New-York tribune., 1900-03-04

| toward laying Atlantic cable. when the eqes
nerstone Of St Paurs Methodist Episcopa
Church, in Fourth-ave.. and the Broadway TaA
ernacle, in Thirty-fourth-st. had just been laid;
when the pioneers of Central Park were perfecA
ing their early plans, and when ThaIberg vah
creating great stir in musical circles
PANIC CHANGES ENOs PLANS
Despite the protests of friends and the propn-
ecies of failure the part Of many people vvors
was begun on the marble block. but when TIA
building reached the second story the ersa.
financial panic of 1897 struck the countrv ari
work was suspended. The partly cor,nrat.5
structure was boarded up. and stood that was
until Paran Stevens. Of Boston. conceived N.
idea that it might he a good hotel site He a,,.
was advised not to go far uptown. but hs
saw further than his friends and advanced
money so that the building might be- COMPLETED
and in 1880 the hotel opened for business
The men who assumed control of the nIac.
were experienced hotel men Hiram Hitchcock
had been manager of one of Mr.. Stevens's no.
teIs IN New-England and A. B. Darling had
been the successful manager of the Rattle HonsA
at Mobile. another hotel owned by Mr. S-evena
The style OF the firm was Hitchcock Darling A
Co and although there have been some chance.
in the firm since then. Mr. Hitchcock bav,n.
retired for a few years and other member
having been admitted the firm Is now vvha+ "a
was in the beginning OF the business Mr. Hitch.
COCK having now the assistance as a partner of
Z y las. who was cashier OF the house for q
number Of years before he was admitted N a
partnership.
When the second lease was issued in 1865 for
term of twelve years. the rental was placed
at S2tnOUo year. The hotel became the ac-
knowledged Republican centre in 1861 and It's
claim has remained undisputed except for two
yt-ha
other quarters.
THE UNpISPUTED REPUBLICAN CENTRE.
Since that time said Dwight Lawrence,
who has lived there for many years every
well known Republican. no matter from what
part of the country he may come has been
guest at this hotel and people all over ths
United States have known for many years that
when they want 10 reach Republican Leader
and don't know his address Fifth Avenue Ffo.
tel will find him
General Grant liy here for years the Hayes
campaign managed here and Garfield A.
thur. Blaine. Harrison and Mckinley. and ths
men who worked with and for them were guest.
at the hotel when they came 10 New York Ev-n
those men who had their homes in the city
came 10 the hotel in the evening and saw trefr
friends and heard the news. and gave out thef,
share of it in their rooms or in the big hotl
lobby Zach Chandler made his office here
when ne chairman of the National COM
mttee; Roscoe ConkIinS lived here until he
went out of office. and there arc not many ae-
tive Republican politicians who did not aka
their first degree here"
The movement which resulted in the nornina-
tion of General Grant began at a dinner given
IN the Fifth Avenue Hotel This took place on
the evening of March - 1861 and George
Peabody was the guest of honor, Among those
present were Admiral Farragut John Jacob
Astor. George Bancroft Judge Edwards Pierre
pont William Nj Evarts ThurIOw Weed Henry