Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03

George Alfred Townsend speaks at length Of
John welker and his celebrated establish
ment and since this noted Civil War CORE
spondent has told the story 30 Interestingly
his description of this noted hotel man will
be given without charge. Here Is what Mr..
Townsend says:
Dining in Washington is a great element
In politics. The lobby man dimes the Rep
resentative; the Representative dimes the Sena-
tor; the Senator dimes the charming widow,
and the charming widow dimes her coming
man. For reed birds the politician consults
Hancock on the Avenue; for oysters, Harvey;
and for an ice a quiet supper, Wormley
Page; but there is no dinner like Welckers.
He possesses autograph letter from Charles
Dickens saying that he kept the best res
taurant in the world He has given all the
expensive and remarkable dinners here for
several years: and talking over the subject of
his art with him few days ago, we obtained
some notions about food and cooking at Wash
ington.
1welcker is said 10 be Belgian, but he has
resided in New York since boyhood and he
made his appearance in Washington at the
beginning of the war steward of the 7th
Regiment. He is a youthful, forid, Stoutish
man, with a hearty address, ready blush,
and love for the open air and children.
Every Summer he goes down the Potomac,
shutting his place behind him, and there he
fishes and shoots off the entire warm season,
wearing an old straw hat and coat with only
flap on the tail. Nobody suspects that
this apparition of Mr. Wrinkle is the great
caterer for the congressional stomach No
body imagineS that this rustic is the person
whose sauces can please even Mr.. Sam Ward
that distinguished observer for the house of
Barring Brothers Nobody knows-not even the
innocent and festive shad-that this Welcker
IL John welcksr who came to washington
during our civil broil drew and quartered for
Provost Marshal Fry, fed all the war ministers,
and gave his historic period the agreeable
f1avor of mushrooms.
GIN the early days of Washington entertain-
ments other than family ones were given
1T the taverns some Of which, as Beales.
stood on Capitol HILL Afterward Mrs.
Wetherill on Carroll row, set especial dinners,
breakfasts and suppers to order. In later times,
Crutchett on Sixth street. Gautier on the Ave-
nue., and Thompson on street established
restaurants la carte. Gautier sold out to
Welcker, who had such success during the
war that he bought large brick dwelling on
Fifteenth street near the Treasury, and at
times he has leased several surrounding dwell
ings so that he kept a hotel in fact, though
without the name.
"Welcker has large dining ROOM 80 feet
long by 16 feet wide, with adjustable screens,
adapting it to several small parties, or by their
removal to make one large dining room, which
win seat 100 people. Welcker's main lot is
1873 by IS feet.
THE character of Welcker'S entertainments
Is eminently select, and his prices approach
those of the English Castle and Falcon, or of
Phillippe's, in Paris. His breakfasts and din
ners la carte are about at New York rates,
less than those of the Fourteenth Street Del
monico and matching the St James and Hoff-
man Restaurant prices. The most expensive
dinners he has given have cost $40 a
plate. Fine dinners cost from SO to $12 per
plate, and breakfast from IS to SO per plate.
He has fed between six and seven hundred
people per diem. the day of Grants in
auguration.
sist of suite of three rooms, but the hab.tants
thereof pay the establishment for food wine,
etc, not less than $50 day.
"Welcker's chief cook is an Italian Swiss
obtained from Martins. New York-the same
who distinguished himself at Charles Knapps
great entertainment in 1865, the cost of which
was $4,000. Welcker supplied the food for
Mr.. Knapp's last entertainment, in 1867, at
the ! street mansion, now occupied by Sir
Edward Thornton. There five cooks In
all at Welckers, and the establishment
ploys 80 servants. During the past session he
has given at least two dinner parties day.
averaging IL guests at each, and each costing
upward of 500.
THE best fish in the waters of Washington is
the Spanish mackerel, which ascends the Po-
tomac high Wicomico River. They come
as late as August and bring even SIS a pair
when quite fresh.
Brook trout propagated artifcially, welcker
thinks lack favor. He obtains his from Brook
lyn but says that there are trout in the Viz
ginia streams of the Blue Ridge.