The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-12
ny OSCAR OF THE WALDORF

by OBCAH Or 1tE WAAUVNg
Nothing Ia truer than slime files
when you are busy" and when ]
look back over the crowded two
score years that I have acted %
"host" for both the old and new
Waldorf Astorias, ! can understand
why don't feel my 10 years.
And now George ROSS has asked
me to leaf through my memory
book.
I remember In 1919 when King
Edward VIII was still tho young
Prince Of Wales and the guest OF
honor at an elaborate dinner given
for him by the late Henry p. Davis.
on. When Mrs. Dawson accompan.
Ter the Prince 10 the DINING room
I walked In front TO escort them
TO their chairs. The Prince saw Q
large regal armchair oil decked out
In royal purple. He looked OF me
and said: oscar, II you don't mind,
please take away that chair, I'm
I'm afraid !t's too big" 50 " was
removed and o regular sized dining
chair was offered him. Then % ]
was about TO leave, the Prince bent
forward and said: Thanks awfuliy,
this Is comfortable"
And recall escortlng Viscount
Astor, founder Of the original Wal.
dorf, through the corridors Of the
hotel In 1893. He walked along, Q
tall man, 0 little bent, his hands
behind his back, his head down,
looking, ! thought, neither 10 the
right nor to the left. It seemed TO
me that not once did he look up--
and not once did he gaze OF the
freezes, the murals and ell that his
own great wealth had inspired.
That was his only visit 10 the hotel
which was built on the site Of the
old red brick house ut 33rd Street
and FIFTH Avenue, once the home
Of the william Waldorf AstorS.
international Problems
One Of the most unusual OF the
famous guests ] have had the honor
OF welcoming 10 the Waldorf was
IL Hung Chang, Viceroy, Of China,
Prime Minister and Minister Of
Foreign Affairs, Senior Guardian Of
the Emperor, Earl Of sub Chi and
Commander OF the Northern Army,
who arrived In 1893 with three Of
his own cooks, and o huge Tetinue
OF servants, secretaries and inter.
prefers. His manner throughout his
visit ordinary was cold and reserve
cd, O characteristic Of the Orientals,
and ] was fiattered indeed when ]
saw o broad and kindly grin light
his face when ! presented to him
my two small sons.
And there was the time In 1909
when the plumbing went out Of
order In the apartment Of Prince
Henry Of Prussia, brother Of for
mer Kaiser Wilhelm Of Germany
There must be hot water for His
Highness's bath at any cost, and
when George @. Blodt, then mani
ager, called me to tell Of our pre-.
dicament the only think could
suggest was to form an old-fash.
toned fire bucket brigade and pass
buckets Of water to the royal apart
ment behind the scenes, while the
Prince strolled In Peacock Alley
unaware Of the efforts that were
being made for his comfort.
Dinner De Luxe
am Of the opinion that the
duggenheim dinner In 1899 ranked
as one Of New York's costliest din
ners. There were forty guests serv.
ed at O cost Of 4260 each. Nightin-
gales sang IN q grove Of rose trees
that were uprooted for the occas-
ion. There were blue raspberries
from q dollhouse. grown especially
for this dinner. A rare wine bottled
before the French revolution was
opened. Jewelled fevors and costly
flowers covered the table.
The tastes Of Roosevelt, Wilson,
Harding and Coolidge were simple.
The latter was the guest Of honor
at the biggest dinner ever given ct
the Old Waldorf-Astoria. Twenty
four hundred and thirty persons
were served IN seven dining rooms
and one Of the items consumed
was @ ton Of chicken.
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