1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Stevens Crockett

Hall of Fame Almost every railroad man of prominence, in those early days, could be discovered in the Bar at some time or other. One recalls, particularly, Melville E. Ingalls, head of the Big Four, and Oscar G. Murray, President of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Murray was a regular patron when in town, but he would never permit a waiter to take his order, and he would let only one bar– tender mix his drinks-that is, after he came to know Johnnie Solon. Murray would seldom approach the bar– side, but when he sat down at the table and a waiter ap– peared, he would say, "Johnnie's got my order." By this time, Solon, having seen his particular patron enter the room, would be busy composing a Bronx cocktail. How– ever, Murray had individual service. Instead of taking his drink from a cocktail glass, it would be served in a sherry glass, and the latter would be just half-full. The black slouch hat of Colonel Henry Watterson, editor of the famous Louisville Courier Journal, and his gray mustache and goatee were not unknown in that room, nor were the "square-top" derby and generous fea– tures of Colonel William Nelson, proprietor of the Kan- sas City Star. ~ The newspaper world was also represented from time to time by many other distinguished'journalistic Hghts. When the Associated Press and the American Newspaper Publishers were holding their annual meetings, the ;~om would be packed with editors and publishers from all over the country. One often saw at other ~imes, Thomas B. Wanamaker, son of a famous merchant, and himself owner of the Philadelphia North American, while Colonel James Elverson, Jr., who later succeeded his father as [31]