The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-22
TIE KllH q CD TON.
THE PROPRIETO2 o. 4 FAM0Ca
Dowx.roWy CuoP u0usE-
Rich In Hlsaeeae Assoeaottoao-
Charlotte TeDDBe's 0o0e-t1ve

.sOld Toms" . famous little ale and
chop house In Thames street. near Trinity,
church, was closed yesterday. and . notice
on the door announced the death Of Thorn
as J. HoIahan. it, proprietor. Although
another Hoiahan gave to this quaint and
historic public house the name II has
borne for three score Of years, the man
whose life has just ended was the only
''Oid Tom" known to the present gen
Grafton. and he was widely and cordially
esteemed. Cnassuming in manner, even
tempered Industrious. OF unQuestioned
prcbity and q most agreeable caterer, he
was personally known and liked by many
hundreds OF downtown business men.
The news of his death caused pang OF
sorrow to every one Of the regular pat
rons OF this ancient establishment. There
were many who turned disappodniedly
away from the closed doors yesterday who
for score of years had. eaten their iuneh-
cons there with the regularity of clock
work. Since the present building was
erected this place has not been closed ex-
cept on Sundays and holidays. The fact
that Mr.. HoiAhAn was In poor health had
been known to most Of his patrons for .
month or more, but there was no inttrna-
tion that his iilneas was OF dangerous
character until q few days ago the an
nouncement was made that he had been
Obliged to take to his bed
His apartments were over the restAIr
rant. There his wife died about seven
years ago, leaving four daughters. Mr..
Holahan's death occurred at o'clock yes.
terday morning from heart failure. He
was born in this city about sixty years
ago. and he took up the restaurant husi-
ness under the direction Of his father. and
assumed the proprietorship of 'Old
Toms when the elder Holahan died.
With its sanded floor. tn primitive wood
en- tables IFS quaint old pictures. It's home
like cooking and bounteous service, its
spick and span cleanliness, and IL Kn!ck-
erbocker tables trimming with good ale
drawn from a cask In the cellar, this
noted public house always retained its
wholesome, oId-fashioned character. It's
patronage being Of . permanent nature,
q quiet sociabili;y usually pervade1 the
place. Until recently ''Old Tom" himsK,
rotund. affable and alert, has presided.
white-aproned and often in his shirt
sleeves, over the midday service.
A wealth Of historic regal ciions cling
about ''Old Toms For nearly a hun
bred years public house had stood on
or near the site Of the present building
at Thames and Temple street. This build
ing was erected quarter OF q century
ago. while the cobweb-lined ale hos 1t
the original "Oid Tom" was yet standing
On an adjoining lot. The old house be.
came rickety and unsafe and had to he
tern down. When the parent chop house
was established in this locality the City.
hotel stood where the Boreei building now
stands. In the rear Of the old hotel was
the chop house. The original building was
erected before the revolution. and is said
TO have been the residence OF Charlotte
Temple. After her death William Wake
converted the lower part of the place into
an ale and porter house. He conducted
the establishment until his death In 1911.
when IL became the property of William
Reynolds, who retired in 1884 and was
succeeded by the Messrs Mum 2 4 =.
Four years thereafter Thomas Holahan
became the proprietor, and the place took
the name 1t now bears. II has enjoyed an
extraordinary popularity throughout its
long career. and seems to have 'steadfast-
ly maintained reputation as place for
good eating and good drinking"
II was In this historic chop house that
Alexander Hamilton took his last meal
before departing for Weehawken to meet
Aaron Burr. Warrington. Jefferson. ane
Madison are counted among the early pat
rons Of the place. ard II was the regular
lis. George Morris, Edgar Allan Poe. Bur-
ton. Thomas Hsmbiin. the elder Waliack.
John Rrougham and other celebrities OF
American literature and the stage.
Old New York merchants by the score
ate their chops, smoked their pipes and
drank their ale in "Old Toms" John ia
cob Astor. the founder Of that family In
this country, was loyal patron Of the
cid chop house, and he inculcafed love
for the place in the breasts Of his de-
scendants. Five generations OF the Astor
family have stretched their legs under the
substantial tables Of this historic chop
house. William r. Astor lunched there
regularly In company with Peter Cooper,
A. r. Stewart. Commodore vander>,it,
Daniel Drew and other noted New York
ers OF that period John Jacob Aston. the
second. was frequsnt patron of the place
and his son. William Waldorf Aston,
seemed to have imbibed his great-grand-
fathers fondness for the place. 1t Is not
many years .-go since William Waldorf
Aston took his young sons to "Old TOMS
and proudly said to che man who died
yesterday morning. This makes the fifth
generation of my family that has pat
ronized this old chop house."
A faithful description Of "Oid Tom's,''
as 1t has been for the past quarter Of a
century. appears in little volume enti-
tied THE Referee-An Annual Magazine
Conducted Under the Auspices OF the
Happy Family-ls76.'' The aLthorhip OF
the following pen picture OF the place has
been attributed-and oubtless correctly
soto William Waldorf Astor:
On entering the visitor finds himself in
an iiregularly shaped room with dark.
wainseoted walls, relieved here and there
by an cid print or engraving. On the lest
Is table laden with dslicately notified
steaks and chops shining kidneys. glis-
tening fish. bursting cauli'ower or two.
besides other uncooked articles. the mere