When the Waldorf-Astoria was razed, a truck drove "through the wide door which had received presidents and princes... thrust its great bulk into the lobby...churned across the floor, then turned and roared down Peacock Alley, down that proud corridor lined with gold mirrors and velvet draperies."
- a contemporary newspaper account.
The [G 03 / columns] of the Waldorf-Astoria appeared to be choice marble, but during the razing they were discovered to be merely painted plaster. When demolition workers reached the basement level, they found a sealed sub-basement with a padlocked steel door that opened onto a descending staircase. This was Mrs Astor's wine cellar, and it included such treasures as five hogsheads of whiskey dating from the Spanish-American War and more than 100 cases of choice French wines and champagnes. The partners in the ventures divided the booty among themselves.
