The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-07

W tDtll buCttrroIts VIII hOPt @hNO '''
strife for prominence. under the title OF
Life Guards and City Guards respectively
The veterans, however, Of these rival bodies.
enfeebled by excessive astronomical ser
vice and no longer able to cope In digestive
capabilities with the fresh recruits. ulti-
mately assumed by special Legislative
enactment the title OF the Old Guard
The streets bordering on the Battery
or adjacent thereto we're still In 1880 the
choice localities for private dwellings.
A few of the original houses still remain,
but they have passed through all the stages
OF decline which mark city neighborhoods
when abandoned by fashion. Up to a rel
atively recent period, moreover, there
stilEstood at the corner OF Broadway and
Marketfeld street the present
ment Of "A once famous mansion. which in
the hour of its decline bore the sign Of the
Washington Hotel" During the Revolu-
tionary War il was the residence OF Sir
Henry Clinton. Commander-in-Chief Of his
Maiesty's forces in the Colonies, and was
noted for its generous hospitality. Its light
went out wheh Edward Prime Of the long
known banking house Of Prime, Ward a
King, who for many years had chung TO it
tenaciously, felt constrained to renounce IL.
Stephen Whitney, Phillips Ph9nix, Peter
II. Schenck and the Messrs. Schermerborn
4 Ray, with their confreres, we're soon
forced 10 follow suit in the uptown move-
ment, n then boarding houses flled the
district where representatives Of the old
Knickerbocker stock had been born, had
lived and had died.
There was, we are told, in those days
on State street. near Pearl. a famous re-
sort, the modest exterior Of which-it was
but a simple two story building gave no
intimation OF the cheer which reigned
within. Peter Bayard was the presiding
genius, and il seems that his g~astronomic
fame extended far beyond the contracted
city limits. -Pompous. portly PATRONS,
from their far on up-river manors, with
low crowned, broad trimmed hats, massive
fob chains and seals, cambria rufies In
spacious coat flaps; sedate, primly clad
visitors from the city Of Penn; snun colored
denizens Of jersey, and not q few typical
representatives OF the quite notion tribe,
who had heard OF tho visnds which Peter
c~oncocted for the tickling Of the palate,
came to test personally the truthfulness
Of the report MIR. Dayton recalls with
gusto that not only did Peter dispense
choice wines and liquors. but the rarest
bivalves were. sure to be found at his house
in season: in fact, he ransacked the market
10 procure dainties for the educated palate.
Peters browning effort was turtle soup.
1T was delicious; even the dim recollection
Of its savory fumes is tantamount to a
feast. For years Pete Bayard's
was the rendezvous for old and young who
cultivated and appreciated the inner man.
After a bowl Of turtle soup and q glass or
two of his generous port every one became
a friend OF Peters,
As the trade Of the city was concentrated
at the southern end Of Manhattan Island
we should naturally expect the hotels TO be
found in that section. They were not
numerous. however. for permanent resi-
dents in b city were not accustomed to
live at hotels. and their patronage there
fore depended in the main upon the then
limited travelling public. The best Of them.
the City Hotel. occupied the entire front
of the block on Broadway between Thames
n Cedar streets. Not only was IL tho
most celebrated house OF entertainment
in the city, but travellers asserted that IL
had no equal in the United States. So far
as architecture. indeed. was concerned,
II was a plain structure, pierced with a
large number Of square windows, I'M
adorned by lace or damask ~hangings. and
In TACT with nothing to exclude the SUMS
rays but solid white inside shutters. The
furniture, nevertheless. was the best OF
Its kind, durable but transformations. In
keeping with the modest standard Of luxury
which then ruled In New York. Substantial
comfort was the object aimed at and In no
instance was II lost sight of In favor OF
display. The dining room was spacious,
light and well ventilated, but its appoint
ments could lay claim to little except the
most thorough neatness and scrupulous
cleanliness. Tho walters were well trained
and obsequiously attentive, and tho guest
would have been unreasonable who found
fault with a feast abundant in quality and
selected by the most experienced caterer
in the United States.
The New York markets in 1890 were by
and the rivers furnished fish in every
variety. at least as delicate in fla vor as they
are now while wild duck and game Of every
sort we're obtsinable at no great distance
from the town; butchers meats were plenti-
tui ana cneap ana. Win inc 900 excopuon
Of mutton, excellent In quality. So far.
on the other hand. a. fruits and vegetables
were concerned. the supply OF any beyond
the commonest sorts was very limited.
and that was confined TO the season whom
they could he matured out Of doors in the
immediate vicinity. The tomato. now so
general an article OF consumption. was
unknown as an edible. and grown merely