Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA : 1896 - 1916), Tuesday 5 March 1901, page 20


A Fine Hotel. On Saturday, Feb. 23 was opened the York, one of Kalgoorlie's newest hotels, and one that must be given rank with the best. It is a top-class house, and is in very good hands. This hotel is located in that part of Hannan-street, between Wilson and Cassidy streets which has lately been adorned with a number of admirable buildings, plan ned and designed by the architect for the York Hotel, Mr. D. T. Edmunds. In connection with this particular hotel the architect was given something like fair, scope as regards the money available for the building, and the net result is a structure that externally and intern ally marks the advent of a new epoch in hotel-building, as against the primItive goldfields method of making bars the first and chief consideration. Elegance and comfort have received careful at tention in the case of the York Hotel, and in all departments artistic work is apparent. Situated a short distance from Cassidy-street, on the south-wes tern side of Hannan-street, the hotel has its public bar in the centre, with main en.rances to the public and resi

LAITEST ADDITION TO THE HAN DSOME ARCHITECTURE OF KALGOORLIE: THE YORK HOTEL, HANNAN-STREET. (Roy Millar, Photo., Ka±.

•dental sections of the house, at the ends nearest Wilson and Cassidy streets re spectively. The general public bar it self is as artistically appointed and de -corated as it is spacious. .. novelty and beauty of design are features of what has been wrought in metal, woo'. paper and paint, in this bar. From the western entrance-on the ground floor-access is given, first to, the tap room, attached to the bar, then to a couple of neat and pretty parlors, paral lel to the street line, and separated from the bar by a hall passage to the stairs, which lead to the billiard-room on the first floor, and further back to an open air lounge and the saloon bar. The eastern -main entrance brings the visi tor to a luxurious lounge hall, from which rises the main staircase leading to the residental portion of the hotel. "T':he stairing is built up in a remarkably arti stic way, with a single flight to the first landing, two side flights, and above that a bridge. Over all is a very handsome circular dome which admits plenty of light. Between the private entrance and the bar on the street front, are offices for the manager and secretary, with a doorway from the lounge and stairway hall. Beyond the hall is the diningroom, with a lobby of its own flanked by a lavatory. This dining room, 40 x 2oft. in size. and of propor

tionate ceiling height, has adjoning it on the rear, a serving room and a room for the storage of glassware, china, etc. Behind these rooms on the ground floor is the laundry. Crossing the passage, which runs down the centre of the build ing, one comes to the roomy kitchen, furnished with an 8ft. range, grill, etc., with a scullery and store-room adjoin ing at the rear, and a larder and ser vants' hall on the other side nearer to the fronit. Proceeding further towards the street one comes to the saloon bar, before mentioned, and which has at its inside dioorwav a cosy, properly furni shed alcove, opposite to the stairway which leads up to the billiard-room. On the first floor there are on the extreme fore-front, four bedrooms, one at each end, with a balconette of its own leading on to the main balcony, and two in the centre, flanking the chief passage on to the balcony, with a sitting-room and a smoking-rolom, wi:th bay fronts inter vening. At the rear of these apart ments there are on the eastern side a liquor closet, a bathroom (for hot and cold water) while on the far side of the main stairway is 'the billiard-room, 47ft 3in. x 2oft. 4/in., which has its separate approaches by another stairway pre

viously referred to, also a separate lava tory. On the right, or wes:ern side of the building, there are ten bedrooms with quite a number of store room.s and linen closets at suitable locations. As on the ground floor a main passage runs down the building along the centre for its whole length. At the extreme rear are a balhroom. and o-:her necessary conveniences. There is also a rear bal cony with a servants' staircase from the ground floor. So much for a scant sum mary of the allocation of space. In the decoration of the interior, money seems to have been lavishly spent, and to ad mirable effect. Among the moos: not able features is the wide variety of ar tistic design and beauty of coloring of the stamped steel ceilings. Rich-hued and finely carved wood work also calls for special mention. In no par: of t:he hotel is there anything for simply garish display. The combination of tasteful artistic harmonies alnd contras:s seemed to have been arrived at. In its draperies and furniture each apart menit appears to have been separately studied. with no stint of costly material. The entire furnishing has been placed in the hlands of the well and favorably known Bickford's Coliseum firm, of Perth, who have paid due respect to the climaltic conditions that exist here. The admir

able painting work, which includes even a.ri?;:ic flower paintings on the panels of the decidedly luxuriant upstairs sitting room, was clone by Melsrs. Beeler and Marne,, while Me.sr,. Hircher and Tat ham carried out, the ins.allation of the electric light, antd of the electrical bell fittings throughout the hotel. Mr John Crothers was the contractor for the erec tion of this fine hotel, which is, of course, built of brick and stone, while for bases granite blocks have been em ployed. It remain, to be said that the York Ho?el h:s been placed under the management of a well experienced gentleman, who should command suc cess in business — Mr. Peter McLachlan, for a considerable time manager of Phair's Hotel, Collins-street, Melbourne. He has engaged as chef M. Binaghi, so the culinary department should be without fault.