The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-06
From the Boston Globe.


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 to make room for a number of buildings which will produce large rent, is causing a flood of "reminiscences to occur to people who have made this house a headquarters when in New York. The demolition of any old hotel, like the passing of an old friend, brings back pleasant recollections.
 It is noteworthy that the erection and opening of this famous hotel was due largely to the enterprise of Paran Stevens, the well ll-known hotel proprie tor of Boston. He was associated with Messrs. Hitchcock & Darling. The house, which cost, exclusive of furni- ture, $2,000 900, was opened in 1859, and was then on the outskirts of New York city. It covers IS city lots. For many years it was unequaled in the number and spaciousness of it's corri- dors, halls and public rooms, and the commodious character of its guest rooms
 Beginning with the Prince of Wales in 1880, a never-ending procession of the great men of this and other coun- tries has marched through it's cor- riders. No other single hotel in the country 1t is believed, has ever enter tained so many distinguished people as have been received at the Fifth avenue.
 It Is said that the gatheri.,,, there at General Grants funeral was the most noted assembly of Americans ever brought together. Throughout it's en- tire career 1t has been identified with brilliant local and national events.
 Politicians and newspaper men from all parts of the country, when national politics have been uppermost in the public mind, have always found the Fifth Avenue hotel a great center for political news. For that reason they will always have vivid recollection of eventful days and nights passed there.
 The public is apt to forget the irn- portant part that hotels play in the fairs of this world. The hotels have always been closely related to the pub lie welfare. In these establishments statemen and men of affairs meet ire quently to consider the public veal, and formulate policies for nation, state and city. Like the taverns of a century ago hotels are fountains of news" and news gatherers and public men highly appreciate them.
 This close relation between hotels and men of affairs has existed since the foundation of the republic. First. there were the inns and taverns started in 1795 and kept on the American plan." The taverns were small, con- taining about 20 rooms. The furniture | was plain, and meals were served at regular hours the landlady and her assistants doing the cooking. Game was abundant, and some taverns kept hunt, CTS. Liquors were on many hotel ta- bles, and the guests helped themselves l freely of light wines. Each tavern | had a bar, a ballroom and stable l When the first Congress met in New ork in 17s9 the members were mostly accommodated in private boarding
 houses. In 17s5 the taverns of conse- auence were in New York, Philadelphia, l Boston and Baltimore.
 During the first quarter of the last century the people realized that req. hotels were necessary to help the | towns, and they began to be established l in prominent places. The year 1S47 vii! ever be remembered fin hotel annals as
 the date of the opening of the Revere 1 house by Paran Stevens.
 l Remarkable changes have taken place in hotels since the opening of l the Fifth Avenue. Of late years sky l xcrapers have been the order of the 1 day. Millions of dollars are invested 1 in hotel property to secure the best sites and all modern Improvements. Now there must be elevators for pas ] sengers and baggage, electric bells. l telephones, laundries, expensive pie l lures, luxurious furniture. and hun dreds of costly luxuries that were un- known even half a century ago. Then. | too. the general purveying for large | hotel costs hundreds of thousands of dollars annually and there must be no