Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-20
GORGEOUS EATING HOUSES.
brokers at the Hoffman Restaurant
The AstOr House Lunch Room
High Prices for Vfands.


down TO the Hoffman restaurant, in the
WcIles building having an entrance on
Broadway, and one on Beaver street, just
opposite that immense pile of red brick,
the new Produce exchange. The Hoff-
man is by far the handsomest of the
downtown bars, as the bar of the Hoff-
man house in Madison square is the most
gorgeous of those uptown; and both be-
long to Ed. Stokes, the good looking,
silyer-haired young patriarch who slew
Jim Fisk in days long past Entering
from Beaver street, the general effect of
the saloon is extremely good. Other ef
fects are sometimes observable in visitors
as they come out. The floor is tesselated
with stones of metallic red and gray.
Here and there are spread rich Turkish
and Persian rugs, on which stand oc-
tagonaI rosewood tables and comfort
able chairs The bar of polished
oak and mahogany. with panels
hand painted in oil with classic figures,
runs down three-fourths Of one side OF
the room, and the lunch counter CORE
spends opposite. The walls are dadoed
with marble Of various colors, from
which they rise in dead gold to richly
painted cornice and ceiling. On the walls
hang splendid trophies of ancient and
medieval arms-shields. lances, javelins,
battle axes, helmets, casques, steel cut
rassess and huge two-handed swords. 1t
is a perpetual mystery how the little men
for whom the small cuirass and boys
size chain mail of ancient days were
made, could possibly weld the gigantic
spears and ponderous swords and battle
axes thoy undoubtedly did use. No life
guardsman of to-day could fight ten
minutes with one of the fwo-handcd
swords those little fellows swung about
their heads from rising to the setting of
the sun. Rich Japanese and Chinese
tapestries, glowing with gold and colors,
and attached at sides and ends to silver
poles, also adorn the walls; and round
the room are stuffed peacocks. and bears
and grizzly bears chained to the walls
with chains of hammered brass. The
room is lighted in the day time by win
dows partly stained, and at night by
brazen gasaliers with curiously- wrought
globes of many-tinted glass.
This is great place for brokers, and
here, about o'clock, they may be seen
of all sizes, colors and qualities, laugh
ing, chatting, eating, drinking, smoking
md chewing tobacco.
The brokers are very mixed quantity,
and the agreeable does not predominant.
There are gentlemen among them, just as
there are gentlemen in every rank of life,
from the workhouse to the throne; but
we regret TO say that the stockbroking
majority is voiced, vulgar, sky
rocket scarf-wearing, man-nor- God-re-
verlng, uneducated, smart, and utterly
.ns,n laI n1a Sta 10 1nr
youth with his hat cooked over one eye,
and dressed in suit of staring pattern
like cheap wallpaper:
s'Great scheme, boys! eh2 Chucked
the Teller twenty-cent piece, an I'm
Dutchman if he didn't think it was
quarter, an give me a dime changed
Come up, boys--what'll it be9" And the
wretched idiot spends three or four dol
lars to celebrate his little swindle. He
is not stingy or tclose," this young
broker; but the habits and customs and
maxims Of the street have so warped his
moral nature that he is prouder of cheat
ing cashier out of five cents than an
honest man would be of some good ac-
ton.
Oh, Wall street! Wall street Thou
that makest the despairing suicide, the
raving maniac, the homeless widow and
the helpless orphan child; thou that
swallowest with greedy nav the little
savings of long years of toll; thou down
whose silent pave at night creep the I'M
happy shadows of thy murdered dead
how long shalt thou mock the teaching
of the church that stands on guard and
looks down thy blood-stained wayl For
ever while the cursed thirst for gold
shall rob mems hearts of all that is good
and true.
But we digress. as the novelist say.
Plain drinks at the Hoffman are fifteen
cents, and fancy drinks quarter each.
Luncheon ranges from fifteen cents for
sandwich, to a dollar for what is really
good dinner. At right angles to the bar
Is the restaurant. where anything can be
had, from sharks fins and fricasseed
frogs, to hard tack or oatmeal and milk.
The fittings cost $40, 900.
The bar-and- lunch-room of the Astor
House, t ough much larger than the
Hoffman, is not at all so gorgeous in its
fittings. 1t is an immense room with a
lofty grained or vaulted roof
More than 5000 people, it is estimated,
lunch in the Astor bar every dav, and
the daily gross receipts are averaged at
$1,000 The guests sit on tall stools
around the counters, and are rapidly
served by the numerous walters. Let us
see, now, what somewhat elaborate
lunch properly speaking, a dinner
would cost us: Oysters on half-shell.
s5c. green turtle soup, 40c. glass of