The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-06-02
NEW HOTEL
READY SOON
RESORT TO OPEN ABOUT JUNE IL
Red Tile Roof of Columbia Gorge Hotel
Forms New Landmark for
Wayfaring Motorists

kind in the Pacific Northwest, is all
ready to greet the tourist. attracted to
the scenic Cascades by smoothly paved
links of highway. California, long
noted for its tourist inns, has larger
resort hostelries than the Columbia
Gorge Hotel but bonifaces of the south
can boast of no greater comforts or
conveniences than have been provided
here.
The new 9-story building, with a
frontage of 1876 feet, is of fireproof
concrete and stucco construction. 1t
has 4S rooms with A baths on the sec
ond and third floors. On the first floor
are the huge dining room. which will
accommodate 600 guests, and elaborate
reception and lounging rooms The
guest at mealtime may look from a
series of French windows over an ex-
panse of the Columbia to the north,
and Wau Guin Guin falls of Phelps
creek drops perpendicularly 125 feet
down the canyonside to the level of
the Columbia. The O.-W. r. & N.
track runs directly beneath the hotel.
The structure is overtopped by look
out tower from which unusually APP
pealing views of the Columbia's can
yon, both east and west, may be had.
In time guests, it is likely, will be
ATTRACTED to the new hotel Just to see
the sunsets in the gorge.
The Columbia Gorge Hotels cost
will approximate 100000. S. Benson,
who financed the hostelry for Henri
Thiele, former chef of the Hotel Ben
son in Portland, declares that his in
terest is for the purpose of demon
strating the possibilities of such re-
sorts in the scenic northwest. MIR.
Benson declares that the hotel was a
vital need to supplement the invest
ments Oregon has been making the
past five years in highways.
Both Mr.. Benson and MIR. Thiele are
now busily engaged, aiding full crews
of workmen in completing the hos
telry. 1t is now planned to open the
resort about June IL. Mr.. Benson may
be found daily removing debris from
the grounds or some other task. The
other day armed with a crow bar he
was removing timber moulds from con-
crete stairs on'the Highway side of the
structure. Mr.. Benson was asked to
join Hood River citizens and offer sug-
gestions for plans to boost the $3.50, 600
road ..bond issue. to be placed on the
ballot that the June election.
Are you going to have real worth
while meeting?" he asked. 81 near
are you going to get enough together
to really accomplish something? II
not | do not want to attend. | am
pretty busy here. But if | can do
something beneficial in aiding the bond
issue will be present.
Tho nropnuaH binhuau honda ff
voted, will enable Hood River county
constructing the valley trunk of the
son declares that he doesn't see how
the county can afford to decline the
offer. which will result in a trunk
market road from one end of the Hood
River valley to the other
When visitor to the new hotel calls !
for Mr.. Thiele he is always directed to
the kitchen. There the noted chef |
may be found at any hour of the day |
supervising the installation of equip |
ment that will make the new hotels |
kitchen one of the finest in the land. |
Mr.. Thiele knows that Oregon visitors |
must be provided with more than a |
feast for the eyes. 1t is his plan to |
make the cuisine of his hostelry as |
famed as Mount Hood or Multnomah |
Falls.
The new hotel has a private water
system, springs. affOrding more than |
1000 gallons daily, having been |
tapped on the high plateau south of |
the building. A huge storage tank.
with pressure maintained by electrical |
equipment has been placed in the great
basement, carved from almost solid
rock. The new hotel, which has Just |
been connected up by crews of the
Pacific Power e. Light Co., will be the
largest individual user of electricity in
the county. The lighting system is
elaborate and an elevator is operated |
by electricity.
The grounds of the new hotel com
prise Il acres, extending to the west
along the gorgeside. Several years
will be required in landscaping the sur
Much native shrubbery and
a grove Of rugged oaks will be left in
tact. Flower gardens, tennis courts
and croquet grounds will be estab-
Iished
An entrance road from the Highway
will penetrate the native shrubbery
and bordering flowerng beds. A porte
,ochere has been constructed at the
corner Of the new hotel.
The need for the new hOstelry is
already manifest in the reservations
Tor accommodations extending through
,ut the summer. Thousands have al
'eady applied for rooms at various
lines. Mary Roberts Rhinehart. ac-
by her husband, DR.. S. NJ.
Rhinehart, and sons. will make the
lOstelry a base in August while view
ng Cascade wonder spots. Peter B.
kyne, another nationally known author,
s expected here at an earlier date.
Veil known men and women from the
our corners Of the country will be
,uests of Mr.. Thiele before fall, be ,
ays. Mr.. Thiele says the hostelry ,
ould be filled with permanent guests
or the season. He will discourage !
his, however, and maintain the ac- i
for the general public I
ud transient tourists.
The tariff at the new hOstelry will
'e exceedingly reasonable, and the cit
zen Of ordinary means will be able TO
lartake of the mid-Columbia hospi- '
slity without embarrassment to his {
.nances. 4
Mr.. Benson has probably set a pace J
hat will be followed by others in the a
obstruction of mid-Columbia tourist 7
ostelries. A large resort proposition,