New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-26
ALAS! FOR THE PASSING
Of THE OLD GRAPEVINE
Where One Could Get Fine OId
Musty Ale and a Tasty
Mutton Pie.
EIGHTY YEARS A LANDMARK
Greenwich Villages Artist Rem
devious Sold by McClel-
land To Quit on
January /

The Old Grapevine which has produced
more artistic Joy than any other mouse
in Old Greenwich Village. or for that
matter. in all New York during the
oiobty years il has ministered unto the
thirsty artists of the neiehborhood' VIII
pass out Of the hands Of old Alec McClei-
land TN. bra' Scot who has been its host
for forty-three years, on the first OF the
year.
A little over a month ago the plot on
which the two story frame structure
stands. on the southeast corner OF lin
street and Sixth avenue, was sold CF
Alec. az he is known TO his customers
10 a real estate dealer.
The building. one OF the few remaining
frame buildings on any of New Horh
busy streets, has stood the one huhdfe"
and twenty years OF its existence noo!E'
Its gable roof. stained deep brown oy
many Years of rain and sun ana SNOW
has not lost shingle IN twenty years
And no one in the neighborhood can i'-
member when the yellow paint that COW
ers i,s clapboards or the dark green that
marks out the blinds was fresh. Ana
il - more than likely that had Oil Aleo
submitted the proposition Of repainiing
The building to the artists and others, H.
Guiding Bohemisns Of both varieties me
real and the professional who live IN the
neighborhoOd, and who form the bulk oil
it's trade. the vote would be TO retain the
old house as 1t stands.
Upsets Many Pet Traditions.
Unlike most houses that are called
picturesque after lapse OF years. the
Old Grapevine Is clean. Its ancient bar
IS always brightly polished, and the pew
Ter mugs that hang above the bottles OF
Scotch and rye and Bourbon are shinec
every morning. The plain board MOOR
with the old-fashioned wooden grill that
runs parallel TO the brass foot rail- Is
scrubbed and secured every forenoon
Then. TOO. another element of the ac-
cepted picturesqueness OF any old bar
room-the round. beer stained tables OF
The novelists-is lacking. The tables are
there: they are round; they dot the hoor
at frequent intervals and all that, Dut
they are not beer stained. Another shock
10 the BohemanS who at the close or thelr
weeks work behind a counter Haroun
Al Raschid it every Saturday Night Is
that the frames and glass that inciose
the old theatre programmes and thar
stare down from the walls are not COW
cred with the dust Of years or any other
sort OF dust. And equally clean are the
ortn
ing Grant and Cleveland and Garfield that
share the walls with the theatre pro-
grammes and the old sporting prints
Many noted men, artists and men Of let
rers. lawyers and politicians, have spent
many a quiet hour over a mug OF ale at
the OLD Grapevine. And Colonel Roose-
welt. before he went TO war and moved 10
oyster Bay was known TO go there. but
only TO drink vichy water. To mention
all those who have gone TO the Grapevine
once or twice or oftener and who have
achieved prominence in their respective
lines would be easiest accomplished by
tearing out pages from who's Who" and
pasting them up.
Mutton Pie and Ale Supreme.
Ever since Alec McClelland has pre-
sided over the destnies Of the Old Grape
vine. which was long before the Bacchic
plant had been torn up from the roots
and down from the house. and which gave
the place its name. one could always get
hot ruutton pie and a mug OF cool
musty ale, regardless Of the weather or
seasons.
But the price Of tie mutton pies has
gone up in the last few years from 6 10
70 cents Once-that was long time ago
they were only five cents But the nigh
cost Of living has not affected either tie
price or quality Of the mug of ale, which
YOU can still buy for cents.
II YOU want it. go there early, so you
can drink il slowly as good ale should be
drunk. for old Alec always turns the key
sharp at the legal closing hour. and no mat
ter who may he reading Punch or any
of the other English periodicals which are
olwavs kept on file for the convenience
Of customers. and no matter how he may