The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-28
MURPHY'S HOTEL
OPENS TONIGHT
Big Broad Street Structure Ready
to Accommodate 1900
People.
MONUMENT TO ITS OWNER
Furniture for Lobby and Dining
Rooms Was Made in
Richmond.

with everything in order ana ready
Tor the reception OF guests Murphy's
Hotel VIII move its Offices late might
into the new twclvc-story building Mt
Eighth and Broad streets the dining
room and other departments oDeuint,
o-morrow morning. The site marks
the location OF Colonel John AIurphy's
hrSt venture in the restaurant business
@hortly after the war. . site which he
occupied continuously with q con
stantly growing plant. until he moved
r year ago into nm annex in order to
make way for new ana thoroughly
modern hotel
No building In Richmond has such n
commanding position. nor IL there to
be obtained anywhere such a view as
from its roof. The great skyscraper
Of the First National Bank stands
higher than even the topmost point Of
Mnrphy's. but the hotel looks directly
down on Broad street. the view from
the root giving one 4 greater conccp-
ton Of q busy city, with manifold ac-
t.vities. than from any other point in
the city.
All Mndc I'm Richmond.
Furniture FOR the lobbies dining
rooms and public reception rooms was
made in Richmond Of antique pattern.
following special designs. The build
ing was designed by John 7. Kcvan
PEBBLES. tho architect who remodeled
Ell the Hotel Richmond. 1t is freproof
throughout and of heavy steel and
concrete construction. Many OF the
interior devices, plumbing arrange
ments and nttings are copied from the
new Hotel McAlphin, in New York. and
are III advance Of anything 10 be found
In the older hotels even In the largest
cities. Each bedroom and each bath
has an outside window. Tho basement.
winch extends on two sides under the
sidewalk. Is large and roomy on the
Eighth Street side there is q large
biiliard-room ready for players. Across
he Broad Street front. extending under
the sidewalk, IS the bar. copied in gem
cral design from the bar or the Wal
dorf-Astoria
Tho heating and power plant are
iocated In separate building.
Handsome Lobby.
The main or lobby floor IA ;,bout threa
feet above the Broad Street level. ana
extends entirely across tho front or
the house. and is about seventy feet
deep. Opening from the lobby and on
the same level. is the main dining
room, handsomely fitted. and In which
has been Installed unique lighting
eject. On the same level az the ain
ing-room arc the pantries and kitchens
equipped with new apparatus through
out. Tho only thing 10 be moved to-
contents of the Office safe everything
else being new. Tho lobby and dining
room extend through two stories and
are surrounded by wide balconies.
which can be used as dining alcovcs.
and which open on the bridge level
| for convenience of those stopping in
tho annex Above tho Office floor the
| building assumes the shape OF the let
ter III. having two main masses sepa-
rated by courts and connected by an
intermediate number. in which are the
elevators. The courts are forty feet
wide and thirty feet deep. There are
nine bedroom stories, all or which have
been newly furnished. The elevators
are running; the telephone switch board
Is in operation, and all is in readiness
for the coming guests. The new building
and equipment have cost approximatc-
ly $3.50. COO. The total capacity of the
hotel with It's two annex buildings VIII
be 1900. the new building having ac-
commodations for 100, and the annex
for 500.
Manager James II. Disney went over
every part Of the new building from
basement to roof yesterday TO see that
everything WAS IN shape. The M,rmal
house warming viii come this week,
when Colonel Murphy will have as his
guests members OF the Virginia state
Press Association. and when the state
Fair opens or October the capacity
will be taxed to it's utmost.