Opening of Antlers. Elegant New Hotel Thrown Open to the Public Last Evening. Splendid Appointments Were Inspected by Hundreds of People. The Formal Reception, Banquet and Ball Last Evening Was a Grand Success, and the New Hotel, Which Has No Superior in the Northwest, Starts Business. The formal reception, banquet and ball which marked the formal opening of Grand Forks’ elegant new hotel, the Hotel Antlers, took place last evening, and proved one of the leading social functions of the season. There was an immense number of representative citizens present during the evening, the new hotel having been inspected by about 600 people, while over 200 remained to participate in the banquet and ball that followed the reception.
During the reception and inspection of the building, Hall’s full metropolitan concert orchestra of 12 pieces rendered the following promenade concert program, which also continued during the lunch hour, which was between 10 and 11 o’clock, the reception beginning promptly at 9 o’clock:
Grand Opening Overture – Rising Star…Bendix
Morceau Poetique – Sweet Visions…Phelps
Selection – King Dodo…Luders
Intermezzo – Isis…Morse
Caprice – Dance of the Fire Flies…Sintinnis
Wooden Shoe Dance – Between the Acts…Remaine
Characteristic March – Bogie Man…Carvel
Gavotte – Fair Maiden of Seville…Czilbulka
Overture – King of Diamonds…Lavallee
Medley Selection – Girlie With Baby Stare…Bloom
The guests were received in the elegantly appointed parlors on the second floor, and directed to the cloak rooms for the ladies and gentlemen. In the receiving line, assisting Mr. and Mrs. M. H. McGowan, and Mr. and Mrs. Ike McGowan, were the following: Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. M. F. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. H. N. Wells, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Collins, Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Nash and Mr. and Mrs. John M. Cochrane.
Following the formal reception, the guests were piloted through the commodious building which includes 80 rooms above the first floor in addition to the parlors, etc. The place has been completely remodeled from cellar to garret recently, involving an expenditure of nearly $20,000 by the proprietor, John Bartholomew, and is now indeed a model for the purposes for which it is intended. The suites are large, well planned, with excellent light and ventilation.
The furnishings are magnificent, and new from the fifth floor to the basement, and exclamations of delight could be heard echoing through the building during the entire evening. The harmony and exquisite taste displayed impressed everyone present. The office is furnished in Flemish antique chairs and rockers, and the cigar stand harmonizes with the balance of the furniture splendidly. The clerk’s office is located in one corner of the room, with means of communication to every part of the building, every room either having a telephone, or one will be installed in a very short time as soon as the work can be completed. The dining room and grill room are both furnished in Flemish oak and were certainly a revelation to all who inspected them last evening. The dining room decorations are very unique, and nothing richer can be found west of Chicago.
The parlors are furnished in solid mahogany, as are the rooms of John Oldfield which opens from them. The curtains and draperies attracted special attention, and are all of new designs. The carpets are all very rich, and the same can be said of all the appointments of the Antlers from cellar to garret.
The culinary department was inspected with great interest especially by the ladies, and is certainly a wonderful affair, being a model of neatness and convenience, having been patterned after the kitchen of one of the leading modern hotels of New York City. The kitchen is presided over by O. E. Phelps who till recently was with the Yellowstone Park association.
Everything was arranged last evening to make the opening a delightful one for all present. Assisting in the reception room were Misses Fennell, Lyons, Libby and Nellie Hart, Levi Nash and Brown, Misses Genevieve O’Keefe, Lyons, Fennell, Lizzie Levi and Nellie Hart also served frappe on the various floors for the refreshment of the guests.
The entertainment committee consisted of Messrs. J. T. Callahan, John Oldfied, D. E. Rea, L. A. Roth, Geo. E. McMullen, J. S. Bartholomew, B. F. Brockhoff, O. Young, W. E. Patten and W. R. Vanderhoff.
The floral decorations were magnificent. In the center table in the parlor was an immense bouquet of American Beauty roses which was the center of attraction. The decorations in the dining room consisted of a lavish display of carnations, roses, lilacs, smilax, sweat peas, and other flowers, arranged in a most artistic manner. This was in charge of O. E. Lovell, the florist, and was a credit to him and to the management.
At a few minutes after 10 o’clock the lunch was served. It was faultless in every detail and was served in a manner above criticism. The menu was as follows:
Canape Lorenzo
Radishes
Sliced Tomatoes
Small Patties – A la Toulouse
Claret Punch
Cold Young Turkey
Combination Salad
Neapolitan Ice Cream
Assorted Cake
Coffee
The evening concluded with a delightful dancing program of 12 numbers which began at 11 o’clock and did not conclude till after 1.
Messrs. M. H. and Ike McGowan, the proprietors, received compliments on all sides last evening on the elegance and completeness of the Hotel Antlers. It is a credit to them and to Grand Forks, and supplies a long felt want in this city. (Grand Forks Daily Herald, Tuesday Morning, May 26, 1903, Volume 22, Number 180, Page 8).