The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-10
HISTORIC HOTELS
 ARE PASSING AWAY Old Landmarks In New York Yield to March of Progress GREAT FIELD IN SOUTH It is Rumored That Prominent Hotel Man of New York is PIannina
 to Build Chain of South
 ern Hotels.
GREAT FIELD IN SOUTH

New York, January 9.--(Special,) Jon Thursday of this week New York hotel men will hold their annual banquet. The occasion is of more than usual moment and interest to the south, for there has been much during the past year to cre- ate reminiscent vein and the great hotels of the southland of former genera tions will be discussed In retrospective story and anecdote.
 The reminiscent vein is brought about by the recent passing away of some of New York's ancient landmarks in the way of hostelries. In hotel circles one hears everywhere about the hotels of yes- terday, and strangely enough the lines which run into the past all converge in the south and the talk is about hotel keeping south of the Mason and Dixon's line in the earlier periods
 The south had the great hotels before the war and the hospitality they dis pensed made them famous all over the world.
 In the south such hotels as the St. Charles at New Orleans, the Battle House at Mobile, the Planters at St. Louis and Gait house, Louisville, early gained great fame and prestige. They were better known at home and abroad than its public or governmental institu- tions. In fact, quite as familiar on the public tongue as the name of the state itself in which the particular hotel hap pened to be located.
 Tn the expansion of New Orleans, Mo- bile, St. Louis and Louisville their fa- nous hostelries saw the first one of the subsequent progressive steps Tn the social, political and business life of the community its hotels were the center of activity. The charm with which hospi- tality was dispensed in the south has been very marked in its influence for geniali- ty of atmosphere found in the other great hotels that afterward came into prominence in the north and elsewhere
 In an individual way big name con- nected with the development of southern hotels was F. R. Nudge, the first of a great line of bonifaces. Without a break the chain of hotels in which he was iden- tifed reaches from the old St. Charles In New Orleans to the Hotel Breslin In New York.
 Walter E. Hldreth of the Breslin is a son of the late D. M Hildreth. The lat ter's uncle was E. R. Nudge and his brother, Solomon Hinchley Nudge, was his grandfather The Hotel Breslin draws to itself the rich traditions of the south through ancestry and business activities of that ancestry in the south.
 The Nudge brothers took charge of the old St. Charles hotel In 1887, and made 1t the most famous hostelry in America. They ran the hotel under the firm name of E. R. Nudge & Co. until January Is, 1851, when the first St. Charles was burned down.
 The great hotels of the south, especial. ly in the period before the war. were the school which developed many of the great hotel men of the north. Paran Stevens owned the Battle house in Mobile and brought A. B. Darling to New York and also took Hiram Hitchcock from MT. Hildreth at the St. Charles, and these two young men opened the Fifth Avenue hotel, August 22, 1859, under the firm name of Hitchcock, Darling & Co.,, MT. Stevens retaining the principal ownership for many years later.
 The Fifth Avenue hotel, under the guidance of Messrs. Hitchcock a Dar- ling graduates in southern hotel keeping, became the leading hotel in America It was torn down in 190S to mako way TOT a big modern office building The won- der is and the wonderment has been growing since why greater and bigger Fifth avenue hotel was not built on the site of it's famous predecessor.
 America has shown the world what hotel keeping should be in the way of comfort and commodious. cheerful sur roundings. It showed how to house and bed it's patrons. Europe in the way of kitchen and dining-room service has done much for Americsa, but in combin- ing every feature of attractiveness the southern hotels have had a tremendous influence erywhere in making hotels nIace of cheer and hospitality.
 If is felt in New York that the south apoin when it shall have returned to It's own, will prove revelation in the way If great hotels. Developments in tho south industrially and commercially point the way to great wealth, and with the graat resources utilized will come nariod of great splendor in hotel life.
 If ia reported in New York that MT. rIildreth has been asked to head syn d;cste to erect or acquire chain of graat hotels throughout the south. MT. IIudreth declined to commit himself until 4..a nroject takes definite shape and the SataiIs show substantial and financial s'eorine to guarantee the successful caJ- ..'.;,,e out of the undertaking. The plans s.a still in an embryo state. The at1 tro o+iveness of the proposition commands sttention because of the tremendous fu- --,t,;titias of the south.