Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-27
HARPER B p IN new
. DRESS,Is OPENED
Lessees Expend $4,000 in
Furnishings and Improve
.<s ments.
DEDICATE CAFE TONIGHT
Old Dining Room Retained for Ban
quets and Dancing Functions
Other Features.


the direction of Manager Carl Mueller
with the result that it is one of the
nnest equipped hostelries in the west,
VIII be formally opened to the public
this evening.
PAINTERS, remodelers, rehtters, fur
hlsners and workingmen OF all kinds
nave occupied the building for the
last four months and the changes
which they have affected in that time
are really marvellous. The completion
or the new cafe today practically ends
the work of remodeing and the new
manager has decided to delay no lon
= ger in making formal opening.
The two lower floors of the hotel
will be thrown open to the inspection
of the public and a table d'hote din
ner will be served in the new cafe.
! six piece orchestra, including an
expert harpist from Chicago, will fur
nish music at the cafe during the
evening and for an informal dance
and reception which will be held n
the banquet hall On the parlor floor
/ later in the evening.
Hotel Almost New.
| The New Harper is new in almost
every particular. 1t is the same old
| building about which clusters so many
| memories as having played an impor-
| tant part in local history. but inside
and outside it is new to all extent and
purposes. Manager Mueller and his
assistants have spent in the neighbor-
hood of $4,000 in the renOdeling of
the hotel and a glance over the prem
iSes shows that the money has been
! well and judiciously expended.
The lobby, the most commodious as
we'll as the most attractive in the
three cities, has not been altered from
an architectural standpoint, but has
been frightened by a lighter scheme
Of decoration and enriched by heavy
mahogany and leather furniture and
hammered brass light fixtures, includ-
ing two immense ornamental lamps
suspended in the center.
TIE new ground floor cafe promises
to &c q feature at the hotel. As s
generally known, it is located in the
addition to the main building which
+swas reconstructed especially for serv-
, Ice IS q cafe. and IS modern in every
respect. The furnishings and the
equipment of the cafe itself are rs
I-odern os it is possible to have them
and the kitchen presents features Of
which only the very few hotels or
large cafes can boast.
PIean:ns to the Eye.
The furniture and the general ap-
Pearance of the main cafe present an
exceedingly attractive appearance.
Manager Mueller has had it finished
entirely in black oak, early mission
style, and the trimmings and electri-
cal equipment and the like is entirely
in accord with the furSiture. The
floor, the walls and the ceiling are all
finished in the most artistic style with
the one object in view to make the
scene pleasing to the eye. Along the
walls near the ceiling a continuous
landscape scene has been painted It
sis a scene along a road, the road run
ming clear around the rooms. Automo-
biles, horses and pleasure seekers of
all kinds are travelling along the road,
and at once place is a Dutch tavern
with the proprietor out in front serv.
ing some guests. Hammered brass
fixtures decorate the tables and the
walls and are in perfect accord with
the general design. There will be a
movable art lamp for each table.
Three Parts go Cure.
The cafe proper is divided into
three apartments, two being cafes and
the third a private dining room for
special parties. The two main rooms
open out on Nineteenth street as well
as from the entrance from the hotel
lobby. The private dining room is
apart from the others, but opening into
them through the light room The
kitchen is a most interesting place
with the most modern equipment OBJ
tainable. Indeed it is the most finely
appointed kitchen of any hotel in the
state outside of Chicago.
The dining hall on the second floor
which was used under the former man
agement has been converted into a
banquet and dance hall and will be
used only on special occasions. There
are, however, two private dining roomf
on the parlor floor.
The buffet on the main floor has also
been made one of the most beautiful
in the west by the installation of a
complete new set of fixtures all Of
which is the finest mahogany. Art
glass and various other ornamental
tons have been used with pleasing
effect
Pnrlors Are Beautiful.
The parlors of the hotel. as hereto
fore described in The Argus, have
been completely refitted and are in &C
cordance with the rich furnishings
throughout the remainder Of the new
hosiery. The carpets are Of heavy
velvet, the furnishings are of mahog-
any covered with beautiful silk tapes
try upholstering and the walls are
tinted in green, they all making q
combination which is delight to the
artistic sense.
{ The hotel Is well equipped to han
die the high class of patronage to
which 1t aspires. There are lis guests