The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-23
BANK TO WIPE OUT
OLD BROSNAN CAFE
Life Saving Station Long Has
Been Quaint Fulton Street
Landmark.
UNCHANGED IN GO YEARS
Built Enduring Reputation OH
the Fine Quality Of It's
Liquid Wares.

The intrenched power OF money. so
notoriously Indifferent to the claims of
art and things and places hnllowed by
antiquarian interest. Is about TO obliter-
ate a stored city landmark by convert
into piece Of bank.
1t was announced yesterday that the
National Park Bank. pressed by the
needs of its affairs TO extend itself be-
yond its present quarters on Broadway
between Fulton and Ann streets had
acquired options on the properties at l51
Fulton street and 20 Ann street
Tie Ann street site Is covered BY an
old building which forms the rear wing
OF Mouquin's restaurant and contains
tho restaurants bar. But 151 Fulton
street harbors all there is of Broman's
saloon. which occupies the whole ground
moor and has no family entrance.
Lucky for Brosnan Heirs.
However. the circumstance that the
bank now requires the property is taken
by old patrons Of the place as an in
stance Of the good fortune which has
attended 1t since 1t was opened in 1850.
Next July would have ended 1t as a
saloon In any event, and John Bros
mans heirs. who stiIl have n long lease
on the property. would have had to es-
taolish some other business or find a
suo-tenant. possibly at shrunken
rental. With the bank turning envious
eyes on the property and ready to take
their lease off their hands. all they have
to do is to assign their lease on July /,
hRfDra III
their convenience, remove the pictorial
relies from the 6arroom walls, and walk
out.
John Brosnan. founder OF the business,
opened ii sixty-eight years ago. and built
II and his reputation on sound ale anil
good whtskey. lie was a connoisseur in
liquors himself and everything that went
over his bar was 100 proof. and all that
he represented IL to be. Scotland. Ire
land and Kentucky and New Jersey
with its applejack helped him TO gain
and keep the confidence OF a discri,n-
mating public. While other saloon men
marched up town and laid out their
profits on marble and mahogany, Bros
nan stayed where he was and kent the
| fixtures which he had in the place the
day he opened.
simple Fittings Never Changed.
They were always Of the simplest
plain sawed oak. with heavy cage wire
| TO protect the bottle shelves The only
covering the floor has ever had has been
a layer of clean sawdust. sprinkled on
every morning, and the mirrors are the
same that were put M in the beginning
The years have added n collection OF
prints and eugravings which adorn the
walls. but the least venerable Of them
was hung at least forty years ago.
There are a copy OF THE SuN OF the
vintage OF 1888. a sheet or two OF the
elder Benefits Herald, a score OF oil
| theatre programmes and pictures Of Lin.
, coin and Grant dating from the civil
war. a touch or two oc Hogarth re
mind the dtinker at the bar that wins
woman and song can lead 20 but single
end and there is picture Of an Eng.
| lish cricket match and several OF his.
| toric race horses
The jewel OF the art collection Is per.
haps the conception portraying the Cen
| saloon al Broadway and Worth street
in the year 1850. The legend. beneath
u, Temperance, But Not Like Maine,
admonishes the art lover that in thH
city's best saloons OF the period, wher
| Fernando Wood was Mayor, the ameni
| ties OF lie We're observed when men met
| The Gem is pictured as a place or
nately furnished with gentlemen in th'
dress OF that time standing about Il IL
dignifed, even courtly attitudes, Mayor
Wood himself is depicted accepting tn.
salutations Of citizen, and MS silk hat
poised In midair. indicates unerringly
who was the father ot a custom which
has chung 10 City Hall from that day L
this.
Sold Whiskey at Five Cents.
Wien hard liquor Is but a name II
the United States and Brosnan's shall
have passed away historians will not'
| IL as one OF the last resorts IN the cit!
to raise It's liquor prices. Long agC
whiskey was only 5 cents there. and fo
years 10 was the highest price asked
I, came to Is gradually, but the worlt
war was we'll along before the price a
| Brosnan's went up to 90. and II Is onl!
very Recently that the full quarter ha
been charged.
The building and ground are still owne,
by the estate OF Lorenzo Wetura, wit
held the property when BrosHan frs
came there and whose name is stiil owe
the door above Rrosnan's. The Mou
quin restaurant wing. which tho Parl
Rank also will take over. is owned b!
the heirs OF Pauline Morgan. who bull
Il in 1858.
| The Mouquin wing contains llttIe NOR
than the establishments bar. and It's los
will not embarrass the restaurant. Onl!
its associations will go. for It, like Bros
mans, has been n humming resort 70
many years at the pre-prandial hour
Mouquin's front entrance in Fultol
street adjoins Brosnan's. Opposite then
a whole building is being renovated an,
decorated for purposes as different iron
theirs as anything can possibly be. !
will occupy whole building OF tire
stories, and although 1t is untenanted a
yet its character is forecast amply j,
paper placard pasted in Its sho,
!. window:
1.-THE soda fountain IN this goody sho
is being installed by -"
70 SOLDIERS HELD AS ROBBERS
Tailor Charges Civilian Hclpe,