Maryland, Leighton,
Alexandria and other caravansaries, to-
gether with directors and stockholders
of the hotel company and number of
other guests invited by Manager Lin
nard, seated themselves and the culi-
nary and serving departments of the
Hotel Virginia got into action for the
first time.
All the tables were prettily decorated
and were lighted by dainty candelabra.
A number of the private parties COM
ing from other cities brought special
decorations of their own arrangement
as well. The tables were of all sizes,
seating from two to sixteen persons.
The east wall of the dining room was
banked with beautiful flowers and
mosses.
At the close of the dinner the even
ing was turned over to informal merri-
ment, The hotel orchestra played and
the pink and gold ballroom, with It's
hundreds of gold chairs, was enlivened
for the first time by dancers.
A more stunning looking crowd than
that which thronged the brilliantly
lighted ballroom and grand salon has
never been seen in Long Beach.
Guests Well Entertained
Manager Linnard and Local Manager
III. Winstanley and Chief Clerk c. A.
Stanley assisted in providing for the
guests entertainment.
The smoking and billiard rooms were
open to the men. In the Women'S re-
firing rooms and cloak rooms on the
second floor attendants were at hand
always glad to oblige.
A number of the out-of-town guests
remained at the hotel over night and
some will enjoy longer stays.
Three special cars were required 10
convey the visitors from Pasadena.
New versions of Maryland. My Mary
land" and Take Me Back to Old
Virginia" written by John B. Dame of
the Maryland hotel were enthusiastic
ally caroled by the visitors from that
city.
Mayor Farley and party were in one
of the cars. They left the hotel for
Pasadena at 10 o'clock tonight.
Among the guests tonight We're Capt.
Fox and other officers of the cruiser
south Dakota. The warship anchored
a short distance off the outer wharf