The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-12-08

to the city to attend the festivities of that
memorable occasion.
The dinner was furnished by Ernest
Dorval Of the St. james, who was COM
PEELED to organize for the occasion four dis
tinct corps of chefs, assistants and walters
in as many kitchens in the basement Of the
big building. The services of 800 persons
were required in serving this monster din
ner, which was as complete in every detail
as if it had been given in the st. James
itself.
Eight hundred and twenty five guests
were seated at the tables on the floor of
the Lyceum at one time The city paid
Mr.. Dorval Sl5 a cover for this banquet,
or total of about s12, 900 The amount
of wine drank upon this occasion is said to
have been sufficient to float good sized
steam launch.
Three notable dinners at the Brunswick
are worth recalling. The first was given
by the Grand Duke Alexis during his visit
to this country in the early seventies. The
walls of the banquet hall were completely
hidden by costly flowers, and the tables
were laden with the most expensive dishes
There IS guests. and Alexis paid $4,000.
or $40 cover, for their entertainment.
While the dinner was being served in the
hall the Dukes dog, noble-looking ami
NAL, of which he was very proud, sat at a
table in an adjoining room, enjoying the
same dishes as his master. and served by a
special waiter.
Offenbach, who was ionized TO an un-
usual degree while in America, some / 0 or
IL years ago, in return for the favors he
had received, invited 80 of his professional
| friends to dine with him at the Brunswick
When the dinner, which was very elabor-
ate, had been served, all of the guests
added their share to the entertainment
which followed Tagedians, comedians,
dancers and operatic stars, theatrical man
ayers and leaders of orchestras contributed
to the pleasure of the evening The din
ner cost 0ffenbach $1,000.
The third of these banquets was ten
dered by Henry Irving to 60 guests du
ring his first visit to the United States six
years ago The table was oval in shape,
the centre being filed with miniature
lake. the banks Of which were covered
with ferns and Towering plants Gold fish
swan about in the water as unconeenedly
as if in their native haunts.
At one end of the table stood pyramid
of game that excited the admiration of all
who beheld it. 1t was composed of every
kind of edible bird or fowl that could be
obtained. There were pheasants, quail,
partridges, rcdhead and canvasback ducks,
golden plovers, reed birds, woodcOck and
meadow larks. all cooked, but covered with
feathers and grouped as though ready to
fly at the first crack of the rife. The
speechmaking which followed the dinner
was continued until such late hour that
the birds were stripped of their plumage
and were eaten as part of the late sup
per which followed. This dinner is said
to have cost Mr.. Irving $4,000.
Mr.. Thomas Frazier of Yonkers once
gave dinner at the Hoffman House to Is
guests, the bill for which was $1,000, or
at the rate of ST per cover Wines worth
$50 bottle were served on this occasion.
A unique feature of the dessert was candy
cages, containing live canaries. These
were broken by the guests and the birds
flew about the room.
The dinner given in the Waldorf last
spring to Governor Werts of New jersey
by the members of his staff was one of the
most notable banquets of the season. The
guests, Sc in number, sat around big
oval table, the centre Of which was filled
with growing plants and flowers. Each
flower had hidden within its heart tiny
electric lamp of the same color as its own
petals. The effect was charming in the
extreme. The wines with which the din
ner was washed down were of rare old vint-
ages, specially imported by Mr.. Boldt.
Three x-Govenors of New jersey who
sat at the table complimented the prepara-
ton of food and service. When the din
ner was over the State apartments on the
second floor were thrown open, and dane
ing rounded out the evenings enjoyment.
The cost of the dinner was $50 plate
New York, however, cannot claim all Of
the famous banquets that have tickled the
palates of the gourmets Other cities have
served feasts which have an almost his
toric interest. In Philadelphia, 40 friends
of the late F. B. Gowen, who was then
president of the Central Railroad of New
Jersey, once gave that gentleman dinner
at the Bellevue which was marvel in its
way. The room in which it was served
was 80 feet square. Every foot of the
walls was covered with green foliage, in
which were concealed small electric lights
of various colors. The room itself was a
veritable flower garden. So abundant
were the masses of blossoms that it was al
most impossible to move from the table
without crushing some of them.
The table was oval in shape, the centre
being filed with American Beauty roses.
From these radiated maiden hair ferns
across the table, thus converting the inner
edge of the table into field of green 70
liage. The dinner was given in winter,
when flowers are most expensive and when
game birds are hard to find. The element
of cost, however, seemed to have had lit
tie weight in preparing this banquet.
Frozen trapped reed birds, snails especially
imported from France, diamond backed
terrapin from Maryland, hot-house grapes
that cost 81 pound, champagnes and still
wines of choice old vintages, gave to the
feast a richness seldom equaled in CASTRO
nomic history. One hundred dollars a
plate was the subscription price.
Chief Justice Fuller of the United States
Supreme Court has publicly declared that
the most remarkable dinner ever given on
this continent was that held at Kinsley S,
in Chicago, by the Fellowship Club. on
October 20, 1892, in honor of the inaugu-
ration of the World Fair Exposition. The
great hall was decorated on all sides with
American, Spanish and Italian flags.
Above the tables cleaned the name of the
club in red incandescent lights Of quaint
design. Flowers were everywhere; they
adorned the walls and ceiling, were heaped