Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-12-16
NEW IMPERIAL HOTEL
tContinued from page l.

Imperial as it stands today is the
goal toward which he has been coh-
stantly striving. That his efforts
have been crowned with the highest
measure of success is the unanimous
verdict of all who have inspected the
new hotel.
The New Imperial is now the larg-
est and most modernly equipped hos
telry in the northwest. 1t repre-
sents the expenditure of million
dollars and the best architectural and
technical skill in the science of mod
ern hotel construction and furnish
ing.
The main entrance is on Seventh
street, with entrances also on Wash
ington and Stark, thus occupying the
entire corner of Seventh, Stark and
Washington, with an arcade extend
ing from the Washington street en-
trance The building material is of
the finest concrete and every room
is an outside room, thus providing
ample ventilation and sunshine.
Messrs. Whidden &c Lewis are the ar
chitects.
Before the final plan of construc-
tion and arrangement was decided
upon Mr.. Phil Metschan, Sr., made a
trip to Europe for the special pur-
pose of gathering data from the
leading hostelrieS of the old world
The information thus obtained has
been embodied in the New Imperial
and it represents the most up-to-
date ideas to be found in the great
est hotels in the world. Not salts
fled with the old order of things
in Portland hoteldom the best eX-
perts to be obtained in America were
imported to carry out these new
ideas, and the Imperial stands today
one of the most modern, complete
and up-to-date hotels on the Ameri-
can continent.
The lobby is 60x100 feet, with a
terazzo and marble floor and inter
ior furnishings in mahogany. The
impression one gains on entering
the new lobby is one of delight and
comfort. 1t is decorated in artistic
colors that harmonic with the fine
leather furniture. The frieze is dec
Grated in an imperial crown and the
armed caps of the massive Sagnoila
columns are laid in delightful design
The ceiling panels are oriental plas-
ter and are painted and decorated in
an artistic manner to blend in COM
plete harmony with the luxurious
furnishings. 20 the left of the lobby
from the main entrance a magnifi-
cent marble stairway leads to the bar
ber shop, turkish baths, and other
! accessories in the basement To the
right of the main entrance is the buff
fet, conceded to be the finest in the
west The interior decorations are
in mahogany and historic designs
from tn eruins of Rome and Egypt.
These designs are used by special ar
rangement with a well known re-
tired millionaire who recently visit
ed the Pantheon and the Acropolie,
the old Roman Forum and other fam
iliar scenes of Mark Anthony and
Julius Caesar, in search of designs
for decorative purposes. These dec
orations are sold only on condition
that wOrkmen skilled in placing them
shall be employed This was done
by Messrs Metschan e Sons, and here
are to be found inscriptions from the
obelisks of Roman and Egyptian civil
lization which has long since disap-
peared from the current history Of
the world.
The elevator service comprises two
large CdIB Ol the ldlc5l HDucl WIN
special detail to safety Of guests.
The mechanical principle upon which
these elevators are constructed and
operated make accidents absolutely
impossible.
The ladies' reception room was
the object OF special skill on the
part OF the artist The walls are
covered with gold damask and the
furniture is in mulberry damask
and Henry III. mohair velvet. The
carpets are wrought I'm an artistic
combination of color including null
berry, blue and gold. The ceilings
are painted in oil colors harmOniping
with the draperies made OF gold vel
vet, embroidered with silk.
The grill and dining room has a
capacity OF $50 guests, Is paneled in
leather with a motif In colOrs Of
gold and green and purple. A visi-
tor or guest looking over the Imper-
ial fids the rooms large, well venti-