"HANSON'S" CAFE BEAUTIFUL, FOR OMAHA AND THE WEST;
KIX about Rector's!" said tha
fwr I young womin, leaning a dimpled
I I elbow on the table.
tier companion, aa elderly,
heavily bejowled man, with the
faint purplish tin re of complexion which
cornea from years of gastronomlo devo
tion. ."Don't talk to me of Rector's or the
Cafe Martin or any other American res
taurant. Why, I hare sipped Chlantl In
a little place on the Via Maggla In Flor
ence where they cook spaghetti better than
anywhere else In the world; I have dined
at Clartdge'a and Te Olde Gambrlnus in
Piccadilly Circus, drunk stein after stein
of rood Bavarian beer In the Hofbrsu In
Munich and on the Hohensea Terassen In
Berlin; I have seen the sun set on the
Matterhorn while I ate a) fresco at the
Schweltzerhof on Lake Lucerne. I have
aten cornpone in South Carolina, birds
nests In Canton and stuffed truffles at the
Cafe 3e Paris. When it comes to places
to eat I am the canniest connoisseur of them
all and I am here to remark that this
particular cafe can hold its own with
'anything- abroad and make anything- in
' Chicago or New York look like electric seal
skin on celluloid collars."
The conversation was taking place st a
table on the main floor of Hanson's new
cafe on the night of the formal opening,
November 11, and the scene looked
for all the world like that in a
Chicago or New York cafe on New
Year's eve, save that the crowd of
diners was orderly and no one was falling
into the fountain, as has happened at the '
Pompellan Room, nor were any of the
women smoking- or resting a casual foot
an the table, as has been seen In Chlcagt
when the new year is two hours old.
Otherwise the scene was a replica. Scores
ef modlshly garbed women and men,
groomed to the last detail, were sitting
at tables eating, drinking, laughing, talk
ing or listening to the orchestra or orches
trion, which ever happened to be playing.
Ho to whom a beautiful cafe crowded
with well dressed men and women does
not appeal must be of the most severely
asoetlo temperament, a dyspeptlo or a
misanthrope. Thero are finer things In
life possibly, but the ensemble In this case
has a broad variety of appeal. Fine Unen
and silver, elfin strains of muslo, the
tinkle of Ice in glasses of fairy form and
prlsmatlo hue, tho scent of delicate per
fume, tho merry laughter of pretty women,
who have dressed with the knowledge , or
the hope that many eyes will view them,
the deft, respectful attention of the well
trained, silent waiter, searing game of
woodland flavor or red or golden wines,
more aged than any diner all these factors
unite In an Irresistible appeal to the normal
red-blooded man or woman, delighting alike
savant and sybarite, grave digger, grain
broker, race track tout and college teacher.
But one might serve the rarest old
Canary or the choicest bit of Buffalo
hump In environment unattractive, for any
reason, and the diner might be unsatisfied;
would be, if ha demanded a perfect en
seiuble. Oems of the culinary art demand
as perfect a aettlng In their way as the
Jewels which flash at throat or ear of
pera star or fashionable grand dame.
Proprietor rills All Positions,
It waa with a full knowledge of this fsct
tha Hanson's new cafe was planned and
the planning. It may be remarked In passing,
waa not a matter of a month or even of a
year. It has been the thought and dream
of a lifetime given to tha restauranteur'i
Ufa an Ideal haslly bora whan a young
man. engaging In this line of business.
Tha msntal seed then sown 'i
tha cranium of a struggling youth
Jj V
IKMIr-'
III OX . - i :T0Zm
F1NKBT BUSINESS MEN'S LUNCH ROOM IN THE) ATtajT-BUSEUCNT (U 8. UTH. '
was aver cultivated, and) when, after a
score years tha flowering time came, the
fruition Is all the greater for the fact that
a long time passed before this happened.
For In this score of years, the plan often
changing, varying much, differing widely
ffom the earliest conception, finally took
on the ultimate form of well nigh Ideal
perfection, which Is realised In the build
ing at 216 South Sixteenth street, Omaha,
There had come, too, during these years
the opportunity to travel, to study, to
learn what other men had bullded In a Ilka
line, and this not only In America, but in
the most famous cafes and restaurants of
England, ' Germany, France, and of
Italy, where the art of the chef has
been studied continuously for century on
century from a time long before the word
"chef" had been born, before there was
even a French language or a
French people to speak It or be
stow the Cordon Bleu on note
worthy cooks. In a land wnere
Lucullus once made his name
ever after synonymous with elab
orate banquets, where Crassus
rifled 10,000 peacocks of their
tongues for a single meal for his
friends, from the land of Sybarts
and of Capuan luxury.
There are many angles from
which the restaurant business
must be approached and studied
by him who would rise to the
highest notch In the ladder. Not
alone must the successful man
be versed In the details of the
chef's art, nor besides In the
work of the steward, of the but
ler, and as well of the head
waiter and other beads of de-
O r, r
til
FIRS FLOOR OF HANSON'S CAFE
partments; he must be also a sa
gacious business man, a diplomat, and a
doxen other things, or his business will
go to ruin in little time. A man might go
as far aa this and orJy a hint of the dis
tance has been suggested and when the
time came might Justifiably turn over to
architect and contractor most or all the
task of planning and carrying out the erec
tion and furnlahJng of his mew building.
One would hardly expect him to do more
than make a few practical suggestions.
But in the case of the new Hanson cafe,
the proprietor was also the creator. Ideas
had not been germinating and developing
Inside his head for over a score of years
without finally coming into play. Not for
merely passing Interest had he studied
restaurants all over the civilized world.
And through the building, and furnish
ing, to the smallest detail, may and should
justly be called his creation, yet he did
not attempt a task which would have
been beyond his or any other man's power.
He did engage as good an arcnttect as
this country afforded, and ha did rely
on the technical genius and creative
skill of Mr. Meyer J. Sturm of Chi
cago. The professional craft of the
architect and the ideas of the long
time student of restaurantlng were har
moniously united to bring about the de
siredand achieved result.
Dnlfici Attract Atteatloa.
A description of the Hanson restaurant
might begin with that feature of the build
ing which naturally first strikes the eye
and arrests tha attention of the pedestrian
on Sixteenth street. The facade was de
signed by the architectural tiros of Fisher
at Lswrie of Omaha, and Is an adaptation
of the Spanish renaissance style with
Flemish Gothic mouldings.
The front Is two storioa In height, separ
ated by a strong baud course. At tha level
of the band course an ornamental mar
quise projects about seven feet from tha
building.
The main entrance la In tha center of tha
front and Is flanked by projecting bays.
OTS
Ths second story front is divided Into three
divisions, corresponding to the divisions
of the first story, with a large flve-dlvtslon
window In the central portion and Spanish
lunettes in the end divisions.
The front la of cream colored enameled
terra cotta, furnished by the Northwestern
Terra Cotta company of Chicago, who an
recognised by architects as the leaders In
their lino. It was through F. R. McConnell
of Omaha, western representative for this
firm, that the purchase was made. AU the
Iron work of the front la treated in a green
Tlffany-bronse finish. The woodwork
around the entrance is of mahogany.
The art glass of the front, which Is a
special feature designed for exterior ss
well as Interior effect. Is In the Austrian
arts and crafts style, and is the first ex
ample of this In the city.
hi
At
'WV,
BEAUTIFUL VIEW TOWARD FRONT.
When the problem of designing the cate
was presented to M. J. Sturm of Chicago
by Mr. Hanson the former stated that In
order to make a project of this character
a success something that had not been at
tempted before, namely, something that
neither New York nor Chicago could ex
ceed in Its beauty and simplicity, must be
the ultimate solution. It was with this In
mind that the Interior of this building was
designed.
All Parts Work In Harmony.
The selection of John Harte, the con
tractor, to immediately superintend the en
tire construction, both interior and exterior,
of this beautiful cafe was only another
move In obtaining the greatest and finest
skill that money could buy. No one could
have done this work better than John
Harte.
It was necessarily a preliminary condition
that the servioe of such a restaurant must
be practically perfect In order to make
tha restaurant Itself a success, for however
attractive a restaurant might be. If the
kitchen and the working parts were not
perfectly arranged to make the service
perfect eventually the beauty of the place
would not be sufficient to attract patrons.
With this In mind the kitchen was
planned, and by kitchen is meant the entire
working department. Including the store
rooms, eta. In tha basement, therefore,
were placed tha large refrigerators for the
storage of quantities of provisions and
meats and tha large wine boxes necessary,
beside tha refrigerating apparatus and the
power plant for adequately caring for the
entire building.
On the first floor directly back of th-
main cafe was placed tha main kitchen,
which Is In every way a model, with every
modern appliance known for this depart
ment Installed perfectly. In passing It
might be remarked that Mr. Hanson pa
tronised homo Industry wherever possible,
and often ha has gone to considerable extra
expense to carry out this resolve. The firm
of Milton Rogers 4c Sons equipped the culin
ary department throughout, and their ex
M I ""1
mm i .J
n
m
fr
TUB BEAUTIFUL. POMPEIIAN ROOM FOR SMALL PARTIES.
w a.xr-
".:w,"Jl-
cellent stock afforded the opportunity to
equip this department so that it might be
offered as an example for similar Institu
tions to pattern by. Articles needed and
not carried In stock by this firm were pur
chased through them. On the second
floor is placed a service room to serve the
' upstairs restaurant and banquet halls, and
above this on the third floor the store
rooms and the vegetable preparation
rooms, dish washing rooms and practically
one of the finest bakeries in the west.
Still above thlB on the fourth floor is
placed the most perfect ventilating plant
that could be devised. By means of this
ventilating plant the fresh air Is taken In
at a high point, where It is comparatively
free from dust. It is then thoroughly
washed and passed over heating colls and
forced throughout the building. Close to
the plenum fans stands the exhaust fans,
which exhaust all of tho air from the build
ing, especially from the departments where
there is cooking, so that no odors are evi
dent In any part of the building.
This plant was manufactured by the B.
F. Sturtevant company and is the same as
that used by the National Cash Register,
company In their enormous factory at D.iy
ton. Credit for the v excellent plumbing and
heating systems Is rightly due the Western
Plumbing and Ik a ting company of Omaha,
as it was they who submitted' the lowest
bid end was awarded the contract for this
part of the work. I
In the front portion of the basement has
been placed the most unique and attractive
lunch room in the west. The arrangement
of the counters in tl.'ls, as well as the ar
rangement of the cases and the open grill.
Is particularly attractive, the entire wood
work of the room being in natural oak fin
ish. Some Idea of the beauty of the room
can be obtained from the fact that the
floor, walls and ceiling 1 are completely
made of glased tile, the tile on the wall
being put on in small ceramic mosaic, with
a figure design running continuously from
floor to ceiling around the entire rouni. At
the front under the sidewalk are placed
art glass lights.
a
Its Beauty an Innovation.
On the first floor as one enters the first
feature which Is strikingly noticeable 1s
tho unique and monumental manner in
which the stairway is arranged from the
first to the second floor. This broad, mar
ble stairway, with verde antique wrought
Iron rails and newel posts. Is in Itself an
Innovation. This first floor Is designed In
what might be designated a German adap
tation of L'Art Ncuveau. What Immedi
ately attracts one's attention on entering
this room Is the peculiarly homelike and
restful appearance which pervades the
place. This is due to scveral-tleluils which
have beerj carefully studied with the view
of obtaining exactly this feeling.
The floor of niosalu in Us subdued colors
and the base of brown marble blend har
moniously Into the high wainscot of ma
hogany. This wainscot is. made up of per
fectly plain matched panels, the division
between being a gradually tapering pilaster
taking on a form of stem as it reaches the
top, and breaking into a large curved grape
leaf with a cluster of grapes breaking out
on either side, and forming a cap. The
base is formed as a conventionalized root
of branches of -a grape vine. The panels
are curved on the top to carry out the ar
bor effect, and over all Is the graceful
sweeping curve of the cornice or plate rait
enhancing the effect of bending vines go
ing over the top of an arbor. Above this
wainscot are the brackets In plastic, which
support the main cornice of tho room and
1
Pi?
J
Ax Jj 'JtfA"
IN
the beams of the celling, these heads typi
fying the spirit of the vine and supporting
the cornice which again carries out this
Idea.
The columns In the room, of which there
are a minimum, are designed with this
harmonious Idea embodied, and Instead
of the conventional cap on these columns,
there Is a head on each of the four faces,
typifying this spirit of the vine, holding
vp the cross and recrossed timbers of the
entire structure upon which the vine Is
growing. Tha soft tones are not marred
by Inharmonious lighting effects, but tha
pendant crystals give the "shimmer of the
dew on the grape," the general lighting
effect of the room being obtained from the
lamps In the celling with globes ground so
that the general effect of the lighting In
the room is one of soft, brilliant sunlight.
Worked Into this scheme is the magnifi
cent main staircase from the first to tha
second floor, the well for this on the second
floor taking the form' of a larga oval.
Crowning this is the magnificent dome of
art glass, giving a sense of magnitude and
elegance which has not been obtained In
any restaurant in this country. In submit
ting the contract for this most beautiful
dome, and in fact all the stained glass ef
fects throughout, Omaha Industries again
come into competition with eastern manu
facturers. The Midland Glass and Paint
company successfully carrlfd out srme most
pleasing effects with their work and proved
that Omaha Industries rank with the old
est and largest in the country. This stair
way from the main room to the ladles din
ing room on the second floor is of a sweep
ing form with newels at the bottom with
L' Art Nouveau idea fully retained. These
newels break at the top in graceful, curved,
wrought Iron foliating branches in conven
tionalized form Into a large cluster of
grape leaves over the top, formed In such
a manner that the electric lights under
these umbrella-shaped clusters form the
clusters of grapes. Half way up this stair
Is a large landing for the orchestra, and
majestically sweeping from either side of
this landing a gracefully curved stair
leads to the room above on both sides.
Ladles' Dining- Itoom Beautiful.
This ladles' room Is designed in the em
pire style with Its strictly classical models
and its refined decorative features retained
to their fullest extent. The general style
of architecture Is Doric with the orna
mentation of the purest empire period. The
woodwork In this room Is entirely of cream
colored enamel, the chairs and seats and
even the lamp base being In the verde
antique green, the walls and celling being
-r4M
.c-.-..rS EXTERIOR VIEW OF HANSON'S CAFB BEAUTIFUL.
uail.WiUiAiAIAiAiAiAlAiAi
jrt
4 - ss:: ' ? -I -
JfsV
CORNER OF HANSON'S MOST COMPLETE KITCHEN.
carried In the creama,
Tha celling in this
room la particularly
.not lceable. Inasmuch
s the large oval dome
springs from the cor
nice, which Is sup
ported by four class
ical columns. The cell
ing Is panelled and or
namented. The orna
mentation of these
' panels is carried out
In such a unique and
beautiful manner that
they are especially
worthy of attention.
The lighting of this
room is all done from
the celling In the
ground globes cover
ing the Nernst lights and giving the same
soft sunlight effect as In the lower
room. The striking feature of this ladles'
dining room is Its cosiness. Along two
walls are placed small booths which give
a seml-prlvacy and are capable of holding
from four to six diners. Standing at one
side of this room one Is Immediately Im
pressed with Its freedom from restraint and
the absence of all stilted appearances.
While this room Is not large, It appears so
and yet despite this fact it gives a dis
tinctly restful feeling.
Leading directly from this room Is the
large banquet hall. This is carried out n
the old English style, with Its subdued
mosaic floor and the panelled walnscoat
In dark color on the woodwork, with the
deep browns on the panels between. The
general effect obtained Is a harmonious
blending of tha autumnal colors from the
deepest browns to the lightest shade of
cream. The manner In which this is ob
tained is decidedly clever. The brown of
the panels beneath blends harmoniously
into the sepias browns and tans of the
frieze which in turn blends Into the heavy
prima vera or white mahogany beams of
the celling. The panels between these
beautiful wood beams are of light cream.
Tho lighting effect la obtained by placing
ceiling lights in these panels.
This room architecturally is perfectly
adapted for its purpose, and Is for the use
of small and large banquets. Adjoining
this room is a small banquet hall, carried
out wholly in the Pompeilan colors, the
art glass in the windows carrying out this
effect. The decorative scheme la in accord
ance with the best design of this char
acter, and was carried out by the decora
tive department of the Orchard & Wilhelin
Carpet company of Omaha.
Nothing Left to Chance.
The entire building and every detail In
this building, even Including tha furniture,
tho fixtures in the kitchen and the
Matthews' gravity carriers for dishes,
were designed for this particular place
and for each room or space in
which such furniture or fittings are placed.
Nothing whatever was let to chance, but
everything was specifically designed. This
Is particularly noticeable throughout tha
establishment from the basement to tho
top floor. As example of this, it may bs
mentioned that even the cases and all of
the fittings In tho basement restaurant were
designed to obtain this harmonious effect.
J. J. Derlght supplied tho safe used for
storing records and books.
The art glass, the furniture, rails, orna
ments and even the metal work of tha
lighting fixtures were made In exact detail
e"
' fN -
to their full size and aarrled out as'destgne
by the architect and no expense spared
to eliminate even tho slightest Jarring note
For all of the decorative plastlo work, fulr
sized models were made from the architects
drawings to obtain tbo exact harmony. I til
this manner tha cafa has fulfulled the air
of Its designer and owner, that It ehouly
be "the most beautiful and unique rest"
ant in America where aervlce Is perfe
because all that goes to make serv
perfect, and more, la at hand. f
' i
Muslo at All Times.
Guests enter the cafe through Atchlsorf
revolving doors, a mechanism as far ahead
of the common rarlety of circular doors
as the motor car of 130 Is above a Roma
chariot. A glorious staircase confronts th
eye of him who has lust entered. In ma
Jestlo sweep It runs up to a broad sri
spacious landing, big enough to Include tfi
orchestra stand. At tha back of this lkd
lng is the front of tho 16,000 Wurlltzer
PlanOrchestra, a wonderful automatic or-
cheftra. The W-irlitzer company placed ti
similar instrument on exhibition at thai
Leli.zlg fair in Lrlpzlg, Germany, and while
there Europe's greatest symphony leader, I
Aithur Nlklsch, pronounced It the most I I
wonderful instrument he had ever heard.
It was through the Nebraska Cycle com
pany, the western agents for tne 1'iaa
Orchestra, that Mr. Hanson made the pur
chase, which supplements tha strains o.
the regular orchestra.
Making a gentle curve, the steps fl-V
ploy from the landing, and a double
flight thus leads to either side of the cen
ter, carrying guests to the second i
floor. The stairs are but one of maryrf
distinctive features in the bulldlngf. but
they make a deep impression, for une ef
fect orj one is not unlike that which al ,
noble flight of steps does in an old English!
country house. Mahogany, marble and
Tiffany bronze railings and balustrades srej
used In the construction. The mui.ile 1
of Italian Cararra marble Installed Ly the,
Nelson Manufacturing company of i't. ',
Louis, who did all the marble work around,
the building. Their treatment of the base
ment lunch room is something entirely
new. The walls are composed of ce.amio
vitreous tile worked in an orlgtnul and
pleasing design. The celling is of what Is
known as 6x3 anchor back tilings, so con
structed that It is Impossible for them
to fall from the cement. The floors of the
two restaurants and lunch room aie of
one-Inch vitreous, hexagon In des:gti.
The base In the first floor restuurunt,
Including the fountain, la of Naslirlfle,
(Tenn.) marble. The basa In the sucmd
floor dining room is of Alps Green. The.
mat uio tit ma buuofc rvuuia iuruuiioui is
of Knoxvllle.
Banquet Hall a Feature.
On tho newel post of the grand vtlr-
rand vtslr- i
iu!ne t.J"
ctrlc l.'gi
der in l
ion throu,V
case above mentioned stand genu'i
statues surmounted by six elect
This statuary was mada to orde
rope last spring for Ma Hanson
Wilber Burgess of tha Burgess-Grandcn
Gas and Electric Fixture company.
Beside tho basement lunch ropm the
first and second mala floors are what tho
ordinary visitor will probably see in the
cafe. The grill room occupies half the
first floor save for tho office rooms b
neath tha grand staircase. On the seo- .
ond floor is tha woman's cafe, with Its nu
merous recessed aloovoa, This division of
tha restaurant gives onto the banquet,
a