The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-01

From the Christian Science Monitor.
 WINNIE was when. in imitation of a
 celebrated hostelry in New York,
 = every considerable town in the United States had it's Brevoort hotel. The original esta blishment still exists, and several large cities through out the interior have hotels bearing the name even now. A notable instance $ the Brevoort in Chicago, which ante dates many, and has survived not few, of the more pretentious hotels of these latter years. It has, of course, been en- larged but for years after the great fire of 1871, it was the regular stopping place the road,'' the environment of the well managed home. The name "Brevoort' is thus associated, in the thoughts of thousands in the United States, with hotels. The first and most famous of the Brevoort hotels was. of course, that
 erected on lower Fifth avenue, New York, at the northeast corner of Eighth street. The site was part of the old Hendrick Brevoort farm. Riders Guide Book of New York; published by Henry Holt & Co.,, 1916, thus refers to the house as 1t Is today:
 "Brevoort, Fifth avenue and Eighth street 600 rooms), French, Formerly fashionable; now one of the most liked small hotels in the city; much patronized by foreigners artists and journalists of ltctfn ion. at far1fo tnIIS 50 tia- factory Good food"
 Thus, the Knickerbocker name and dignity are preserved. The Brevoort family in New York. by the way. was founded by the Hendrick Van Brevoort already named. He was the constable and overseer of 'Haarlem." Later he re- moved to New York. which was then at the tip of Manhattan Island. and in 1702- |13 he was an alderman. His farm ex- tended northeasterly from Eighth street and Fifth avenue to Fourteenth street and Fourth avenue, a site now packed with towering structures.
 Exclusive Identification of the name of Breevort with the hotel business would, of course, be as misleading as exclusive Identification of the name of Astor or Vanderbilt with that vocation. There were Brevoorts who distinguished them- selves in other lines. There are Bre- voorts in the literature and art annals of the nation. We have to do here with one of the members of the family who was for years an intimate companion of Washington Irving. It might be said, without stretching matters, that Henry BrevoortT and Washington Irving were chums. As young men they were both of secure position in society, as we'll as young men of fashion. A year ago the letters of Washington Irving to Henry Brevoort were published; within the last few weeks the letters of Henry Brevoort l to Washington Irving have appeared. and this circumstance brings into light. in our time. one who was a social favorite :, in New York hundred years ago.
 l Speaking of Brevoort and hotels, it is
 remarkable coincidence that Henry
 Brevoort. in youth. perhaps with the view
 of moderating his social tendencies, was
 sent by his family to tho far northwest
 as an assistant to John Jacob Astor, who
 was then conducting large and lucra- ltiye exchange business with the Indians
 and laying the foundation of the Astor millions. Returning to the east. Henry Brevoort decided to visit Europe. and ! in the collection of his~ missives re
 fasFsd to- is one touching on the voy-