Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-02-09
WASTING THEIR WEALTH.
New Era Of Extravaganza Which has Opened in
New York-The Rich Viewing with Each
Other in Scattering Money.

btutF IN scattering money.
4 correspondent of the Chicago Times
writing from New York. says. A greater
prufusion of wealth and a large advance
in the cost and luxuriousness of living
are among the most noteworthy signs
Of the times in this city New York has
never before witnessed such lavish ex-
penditures by the rich as during this
winter holiday and fashionable season.
The greater economy in living expenses
necesSitated by the years of financial
depression after 1873 entirely disap-
peared year ago, and has been sue
ceeded by q luxurious and costly style
of living which throws the flush times
after the war into the shade. The rich
are viewing with each other to see who
can spend the most money, give the
costliest, entertainments, live in the fin
est houses, and sport the most style.
New Workers are introducing on q large
scale some Of the social pecuiiarities of
London and Paris, and are evidently
determined to disarm Europeans of that
favorite criticism Of this country that
the upper class in America are as vet
too busy and practical to have learned
the art Of enjoying life.
The eXtrayagant tendencies of the day
have been q godsend to the shopleepers,
who have never made so much money
in any year of their lives as they have
this fall and winter. The increased de-
mand has added a great deal to the cost
Of luNGrics Fine Jewelry and precious
stones have advanced within a year
from 10 to 40 per cent. Fancy stones,
such as eat S-eYeS. some STYLES Of sap
pA!re7, etc, have gone up from 30 TO 40
per cent. Fine diamonds, which year
ago we've cheaper than they had been
for many years, have advanced from Is
to 20 per cent The jewelers. have
reached arich harvest during the holiday
season. Tiffany best sale was made
on the day before Christmas, when
gentleman bought diamond necklace
for which he paid S45, 600.
New Workers use money TO separate
themselves rs far as possible from those
below them. As a rule, mans capa-
bi3iiy for paying more or less rent, real
~ fixes him in the class IN which he has
to move. In Europe it is very different.
a French gentleman may be forced to
content himself with n small apartm ent
mp IN tile very attic OF some dingy Par
isjan house. His immediate neighbors
may be mechanics quite rs well off as
himself, and yet his social position re-
mains distinct, and Is recognized by all
around him. He is gentleman who
has no money, that is ALL How is it
with an American family, compelled by
reduced circumstances to take refuge in
p New YORK tenement-house Many
have been driven to do 50 during the
past few years, and what they have suf-
fered in loss Of social position the. own
achidg hearts alone can tell. The en-
forced extravaganza and display which
is the distinguishing mark Of his social
position here, is the chief explanation
of the Unfortunately high rents in New
York and of the mania for building
magnificent palaces exceeding in their
splendor nearly all of the private resi-
dences in Europe that has come upon
Our wealthiost residents. Two or three
years ago the million dollar residence
Of Mrs. 4. /. Stewart was the most Gilt
tering feature OF New York's residence
buildings Her lonely palace already
occupies only the second rank 1t has
been surpassed in cost BY the homes of
three of the Nauderbilts, and in its III
terror furnishings it bears no compari-
SON TO the elaborate fittings of w H.
Nauderbilts new house. II is said that
the residences which Mr.. Tiffany and
Sidney Dillon are to build viii cost even
more Than Nanderbilt's palace, and two
or three other houses are to be erected
this yearwhich q few years ago would
have excited the attention Of the coun-
try as Standing alone in cost and SPLEEN
dor.
Tho past year has shown a great adj
vance in the variety, elegance, and cost
of house furnishings Gobelin tapes
tries, carvings frescoes, special designs
of carpets, paintings, statuarv, orna-
meHtation in bronze, silver, marble. and
expensive woods have been introduced
in double the profuSion ever known
here before. We hear Of dining-rooms
built or furnished that cost $50. 600 of
draWing-rooms costing $50, 600 to $50
Qu0. OF bedrooms hung with the richest
tapestries, and of libraries whose carved
woods keep several caryers specially
imported from Europe for the work.
busy for year or more. Many citizens
have entirely refurnished their houses
at cost of 100000 and upward, and
the elegance OF the New York homes If
wealth is probably not surpassed now
In any Of the leading cities Of the world.
The English custom of dinner giving
Is growing upon this community A
large part of the fashionab.a world here
is trying to make the custom promin-
eut feature of social life, and there seems
ID be q very good prospect that it will
be permanently established in this coun-
tr1 The custom is especially popular
tn literary. artistic, and political society.
In England anybody who is anybody in
these classes, generally 60 out To dinner,
IL he is NOT entertaining himself
fbe growth of the custom here has been
So great this winter rs TO occasion much
comment, and some of the dinners have
been very elegant and cosby affairs 1t
is said that nj some g the ..germans'
Givon this winter the f8vors alone cost
@l,9UQ the supp.rs the music, and the
flowers being likewise supplied with
equal indifference Up expense. The tior-
ISIS shy Shat New York paws them for
flowers over $4,000, 00G per annum.
81 course those people are spending
money N.ost reekleSSiY, who made their
money IIoSt easily. There IS large
egep of newly-m3de rich people here who
within Tire past two Years have been
sgl'en.} raised from poverty To wealth
hE q lucky turn In stocks or some other
gu.ation. SEINE Of these deserve
heir good fortune. but there are others
who's money only helps to show their
inherent vuigarity aid defects of early
education more clearly. As they scram-
bied To get rich they now scramble to
spend, and some Of them are spending
too fast for the stability Of their fortunes.
ECONOMY. however. is just now deeid-
eddy old-fashioned and out of date, in
this great city. II is the fashion to affect
All the eNtravagancies and designations
Of the ioudest London society, and to
roll the money ont of doors BIZ the
shoveiful Meanwhile the poverty Of
the very poor is becoming more and