Evening star., 1929-01-02

To the present and passing genera
ton there is something more than the
tearing down of an old hotel in the
doom that has been decreed for the
Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.
Last stand of a decade that had a
charm as individual as that Of the
Elizabethan age, hail and farewellI'
exclaims the Newark Evening News
THE incredible rise in land values in
New York is exemplified in the fact
that such an enormous structure, still
operative and profitable, can be thus
ruthlessly sacrificed to commercial uses
in the form of just another Tower OF
Babel on small island already equip
ped with them In amazing number.
That 1t will pay to sweep into oblivion
such monster of bricks and mortar
is in itself a world wonder"
I'm the changes of 35 years the Wal
dorf-Astoria has played no small part,
recalls the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Business deals of magnitude were dis
cussed in its atmosphere; the political
well-being of the country and of States
have been affected by the decisions
Waldorf was filled with interest, the
new rubbing shoulders with the old,
bon vivants settling the fate of the
chefs latest product, fashion turning
thumbs down or up on the latest lad,
the stars of the operate and theatrical
worlds baSking in the view of the casual,
society on display toward Fifth avenue
and men alone enjoying the mysteries
of the end toward Astor court"
During most of its 35 years it stood
for romance and elegance hoStelry
swarming with beautiful women and
with the wealthy and powerful OF both
sexes" states the New York Evening
World. "* for years the social
status of residents of the smaller towns
throughout the United States could be
a little advanced by stopping at the
Waldorf when visiting the city" That
paper adds: "It is always little sad
to hear of the passing of an old hotel
that has taken on the dignity of an in
stitution. It has been lived in. 1t is
associated with people, usually in their
most Joyous moods. 1t Is connected
with great events and great perSonageS.
Thus, when the old Fifth Avenue Ho-
tel passed there was real sorrow OF the
penSive sort. So it is with the Waldorf"
There is something peculiarly mel
ancholy," the Syracuse Herald thinks,
"in the death sentence passed upon a
appeared to be the very summation OF
elegance and luxury as house of en-
tertainment. 1t has been outStrlpped
by greater hotels in the same marvel
Gus city, but none of them has made so
vivid an impression upon the minds OF
observers by its superiority over pre-
existing models"
"Gaudiness was mistaken for gran
deur in the period when the Waldorf
Astoria was built" comments the
Louisville Times, which remarks, how
ever, that. mot since the Waldorf
opened has any one builded a hotel
that has won friends more widely or
held them more securely"
what a center of metropolitan life
what name to faScinate every traveller |
from China to Peru!" observes the BoS- |
ton Transcript, with the suggestion as |
to the New York attitude toward the |
death of a famous house: Probably |
New York as an entity will have no re- |
gretS over the disappearance OF the |
Waldorf Astoria. The Brobdignagian |
idea is dearer to New Workers than any |
landmark of the past. But some Of us |
outsiders, and perhaps even some old
New Workers, will experience a sensa- |
ton of real regret. There are hum
dreds of skyscrapers, but there was ney- /
er but one Waldorf Astoria. Its 'splen-
doris were surpassed, but its personality |
survived"
OF the Waldorf's history the Roanoke !
World-News recalls: "The structure !
claims 10 have housed greater num-
ber of world leaders than any other in
America. There came the Princess Eu-
lalia of Spain, the Crown Prince of
Siam, and the famous Chinese viceroy,
Ii Hung Chang. There were entertain
ed Prince Henry of Prussia, the King
and Queen of Belgium and the Prime
of Wales"
Going back to the period OF the 90s.
the Baltimore Evening Sun finds that
lin IS years we have builded a new
world" and gives the description of the
Al.l