New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-01-01
NEW YEAR POPS IN
GREETED At HOTELS
BY. THRONES.
Brilliant Scenes in All Fifth
AUenue and Broadway
Restaurants.

There was excitement a-plenty in this
town last night and early this morning,
such excitement as New York cherishes
FAR above al! other American cities. Not
the kind that every one looks forward to
and rejoices In at Christmas. but the
kind that makes every one want to tell
every one else he meets while he leans
on his shoulder that he's folly good
fellow To find it in it's most conspicu-
GUS instances, there is one place to go
when the new year approaches, and that
is to the restaurant. Broadway is the
place. and you must not be too provin-
cial to understand that while Broadway
is the centre, the term applies to large
middle section of the town and spots here
and there that pass with the multitude
as the places to make gay.
To get excitement it is almost neces-
sary that there be surprise provided
How vigilantly the proprietors and man.
ayers of hotels and restaurants strive for
this with each new year, and how we'll
they succeed in their attempts, It is for
the patrons-joyfully elect-at their cost,
to determine when the new year has
got good start, perhaps hours, if not
days.
The stock surprise, that of putting the
lights out five minutes or one minute
before midnight and then pumping on
a glare when the clock is at ~, 1t may be
said now. can't be beaten. You can put
frills on it, accompany it with orchestras
galore colored lights and singers of
opera or other quality, but there's moth
ing like making them believe that with
the dark you've chucked everything
sombre to the beyond-and then the
light is on and everything is bright and
fair.
AS it has been for many year in New
York, so it was last night. Putting out
the lights was the favorite pattern, but
while the theme was the same the gen
erous victuallers put on a lot Of new
variations. It didn't matter where one
was placed, it was where he could get in.
Happily for the sensation makers that
lcve New Years Eve as they love no
other holiday. there's always some new
place of glitter that is singled out as the
place of places to be. One year it's a
Waldorf, another an Aston. another a
Knickerbocker, another plaza. This
year the town had its Cafe de l'Opera.
with it's own peculiar distinction to help
implant the idea that New Year was
with us.
THOUSANDS AT RESTAURANTS
More than a hundred thousand guests
crowded the well known restaurants
along Broadway and Fifth avenue to see
the old year out. The lights went out
shortly before midnight, and the stroke
OF the hour was announced by chimes.
bells, trumpets and fanfares. Then the
lights were turned on again, and a thou
sand volleys of champagne corks and
cheers welcomed the new year
Champagne only was used after 10
O'Clock. This rule. esta b!ished q few
years ago, was strictly enforced, in spite
OF the new tariff schedule on imported
wines. for only French champagne was
served. Every table available in the
large establishments was engaged weeks
ahead. and all efforts of those who tried
to obtain seats at the last moment
proved futile. Every big resort had
some distinctive feature to give an in6i-
viduality to the manner of It's entertain
ment
The Hotel Aston opened it's new grand
ballroom for the occasion, and threw
open the adjoining Rose and Laurel
rooms In addition TO this all the other
rooms on the first floor We're open, so
that In all approximately five thousand
persons were accommodated. When the
lights went out there remained illumi-
mated large sign bearing the figures
1909 Slowly the figures waned until
they disappeared, and with the stroke