FINISHED
The Formal Opening of the Griggs House Last Evening
Grand Forks Now Has a Hotel Worthy of Herself
A DESCRIPTION OF THE HOSTELRIE
In common with all other rapidly growing Dakota towns the hotel accommodations of Grand Forks have been vastly inadequate to the grand rush of travel. Our hotels have been and are the best in the country, but the
OVERWHELMING RUSH
has more than taxed their limited accommodations, and they have been unable, through want of room to more than half meet the demand. In scanning the registers one formerly saw the significant word “cot” next to a long string of names in a way which suggests an army hospital. Happily this state of affairs is over – not through any cessation of travel – for the crowds of tourists still continue to surge, overrunning the town and country, and have a habit, which no longer excites remark, of staying here when once they arrive.
GRAND FORKS
now, for the first time in her history, has hotel accommodations somewhat commensurate to the travel she enjoys.
To the pushing, booming, rustling, proprietors and projectors of the Griggs house is this desirable state of affairs due more than to any other source.
THE GRIGGS HOUSE,
always a good one, had a run of custom so vastly in excess of its ability to take care of that it was forced into enlarging and remodeling to meet in some measure the popular demands. Last summer the work was commenced, and last night it was
COMPLETED.
The structure, architecturally, is a model of artistic and substantial work. Built of warm, exquisitely tinted, cream-colored brick, and towering four stories in height above the dead level of the boundless prairie, the building is one that is imposing in its appearance, and will serve as a grand and ever visible land mark to the traveler miles and miles away. The building is a
MASSIVE PILE,
chaste and elegant in design, and not overloaded with ginger-bread ornaments, which is too frequently the case with many structures whose owners have more money than taste. The division and arrangement of
ROOMS
is such as to bring about the greatest convenience and the utmost economy of space. The spacious office with its xxx massive coal stoves, is familiar to all. The remainder of the lower story is devoted to the sitting, reading and dining rooms, and the culinary department. The present dining room which is 24×30 feet, and fronts on Sixth street, will be turned into a lower floor parlor.
It will be one of the pleasantest rooms in the house, tastily and comfortably furnished and cannot but be a favorite resort of the boarders.
The main part of the new addition is devoted to a large
DINING ROOM,
which is 30×50 feet in size, with lofty ceilings, large and deep-cased windows, and a system of pipes connecting with the monster stove. The dining room is one which combines all the excellencies possible to crowd into such a department. It will give plenty of light and air, and one can dine in its remotest corner without the slightest fear of getting chilly, even in the severest weather that the Northwest can dish up. Right off the dining room and between that and the meat and vegetable kitchen is a convenient
SERVING ROOM,
furnished with the proper appliances for the speedy serving of guests.
The meat and vegetable kitchen is a large one and is a part of the addition recently built. It contains all the latest culinary improvements for perfect and artistic cookery. Back of that is the
PASTRY KITCHEN,
the name of which designates its use. Surrounding both kitchens are numerous closets, in which there is room to safely store winter rations for a regiment.
Everything in the culinary department is arranged with a view to economy of time and labor, and to enable the force to meet any demands upon it no matter how severe.
THE SECOND STORY
is cut up in sleeping apartments, so arranged as to be used in suites or single rooms as may be desired.
The room cornering on DeMers avenue and Sixth street is a parlor, so tempting and inviting in appearance that the HERALD man would gladly have lingered. The sumptuous furniture, massive pier glasses, yielding easy chairs, beautiful prospect from the windows and fine pictures on the walls formed a combination of attractions that was difficult to get away from.
There is one thing above all others that the new comer is struck with, and it is the manifest intention of the proprietor to keep his guests
WARM.
One is met at every turn with big stoves, thick carpets and other devices to keep out the cold.
Upon the second floor is a smoking and writing room, which is especially designed to accommodate
TRAVELING MEN.
It is a place where they can take their customers, display goods and transact business over a friendly cigar. It is heated by a register from the dining room furnace.
Upon the upper story, which is almost exclusively devoted to sleeping apartments is a large water tank holding several hogsheads, which will supply the lavatory with water, and at the same time be an invaluable protection against fire.
The large cupola affords a magnificent view of the country as far as Buxton, and will, with the different balconies, give delightful retreats to tourists in summer.
The appointments about the hotel are strictly first-class in every respect, and the force of help the best that money could procure.
The gentlemanly and popular proprietor, Mr. C. B. Ingalls, has devoted a life time to catering to the wants of the public, and has got it reduced to a fine art. In his efforts to serve the traveling public he is ably seconded by an efficient and accommodating corps of clerks, at the head of which is the genial and ever obliging Sam Harlow, whose merits are too well known throughout the Territory to need extended notice.
To Captain Griggs, who appreciating Grand Forks’ most pressing want, so ably filled it, the gratitude of the entire community is due, and no slight praise belongs to Mr. Michael Moran, who, as builder, carried into effect the Captain’s worthy project.
A Swell Affair.
Last evening a brilliant company assembled at the Griggs House to celebrate in a grand ball the opening of that excellent house. The company was composed of the elite of this city and of the various suburban towns. The affair was one of the most imposing ever witnessed in Grand Forks. The ladies toilets were unusually exquisite, and only a lack of space precludes their individual mention in the HERALD. Aker’s Band furnished the music. The dancers were ushered into the dining room and there partook of a collation which reached the very acme of culinary art. Dancing was indulged in till morning. (Grand Forks Daily Herald, Friday, November 25, 1881, Page 1)