The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-06-23
HOTEL OPENING
ON SATURDAY
MANY INSPECT NEW TOURIST HOTEL
Event Marks Beginning of New Era in
OregOn'S Entertainment of Mo-
tor Visitors


HI new era in Hood River. The Columb
III Gorge Hotel, setting a new pace fc
Ill tourist hostelries in Oregon, was oper
III ed with public reception and henc,
III forth the gem of mid Columbia Ca,
cade fruit districts, known throug
HI world marts for the perfection of il
Hi apples, will gain new fame for its abb
III lty to entertain motor tourists Iured t
the state by scenic boulevards tha
penetrate scenic fairyland.
Ill Despite lnclement weather and
downpour of rain in Portland that pre-
vented many from motoring up owe
the eGolumbia River Highway, the ney
II hosterly was the goal for hundreds O.
HI Portlanders and constant stream O
U Hood River city residents and orchard
lists called to inspect the new buildint
ana participate In the reception. Il
was truly an open house function, anC
doors were wide from basement to attic
The public was invited to inspect the
hosiery throughout, from the bic
kitchen. equipped and manned as elab.
orately as any metropolitan hotel of
the land, to the lookout tower that
rises score of feet above the red tiles
roofing the main three story structure.
And the public accepted the invitation,
came, saw and went away singing the
praises of s. Benson, ex-chairman of
the State Highway Commission, who
financed the resort, and Henry Thiele.
former chef of the Hotel Benson in
Portland, who is managing the place.
The lavishness of furnishings, in din
ing room, reception halls and bed
rooms. all substantial and attractive
and bearing evidence of expensiveness.
brought gasps of wonderment. All
tourist accommodations comparatively
remote from Portland are but impro-
visations in the light of the new Co
lumbia Gorge Hotel.
Mr.. Benson welcomed in person the
guests at the reception. No one pres.
ent appeared happier than he, unless
perhaps 1t was Mr.. Thiele as he pre-
sided over kitchen, fitted, as he saws.
IN fuli accord with his dream of past
years. The big dining room, occupy
ing the center of the first floor, was
cleared for dancing. The center of |
the floor was banked with superb bou-
quets. sent by Portland clubs and mer- |
chants and local folk. A huge bouquet
was presented by the Commercial Club |
| and Mayor Scobee and Councilman |
Keir and their wives accompanied a |
beautiful basket of flowers to tender |
to Mr.. Benson and Mr. Thiele official |
congratulations and greetings. Dane |
ing bad been planned in both the Gin |
ing room and large basement ball n
room, but workmen were unable to
complete the latter for the occasion.
Plans also called for a program with
speeches by Mayor Baker, of Portland.
Governor Olcott, Mayor Scobee and
other prominent citizens. The former
two notables, however, were unable to
attend and this feature was omitted.
The Governor and Portlands mayor.
however, and other prominent folk of
the Northwest wired messages of con-
gratulations.
Mr.. Thiele declares it his aim to
make the cuisine of the new hostelry
noted. In the estimation of
the reception guests, who were regaled !
with a sumptous buffet luncheon, set !
on tables of the front pergola entrance
porch. he made an excellent beginning. :
Scores of the Portland reception
guests remained over for the night.
They were followed Saturday night Sby :
additional scores among them a large
delegation of the Kiwanis Club. The
initial dinner hour saw the big dining
room fairly crowded. Many local folk =
notored to the resort for the evening. :
The new hotel, the cost of which ap- n
$500, 900, occupies an es-
)ecially imposing sight on the Colum-
)ia River Highway a mile west of the y
,ity limits of Hood River. 1t is three
tories high with a full basement cut .
rom solid rock. Wau- -Guin-Giun falls 7
# Phelps creek leaps over the Colum- =
,ia's canyon at the east end of the u
lotel. The basement ballroom opens =
through a series of concrete arches on =
promenade overlooking the falls. =
french windows of the dining room =
re just above the ballroom arches. u
he hostelrY's bedrooms are all on the q
econd and third stories. 1t has az q
ooms and each room or suite has II
ath. The building has "A bathrooms y
or guests. Each room has an individ- a.
al telephone. Every provision has -
cen made for prevention of fire or ~
afety Of guests n. case of such contin- ~
ency. Adequate fire escapes have Va
cen constructed and every floor is q
Iuipped with fire hose and extinguish- m it
rs. The hotel has its private water "; VI
1stem. Huge springs located a short ~ ~
stance up the. valley furnish l20. 600 ny ny
allons of pure mountain water daily. ~
Families with young children or ba- All
les will be welcome at the Columbia 90
orge Hotel. Reception visitors view an
< the bedrooms were interested in nu
'ting several rooms equipped with lin
lied in baby beds. II developed that of
e management has laid in an ade-
late supply Of the small beds. Low
Mr.. Benson declares that he does not an
lpect the new hotel. for a long time flo
least. to be a dividend paying in plu
stment. He was induced, he de- Ian
ares, to finance the proposition in val
der in a measure to break the ice bio
d do some pioneering m getting Ore bir
N started toward the development Of per
T tourist crop. Eventually he ex- eve
cts the tourist industry TO develop fro
20 one of great profit for the state. mo
We have built our good roads" " be
rs, land have invited the world 10 M
ne among US and view our beauty NJ,
)ts, but we hadn't done anything to- OO
rd taking care Of them after they
lived. With our new hotel we will,
a measure, take care Of this. We
: just pointing the way for others 20
low in the business Of entertaining A
rists. Rlv
! feature of the initial service Of and
new hotel was the intermingling Of Dal
cd River and Portland folk. This hav
] grow. Portland folk consider the war
el as much their own az does Hood viii
'er. The new hotel, il is predicted. app
destined more than any agency ever rece
in motion TO draw the two com New
mites closer fnuafhpr A