Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1911-06-29

train concourse by the grand staircase
directly facing the Madison Street en-.
trance, or by elevators and stairs to
the east or west side of the lobby.
Direct access to the waiting room may
be had by five stairways and five Gle
vators. The main waiting room is the
chief architectural feature Of the
building. The high barrel vault roof
finished with tile and terra Gotta, fluted
with arches emblematic of the railway
service, harmoniZes perfectly with the
light pink Tennessee marble pilasters
and the delicate green of the Greek
Cippolino marble columns In this
great room the Illumination is re-.
flected; incandescent lights Of $4,000
candle power are used, yet none of
the lamps are visible. At TIE eaet or
Canal Street section of tie waiting
room is the news and ci-ar stand ami
another parcel check room. or the
foyer are the barber shop, smoking
room and the public and pay toilet
rooms for men which are handsomely
finished in the most modern and sani-
tary style.
For tho convenience Of incoming
travellers a second information bsre.u
is located in the main waiting room at
the head Of the grand stairway. At
the western end is a beautifully fur
nished ladies' waiting room, toilet
room and telephone booths with so.a.-
rate elevator service from the lobby
and to the women's suite on the third
floor. Here too is the main dining
room where appointments and service
are equalled by very few hotels.
Reached by elevators and by stair
ways from both lobby and waiting
room are two suites of rooms on the
third floor which arc In advance of
anything heretofore offered for the con-
venience Of the travelling public. The.
women's suite is in charge of a matron
and comprises retiring room with
soft rugs. subdued decorations, several
writing desks and plenty of comfort
able easy sofas and chairs and lava
tory. Adjoining is a tea room where
furnishings and service are dainty
enough to satisfy the most exacting
taste. On the other side of the retir-
Ing room are lavatory, toilet and bath
rooms with maid service anu rooms in
charge Of trained nurse.
The mems suite comprises a loung-
ing room, barber shop and several
commodious dressing rooms with bath,
where the suburban dweller or traveller
from distance may remove the stains
of travel and change to evening clothes
and proceed to his social appointments.
The main waiting room and the
grand staircase open directly on the
train concourse, which is sixty feet
wide and extends across the entire
width of the building. with stairways
leading directly to Clinton Street AMI
to the carriage entrance en- the Canal
Street side. Instead of the usual iron
grating between the concourse and tho
train shed. there is q wire glass palti-
ton from floor to roof through which
open sixteen doors to the sixteen
tracks of the train shed, which alone
covers six acres. The train sized is
covered with concrete roof OF new
| type so constructed that TIE locoa,o-
tive tunnels discharge through s.cts
directly into the oren air, l:cering TIC
cir of the train shed entirely free from
smoke and gas.
sThe baggage is handled to and from
the baggage rooms, which are On to
street level. with electric trucks and