The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-03-23
FLORIDA HAS ONE OF THE HlGG-
EST HOTELS IN THE WORLD
SOME FACTS CONCERNING
THE ROYAL PONCIANA

Some interesting facts aboput the
Royal Poinciana:
: One of the states largest assets.
The pride of Palm Beach county.
II covers five acres of ground. and
il stretched out would cover ten New
York City blocks ten stories high. It
has twelve hundred employees.
Watchmen pass every point fifteen
minutes in the daytime end every six
minutes at night They are never out
of sight of each other.
1t has an electric power plant equal
to one for a city of ten thousand in
habitants.
Has it's own ice and refrigerating
plant with cold storage that is Used
throughout the hotel. Ten tons .;
ice are chopped up every day for
drinking waer, etc.
Has it's own incinerating plant in
which two hundred cans of swill are
burned daily and all other rubbish.
Used sixty tons of sugar in two and
one-half months, and will be com
PEELED to buy more before the season
finishes.
The stewards department is under
the management of Mr.. Stephen G.
Meigher, young man thirty-fiye
years old, who feeds from twenty
three hundred to twenty-six hundred
people three times day. The daily
consumption in hostelry is eight bar
rels of -four, thirty boxes of oranges
and grapefruit, twenty crates con-
tanning seventy-two hundred eggs, a
hundred and fifty pounds of coffee,
four hundred bottles of Bedford and
Poland water Four thousand pounds
of spring chicken used for one meal,
seevnteen hundred squads used for
dinner alone. One hundred and fifty
cooks and that many more scullions
and roustabouts in the kitchen.
Has its own bake shop and ice
cream plant.
Five hundred gallons of maple
syrup used for griddle cakes alone
during season.
Ten bags first-class mail received
daily, and has its own postoffice.
Discipline of this great hotel is
strictly enforced, and it is ruled with
rod of iron in all departments. 1t
is managed by one man, Henry Ellis
worth Bemis, master Of detail. He
is an early riser. and is on the job
continually during the season. His
desk is always clear. He personally
handles all complaints, and this is
explained by stating that they are
few,
He knows the cost of every meal
two hours after being served.
The dining room is under the man
agement of Head Waiter Joseph Nc
Lane. with thirty-two assistants and
five hundred walters. McLane is an
organizer of ability. To bring this
immense number of walters is neces-
sary to recruit them from all over the
United States. They are brought here
as needed and let out as the season
commences to close. 1t equires de-
tail and a great deal of system to
handle this department of the hotel.
There are between eight and nine
hundred colored employees of the two
hotels. Their physical condition is
taken care of by Berkly c. Waller, a
negro physician, and graduate of How
ard University, Washington, D. C.
There has never been death since
Waller has been in charge, for the
past fifteen years.
This great hotel is practically five
hotels. Has one general housekeeper,
five assistants. and about five humid
red chambermaids. 1t has two as
sistant managers, Martin Sweeney,
who looks after the accounting depart
ment. and H. w. Wing. who is in
charge of social affairs.
This great hotel entertains more
worldwide and national celebrities
during the season than any other
hostelry on earth.
The Washington Ball. given each
year on February 22d, is the great
est social event in the world.
The Post is some newspaper. We
had to say it.-Joe Earman in the
Palm Beach Post.