The Julien House-1874

WAPLES, RUSS, BRADLEY, CAMPBELL, DUNTON, YOUNG, WOODWORTH, BUCKNAM

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 1/24/2018 at 07:35:38

Dubuque Daily Times, Tuesday, July 14, 1874, Dubuque, Iowa, Page: 1

THE JULIEN HOUSE

One of Dubuque’s Most Important Improvements

A First-Class Establishment, Inside and Out

The Julien House is one of the ancient landmarks of Dubuque. It was built in 1843 or ’4, and is consequently about thirty years old. The well-known Peter Waples was its first proprietor; and such a hotel as he built was at the time a “bigger thing’ for Dubuque as she then was, comparatively speaking, that the Julien House with all its many and costly improvements is now. Then, however, it was known by the name of the “Waples House.” We need not trace it through all the vicissitudes and varied ownership. In the hard times of 1857-8, when the “bottom fell out” of everything, the Julien House was no exception, and changed hands several times. Finally it fell, and very happily, into the hands of the well-remembered John Russ, who conducted it in a manner that rendered its name “familiar as household words,” from Maine to California. Indeed, through whatever vicissitudes of fortune and changes of ownership it has passed, it has never “fallen from grace,” nor ceased to rank as one of the first-class hotels of the northwest. Mr. Russ sold the Julien to Messrs. Bradley & Campbell; then it passed into the hands of Mr. Dunton, previously of Osage; somewhere about that time the real ownership passed into the hands of Mr. Alexander Young, who, in the fall of 1867, sold it to Mr. W. W. Woodworth-who, however, did not move into the house and became personally the manager thereof until August, 1870. Mr. Woodworth had previously had no hotel experience, and never expected to be called upon to cater to the appetite of the public; the sequel shows that Providence often knows what a man is fitted for better that the man knows himself.

As Dubuque increased in size, and the travel through this section increased with it. The necessity for increased hotel accommodations began to be imperatively felt. To supply these, last fall Mr. Woodworth began to build a large addition to the Julien House-an addition, in fact, much larger than the original building, measuring 45x143-45 feet on Iowa Street by 148 feet on Second Street, four stories high, and connected with the original Julien by a handsome arch thrown over the alley between Main and Iowa Streets, twelve feet high and the width of the alley. The alley is no way interferes with the interior arrangements of the house, and its presence is never suspected except for one who sees it from outside the building.

Besides the addition just mentioned, there is an addition to the addition, 24x48 feet, on the north side, next the alley. This contains, or will contain as soon as it can be put in, and the work is now in progress, a steam boiler, but which to heat with steam all the principal rooms of the building. It also contains the pastry room, with a huge brick oven “with all the latest improvements,” warranted to bake evenly and completely.

Turning now to the main addition, we find, lowest of all, the cellar, completely adopted to all the purposes for which a cellar is needed.

On the first floor, cornering on Iowa and Second Streets, we find a railroad waiting room, and adjoining this a railroad dining room, intended for a seating sixty persons. They are handsomely furnished, and open into a broad hall with two large outside entrances. On the north side of this hall we find, fronting on Iowa Street, a convenient “sample room,” and next to that a fine wash, with water closets and other conveniences immediately adjacent. Still coming toward Main Street, we find ourselves at a large elevator, passing from top to bottom of the hotel. Next to this, the laundry and drying room, heated by the steam, from the steam boiler before spoken of in connection with the “addition to the addition.’ Adjacent is a refrigerator, 18 feet square and 11 feet high with cement floor eight inches thick, sawdust walls, double doors, and capable of holding three tons of ice at once. Other rooms of minor importance also occupy this floor.

The principal feature of the second floor is the main dining room, 72x45 feet, 18 feet high. This will, without crowding, seat 240 guests-24 tables with ten persons at each table. Adjacent to this, in the “addition to the addition" is the kitchen, pantry, &c., to this dining room. Adjoining to the dining room on the west (over the alley, as one might see from the outside), is the “ladies’ ordinary.” On the opposite side of the hall is another sample room-the commercial sample room. On this (second) floor on the corner of Iowa and Second Streets, are three convenient, well ventilated, and to be handsomely finished rooms, for the use of Dr. Reed and family. When we visited them yesterday a handsome Brussells carpet was just going down. The rooms on the second floor are all covered with Brussells carpet, of different figures. Opposite Dr. Reed’s room are bedrooms for Mr. Woodworth’s boys, with bathroom, &c., adjacent.

The third story is twelve feet high. Through the middle, and clear through the original building as well, runs a broad hall 156 feet long. On the south side of this are suites of rooms-parlor with bedroom attached-handsomely carpeted and furnished. The other side of the hall is occupied with single rooms. A handsome suite of four rooms in the “New Julien” where it adjoins the Old, is to be the home of lawyer Foulke and family.

The fourth story rooms are an exact duplicate of those on the third floor.

Externally the building presents a very handsome appearance-being of brick, the walls full of windows to illuminate the interior, and the windows having terra cotta caps and sills, with belting-courses between the stories of the same. A tin roof and a heavy elaborate galvanized-iron cornice completes the structure. The rooms are furnished by Stevens & Hooper-black walnut and other handsome bedsteads, and black walnut stands with marble tops. The washbowl, pitchers, &c., are ornamented with bands of green and gilt, while the words “Julien House,” in gilt letters establish the ownership.

The old dining-room with which travelers in years past have become familiar, is even now being cut up into sleeping rooms; and the old kitchen into rooms for the male help of the house. The old pastry room will be added to the saloon, new kept by Mr. Buckman-which will thus run clear through from Main Street to the alley.

Improvements are still progressing. When the whole project is carried out in accordance with Mr. Woodworth’s design, the front will be rebuilt in harmony with the addition just completed but a story higher than now. The whole ? then occupy the entire space on Second Street between Main and Iowa-making a building 45 feet on Iowa, 64 feet on Main and 256 feet on Second Street.