The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-11-14
AN ELECTRIC HOTEL IN PARIS
(By Jacques Boyer)

the electric house which was describ-
ed in the Scientific American of De-
cember 4th, 1909, proposes to erect
in Paris, hotel, which will be a
marvel of electro-mechanics.
In this hotel, for which the name
Electro Feria" has been chosen, all
of the services are centralized in the
basement. Here all the apparatus
required for the service of the res
taurant and the bedrooms is arranS-
ed so conveniently that the operator
can promptly supply the needs of any
guest by pressing few electric but
tons. Three or four minutes are oc-
cupied by a maid in carrying UP
breakfast or the morning mail to a
guest lodged on the third floor. With
the electric system the same service
can be performer in ten seconds by
an almost motionless operator.
When q guest awakes in the morn
ing his first desire is to know what
time it is. Without rising, he touch
es button at his bedside and i'm
mediately the time appears on large
luminous dial projected on the cell
ing. If it is time to begin the new
day. another button is pressed and
a voice, issuing from the electric
chandelier, asks what is wanted The
guest, still lying in bed, calls out to
the ambient air.. without using a tel
ephone: "Open the curtains and shut
tiers. Let in the air; it is too warm.
Send me cup of coffee and my let
ters," etc. These orders are promp-
thy obeyed. The curtains and shut
tiers open flood the room
with light. The top of chif-
fonier, placed beside the--bed turns
and extends itself over the bed 20
form convenient table. The break
fast and letters appear on the chif-
fonier, and, in less than a minute, all
of your desires are satisfied, for your
room is connected directly with the
basement, where the operator has at
hand the means of furnishing every
thing that you require with a mini
mum delay and exertion.
The restaurant of the hotel is serv-
ed in the same manner. Each small
table, for two or four persons, is
provided with a dictagraph, which
is placed in the lamp shade. You
touch a button and a voice from the
lamp shade asks what you wish. You
give your answer in a loud voice,
without putting your mouth to a tel
ephone. A silver platter in the CEN
ter of the table sinks and presently
re-appears, laden with the food you
have ordered. AS soon as you have
helped yourself, the platter agnin
sinks and in twenty seconds returns
with the dishes ordered by your
neighbor. The plates, etc. are
changed, in very convenient and
practical manner, by means of lit
tie dumb-waiter with shelves.
The promptness and rapidly of the
service are due to the ingenious ar
Management Of the basement. The
kitchens are close beside the SER
vice elevators. The serving tables
and dish racks are placed at inter-
walls of sixteen feet and each supplies
ten restaurant tables, or forty guests
who can thus be served by a single
waiter is provided for every eighty
waiter is provided for everey eighty
guests, for the work of changing
plates, etc.
Each guest receives, with his order,
a check which is numbered to cor
respond with his individual push-but-
ton. Payment may be made to a
cashier at the door, or by means Of
the service elevator, according to the
system adopted.
Tables with twelve seats, for din
ner parties, will be operated in the
same manner, except that each dish