Unofficial Website for Historical Artifacts from the Palace Hotel.
Unofficial Website for Historical Artifacts from the Palace Hotel.
January 8th, 1877: Frank Swift, son of C. H. Swift, died at half-past 11 today at the Palace Hotel, after an illness of a week or more, from some complaint of the liver and bowels. He will probably be buried here beside his wife and children, but the day for the funeral is not yet fixed. His parents have been with him during his illness. Deceased was a member of the San Francisco Stock Exchange, which adjourned at noon to-day, out of respect to his memory, until Monday at 11 a.m. when suitable action will be taken. No informal sessions will be held in the meantime.
January 29th, 1877: Sothern interviewed at the Palace Hotel, Parlor 108.
February 1st, 1877: After an announcement back in November, the Palace Hotel introduced graduated pricing for its rooms today.
February 8th, 1877: Our readers are familiar with the history and description of that colossal edifice in San Francisco, the Palace Hotel. We are in receipt of a card from Warren Leland, lessee, which we this week publish in another column. He desires us to call attention to the fact that the rates of this magnificent hotel have been reduced so low that our people visiting the city can put up there as reasonable as at other hotels of less pretentions.
February 10th, 1877: Yesterday morning, Levi Rosener died at the Palace Hotel of congestion of the lungs. A native of Pennsylvania, he was 36 years of age.
February 18th, 1877: Oranges are very cheap in San Francisco, retailing at twenty-five cents per dozen from the wagons. A few days ago a stranger from some remote part of Utah or Nevada, where oranges are scarce and command '49 prices, put up with his family at the Palace Hotel. Seeing an orange wagon on the street before the hotel he thought he would give his family a treat, and ordered five dollars worth of the golden fruit to be sent up to his room. It took all of the waiters in the Palace to carry up his purchase, and they imagined he was going to start a fruit store for the accommodation of the upper stories.
March 14th, 1877: Charles Bartlesman, upholsterer at 431 1/2 First Street, is now manufacturing for the Palace Hotel, double-bound patent action spring beds, the best in use. Call them and see.
March 18th, 1877: The Palace Hotel. A rumor has been circulated for several days past that Warren Leland was about to turn over the Palace Hotel to the management of Mr. F. G. Newlands. We understand that the rumor is wholly unfounded. It is understood that Warren Leland's contract with the late Mr. Ralston has some considerable period yet to run, and it is asserted positively that he does not intend to vacate.
April 12th, 1877: An excerpt from an angry letter to the newspapers by an unknown author regarding cleansing the city of those from China, "We will give notice to Sharon to remove them from the Palace Hotel, or we will throw something into the stores underneath that will give the Coroner a job.
May 16th, 1877: A Bijou Scarf Pin. Messrs. Tiffany & Co. recently Imported one of the most exquisite pieces or jewelry ever brought to this country. The article is a ball-shaped scarf pin in transparent enamel on fine gold. The green enamel has all the appearance of a green emerald, the blue of a sapphire, and the red of a ruby. On each tiny piece of colored enamel is a small white fleur-de-lis; between these a number of brilliant diamonds that reflect the bright colors and produce a dazzling effect. The workmanship is of the utmost delicacy and beauty, and a remarkable specimen of artistic skill. This transparent mosaic work is the only style of enameling that has never been duplicated in America, and the pin, imported for W. E. j Dean, of the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, is the only one of the kind in this country. That gentleman, may congratulate himself with being the sole possessor of, a rare and beautiful article of jewelry.
May 25th, 1877: The Queen's Birthday. Once a year the members of the British Benevolent Society, and their friends, gather around the board and "renew the assurances" of days gone by. The day selected is the Queen's birthday. Last evening, they met in the Palace Hotel to partake of their annual feast. About one hundred gentleman participated. The banquet was served in the breakfast room. This salon was tastefully draped with the national colors of both countries. The Queen's picture was conspicuous; the tables were tastefully adorned with cut and living flowers, while sprigs of green were deftly twined about the pillars.
June 9th, 1877: Harrison & Mackenzie's Fashion for Ladies is another ad in the papers for the latest fashions from New York, under the Palace Hotel.
June 12th, 1877: Briefly mentions George H. Smith, Chief Clerk at the Palace Hotel.
*During these years, the Palace Hotel often played host to the Napa Wine Growers Association, Democratic State Central Committee, Central Republican Club, Mining Company meetings, several commissions and inquiries, and various "Palace Hotel Hops". It also was common for the Los Angeles Daily Star to list the residents of that city which checked into the Palace that given week.
June 15th, 1877: Daily Alta California Advertisement.
June 21st, 1877: The Palace Hotel is now kept by T. C. Kearney, who is well spoken of as a host by the railroad employees and others. *It is not sure if this is in reference to the San Francisco location or other.
July 26th, 1877: Warren Leland of the Palace Hotel, received a letter last night, warning him to discharge his Chinese help.
August 3rd, 1877: The proprietors of the Palace Hotel, in San Francisco. endeavored to get a reduction of their assessment, before the Board of Equalization, but it was denied them, and the building was assessed at the same figures as the year previous, nearly $1,500,000.
August 7th, 1877: A sanguinary affair occurred at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco yesterday. The papers there are mistaken as to the cause. They say that Emil Kuranda, a stock broker, in stepping from an elevator, stumbled against Leslie H. Hanks, Consul for Guatemala, and immediately proffered an apology, which was declined, Hanks turning away in a contemptuous and insulting manner; that Kuranda renewed the attempt to apologize, when Hanks turned upon him and struck him twice in the face; that the parties met again yesterday on the way to the breakfast room in the Palace, when Kuranda, who was accompanied by his partner, James Daily, demanded an apology. Hanks, it is alleged, attempted to renew the assault when Daily took it up and a sanguinary hand to hand, rough and tumble fight ensued. At 10 o'clock this forenoon, the combatants met again on the corner of Montgomery and Bush Streets, when Hanks shot Daily dead. Notwithstanding the suppression of the fact, and singular as it may appear, we learn that the origin of the fatal difficulty was about a woman - the wife of a prominent merchant of San Francisco, who is stopping at the Palace Hotel.
August 23rd, 1877: Mr. Williams is the advocate as Patentee of one of the Best Wooden Pavements ever laid the example of this work can be seen between the Palace and Grand Hotels in our city, let any person spend a half hour at the Arch of the Palace Hotel and note the carriages as they pass over the "William's Pavement," then let them go to any other point in this city and listen for one-fourth of an hour, they will soon learn the difference between an easy, noiseless pave and a hard rocky road, both to carriages and horses, besides the injurious influence of that noise upon his own brain, and to all these facts can lie added the assurance that this " William's Wooden Pave" is not only the most pleasant and agreeable, but the most durable, and the most economical Pave that can be laid down in our city.
September 23rd, 1877: A Wonderful California Invention. ....There are but few electrical clocks in existence, and there is none in use in this city, except at the Palace Hotel, and not many are used anywhere.
September 27th, 1877: Within the past week, the Hibernia Bank has renewed its $1,000,000 loan on the Palace Hotel property for one year at 8 percent. This was originally made in September 1874, to Messrs. Ralston and Sharon for three years at 7 percent per annum.
September 30th, 1877:
Daily Alta California Advertisement:
October 6th, 1877: The legless man who sells pencils in front of the Palace Hotel claims to be the champion checker player of the coast.
November 8th, 1877: An article mentions that the bills for the Mint and Custom House meetings at the Palace Hotel - Room Rent, 82 days, $656.
November 24th, 1877: Thomas Hill's painting Roual Arches and Domes of Yosemite was displayed at the Palace Hotel. Christies sold this painting in 2009 for just over $56,000.
December 6th, 1877: Proposed Purchase of the San Francisco Palace Hotel by the Government. A movement is taking place here to induce the United States Government to purchase the Palace Hotel for the use as a Post Office and military headquarters, and also to accommodate courts and all other Federal offices in San Francisco. The details of this intended proposition are not yet disclosed.
December 12th, 1877: Senator Sharon claims that he has not offered to sell the Palace Hotel to the United States Government. At the same time he will sell it to Uncle Sam if he will pay him the price—say five million dollars, remonetized silver ones, 412 1/2 grains fine.
December 29th, 1877: Charles Cozzens has opened a fine barber shop, 163 Jessie Street, rear of the Palace Hotel. Solicits patronage from all classes.
January 2nd, 1878: First ad seen for the Central Pacific Railroad, No. 4 New Montgomery Street under the Palace Hotel.
April 3rd, 1878: Lost. Canary bird from Market Street, front of Palace Hotel. Suitable reward will be paid for return, Room 950, Palace Hotel. *This is another one of those odd entries where I would think there should be no rooms above #755.
April 16th, 1878: Charles F. Preston, apparently about forty years of age, died suddenly, in a fit, at the Palace Hotel. Examination showed that he died from hemorrhage of the brain, caused by the rupture of the meningeal artery.
May 5th, 1878: Electric Light. Slaven's Pharmacy, corner of Market and Powell streets, has exhibited a calcium-light during the week, and lighted Market Street down as far as the Palace Hotel. Last evening It was kept burning until after ten o'clock. Three or four such lights would illuminate that great thoroughfare from Haight Street to the waterfront. The cost, we understand, is a trifle, compared to the dim gas light!
May 11th, 1878: In this city, May 6th, 1878, Chas. Cousins, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. aged 34 years. The deceased was an employee at the Palace Hotel, and highly respected by a large circle of friends. His funeral took place on Tuesday, and was largely attended.
June 6th, 1878: Dr. C.G. Toland moves his residence to Rooms 18 & 19 of the Palace Hotel.
June 8th, 1878: Daily Alta California
June 24th, 1878: Only a month after the first ad appeared in the papers for King Tai & Co. Fireworks, another ad appears that they are closing and must liquidate their entire stock within 20 days.
June 27th, 1878: Died. In this city, June 26th, Austin, the youngest son of Walter E. and Helen C. Dean, aged 8 years, 7 months, and 17 days. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral this day (Thursday), at eleven o'clock A.M. from the Palace Hotel parlors.
July 1st, 1878: Long Branch, Warren Leland Sr., has retired finally from the management of the Palace Hotel, San Francisco. He will devote his time to the management of the Ocean Hotel in Long Branch.
July 6th, 1878: Over the Palace Hotel, yesterday, waved a flag that went through every battle from Fort Donelson to the surrender of Vicksburg and has 400 bullet holes in its tattered folds. It is the property of a captain who was in the Federal Army under Grant.
July 19th, 1878: The court of the Palace Hotel is now lighted with the electric light. Ground (likely meant round) glass globes have been placed on the four lights. which gives a beautiful moonlight effect to the interior.
July 20th, 1878: Warren Leland has severed his connection with the Palace Hotel.
The Ventura Free Press feels constrained to puncture a yarn of a Munchausenish flavor which appeared in a news item copied into the Press, to the effect that over the Palace Hotel, in San Francisco on the last 4th of July, “waved a flag that went through every battle from Fort Donelson to the surrender of Vicksburg, and has 400 bullet-holes in its tattered folds." The San Francisco papers represent the flag as only a company guidon, and the Free Press makes the point that “there is not room in a guidon for 400 bullet-holes; and no flag ever received so many honorable shots.” Come to think, the point is well taken, and the unskillful builder of the romance ought to come down a hole or two.
July 27th, 1878: Henry H. Pearson, the prompt landlord of the Cosmopolitan, will become the manager of the Palace Hotel. The object of this movement is to increase the patronage of the Palace and a majority of the Cosmopolitan's boarders will bs transferred there.
August 10th, 1878: There is an uproar over Chinese dignitaries that have arrived in San Francisco, and with the Chinese flag being hoisted over the Palace Hotel. Many in the papers want the Chinese flag taken down.
Thomas A. Edison, inventor of the telephone, phonograph, microphone, a duplex system of telegraphy and a number of other remarkable things, is at the Palace Hotel.
August 11th, 1878: H.J. Montague, the actor, who was taken with hemorrhage of the lungs on the stage of the California Theatre, Friday evening, had another attack at the Palace Hotel this evening, from the effects of which he died at half past 9 o'clock. *Another article was more graphic in how he died at the Palace in his final moments.
August 13th, 1878: A Crusher For The Palace Hotel. The Presidents of the San Francisco Ward Clubs of Workingmen have passed a series of tremendous resolutions denouncing the management of the Palace Hotel because a hospitable reception was given to the Chinese Embassy. It is a pity that these persons did not put on record their notions as to what the Palace Hotel people ought to have done under the circumstances. Perhaps they hold that the waiters and chambermaids and cooks should have been armed with cobbles, and ranged round the central court of the building in readiness to receive the embassy with a volley upon its appearance. Seriously, however, such a complaint is uncommonly contemptible and absurd. The Chinese Embassy is the duly accredited representative of a friendly power, on its way to the headquarters of the United States Government. It has every right to be treated with courtesy and politeness, and to treat it any other way would be to brand the advocates of discourtesy as far greater barbarians than those whom they effect to despise. The city authorities of San Francisco have already invited censure by their pusillanimous pandering to the brutal spirit of the Sand Lots in this connection. They were afraid to extend my ordinary courtesy to the Chinese Embassy, lest such yelping curs as Wellock and his kind should denounce them, and so they allowed the American character and American civilization to be disgraced and belittled. As to the Palace Hotel, we do not suppose that it is likely to sustain much loss by the withdrawal of all the patronage the Presidents of the Ward Clubs can bestow or control, but it is humiliating and discouraging to find men who call themselves American citizens descending to such miserable littleness as these resolutions imply.
September 10th, 1878: Postmaster-General Key, A Brilliant Reception Tendered Him at the Palace Hotel - The Courtyard, Lower Galleries, and Parlors Crowded with the Most Influential of San Franciso's Citizens - Various Incidents of the Occasion. There wasn't anything worthwhile in the article I thought aside from the fact that 6,000 people attended within the hotel!
October 1st, 1878: Japanese Trained Plants. Colonel A.C. Dunn has now on exhibition at No. 4 under the Palace Hotel, a large collection of Japanese trained plants, in rare, old porcelain pots, gathered during his residence in that country. The collection will be sold entire or in part.
October 5th, 1878: It may not be generally known that the Palace Hotel raises all its own vegetables at Burlingame in this county. The tract selected for the purpose is a splendid piece of “black loam ' at the old Indian Shell Mound where everything of the vegetable kind required in the culinary department is raised in abundance of the finest quality. A large number of acres are devoted to this object alone requiring a considerable force of men to work the garden.
The Palace Hotel has a brass band composed of dining room boys. They serenaded Gen. Sherman.
October 12th, 1878: Judge F. K. Betchel, a Bodie pioneer, was married yesterday at the Palace Hotel to Miss Mary Alice Nordwald.
November 1st, 1878: A Stultified Suicide. A gentleman boarding at the Palace Hotel, who has been for some time estranged from his family, determined on last Wednesday evening to sever all connection with terrestrial affairs and climb the “golden stair" through the medium of a six-shooter. In pursuance of this resolution, he indited farewell epistle to his wife and intimate friends and also dispatched a note to the Coroner, directing him to be on hand in the morning and take charge of his earthly tenement. After posting the letters, he sat down to commune with himself for the last time before his soul should bid goodbye to the material casement, when the idea occurred to him that a certainty of good quarters and three daily meals at a first-class hotel was far superior to an obscure contingency of a front seat in the celestial choir, and he was constrained to forego his suicidal intentions. Notwithstanding this sensible determination, the postman did not neglect to deliver the letters. At an early hour on Thursday morning the Deputy Coroner drove around his dead wagon containing a casket in readiness for the reception of the remains and started the affable clerk out of his usual smiling equanimity by curtly demanding the location of the room containing the corpse. The clerk denied that there was any corpse in the house, but the Deputy insisted that there was, and exhibited the letter in proof of his assertion. At this juncture some other recipients of “farewell epistles” appeared on the scone and in breathless haste inquired the particulars of the tragedy. When the ferment had somewhat subsided, a procession led by the clerk and Deputy Coroner, and supported in the rear by a victim of the brass- buttoned ''Mission blue," proceeded to the room occupied by the supposed suicide and found the gentleman in the flesh, and just on the point of ringing for a matutinal cocktail. Also in the room was a lady whom the gentleman introduced as his wife. Mutual explanations ensued, the domestic breach was healed and everyone drank a glass of wine in commemoration of the reconciliation, except the Deputy Coroner.
November 11th, 1878: Mr. William H. Boothe, mining secretary, and also Superintendent of Trinity Church Sunday school, San Francisco, favorably known in Oakland, will be married to Miss Kate R. Trowbridge, who has arrived from the East during the past year, on Wednesday evening next, at Trinity Church, San Francisco. There are over 400 invitations out for the reception which is to take place at the Palace Hotel.
November 15th, 1878: *Continuing with the wedding from above. "The parlors," says the Call, "with two suites on either side, were reserved for the party, and the corridors shut out by canvas partitions placed at each end of the ball. The suites on the west side were united as dressing rooms, and after disrobing, the guests proceeded to the parlors, where congratulations were tendered." Quite a primitive affair, evidently.
November 19th, 1878: The funeral of John Corning, a native of New York who died at the age of 52, will take place at 2pm at the Palace Hotel. The body lay at state at the north end of the rooms.
December 2nd, 1878: A hat thief named Hoover was arrested yesterday, by Special Officer Jackson at the Palace Hotel, having been detected in the act of appropriating Col. Boyer's beaver. A number of tiles had been taken from the racks at the dining-room, and a watch was sat, resulting in the detection of the thief.
December 7th, 1878: The Palace Hotel Electric Light. As the primary object of our visit to the city was to investigate the electric light established in the hotel some three months ago, we wended our steps directly from the landing at the foot of Market Street to the Grand Hotel, thence turning up Second Street to the rear, or alleyway, one gets the finest view of the weird, greenish-blue light in the Central Court of the Palace Hotel, that reminds one of the old Castillan Alhambra Palace of Ancient Spain, or a night in the tropics when the moon is at the full. We pass up the alley and enter the court with the same feeling of awe and curiosity, and find gentleman sitting all around, while gentleman and ladies are promenading around the court and children trundling their velocipedes, enjoying the mild, dreamy haze, for the lamps are enclosed in globes of ground glass that shield the voltaic arc of light so that it is not too trying to the eye. The cause of the greenish-blue cast of light is the slight film of copper with which the carbon points are coated. The lights depend from the ceiling above by a negative and positive wire isolated so as to not lose any of the inducted magnetism.
The court of the hotel is about 85 feet wide, 120 feet long, and 140 feet high. Four lights, or candles as they are called, are hung in this court. They are about 1,000 candlepower each, but so modified by the frosted globes as to be nearly soft as moonlight; hence the weird and fascinating appearance of the court. The lights are placed in the vertical plane running through the center of the court, two at about 40 feet from the floor, and two at about 100 feet from the floor, so arranged to divide the hall into about equal thirds; about 40 feet apart and from the end walls. There is also a candle in the two dining halls and one in the restaurant. Senator Sharon is so well pleased with the success of the apparatus that he has ordered another of the Brush machines, same as the one now in use, but of 12,000 candle power, thus giving them control of a 16,000 candlepower light.
But let us descend the spiral stairway in the hat room and see the Superintendent and machine in motion. Stepping up to the clerk in the office, we designate our wishes, who motions to one of the many sable gentleman sitting around promiscuously; and, by the way, the waiters are all of the old-fashioned kind that obtained in the ancient Dominion: with white vest and neck tie a la Dominie. HIs reverence leads the way descensus, turns up the central aisle to the center, thence to the right until we open up into a long-room near the Market Street entrance, gives a graceful wave of the hand and a profound bow and we are in the presence of Chief Engineer T.J. Pitzell, and the Superintendent of the S.F. Telegraph Supply Company and of the Brush machine that is humming before us, M.D. Law, of 903 Battery Street. These gentleman courteously explained the modus operandi in a few words and it is all there before us.
Four copper wires run to the ceiling from the right of the machine, while at the left, against the wall, is a board with a half a dozen or more wires like the others, passing up to the ceiling. This is called the "switch board," as by the motion of levers the lights are changed. Thus the two upper lights in the court are switched into the two dining rooms until 8 P.M. As soon as the other machine is put in, which will be this week, one of those lights, will at that hour, (8 P.M.), be switched to the front of the hotel outside. This will be a 3,000 candlelight illuminating the whole street. The other will be, or switched at that hour, back to the court. They will also have one in the kitchen and breakfast room. With the addition of a 25 horse-power engine, they can extend it as far as they like. In subsequent papers, we will give the various uses to which it is already applied, as, also, the comparative cost of lighting by gas and electricity, as well as the cost of erecting the works.
December 18th, 1878: The Union Guard, Gatling Battery, Capt. A. J. Fritz, gave a ball in Union Hall, last night, in aid of the Band Fund. The Gatling Band made its appearance for the first time under the new name, though it has given Monday-night concerts in the Palace Hotel. The leader of the band is Prof. Carl Carlsen.
December 27th, 1878: A new electrical machine has been introduced into the Palace Hotel. San Francisco, for the purpose of furnishing light, and new lamps have been placed in the restaurant, dining room and in the court. The cost of the machine is $3,500, and the cost of furnishing 300 candle-power light is represented to be only $5 per night, against $50 with gas.
December 28th, 1878: The colored employees of the Palace Hotel had a banquet given them by Mr. A. D. Sharon, the proprietor, in one of the lower halls of the hotel. This took place about 8 o'clock in the evening. The tables were set for one hundred and fifty persons. The males and females were tastefully attired for the occasion and presented a beautiful appearance.
December 31st, 1878: The only son of General John F. and Mary C. Miller died at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, yesterday. Aged 7 years, 2 months.
January 2nd, 1879: Capt. Bates, of Berkeley, aged fifty years, died suddenly, at the Palace Hotel, at three o'clock yesterday morning. An autopsy, made by Dr. McNulty, showed that the cause of death was heart disease.
January 3rd, 1879: In this city, at the Palace Hotel, January 2, by Rev. Mr. Platt. of Grace Church. James Fulton, Pay Director U. S. N., to Miss Belle, youngest daughter of Joseph S. Mallard of Los Angeles.
January 4th, 1879: It has been estimated that the cost of the 16,000 candle-power electric light at the Palace Hotel is $1.25 per hour. Interest on the investment, wear and tear of the machinery, etc., is estimated at 14 cents; cost of coal 40 cents, carbon, 28 cents; engineer, 10 cents, oil, etc., 3 cents; total, $1.25 per hour.
January 26th, 1879: Married. Morrison - Ashmore. At the Palace Hotel, San Francisco. Jan 24, 1879, by Rev. John Hemphill. Pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church. Miss Anna A. Ashmore to Thomas F. Morrison, both of this city.
February 20th, 1879: Edward Burroughs, former janitor at the Nevada Court House, was found dead on the floor of his room at the Palace Hotel, San Jose, a few days ago, having died from hemorrhage of the lungs. Hr. Burroughs had been in failing health since last season.
March 21st, 1879: Fire in the Palace Hotel Laundry! A fire was discovered about 7 o'clock, yesterday evening, in the drying-room of the Palace Hotel laundry. That department is situated on the south side of the building. The hands had mostly gone to dinner, but the alarm was given by the head Chinaman in the laundry, and an attempt was made by the white employees to extinguish the fire by means of streams from the hotel hose. This proved unsuccessful from not knowing how to attack the fire, and the Fire Department was summoned by turning in Box 30. An engine from Second Street had been brought out on a "still". On the arrival of Chief Scannell, the fire was promptly put out, having been confined to the drying-rooms. The loss is estimated at from $3,000 to $5,000. An immense quantity of washing was destroyed or damaged, and the ceilings and other woodwork of the rooms were charred or destroyed. The origin of the fire is presumed to have been the overheating of the steam drying bins. No fire was used or smoking allowed in the drying-room. Very little excitement prevailed among the guests, though the smoke penetrated the corridors and the great court of the hotel. Many of the guests knew nothing of the fire until it was out.
April 8th, 1879: Daily Alta California
April 17th, 1879: Josiah Bacon, formerly of Lakeville. was killed by a pistol ball, at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, last Sunday. It is believed he was murdered, by a dentist, named Chalfant, with whom he had business of an unpleasant character.
April 30th, 1879: The Palace Hotel Waiters. At the Palace Hotel yesterday a visitor was informed by an employee that in the morning all the colored attaches of that caravansary had been notified by the manager that he would have no further use for any of them who attended the colored people's pro-Constitution meeting at Charter Oak Hall, and he wanted to know if any of them would attend. The waiter who gave this information added that none of the colored employees would disobey their employer and lose their places, but that all of them, thanks to a secret ballot, would vote for the new Constitution.
A Chronicle Slander Refuted Editor Post: We, the employees of the Palace Hotel, take this method of replying to the slander published In Sunday's Chronicle against the manager of this hotel, and characterize it as a most black and malignant falsehood proving to us to what depth of meanness that paper can stoop. More than that, be it known to the public that we are free men, free thinkers, and ready at all times to sustain law, order and honest government, with the old Constitution as our motto. Frank T. Bowers, Wm. Weathers, Charles A. Jameison, James H. Orr, Samuel Hazelton, James H. Riker, Wm. Lewis, Wm. VV. Tally and many others.
May 3rd, 1879: C.P.R.R. Branch Ticket Office, Palace Hotel, No. 2, New Montgomery Street.
June 13th, 1879: The Brush machine mentioned earlier has a full name disclosed in this paper, The Brush Dynamo-Electric Light.
June 18th, 1879: Died. Patrick H. O'Brien, a native of Queen's County, Ireland, aged 55 years. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral this day (Wednesday), at one o'clock P.M. from the Palace Hotel, without further notice.
June 20th, 1879: A Virginia gentleman just up from San Francisco confided some of his experiences to a Chronicle reporter yesterday. While at the Bay he stopped at the Palace Hotel and made a practice of dropping into the bar-room of that establishment of an evening, it being a retired and rather high-toned place. On Wednesday evening last the Comstocker lounged into the bar-room, and was pleased to behold there as the only occupants Senator Sharon, Seth Cook, Tom Sunderland and a few other historic capitalists, sitting at a large round table, in the center of which stood sundry bottles bearing the mystical word “Roederer.” Presently a middle-aged man, soberly dressed in black broad-cloth and wearing a plughat, staggered in from the hallway, and, lurching up to the bar, yelled for everybody to come up and have something to drink. The Sharon-Cook party paid no attention to the boisterous new arrival, but quietly went on with their gossip and Roederer. Giving a furious whoop, and smashing his tile down on his head, the stranger performed a war-dance in the middle of the room and declared himself. He was a bad man, he said, and always made it & practice to strew upon the floor the bowels of any person who declined to drink upon his invitation. To point his remarks the stranger wound up by drawing an 18-inch Arkansaw toothpick from the back of his collar and advanced upon the table. There was a stampede. When the Virginian peeped from behind the bar, to which position he had quietly and calmly walked at the beginning of the trouble, he perceived that Sharon and his friends had gone out and that a policeman was lugging the warlike stranger out of the place. "Who is he", asked the Virginian man of the bar-keeper - "Oh, he's good enough when he isn’t in liquor,” replied the man of drinks, nervously polishing the rosewood bar with a towel. “He was one of the quietest men you over saw when he first came here about two days ago, but he’s bad when he's full." “From Bodie I suppose?” suggested the Virginian. “Bodie? Hell, no! He’s from Boston. He belongs to that Sunday-school excursion party.”
July 10th, 1879: Box Sheet open at Sherman & Hyde's Music Store, corner of Kearny and Sutter Streets, on Tuesday, July 8th. Seats and boxes may also be obtained daily from Miss Jefferys-Lewis at her rooms, Nos. 140 and 141, Palace Hotel, between the hours of 3 and 5:30 P.M.
September 11th, 1879: The Grant Reception. Meeting of the Citizens and the Board of Supervisors to Make Preparations for a Grand Reception. A meeting of citizens was held last evening at the Palace Hotel to make some arrangements for a reception to General Grant.
September 13th, 1879: ....the ringleaders of the Republican party have the matter in hand, and they are skillfully carrying out their instructions to place Grant before the people at the next Presidential election. He is furnished with royal apartments at the Palace Hotel, and if elected a third term will furnish the White House in a similar manner.... The headquarters of the Grand Marshal are at Parlor E., Palace Hotel.
September 17th, 1879: General Grant's Rooms. A reporter last evening visited the suite of rooms that have been prepared in the Palace Hotel for Gen. Grant during his stay in this city. The suit consists of four rooms and bath-room —Nos. 978. 979, 980 and 981, on the first floor. The parlors, with folding doors between, to the left of the entrance hallway, are furnished in California laurel, covered with wine satin. The furniture rests upon Turkish carpets of rare design, direct from the rooms of the East. Upon the walls are hung an Autumn landscape, a Winter landscape, an Arctic scene and “A November Day.” The lambrequins are of wine-colored silk to match the furniture, and under their heavy folds are hung in misty drapery rare and costly laces. The chandeliers are of burnished gold, with crystal globes upon their many branches. The mantels are of Carrara marble, under which are grates burnished to a mirror-like surface. In the back parlor is a massive sideboard of exquisite workmanship. The sleeping apartments, two in number, arc to the left and are separated from the lavatory. The front apartment is furnished in selected black walnut, covered with maroon satin, and the rear sleeping apartment with laurel, covered with the same material. The valences and other hangings in these apartments are of maroon silk and creamy lace. The carpets are Turkish, and the finest texture. The coverlets on the beds are of Persian pattern. The linen upon the beds, which will be lavendered, is from the looms of Ireland and is of silky texture. Throughout the entire suite are distributed lounges, tete-a-tetes, ottomans, easy-chairs, giving to the rooms an air of comfort, as well as elegance. The apartments will, when completed, he filled with rare exotics and unique floral designs, and will be most complete in, appointment, both money and art having been called into requisition with but one object in view—that of rendering them the most comfortable and elegant ever placed at the disposal of a visitor.
An article a day later states this suite of four rooms is in the Northwest corner of the building on the second floor overlooking Market Street.
September 20th, 1879: The Republican headquarters, on the corner of Market and Third, is profusely ornamented. Both fronts are covered from basement to roof with flags and bunting, mottoes and wreaths. The Palace Hotel is such an immense structure that it was not possible to cover it with decorations, and the proprietors contented themselves with ornamenting the grand entrance and refurnishing General Grant's suite of rooms in a style bordering on regal magnificence. The entire block on Market Street opposite the Palace is decked out, and also the Grand Hotel, opposite, on New Montgomery and Market.
*Interesting blurb in the Ventura Free Press the same day: "We regret to announce that the Palace Hotel has been closed, the proprietors having failed to make it pay. This house will be missed by the traveling public." There are two other Palace Hotels that come up in these papers, one in St. Helena, Napa, and the other on West Main Street in San Buenaventura. A later 1880 ad states it was the latter Palace mentioned.
September 21st, 1879: General Grant at the Palace Hotel. After the review of the procession, General Grant was conducted to his rooms, Nos. 978, 980, and 981 on the northwest corner of the first floor. The two parlors forming part of the suite are elegantly furnished with California laurel overlaid with satin. Several rare paintings adorn the walls, one of which is the well-known "November Day" by J.W. Rix. The front sleeping apartment is furnished in mahogany and black walnut covered with maroon satin. Elegant chandeliers are hung from the centres of the ceilings of the respective rooms, and the Carrara marble mantles with their shining grates adorn the walls. The floor is covered with a genuine Turkish carpet, and the beds with Persian spreads and real Irish lavendered linen. All that money can do has been done to make the apartments the acme of comfort and elegance.
As soon as the General was comfortably installed, the gates of the court were thrown open, and the mass of humanity which immediately filed in literally packed the spacious court. Two places at either end were reserved for Heffernan's and the Fourth Artillery Bands, which were engaged to render the musical programme for the evening. The bands alternately played the national airs and anthems, after which loud calls were made for General Grant.
All this, while in the court, the crowd kept up a continual cry, save when it was interrupted by the strains of the band. General Grant soon appeared from the third story balcony, and, after the noise had subsided, he bowed to the assembled multitude and retired to his apartments.
After the rendering, in good style, of some selections of "Pinafore", Mayor Bryant appeared on the west end of the Promenade on the first floor and said, "Come to order gentleman! General Grant is now taking his dinner. If you will wait till he is through, I'll try and get him to say one word to you." *The remainder of the article was about the speeches and those in attendance.
October 1st, 1879: The Palace Hotel, San Francisco, was filled with guests (to the number of 1,100) for the first time, on the night of Gen. Grant’s arrival.
October 4th, 1879: Quite literally, every single day there has been a blurb about this Denis Kearney trying to meet with Grant, and Grant constantly refusing to do so. Denis wants to burn him in effigy, the papers saying how "normally" dressed he is, etc. It's like a modern day Facebook fight.
October 11th, 1879: Horatio Raffa, confectioner at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, while driving in this region last Tuesday evening, drove off the culvert at the Five Points, near this village, and broke his right arm between the shoulder and elbow. Dr. Kirkpatrick reduced the fracture and sent the man home to San Francisco.
October 18th, 1879: A banquet will be given to General Grant at half-past seven o’clock on the evening of Saturday, the 25th instant, in the dining-room of the Palace Hotel. The number of invitations issued is to be limited to about four hundred. A silver plate, inscribed with the name and emblematically engraven, will be presented to each of the guests as a souvenir of the banquet. The price of the tickets is $15. On the close of the feast, the General will be escorted to the Oakland ferry landing, whence he will leave by a special train for the East.
October 23rd, 1879: M. E. Norton, a resident of New York, who arrived in this city last Thursday, committed suicide by shooting himself in the. head at the Palace Hotel this morning. The suicide was discovered at 9 o'clock, when the bellboy entered Mr. Norton's room and found him lying dead on the bed. By his right side was a self-cocking revolver, of which one chamber was discharged, and in his right temple was a wound made by a bullet which had pierced his brain. From the appearance of the body it is supposed that the shot was fired about two hours before the bellboy entered the room. Deceased, as far as is known, had given no intimation of his purpose to end his life, and no note was found to explain the motives that led to the act. It is understood, however, that he had lost a large sum of money recently in stocks. Mr. Norton was in San Francisco some months ago, and on his departure for the East left a large amount of money in stocks. He returned to this city as agent for a New York firm last week, and found that he had lost as much as $60,000, it is said, by depreciation in values during his absence. For two or three nights before his suicide he had been unable to rest, and it is thought that loss of sleep, coupled with the financial disaster, had unsettled his mind. He was about 40 years old. In his pockets were found notes and checks to the value of several thousand dollars.
November 1st, 1879: The Farewell Banquet in San Francisco, Oct. 27. —At the Palace Hotel Saturday evening General Grant was tendered a farewell banquet by the citizens of San Francisco. Every means had been taken to render the affair the most perfect of its kind ever given in this city. The company consisted of about 250 of the most prominent gentlemen of the city. The decorations of the banquet hall were of the most elaborate description. The tables presented an elegant appearance and the menu was engraved on solid silver plates intended to serve the guests as souvenirs of the occasion; that prepared for General Grant was of massive gold. Mayor Bryant presided and toasted the guest of the evening in an appropriate speech. *I currently have one of these silver place cards under the Artifact page.
January 4th, 1880: General Irvine Testified: In "the analysis referred' to by Mr. McAlpine in his report, introduced here as exhibit A, those of the artesian water of the Lick House and Palace Hotel, showed more foreign matter in both than in Lake Merced; the water from both the hotels had clearly perceptible traces of salt.
January 17th, 1880: The cost of entertaining General Grant at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, seems to have only been $404.15. The bill was presented to the City Treasurer for payment last week, and was referred to the City and County Attorney. Considering the munificence of the entertainment, this is a remarkably moderate charge. It ought to be paid without any higgling.
January 19th, 1880: Just us we expected: The City authorities refuse to pay Sharon’s bill of $404.15 for the entertainment of General Grant at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, and now the charge has been declared illegal by the City and County Attorney, Murphy. This does not appear to us a very creditable proceeding. The wealthy men of San Francisco ought to be ashamed of themselves for allowing this public and somewhat disgraceful trouble to occur over their illustrious guest’s hotel bill. If they have any respect for the General’s feelings, and any desire to defend the fair name of their city, they will ask no more legal opinions, but in lieu thereof will immediately go down into their pockets and liquidate (his little claim. Gen. Grant would undoubtedly have asked the privilege of paying the bill himself, had he thought the city, or her distinguished representatives who provided for his sumptuous living at the Palace, wore indisposed or incompetent to pay it. He probably had no idea that that $40,000 banquet at Belmont had exhausted the liberality as well as the purse of his entertainers.
January 21st, 1880: A special meeting of the Board of Health was held in the rooms of Mayor Kalloch, No. 552 in the Palace Hotel to consider the matter of small-pox on the steamer “City of Peking," now in the harbor.
January 24th, 1880
Ventura Signal
One of the many newspaper publishings on the arrival of new Palace Hotel guests.
February 18th, 1880: Today we are called upon to chronicle the death of one of Napa's foremost citizens, R. Burnell, Esq, who died at the Palace Hotel in this city at 4:25 o'clock this morning. He had been confined to his room for several months by a complicated disease that baffled the best of medical skill, and his case some time ago, was pronounced hopeless. The remains will lie in state tomorrow at the Palace.
February 22nd, 1880: Between six and seven hundred children formed in line at 11 a. m. yesterday, and, under the marshalship of J. H. Baker, of the Boys' and Girls' Aid Society, marched to the court-yard of the Palace Hotel, where literary exercises took place. Freddy Hedd read Washington's Farewell Address; "Hail Columbia" and "Red, White and Blue " were sung by the children, and several gentlemen delivered addresses. Bradley & Rulofson photographed the procession at two points. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Mr. A. D. Sharon, the manager of the Palace Hotel, threw open the doors of the dining rooms, and generously Invited all the children to partake of a splendid dinner.
February 26th, 1880: More articles about the animosity towards the Chinese in San Francisco: .... He then said, "I want 25 men to act as detectives in ferreting out the employers of the Chinese, and desired all who would volunteer their services in this capacity to meet at the headquarters of the W.P.C. after the meeting adjourned. These China-lovers have gone to the Palace Hotel, the strongest structure in San Francisco, to concoct a scheme to kill the best mayor San Francisco ever had. That strong building will be blown to hell if Mayor Kalloch is ever killed, and those China-lovers that go to that hotel and organize a Vigilance Committee will be murdered.
February 27th, 1880: The Call says this morning a secret meeting of citizens, for the purpose of organizing a Vigilance Committee, was held last night in the Palace Hotel. The avowed object of the organization is the suppression of any possible riot which might occur in connection with the labor agitation movement.
February 28th, 1880: A Herald editorial on the California Crisis says: Our dispatches from California this morning describe the most dangerous condition of affairs in San Francisco. Howling mobs are parading the streets, breathing vengeance, not only against the Chinese, but against all who dare employ them. Sharon, proprietor of the Palace Hotel, was waited upon and asked to discharge his Mongolian waiters. Declining to comply with the demand, it was voted by the Kearneyites that it was “no harm to kill such a man.” At the sand lot Kearney and his associates have been more than usually violent in their harangues, and it is said the Prosecuting Attorney is at last in possession of evidence that, if it could be presented before an impartial court, would inevitably abridge his liberty for some time to come.
*Denis Kearney was founder of the California Workingman's Party & labor leader. Called "a demagogue of extraordinary power," he frequently gave long and caustic speeches that focused on four general topics: contempt for the press, for capitalists, for politicians, and for Chinese immigrants. Kearney was part of a short-lived movement to increase the power of the working class, but after a few years his increasingly vitriolic language and his repeated arrests for inciting violence alienated many of those whom he was trying to influence. When the economy grew stronger in the early 1880s, Kearney faded from public notice.
February 29th, 1880: "Distinguished Arrival" There appeared on the register of the Palace Hotel, laat night, a legend which will excite the interest of the Sand-lot and W. P.C. generally: S. Braunhart, 11th Senat. District." Sky-parlor 734 was assigned for the accommodation of the great "extinguished," and he took a bath. This was a fatal political blunder. It was foolhardy enough to "put up" at the Palace Hotel at all, for a "workingman"; but to take a bath— the Sand-lot will never forgive it. The act cannot be explained away to the satisfaction of the Sand-lot. It does not believe in naturalization.
March 6th, 1880: Sharon has the gout. Too much Palace Hotel.
March 10th, 1880: Born: SULLIVAN - In this city, at the Palace Hotel. March 9 to the wife of Amory Sullivan, a son.
March 13th, 1880
Ad for James C. Steele & Co
March 18th, 1880: A Great Frenchman, Count Ferdinand de Lesseps, Builder of the Suez Canal, A Guest at the Palace Hotel.
April 8th, 1880: U.S. Grant Jr., recently from New York, has been stopping at the Palace Hotel.
April 25th, 1880: At ten o'clock last night there were nine hundred and eighty guests at the Palace Hotel, a larger number than at any time since the hotel was opened. Mr. Sharon and Colonel Smith, judging from telegraphic advance orders for rooms, from passengers on the delayed overland trains, expected that there would be twelve hundred in the house today, at noon.
April 27th, 1880: About 1,000 guests are now quartered at the Palace Hotel. The Boston excursion party, which consists of about 100 persons, are all staying there.
April 30th, 1880: On Sunday night, the guests at the Palace Hotel numbered upward of twelve hundred. Think of it; one hotel able to accommodate that number of people.
May 1st, 1880: The Palace Hotel is to be the Democratic headquarters.
May 12th, 1880: DIED. Homan - At the Palace Hotel, on Tuesday morning, May 11, Gilson Homan of London, England, aged 61 years.
May 25th, 1880: Henry W. Stahle, proprietor of the Occidental and Palace Hotel hairdressing salons, was killed in a train accident on the South Pacific Coast Line between Santa Cruz and Felton Big Trees.
June 5th, 1880: An Embryotic Invention The ponderous subject of my nightly and daily meditations was the application of that subtle invisibility called electricity to horse cars. lam now about to form a company, to be called "The Patent Electro-Galvanic and Semi-transcendental, Ethereous, Spiritualistic Tram Railway Co. ...At precisely 6 o'clock and 13 minutes, A. M., by the clock, in the Anatomical Museum, the signal was given, the car placed upon the track at Kearny Street, the current from that battery shut off, and at 6:14 the car started amidst the plaudits of a large and enthusiastic audience and rolled rapidly up Market Street. The trip from Kearny Street to the Mission terminus was made in three minutes, including 24 stoppages for passengers, a rate of speed never before equaled. The ease and rapidity with which the car was stopped and set in motion again was simply wonderful. When a passenger wished to alight, he or she willed the car to stop, which it immediately did, thus demonstrating the influence of mind (i.e., the passenger) over matter (i.e., the electric current on the rails). When the passenger had alighted, the restraint imposed by will being withdrawn, the electric current again had sway and the car proceeded. Fares were collected by a new and novel method. Attached to each end of the car was an iron arm and hand; which dexterously inserted itself into the pockets of the passengers as they entered, and extracted therefrom a two-bit piece, all other coin refused, and this, together with the name, age, residence and occupation of the passengers, was transmitted to the office of the company.
At 8:72 Mission time, the current at the city end was turned on by telegraph and the car at once started. Everything progressed finely until the car reached Front Street, when, unfortunately, the city bells sounded for fire, at which the car left the track and was raised to the telegraph wire, where it ran along till it came in contact with the Palace Hotel, when it fell to the ground. The car being made of finely polished steel, was entirely uninjured, thus showing the superiority of my steel cars. Had the car been made of wood the passengers would have been severely injured and no doubt suffered greatly. As it was, they suffer no more, and their friends were immediately notified to their great joy. The cause of this little divertissement was immediately discovered. It seemed that the man who had charge of the city end had, from some cause, become dissatisfied with his pay, and had mentally wished "the devilish thing would go up," thus withdrawing a large amount of electricity from the rails and increasing the electricity of the telegraph wire, and consequently the car "went up." The man was at once discharged.
In order to more clearly illustrate the minute details of this invention in a comprehensive and lucid manner, I had the following sketches taken on the spot by my special artist. The reproduction of these views by the photolithographic process was exceedingly difficult, on account of the delicate finish given them by the artist and has caused an enormous expenditure of both money and time. *I am not sure what is going on with this article, but it was interesting enough to share. I am not sure if it is real, or just a satirical piece.
June 29th, 1880: C. A. Ennis was arrested at half past 1 o'clock this morning on a warrant charging him with an attempt to murder Wm. Wether, head waiter at the Palace Hotel, several days ago, by firing four shots at him from a revolver. One of the bullets took effect in Wethers arm, indicting a painful but not dangerous wound.
July 9th, 1880: PACIFIC COAST ITEMS. Senator Sharon having purchased the interest of a majority of the Woodworth heirs to their portion of the land on which the Grand Hotel stands, and completed arrangements to vest in himself the legal title to the remainder, has virtually secured to himself the legal title to all of the Grand Hotel property. The Grand will therefore become a part of the Palace Hotel. It will be connected with the Palace by a bridge across New Montgomery street.
July 31st, 1880: De L. Harbough is named in a brevity as the gentlemanly cashier of the Palace Hotel.
August 25th, 1880: General Meyer died at the Palace Hotel surrounded by his wife, six children and family. The immediate cause of death was Bright's disease of the kidneys together with chronic heart disease.
September 1st, 1880: Delarme Harbaugh mentioned as Cashier of the Palace Hotel, San Francisco.
September 3rd, 1880: Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States, is coming. He also might be considered a star of some magnitude by a few, yet we, the glorious majority may praise the gods— he is not a fixed one. He is coming, Rutherford, with his wife, to make a tour of our lovely State. He has received and has accepted an invitation to stop at the Palace Hotel. He is expected to occupy the rooms and press the couch which once yielded to the graceful form of Ulysses S. Grant. Mr. Sharon should, for the gratification of the public, turn this into “The Presidents’ Chamber”— something historic.
September 6th, 1880: How San Francisco Will Decorate. — This is how San Francisco will decorate on the occasion of President Hayes' visit there: It has been decided to decorate only the court of the Palace Hotel, where the President will be entertained while the guest of the municipality — and the bridge, connecting the Palace and the Grand Hotels. (*No newspaper article specified the exact date of construction of the bridge, but it was between July 9th and September.) Upon the bridge a central piece of three figures will be placed; the central figure, that of Victory erect, while Mercury and Geography recline at the foot of the pedestal. The whole structure will be splendidly decorated with banner, streamer and flag. Hanging baskets filled with flowers will be hung from each of the four pendants of the bridge, while festoons of evergreen and laurel will hide the woodwork of the structure. Within the vast courtyard is a wonderful field for the display of decorative art. From a gigantic golden star eighteen feet across, hung in the center of the glass roof, depend six streamers falling in long sweeps to the balconies on either side. On each side of the court are to be center pieces, composed of shields and flags, that immediately opposite the entrance being surmounted by a large eagle Shields of all nations, gonfalons and stars are woven in among laurel festoons across the faces of the balustrades. The whole effect of the gay dressing is very brilliant. The contract for getting up the decorations has been let, and the decorators will proceed according to the designs of Mr. Bradford.
September 9th, 1880: Scows Wanted Immediately. Three square scows to carry from 100 to 400 tons of coal or lumber each, also two second-hand steam-hoisting engines. Address bv by mail, Room No. 77, A.A.P. Palace Hotel, San Francisco.
September 10th, 1880: The President Formally Received on Behalf of the Municipality and the Citizens Generally - A Welcome to the Commercial and Political Metropolis of the West. ....At 3:40 P.M., precisely, the El Capitan, with the President and gentleman of his party on board, entered her slip at the wharf and was received with a salute of 21 guns. At The Palace Hotel. Arrived at the Palace Hotel, the President, as he alighted from his carriage, was received by Senator Sharon, and then conducted to his rooms. A few minutes were spent in social intercourse, during which the President expressed his surprise at the massive appearance of the business houses, and the general compactness of the blocks, saying, "I had rather anticipated an earthquake look about them." The President then showed himself at the window, and was loudly cheered by the immense concourse without Mrs. Hayes.
Crossed from Oakland on the 5 o'clock boat, and was escorted to the hotel by Senator and Mrs. Sargent, Miss Mary K. Culbertson, President of the Ebel Society; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Sherman; Mrs. Hyde and Miss Lindsay M. Hyde; Mrs. Seaman, Mrs. Knox, and Mrs. Strong.
The Decorations of the Courtyard. The centre of gravitation, all day yesterday, until the arrival of the President and the formation of the procession, was the court-yard of the Palace Hotel, where the decorations not only exceeded all previous attempts in San Francisco, but excelled in the anticipations and demands of the most exacting. The exterior decorations, which were confined to the court-yard and the bridge, were carried out by designs prepared by Mr. Gaynord, the architect of the hotel - by the committee, the work being done, and admirably by Messrs. St. Denis and Consteranste, who also did the decoration at the recent French celebration. In the court-yard, the most prominent feature of the decorations is a large golden star, twenty-two feet in diameter, suspended from the centre of the roof from between the points of which are extended six wide streamers, or red, white, and blue, reaching to the sides and corners of the yard, the corner ones falling below the second floor.
Between the second and fifth floors, on the four sides of the quadrangle, are placed shields, 25x12, bearing the names of four Pacific states and Territories, bordered with evergreens and surrounded with flags, the one on the north side being mounted with a large American Eagle. The two largest of these flags, surrounding each of these shields, measures thirty-six feet in length. The balustrades of the sixth, fifth, fourth, and third floor are prettily and tastefully relieved with stars of silver and gold, and shields, between which, are entwined long stringers of evergreens. Dependant from the second floor are ninteen vari-colored Venetian banners , on which are the names of the Presidents of the United States, the name of "Rutherford B. Hayes" occupying the post of honor; on either side the names "Lincoln" and "Grant" and opposite the names "Washington", "Adams", "Jefferson". The handsome, ornate balcony on the first floor remains undecorated, except by intertwined garlands and wreaths, and a few bronze medallions of President Hayes.
Between the columns, separating the arches, of the court-yard proper, are trophies of the flags of all nations, loaned by the authorities of the Navy Yard, bearing the names of the principal cities of the Pacific Coast, and stands of ancient battle-axes. The arches themselves are draped and festooned with curtains of a rich, gold color, falling with graceful folds, with blue tassels in the centre. On the west side, directly facing the entrance, are two large and costly silk flags of the Stars and Stripes, thrown back, and showing, in the centre, a large portrait of President Hayes. On the pavement surrounding the driveway, and at several doorways, are set large stands of palms and ferns.
The Bridge. Across New Montgomery Street, between the Palace and Grand Hotels, has been transformed for the occasion into a triumphal archway. Over the centre is a large figure of Liberty, twenty feet in height, supported by Commerce and Industry, holding in her right hand an unsheathed sword, and in the left the Stars and Stripes. At the corners are groupings of trophies, on the inside of which are Venetian masts floating long streamers. The windows of the bridge are corniced and hung with
curtains of a dark and attractive color, and over the centre ones, the word "Welcome" is conspicuously painted with letters of blue. In the middle of the bridge, toward Market Street, is the Eureka shield, placed in a trophy of American flags. The supports of the bridge are draped with two large national standards, falling toward the hotels on either side, and the entire face of the bridge is clustered with evergreens.
The Apartments. Reserved for the Presidential Party are on the New Montgomery end, of the first floor of the Palace Hotel. Those occupied by the President and Mrs. Hayes are rooms 190, 191, 192, and 193, on the corner of New Montgomery and Jessie Streets. They have been entirely repainted and furnished for the comfort of their distinguished occupants. Rooms 190 and 191 are connected with folding doors, and present a most inviting appearance. Both have been laid with a light-colored Brussels carpet, and furnished with ash and ebony, relieved by a few lighter pieces. In the recess of the bay window are two rare Egyptian stands and a small table of quartz; on the mantle is a large and elegant mirror, an antique clock, and several ornaments, and on the walls are two landscapes, by Bierstadt and Julian Rix, and a view of Gloucester Harbor by Julland. The rear of the two rooms has been furnished as a work-room for the President, and is fitted with a secretaire, and sideboard, and a large, round writing table on which, already yesterday, were several documents bearing the Department of the State.
Decorations of the Rooms. The reception room and President's work-room were beautifully embellished with flowers and fresh exotics. On the smaller tables were several floral baskets and stands, and on the mantle and President's writing table were elegant bouquets. Between the folding doors hung a bed of moss, in which was marked in the roses, "R.B. Hayes", and around both apartments were trailed and twined a number of smilax vines. The principal object of attraction in the President's apartments was the present from the California Republican League - a magnificent floral piece, which is nearly five feet from the ground and is a curiosity in the way of floral architecture. *The next large section details how the floral piece was made, which I am omitting here.
At 7:30, the Presidential Party dined en famille, the only guests present being the Hon. and Mrs. Horace Davis. The party dined in the President's study. During the evening, the entire hotel which was crowded with an immense concourse of ladies and gentleman, was brilliantly illuminated, the dozens of globular gas jets, surrounding the balcony on all sides, being lighted for the first time since last September, upon the visit of General Grant. *The remainder of the article focused on the speeches of Hayes and Senator Sharon, along with music selection. Above & Below: Internet sourced images of the event.
September 18th, 1880: Thursday evening a tall, raw-boned, lank and dyspeptic-looking individual, clothed in a wideawake hat and linen duster, was found in one of the corridors of the Palace Hotel trying to effect an entrance to a room. When spoken to by a porter he said that he wanted to go into his room. He was taken into the office and there retained until word was sent to the police office. Detective Jones soon conducted the culprit to the office of the Chief of Police, and there a search of his person was made. The first thing found was a bottle containing a preserved centipede; Then appeared a pickled snake, then a tarantula, then more snakes, until at last seventeen bottles, containing pickles of this description, had been brought out and laid on the Chief's table for inspection. He said that he had just come from Arizona—which no one disputed — and as it appeared that there was no charge to be made against him, he having a room at the hotel, he was allowed to pack up his snakes and depart.
September 22nd, 1880: Last night Jesse Boot Grant, the third son of ex-President Grant, was married to Miss Lizzie Chapman, daughter of W. S. Chapman, one of San Franciscos leading and wealthiest citizens, at the Palace Hotel. She brought wealth to the altar and he family renown. Either will make the pot boil, but both combined do not always induce that felicity supposed to go along with the conjugal relation. This sentiment is intended for poor folks who have had, or expect to have, plain weddings, unworthy of any but the briefest newspaper notice.
October 18th, 1880: Article mentions a Mr. Smith, Manager of the Palace Hotel. *Which Palace Hotel, I am not sure.
November 6th, 1880: The Misses Ahern of Santa Barbara will be at Room 8, Palace Hotel next Saturday, and for two weeks thereafter with fall and winter millinery goods. Call on them.
November 9th, 1880: The Small Pox Scourge. It was reported yesterday that there were fifteen cases of small pox in the Palace Hotel, and several in the Baldwin.
November 13th, 1880: Captain John H. Baird, a well-known pioneer and ex-Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, died in a coupe this afternoon, while being conveyed from a Court he had been attending at the Palace Hotel. He was aged 62 years.
November 19th, 1880: The Palace Hotel is preparing to manufacture its own gas, at a cost for works of $28,000.
November 30th, 1880: Death of an Excursionist. Mr. Wilson, who was a sleeping-car conductor upon the Chicago and Alton Railroad, and came to California with the present excursion party, died night before last at the Palace Hotel, in San Francisco. He was in delicate health from a pulmonary affection, and thought a change to this coast upon the pleasure trip would be beneficial to him; but he took a cold at the Bay which resulted in pneumonia and caused his speedy death.
January 29th, 1881: The Palace Hotel proprietors in San Francisco have erected gas works of their own to illuminate their largo establishment, which is now lighted with the new gas, made from Ventura crude oil. ...The great and beneficial change in the purity and brightness of the later light was especially commented upon by the visitants to the restaurant, dining room, parlors and hall, where, in fact, it was topic of general conversation, and it was admitted that it was a far prettier agent than even the electric light. Their works are located about 1,000 feet from the Palace, and every precaution that the mind of man controlling mechanical skill can suggest is adopted against accident. It was learned that the illuminating power of this gas was, as its lowest rates, 28.30 candle power, while that of the city gas ranges from a few points over the 16 candles required by law to under 18.
February 1st, 1881: A King. King Kalakaua of Hawaii is at present in San Francisco stopping at the Palace Hotel. He declares his purpose to be travel extensively, and from personal observation learn what line of governmental policy will be most conducive to the material prosperity of his Kingdom.
February 8th, 1881: A grand ball was given at the Palace Hotel In San Francisco last night, in honor of King Kalakaua. The parlors were filled with the elite of the city and vicinity.
March 5th, 1881: The Star Oil Works is supplying the Palace Hotel gas works in San Francisco, with about 56 barrels of distillate per week, which quantity is consumed in lighting that monster caravansary. It is shipped from here in tubular shaped iron tanks, containing about 105 gallons each. To make distillate the crude green oil is simply run through the refining process once, which yields, out of every hundred gallons of crude, about 70 gallons of distillate, the remaining 30 gallons being lubricating oil. There is no perceptible waste or evaporation in the process. When half San Francisco is lighted with coal oil gas, a small well here will be a fortune.
April 16th, 1881: The following figures will show for themselves what a great saving resulted to the proprietors of the Grand and Palace Hotels in one month. In February 1880, the proprietor of the Palace Hotel paid the San Francisco Gaslight Company $2,558 for gas for ins house, whereas in the mouth of February 1881, the cost to him for gas made from Petroleum was but $851, or a saving in one month of $1,837, or, in round numbers, $25,000 saved in one year in the lighting of one hotel.
May 6th, 1881: RAYMONDS VACATION EXCURSIONS. The first installment of excursionists, Some three hundred in all under the management of W. Raymond, arrived at San Francisco a few days ago and were quartered at the Palace Hotel. They came through in palace cars in style and are evidently to be provided with the best the country affords during their months stay here. They are to visit all the chief points of interest, to have all their hotel and traveling excuses paid, and to be furnished with carriages at certain points, and all included in the original bill, viz: $4OO for the round trip.
May 8th, 1881: l am reliably informed that, last month, the receipts from regular boarders footed up $49,000 for their stay at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco.
June 10th, 1881: The sister-of the proprietor of the Press, Ms. Bugbee, was married at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, last Sunday to Will. G. Kinsell of San Jose.
August 31st, 1881: To The Verge of Death. Last Monday, the eldest daughter of Chauncey Fields, 121 Page Street, San Francisco, while viewing the magnificent prospect from the roof of the Palace Hotel, unconsciously stepped upon the glass of the skylight over the court and was precipitated to the balcony of the first story, receiving a few slight injuries. (I presume the author meant first story down. Another paper states she landed on the sixth corridor). It was a very lucky escape from a most horrible death, for had the young lady fallen through the glass a foot or two further forward, she would have been precipitated to the marble flooring of the court, 150 feet below, and dashed to pieces.
September 1st, 1881: *Another account: On last Monday afternoon Miss Fields, the eldest daughter of Chauncey Fields of 121 Page Street, had a narrow escape from an instant but horrible death. The young lady, with her two sisters, had ascended to the roof of the Palace Hotel, for the purpose of taking in the magnificent view to be obtained from that elevated point, and was walking along a narrow plank path leading to the center of the glass roof over the court, when she involuntarily stepped on to one of the glass panes. The frail substance gave way, and but for the fact that by a couple of feet she was not far enough out to escape the first floor balcony. Miss Field would have fallen 150 feet to the concrete below and been dashed to atoms. As it was, she landed on the balcony, and beyond the shock to her nervous system and some severe gashes cut by the broken glass, escaped injury.
September 20th, 1881: Senator Miller is staying at the Palace Hotel and receives word of President Garfield's death 79 days after he was shot by an assassin.
October 23rd, 1881: The Hawaiian Consul, H. W. Severance, tendered King Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands a banquet at the Palace Hotel last evening. Preceding the banquet a reception was held in the parlors of the hotel, Governor Perkins, General McDowell, and about 50 prominent citizens were present. King Kalakaua and suite are to sail for Honolulu today by the Australian steamer.
December 13th, 1881: The Chinese dragon flies at the head of the Palace Hotel flag-pole, owing to the fact that the caravansary is the temporary abode of the Chinese Embassy.
December 15th, 1881: Celebration of the Shaw-Towne Nuptials at the Palace Hotel Last Evening. The marriage of Miss Evelyn Towne, daughter of Superintendent A. N. Towne of the Central Pacific Railroad, to Mr. Charles N. Shaw, a prominent mining man of this city, which took place at the Palace Hotel last evening, was a very elegant affair. The event was celebrated in the main parlors, located on the first floor, which were tastefully decked with festoons and floral ornaments, whose bright hues were harmoniously blended in unique designs, while the air was laden with their fragrance. About eight o'clock the invited guests, representing the elite of society assembled, and while waiting for the bridal party, inspected the floral decorations, the choicest of which was a large horseshoe surmounted by the monogram of the bride and groom. At the appointed time, half-past eight, the bridal party entered, the bride leaning upon the arm of her father, and the bridegroom escorting her mother. The happy couple took their stations beneath the horseshoe, and Rev. Mr. Hemphill of Calvary Church performed the marriage ceremony. Congratulations followed, after which came dancing, which was kept up until 10 o'clock, the number of guests having meanwhile been greatly augmented. Those present then repaired to the supper-room which had been beautifully aborned for the occasion. Floral ornaments and evergreen streamers were suspended about the wall. The menu was very choice.
*From a larger article on the wedding: The Decorations: The parlors were elaborately ornamented with choice flowers, plants, and garland, arranged in tasteful figures upon every available portion of the rooms and their furnishings. In front of the mirror, in the center of the east side of the main parlor, baskets, bouquets and a standard of flowers were fitted in such profusion as to almost form solid walls, within which the ceremony was performed. Dropping down from the ceiling and caught up to the top of the mirror in graceful curves, was a network of intertwining acacia and smilax garlands, forming in their graceful green drapery a canopy, beneath which the wedding party stood. Suspended from this canopy was a magnificent floral horseshoe, crowding out the time-honored marriage bell. The bill was there, however, swinging in a belfry booth of rare flowers, and mounted on a polished marble shaft to the right of the mirror. To the left, mounted on a similar shaft, was an exquisite floral candelabra. In a profusion of magnificent floral pieces, which formed a beautiful wall, was a screen of flowers mounted on an artistic easel. On the screen was written in flowers, "Evelyn" and
"Charlie." All of the chandeliers were hung with smilax, and every mirror in each of the parlors was draped with twining acacia and smilax garlands. On the mantelpieces were a rich profusion of cut flowers, forming beds for more elaborate designs, with which every mantelpiece was laden. In the four corners of the two small parlors were royal and fan palm trees, and pineapple tries bearing fruit. On the north mirror in the main parlor was a handsome standard of colored flowers, and surmounted by two doves in white flowers. This standard rested in a rich bed of ferns, which also formed the base of several other handsome designs.
December 19th, 1881:
Christmas Presents at R. Mayer's Jewelry Store under the Palace Hotel.
December 27th, 1881: An Odorless Explosion. On Thursday last there was a commotion on New Montgomery Street, of which the Palace Hotel Petroleum gas works was the cause, and in which the “Odorless Excavator” man played a leading part. The latter had been sent for and employed to use his apparatus to the end that the petroleum refuse that accumulates in a vault under the sidewalk in front of the gas-house might lie removed. Now the odorless one apparently hadn’t the remotest suspicion that gas or coal tar were explosive, and he backed his tank-on-wheels up to the curb and rigged up the suction pump with right good will. It is the practice in following this delectable business to keep charcoal burning around the rim of the car, in order that certain unappreciated odors may he annihilated. He fired her up this time and got down to work, singing the while softly to himself when, boom! the odorless one, where was he? They fished him out of an ash-barrel across the street, unharnessed his horses, and piled up the pieces of three wheels, and one spring that had had time to come down. When the faucet in the end of the tank found that it had to part company with the tank, it shot out across the street and went through the body of a wagon standing there. The coal tar caught fire, and everybody thought the Palace Hotel gas works had blown up, but it hadn’t. It was only the “odorless excavator” man and his tank.
December 31st, 1881: Mrs. C. W. Farnam, of 169 Tenth Street., will receive with Mrs. Wetherbee at the Palace Hotel, Room 748, Second Floor.
January 27th, 1882: An Intolerable Nuisance. Objections of Businessmen of Maintaining of Sharon's Gas Works in the Vicinity of the Palace Hotel. There is a petition on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, complaining of W.M. Sharon's Palace Hotel Gasworks on New Montgomery Street, and praying for an abatement of a nuisance arising from these works.
February 9th, 1882: John McFadden was killed by a fall over an embankment in San Francisco. An old and well-known citizen of the city, he was the owner of the land which was purchased for the construction of the Palace Hotel, as well as McFaddin's Block on Montgomery Street.
February 26th, 1882: Anti-Chinese Boom. The Democratic and Republican County Committee held a Joint and non-partisan meeting last night In Parlor A of the Palace Hotel, for the purpose of deciding upon the most effective means of impressing upon Congress the necessity of restricting Chinese Immigration.
March 31st, 1882: BANQUET AND RECEPTION Tendered to Minister Sargent at the Palace Hotel - Most Elegant and Brilliant Affair - Proper Token of Appreciation - Long List of Distinguished Guests Details of the Occasion. Minister A. A. Sargent was tendered a banquet and reception tonight at the Palace Hotel by a large number of prominent merchants and professional men of San Francisco. The affair was one of the most elegant and brilliant occasions known in the social history of San Francisco, and in every respect worthy of the distinguished Californian who has been appointed to represent the United States Government at Berlin — as a proper token of respect to ex-Senator "Sargent, as "a public servant who had faithfully represented the interests of California in Congress, and as a fitting personal recognition of the honor conferred on a citizen of this State. A letter was addressed a few days ago to the new Minister by a large number of his friends, tendering him a public banquet and reception. The invitation was accepted by Mr. Sargent, and preparations were at once commenced for the affair. No pains or expense was omitted, and the result in every particular reflected the highest credit on the generosity and good taste of the citizens of San Francisco.
The Guests. The Guest List can be seen on the menu I have from this event under the Menu Page.
The Banquet Hall: The dining-room at the Palace Hotel, where the banquet was held, was very elaborately decorated with flowers, evergreens, festoons and the national colors of the United States and Germany. The menu was elaborate in detail, and in delicacy sufficient to tempt the palate of the most fastidious epicure. At 9 'o'clock the assembled guests took their seats. Governor George C. Perkins presided at the head of the table. On his right Minister Sargent was assigned the seat of honor, and on his left Adolph Rosenthal, Consul of Germany. One hour and a half was devoted to the discussion of the innumerable choice dishes, following each other in rapid succession. At 10:30 the tables were cleared and regular toasts, responses, etc., inaugurated.
An Elegant Souvenir: As a beautiful souvenir of the occasion. Minister Sargent was presented with a heavy solid silver plate, about 6 by 8 inches. Upon the initial side is the letter " S." Enclosed in the circles formed by the lower and upper halves of the letter are two landscapes. The upper one is the Golden Gate at sunset, a steamer and barque with all sail set, being introduced in the foreground, Fort Point showing on the left and Point Bonita on the right. In the lower circle is a picturesque view of the Rhine. The groundwork of this side of the plate is of yellow gold, satin finished, the "S" in red gold, relieved with silver, and the landscapes of engraved silver. The inscription on the initial side of the plate is as follows: "Banquet to Aaron A. Sargent, Minister of the United States to Germany. By the Citizens of San Francisco. Palace Hotel, Thursday, March 30, 1882." The reverse side of the plate is an unusually artistic bit of engraving and metal work. The plate was held in a handsome maroon-plush case, with a handsome embossed center piece in morocco, On one ride was inscribed in gilt letters "Aaron A. Sargent". On the other side of the case was the silk menu of the banquet. *The last part of the article told of the toasts given at the banquet, which I've omitted.
*Another Sargent Banquet Article from the same day:
THE SARGENT BANQUET. Honors to our New Minister to Germany. A Splendid and Highly Appropriate Compliment to California’s Distinguished ex-Senator, Hon. A. A. Sargent - A Brilliant Company Representing the Wealth, Worth, and Intellect of the State - The Scene at the Palace Hotel - The List of Invitations - The Banquet Hall, the Toast, and the Principal Responses - Address by Minister Sargent - A Newspaper Man’s Tribute to His Character.
The evening of the 30th of March, 1882, will ever be a memorable one in the history of our state. On that night there assembled under the roof of the Palace Hotel the flower of California; the bone and sinew left of the early pioneers of our Golden State; the whole wealth of its orators, statesmen and commerce; its literary pride, its forensic and legal talent—in a word, the fibres that join together the great heart of the West. Second in area of territory in these United States, first in its love of the Union, there were assembled together last evening the energy, genius, industry and glory of California, to do honor to Hon. Aaron A. Sargent, ex-Senator and Minister-elect to the German Empire, prior to his departure for Berlin. The occasion was a doubly solemn one, for it was an adieu for at least three years to a representative Californian.
The Scene. About ten minutes before eight o'clock the western gallery of the first floor of the Palace Hotel presented a brilliant appearance. Over 250 of our state officials, municipal officers, diplomatic corps, the clergy, leading members of the press, merchants, lawyers and other representative men of California were chatting quietly or pausing from group to group interchanging salutations with their friends. The gathering was in no sense a party one, it was essentially an occasion in which men of all political creed united to do honor to the man, the first representative of California who has been called to the high honor of representing the United Slates in the capacity of their Minister to Germany. Shortly after eight o'clock the guests were summoned to the main parlors where a list of the names was read assigning each to his proper place at the tables, which were excellently arranged.
Two long tables ran the length of the dining room on either side, cross tables being arranged with spacious alleyways to allow of the free movement of the countless corps of waiters. On entering the dining room, the first thing that struck the eye was the symmetry of the decorations. Twelve chandeliers of over 40 lights each shed a soft light over the entire banquet room, while near the center was suspended an electric light, which brought every face from one end of the hall to the other into clear and distinct relief. The decorations were plain but very effective. Endless festoons of evergreens crossed and recrossed each other, forming a green bower overhead, while in the clerestory windows were boxes containing rich palms, choice exotics, ferns, and flowers. At the further end of the dining room, almost hidden by an alcove draped with American and German flags, was stationed the orchestra, which during the banquet and during the toasts of that evening did excellent service. The corps of stewards must have numbered at least 75, and they moved round the hall with a precision worthy of a well-trained military company, serving the courses and removing them as quickly and precisely as though they were waiting on a small private party. Too much credit cannot be given to the service, which was as near perfection as can be imagined. ....Of the over three hundred persons invited, two hundred and fifty-two were present; the others being unable to attend by reason of sickness or absence from the city. *The guest list and toasts were next, but omitted here.
April 12th, 1882: Business this past week has been lively in the police court. One Smith, a brave butcher, knocked a waiter down in the Palace Hotel dining room, and for this was made to pungle some of his filthy lucre to the magistrate.
April 29th, 1882: Henry Dubers killed a large California lion on Santa Ana Rancho, measuring 5 1/2 feet from tip to tip. In due time the same will be on exhibition at the Palace Hotel Bar.
June 14th, 1882: Wm. Upton, of Spencer. Mass., one of the Raymond excursion party, was taken suddenly ill when about to make a presentation speech at the Palace Hotel dinner table last night. About four o'clock this morning Mr. Upton expired. Apoplexy is assigned as the cause of death.
July 3rd, 1882: A Hotel Thief. Arrested after 10 days operations in this city. During the latter part of June, several rooms in the Lick House and Palace Hotel were entered in the daytime, in the absence of the inmates, and every available valuable article carried away. The matter was placed in the hands of the police, who have been working up the case. Yesterday, Detectives Whittaker, Bowen, and Dan Coffey arrested C.H. Dwight, alias E.D. Parsons, a young man about twenty years of age, and booked him on three charges of burglary in the second degree. Dwight arrived in this city from St. Louis on the 19th of last month. The day following, Room 206 of the Lick House, occupied by Mrs. Kerrs, was entered by a thief, who stole a silver cup, an opera glass, and some trinkets. On the 22nd, Mr. Hague's room, No. 106, Palace Hotel, was entered and a suit of clothes and some jewelry were stolen. Three days later, Room 95, Lick House, was entered and a large quantity of clothing and valuable jewelry carried away. All of the property was recovered by the detectives, and circumstances went to prove that Dwight was undoubtedly the thief. He claims to have been a journalist in St. Louis, but the detectives say that in the city he was recognized as an expert hotel thief. He was arrested in Chicago a few months ago on the charge of thieving exploits, but being respectably connected, influence was used to allow him to escape justice and he came to this city.
July 29th, 1882: Death of John Sullivan. A Pioneer of 1834, and first President of Hibernia Bank.... to the Sisters of Charity he gave the ground on which the Palace Hotel now stands.
September 2nd 1882: A. Mouis' Rotisserie, long employed as one of the chief cooks of the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, and at the Brunswick Hotel, New York, will open a first-class restaurant tomorrow at 902 Broadway, where he will be pleased to see his friends and the public generally, and desire to assure them they will be served to everything first class and done up in the best manner by experienced cooks.
September 13th, 1882: The Governor-General of Canada and the Princess Louise and suite left Ogden left Monday night in a special train of three Pullman coaches, a commissary, and baggage car and will arrive in this city this morning by 10 o'clock. Several suites of rooms on the first floor of the Palace Hotel have been prepared for them.
October 23rd, 1882: Thomas Byron is accused of the theft of a coat from the coat room, at the Palace Hotel, of J.L. Kaulakon, one of the Hawaiian officers recently in San Francisco.
December 20th, 1882: At the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, Dr. Horace H. Caldwell died yesterday of consumption.
December 27th, 1882: The hotels are beginning to calculate upon the number of guests they can accommodate during the Triennial Conclave of Knights Templar in August next. The Palace Hotel will be able to take about 2,300 visitors by putting cot-beds in every parlor, and using every room vacated for the rammer, The Baldwin will fit rooms in St. Ann's building and the old St. Ignatius Church, and will thus dispose of 1,000 extra guests. The Lick, Grand and Occidental will take care of 1,700 more. The Lick House will be enabled to give 3,000 meals three times each day.
