1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Stevens Crockett

OldWaldorf Bar Days cided him that the importation of a fruit of such po– tential popularity might prove a profitable occupation. In New York, Colonel Rickey's favorite Bar and lobby had been in the Hoffman House, but he soon found the Waldorf. In the early days of the brass rail Bar, his long, gray mustache and black slouch hat caused him often to be mistaken for Mark Twain. How– ever, he wore glasses. He would turn up in the Bar at · cocktail-time and would help shut it at one o'clock in the morning. That, however, never meant curfew to Colonel Joe. He had a lien on the pint of rye, which, with an equal quantity of Scotch, was cached by the night manager of the hotel for the salvation of thirsty patrons of the hotel who would turn up after hours with news that they simply must have a drink, or die. And Colonel Joe would see that he got his share of salvation. Richard Croker, Tammany leader, and "Charlie" Murphy, his successor, might be seen at one of the tables, once in a while, but that Bar was no place for secrets, and they soon transferred their patronage to a table in the Men's Cafe. WE HAVE WITH Us To-DAY In that flock of faces that, during the early years of the century, swarmed thickest toward six o'clock, ap– peared more than one th~t have since become familiar throughout the country and wherever illustrated news– papers are read. Just two may be here noted. While it is safe to say Silver Dollar Smith's saloon, its floor paved with acartwheels," as the dollar silver coins used to be called because of their size and weight, . [ 40]