The Empire of the Sun: How a New Hotel in Seattle Will Define the Territory

THE NEW BRITISH HOTEL.—We are indebted, at the courtesy of Mr. Joseph Sudger, the architectural builder of the new hotel on the corner of Main and Commercial streets, for a view through one of those windows that is alike a credit to his mechanical skill as well as to the enterprise of its proprietor, who, in erecting the most building over tenanted in the Territory, to meet the growing demand for first-class hotel accommodation, not only contributes much to its appearance but furnishes another instance of that confidence which many men of sense have in the steady growth and prosperity of this place. This main building which is 58x90 feet in dimensions and three stories in height, is now advanced in connection, being wholly roofed, the flooring and partition made, while the pointing and joinery work being done. Exteriorly it already presents a fine and imposing appearance, which will be still improved when the two piazzas to be constructed for the second and third floors shall be added to the front.

The cornice around the outer building will be heavy and relieved with elegant brackets. The doors and windows fronting on Commercial and Main streets are of ornamental construction 52 feet wide, in keeping with the building and stylish in their construction. There will be but two entrances on Commercial street, one into the hall room and the other into the tea room, while on the second and third floors there will be one entrance way from each piazza to the main hallways upon those floors. As a whole, fronting on Commercial and Main streets, the building will contain fourteen doors and forty-four windows. Interiorly, the arrangement of the house is well designed, the parlour department being spacious and well adapted to their intended use. The entrance hall, on the first floor, 10x85 feet, extends back to the dining room. On the left at this is the India parlor, 20x90 and office, 8x24; and on the right, the bar room 28x40, and the trading room, 20x24. The dining room at the rear of the hall will be 35x76 feet in size, and separated from it by a low front to the reading room, and in one of the latter, will be the baggage room, two but rooms and a large wash room.

The second floor will contain parlors and drawing-room adjoining, 5 suites of rooms, 1 hallway, 20x58 feet in size, 15 bedrooms and one attic room, all of extra size and to be elegantly finished; and upon the third floor there will be a hallway extending the entire length of the building, together with two overpass ways, and 30 rooms ranging in size from 10x10 feet dimensions to 10x16. In addition to these apartments mentioned in the house will be constructed off the building adjoining it on the rear, which will fix up for the purpose of kitchen, laundry, and apartments in the employ of 25 servants when it shall be turned out to public use, which at present is the intent by a firm of Seattle men.