The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
.LONDON'S AMERICAN HOTEL WILL NOT
 BE A SKYSCRAPER
New York Hotel Magnate to Respect English Prej- udices in Mammoth
 $5,0OO,00O Hostelry
BY MARGARET EVANS

E MAHGARETt EVANS
 London, January 2o.-(speciall-J. M Bowman has gone back to New York and Devonshire house is still Devonshire house
 The well known American hotel mag nate-he was greeted in London as the American hotel lIing"--said before leay- ing that he expected to return to Lon don this spring. In the meantime, his agents here are still dickering to buy the famous house in Piccadilly which the Duke of Devonshire recently sold in or der that it's site may be utilized for the construction of London's first mammoth American hotel.
 Bowruan's last word here before he em- parked on the steamship Lapland for New York, was that he expected to ac- quire Devonshire house within month and that, eighteen months later. his latest 1.000-room hotel would be opened on the site of what has been for more than two centuries the very holy of holies of Lon don society.
 It was about the middle of the eigh- teenth century that Devonshire house be- gan to take it's place in London life as ruling tradition George ", as Prince of Wales was constantly there. as were Wyndham, Sheridan, Lord Robert Spen- cer, George Selwyn and other lights of wit fashion and politics. In 1S4 Will liam, Duke of Devonshire entertained there the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia. Queen Victoria and her husband, the Prince Consort, were pres ent at a Devonshire house entertainment in 1850.
 The skill of craftsmen in every range of art contributed to the charm of it's beauty. Rare marbles, crystal and mala- chite abounded. The general schemes of color and adornment were such as to form right backgrounds and surroundings for the masterpieces of painting which gave worldwide fame to the Duke of Devonshire's collection. In the dining room many choice works are framed in the paneling.
 A Madonna, the Child and St. Eliza beth'' a glorious Titan. a Salvador Rosa, a Tintoretto, Murillo and many a Van Dyck and Rembrandt are among Devon- shire houses treasures. There is library, too, which is good in every de- partment Of general literature, and has a celebrated collection of old English plays, which once belonged to John Philip Kemble, the famous actor.
 The existing house was built by the third Duke of Devonshire about 173S The energetic Mir Bowman expects to have it pulled down six months after he takes over the site.
 'tThere are no lessees to buy out he told me; "once she's mine a match to her. and down she comesr'
 My own architects will put up the new hotel I always use my own architects for they know exactly what I want. A new architect would have to run to me every time he wanted to ask about bath room fittings. Probably however, I'll retain some English architect to make whatever concessions are due to English architectural tastes I use practically the same plans whenever l build. For in- stance, plans for a 400-room country club which I had drawn for Westchester, N Y, I'm using for Havana, with no change except that New York ceilings are ten feet six inches high and Havana ceil- ings have to be sixteen feet
 T figure that the new London hotel will cost about 5000 per room to build, and with 1000 rooms the total cost will probably run to $500O,000 shall retain the garden at Devonshire house and build my hotel around it. Thirty per cent of the rest of the space will go to public rooms, cafes, restaurants. etc.
 I'm not planning to introduce the sky scraper hotel into London. Englishmen don't like slyscrapers and there's noth- ing to be gained by foisting one on them Give me a good site, such as that ot Devonshire house in Pccabilliy, where people will drop in to buy decent drinks and s25 dinners and I'll make even a S5,- 100000 hotel pay dividends.
 T haven't thought about it's name but l presume the new hotel will be called the Biltmore. The name is immaterial however. Any name is good name, if your hotel makes it good. London is badly in need of good hotel.
 
 The superstitious use of horse shoes as emblems of good luck originated in Eng land about the middle of the seventeenth century