Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-05
AMERICAS OLD HOTELS.
Passing of the Southern at St. Louis
Recalls Many Memories.

From the 81. Louis Globe Democrat.
If the Southern Hotel is To pass II
will pass not only out of St Louis and
Missouri life. but ont of "A long and
illustrious life which may truly te called
national in its wide inclusiveness. Ii has
been known of travellers everywhere.
Globe trotters who have made this city
a part of their American transcontinentai
touring not only remember ii but remem-
Der ii with that peculiar satisfaction
with which the seasoned traveller always
recalls a place where he has been able
to find both elegance and comfort III an
atmosphere of hospitality not always Ia
be met in modern caravanSarles. bhlt
on a large plan, and furnished, on Its
main floors, according TO the most APP
proved modern ideas. there still seemed TO
cling about the Southern an indennabfe
air of something which nobody has eN-
pressed better than DIR. Johnson In ms
tribute to the little English wayside inn.
1t was this which long made it the
"oniiest'' place for many choice spirits.
Great theatrical stars from Europe shone
under its expanding roof. TO be pointed
out in its vast lobby. as they touched
elbows with statesmen, financiers, poll
ticians and men of large affairs in all
walks of life. St. Louis still has a hotel
antedatng the Southern. The Planters
was first built in 1872: the Southern In
fire i'm 1876 and for few years the site
was vacant. But after the new and
greater and vastly improved structure
was reared on the old spot 1t was seen
that its former patrons We're true to old
and fond recollections Before that IL
had been the scene of great political
convocatons. The democratic chieftains.
or many of them, had headquarters there
when Samuel j. Tilden was nominated
here i'm 1876 Again they assembled there
xvb rleya1anI nominated here
1855 and in 1896 il was headquarters for
Mark Hanna, who brought about the
nomination of William Mckinley. In 1904
it was again center of activities or
many eastern and southern democrats
urging the nomination of Alton b. Parker
The Southern had long held rank as one
of the old and famous hotels of the coun-
try. The Fifth Avenue Hotel OF New York
antedated the original Southern by but
half a dozen years. The first ST Charles
Hotel of New Orleans was built I'm 1S.;6.
The present New Orleans house of that
name is the third. two having been de-
stroyed by fire. and local and national
opinion. unwilling to part with the name
and traditions. justified rebuilding aud
a continuance of the old historic nania.
The fremont House was built at Chicago
in 1910 and the Sherman House there in
1867 Old hotels of the same class as
the Southern which are still in existence
are the Gait at Louisville, built IN 1872.
and the Burnet at Cincinnati. in 1870.
The sixties brought the erection i'm San
Francisco of such great caravanSaries as
the Lick Hotel, which was completed in
1867 and the Occidental. completed IN
the same year. Tn far and long famed
Astor House of New York antedates all
of these having been opened 10 the public
in 1894, but even farther back. in 1s2si.
Baltimore opened her Barnum's Hotel
The majority of houses named are still
in existence. which makes ii more in
why the Southern. rank
ing high among them all. should be
closed in fast-growing city where the
tides of transient travel are constantly
and where a pressing need is
for more and not less hotel room.