The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-28
TT you 40 nor md him al the
Hoffman. go acros the street
to the Fifth Avenue, and II no
to-. h.x~ Ia In not IN town"

in the New York OF to-day, wnlch NUM-
bers its great hotels by scores and
those OF less degree by hundreds. II
was only three decades back that 1t
would have truthfully applied to the
arrival in uhis city of nine out or ten
men prominent in politics, finance,
state and national Government. the
army and navy, he theatre and the
domain of sports. For In the '70s and
sos the Hoffman House. which Ia now
about 70 disappear. and the Firth
Avenue Hotel. which passed several
Years were the heart OF the throo-
hing metropolis OF the New World. 1t
Was an old time resident OF the Hof-
man House who. when
abroad, told n chance acquaintance In
England that the Battery was three
miles south OF New ork and Central
ParAa mile and a half north.
And with tho disappearance of the
Hoffman. which is to ne replaced oy
vet another Of the towering steel
frame structures now the distinctive
characteristic Of New York, a page OF
the history OF the city Will be turned
down. From the day the u was
opened. through a hal century or
growth and change u~nequalled In n
city in the world. the HOFFMAN wa5
n feature OF New York life. Opened
I'm 1854. II was at the time IN" last
word IN hotel structure and luxury
Franconi's Hippodrome occupied q site
directly opposite the ground where
tho Hoffman was erected, n NJ the
tina Il was built Madison Square was
little more than a pasture with 2lezas
paths wandering through br!ars. thorn
! bushes and rocks. All business IN
,eres,s were then located below
Rleeckor street and fNfth avenue
above T~weuty-third street had n 80
urban appearance. .
Tn first prop-.etors were Read
Wall & CO.. the active being
Dan toward who was the co IL
retired In 1865. and the Arm became
yiitche;l & Read. ~ the expiration
" their lease. Cass.us II. Read. VIC
was n native 81 Vermont, became so''
PROPRIETOR. He had learned the hote
business a, tho old Howard House IL
broadway. Gen. Mitchell afterwar'
TOOK nn1 OF lUN vi AN " NM
the direction Of Mr.. Read. the Norman
prnspered. Edward ; Stokes lived a
|, ,bs ho,.l and met Jim Fisk there
After the shooting OF Fisk. wH'ch sen
/ Stokes Arst 20 n Tomos. then I" sin
sing and then 10 Auourn. 'hssIu
I Read was his devot"d friend n az
everything 10 help tho ifnprisone'
/, man When Stokes was released n
formed a partnership with Read an
I under their Joint administration IN
( hoffman became famous the countr
; over.
So much Nas been sad ard witt"
about tho. decorations, paintings an
other works OF art with which l.
r a,ok % made the cafe the talk or IN
g conntry that Il IL interesting 90 reca
eome that attracted the mos; attention
!. The dimensions OF the lofty room, b
4 by so, afforded an opportunity TO DIS
!, NAV these works 20 the hest ahVaA
q .age. All o. 80 woodwork. panelN''
. bar. lunch counter. &c, was OF u
anes Santo Domingo mahogany. TT
floor was Of tessellated tile partial
covered with expensive TURKISH rug
o Wal, Street was suggested BY ~
. noars and two bulls, which stood q
y each end Of the long countars, and d
. silent duty by UNFOLDING minimum
a mutations OF Old fashioned stree
> ,amps. The central portion OF the 1907
h was occupied by a buffet, 2s feet lo'.
and Is inches wide. which was sul
/ rounded by the polished counters
? the har.
+ lust below the ceiling and PARTIAL
y hidden by shruhbery was sly NJ
l. REWARD. in The act of examini z a we
u stocked hamper. The collection
;. s,atuarv Included Eve IN marble,
4 Rail; drumming Lesson" IN marb'
= hy Romaneli; ran and Bacchsnt'
in bronze. which tool the f,rs: pr!'
{, AT the Paris exposition IN 1873, /
a. Srhlesstnger; "Nautch CTR An q
bronze by q. Mast, a bronze eGu@
TRAN group. by Ida Ronhrur. and IN
a DIVER" In bronze. ny Terrachi.
% on .ha western wall was a lar,
n niece OF Gohelip tapestry. 20 by % f"'
,, made for Napoleon III, represents
20 the port OF Marseilles. THIS former
"a belonged 10 A. T Stewart On G
80 eastern wal were three pieces
l. Flemish tapestry. brought ~ the III
~ o, the Turco-Russian war from q
III museum az Corstantinople, where IN
o. hnd been for moro than a centur
They represented scenes NJ the We
ding feast OF Queen Esther.
The room also contained eone We
rare and valuable paintinga, amol
which MAJ be mentioned Corregg!'
"Narcssus.' Bousuereau's oelehrat
. "Nymphs and Satyrs," "A portrait
Gen Grant by Constant Mayer "Ru
SIAN Mail Carrier" by Chelmonst
Pain Sunday" by W. d, Sadie
Vision OF Faust" by u. Falero; 'Bo
DOR OF an Eastern Princess"
FNicnne. Dream OF Fra Angelic,
by Dcmonceaux "Nymph Of {
Danube" by w. Krav. and \ Ea'
err Haven" by J. II Merle.
AS a political centre the HORN
was unique. For years Il was {
stopping place for practically eve
Democrat OF prominence whom
came to New York. A walk throu
| the corridors IN the days preceding
Presidential election was like a gar
| into tho halls OF Congress. In :
| lobby could be seen Governors. Unit
| states senators. members OF Concr
| and bosses from all parts OF the Sti
| and country,
The Democratic national and Fl,
| organizations made Il their headqu'
| ters In many IA strenuous canpail
| nnd from there there went ont