Bonus Content: A look into the New Year as it was celebrated in New York City 100 years ago

HOTELS OVERFLOW WITH JOYFUL GUESTS
A Girl, Like a Bird, Flies from at Clock to Startle New Year’s Diners at One.
A MILLION SPENT FOR FUN
So One of the Managers Says – Champagne Cork Chorus Loudest at Midnight.

January 1, 1910, Saturday
Page 2, New York Times

It was a rousing salute which the infant stranger, 1910, received last night at all the hotels and restaurants from the Battery to the Bronx. At the entrance of the precocious youngster, on the last stroke of twelve, thousands of popping champagne corks let go their ceaseless cannonading, glasses clinked in toasts to the advent of the New Year. An official at one of the big hotels, when asked what he thought was spent in late supper celebrations and noise, replied: “Oh, a million dollars at least.”

Altogether it was a night of surprises and innovations, a night of joy and purse-strings unconfined. The rush to the hotels and restaurants began shortly after 10 o’clock. Table reservations had been made for weeks, and even months, ahead of time. The early crowd was supplemented at 11 o’clock by the throngs from the theatres. Meantime thousands who had wearied of the crush on Broadway were seeking accommodation at the hotels and cafes along Broadway, but there was little room for them. Thus the smaller hotels and restaurants soon found their confines overtaxed with the overflow.

The indoor gayetics within sight of Times Square began early, and lasted until dawn. The Hotel Astor opened what is said to be the largest single dining space to be found in the world. More than 3,000 persons gathered at the supper tables in the huge space made possible by the throwing of the Rose and Laurel Rooms and the new grand ballroom into one, in addition to the boxes and balconies in the ballroom.

Among many innovations here was the use of the great pipe organ recently installed in the grand ballroom. At midnight the lights were turned off for a few seconds, the organ chimes struck the hour, the glass canopies twinkled with electric stars, then appeared a brilliant electric sign bearing the words “Welcome 1910.” The lights were turned on, the organ and the dozen orchestras sounded the welcome, and the real gayety of the celebration began.

Not a Boisterous Crowd

The Knickerbocker was crowded also to its limit, and there were many “Oh’s” and “Ah’s” when the surprises were unfolded at midnight. Twenty-four pages in the costume of Father Knickerbocker paraded the dining rooms with electrical devices bearing the figures “1910,” while fifteen trumpeters announced the arrival of the new year by resounding blasts. Ten minutes later the fun was at its height.

It was not a boisterous crowd last night, but a merry-making, fun-loving throng. The Waldorf-Astoria presented a brilliant and animated scene at the stroke of 12. It was so arranged that those who had made table reservations could travel from one room to the other. Some folks began in the rose room and finished up their circuitous tour in the grand ballroom, which was throw open for the first time in the history of the hotel for a New Year’s celebration.

Masks for Plaza Guests

An innovation at the Plaza caused a lot of fun during the late supper hour. Silk masks were distributed to the guests, and the majority of folks wore them until the stroke of 12. With the entire ground floor of the Plaza pressed into service, the scene took on a carnival spirit, with society in masks, visiting their friends at various tables, and at midnight pelting each other with roses.

Fully 2,000 enjoyed the fun and the supper at the Plaza. Besides the regular orchestras there were colored [sic] entertainers and a brass band. But there was silence at 12 as the lights of the hotel were extinguished. Then, lights up, masks off, and revelry.

At the St. Regis the main dining room was taxed to its capacity when the New Year was ushered in by the tinkling of glasses. There were many supper parties who enjoyed the advent at the Gotham, and a battle royal of flowers waged long after the last stroke of midnight.

A bugler sounded the reveille at the Hotel Savoy, and the orchestra played National airs at the birth of the new year. The restaurant and Palm Room were crowded long before midnight.

At Martin’s welcome was given to the new year in truly French style, with all the customs in vogue in Paris, and the gayety was highly animated. Delmonico’s and Sherry’s had their usual large quota of epicures, and elaborate preparations assured a gay night. In lower Broadway, the St. Denis and Fleischmann’s restaurant entertained good-sized crowds.

Revelry Highest at Midnight

There were many late supper parties at the Netherland, and when the big clock in the foyer rang out the last hour the real celebration began. There was plenty of food, drinks, and noise at all the Fifth Avenue hotels. At midnight the celebration reached the high-water mark at the Belmont, where the dining room, Palm Room, and grill were thronged with supper parties. Tiny silver bells were given here as souvenirs.

There was a whole lot of fun and rejoicing at the Manhattan, where the crowd was supplemented by the automobile enthusiasts who are here to attend the show. Practically every available inch of space was given up here for the entertainment of the celebrators.

At the Broadway hotels were filled with participants in the great indoor celebration. Special music contributed to the night’s entertainment at the Breslin, the Imperial, New Grand and Victoria. The Marlborough and Cadillac were thronged with merrymakers, the participants using all sorts of noise-making devices.

Some Guests Try to Fly

Perhaps the most characteristic celebration took place at the restaurants. All kinds of divertissements were used to astound and amuse the late supper parties. At the Cafe de l’Opera a young woman burst through an aerial clock, soared over the heads of the diners in the lofty court, and alighted, amid plaudits, in birdlike fashion upon the second balcony. After this innovation a number of folks tried to fly, but as they were not attached to hidden wires, they had to be content to confine their high spirits to the immediate vicinity of the tables.

It was a night of fun and abounding enthusiasm over the advent of the new year at all the cafes. Rector’s, Shanley’s, and Murray’s each had their quota of patrons – so many, in fact, that late comers were content to stand up and celebrate. There were animated scenes at Brown’s, Keene’s chophouse, at Cafe Madrid, Burns, and the Cafe Beaux Arts. The crowds here simply unloosed pandemonium at the stroke of 12.

At the Uptown Restaurants

There was just as much celebration uptown, judging from the crowd which surged about the entrance to Re[illegible]weber’s, at Columbus Circle, at 10 o’clock. Here a dance followed supper in the ballroom. At Healy’s the crowd came early and remained late, and it showed the same feverish impetuosity to have a jolly time as the downtown folks.

There were many different kinds of welcome handed out to the New Year at the Majestic and at the Endicott. At the former the large dining room was thronged with the celebrators, all of whom received souvenirs. Wireless telephones entered into the scheme of wishing a “Happy New Year” at the latter receivers being attached to each table.

The Hoffman House, the Seville, the Wolcott, and the Holland House each presented a brilliant spectacle, and fun-making followed close on to the heels of the departing year.