Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-11-14
WHERE FAMOUS
MEN CONGREGATE.
Historic Associations of
the Fifth Avenue Hotel,
New York City.
SOME NOTABLE GUESTS.
Probably No Other Building
In the Country Has Enter
tanned SO Many Dis
tinguished Per-
sonages.
Especial Correspondence

Situated at tho junction of three Of New
York's most important thoroughfares-
Fifth avenue, Broadway and Twenty
third street.-the Fifth Avenue hotel meets
the tides that ebb and flow day by day
through the year Around that point the
life of the metropolis is conferred 1t is
not only in the heart of the city-it is in
a sense the heart of the city because of its
close and intimate connection with every
phase Of metropolitan life No other spot
in New York is quite SO famous, because
here, from time to time during the past 81
years, have been gathered the most distin-
guished men and women not only of this
country, but of the world Where the great
men gather, the humber and lowlier, each
of some Importance in his own sphere, is
likely to meet, too, and it is this attrac-
ton which has made the Fifth Avenue no.
tel the most famous hotel on the continent.
1t is a striking fact that during all these
years the management of the hotel has
been the same. The group of men who are
responsible for the conduct of an institu-
ton which can accommodate 1000 guests
and occupies more space than any other
metropolitan hotel have been for almost
four decades engaged in the profitable EN-
ployment of entertaining all the celebrities
of the United States and great many of
the worlds notables. The names they
have seen inscribed on the register would
make catalogue of eminent men not to
be equaled by any other establishment in
the country
1t was in 1859 that the hotel began its
brilliant career as the home of eminent
men and women. A year later the Prince
of Wales came to this country making his
temporary home with his suit at the Fifth
avenue Then General Scott, the COM
mander in chief of the United States army,
took up his residence there. About the
same time, in 1860, the brilliant wedding
reception of General and Mrs. Mcclellan
was held In tho hotel
Since that time the corridors have echoed
with the tread of the most famous men in
the land. Under its roof all the presidents
of the United States since Lincoln's time
have slept and lived Tho grand reception
and dinner to General Grant at the close
of the war were given here. Here General
Grant lived for many years, and con-
slant visitor now Is the generals widow,
and also his daughter, Mrs. Sartoris, and
his son, Colonel Fred ID. Grant Here
Hayes and Garfield invariably staid when
they came to New York. President Ar
thur was always a welcome guest, and 1t
was here that he received the Korean en-
bassy.
Within it's walls President Cleveland
and the members of his cabinet have gath
ered and within few weeks one of its
distinguished guests has been ex- President
Harrison, who makes this place his New
York home. The figure of James G. Blaine
was one Of the most notable that ever
strolled through it's corridors, and he loved
70 stop at the Fifth Avenue hotel to greet
his hosts Of friends and to be greeted by
them. His rival, Roscoe Conkling, was
for long time resident here.
At one time, on the occasion of the cele-
bration of the one hundredth anniversary
of the supreme court of the United States,
1t might have been possible to hold ses-
sion of that august body, with all its NOM
bers present, and only within few weeks
Chief Justice Fuller has paid another of
his many visits to this resting place.
General Sherman lived in the hotel for
several years until he bought his home up
town, and General Sheridan was fire.
Quent guest.
Here Dom Pedro, emperor of Brazil,
once held court, and here "Plon Plon, "
heir apparent to the crown of France, dis
cussed his chances and prospects, as later
did Prince Victor Napoleon. If England's
heir apparent found the Fifth avenue suit
ed to his demands, so, too, did tho pictur-
esque crown prince of Siam and that lit
tie group of royal sons of Siam $ king VINO
invaded New York in 1887
Eminent men and women of the stage
have sought rest and quiet in the hotel aft
er the nights work was done.
Hero Joe jefferson, having thrown aside
the tatters of Rip Van Wrinkle, used to
meet Mulberry Sellers, transformed into
the jovial and genial Raymond Booth
lived many months here, and he and Bar
rett were accustomed to meet with some of
their friends for a quiet chat after the
theater.
But tho Fifth Avenue is famous for
events as we'll as for persons. Here was
given tho famous breakfast to Starr King.
Past its doors marched the gallant Seventh
regiment on its way to the war, cheered by
thousands Of loyal men and women who
were gathered before the hotel or collected
in its rooms. 1t was in state of siege"
during the riots of 1863 1t was in one Of
it's rooms that the Arcadian club gave its
brilliant reception to Charlotte Cushman
to mark her retirement from the stage.
During the centennial of 1876 the hotel
was OVERLOOKING with important guests
hospitable tables the opening of the Brook
Ign bridge was celebrated in befitting man
ner. Here the French and German dele
cations to the Yorktown celebration fra
ternized at the centennial banquet, and
during the Washington centennial of 1889
the register of the hotel was practically a
catalogue of the prominent citizens who
had come from all the states of the Union
to celebrate that glorious anniversary. So,
too, with the funerals of Grant, Arthur
and Sherman and the laying of the corner
stone of the Grant monument--on all these
historic occasions the distinguished par
tiopants, from presidents and cabinet mem
bers down, naturally concentrated at the
Fifth Avenue.
Perhaps the strongest claim which this
caravansary has to distinction and promi
hence grows out of its intimate connection
with the leading politicians and statesmen