The Osceola times., 1883-04-21

DID 1T PAY?
Tue Vanderbilt Isall Discussed Over the
Way.
New York Letter.


New York Letter.
The day of the big Vanderbilt party
was sitting in the brokers parlors of Mr..
Enos, right opposite, among group of
men, watching the flowers 90 up into the
splendid mansion. and we began to talk
together to the following effect: Said
to a fine old gentleman who knows al
most everything in New York, in So
cial way:
"Wha. do you suppose the taxes on
that property are?"
81 think the lot cost about $2j0,0O0," !"
said he. 'The building, furniture and
real estate probably come up to 81 ,O00-
600. | dare say the taxes are $4,000 a
year."
Said he: 81 do rot believe man can
inhabit that house without an expense
of 100000 q year. This party will cost
$4,000"
"Now," said the o!d gentleman, Il
wouldn't 60 through the mental trouble
of giving such party as that if it were
to have far greater result. There are
so many things TO be considered 1t is
such gratuitous performance. There
will be so much complaint on any little
point not well covered that it can hardly
pay in any point of ambition"
Another gentleman then spoke up,
saying:
"Wm. X. Vanderbilt is one of the most
modest men you ever saw. lie lets his
wife do this, | suppose; but, Lord bless
your soul, you win find him down to the
Union Club up TO three o'clock this after.
noon, and, perhaps up to six, paying no
more attention to this party than if it
were to be at another persons house.
have seen him leave dinner party at
his house and 60 down to the club to
play cards, when there was to be dance
at midnight on his premises.
"You can sit in this Office and see him
come out of that house day after day,
and never see him turn his head to look
at it. 1t il the most magnificent house,
exteriorily at least. on this island. Amid
all the Vanderbilt residences that one
shows the most of the archirect's skill
and learning on the outside But if it
gives him any self-esteem you never sec
him show it?"
as his wife ofsuperior social quality to
the other Vanderbilts?"
"Oh, yes" said another person pres
ent, "the Vanderbilts have never made
much of push in society. Society up
here has a good many ranges. William
KS wife is in about the third or fourth
class from the top, now, but she is aiming
further along. Some of her own family
connections, like the Sloans, do not come
up into her own set. She has been liv-
ing in New York most of her life, tho it
| is said that her origin is Virginia. AT
one time her mother was in straits. She
has a brother married to Yznaga, and
another Yznaga is married to Lord Man
deville or one of his family. That ac-
counts for the Mandevilles b,ing around
this house, The English connection
both stimulates and assists Mrs. Wander
bilt's social ambition"
"My God p exclaimed another of the
group, suppose fire were to break out
in that house tonight. There they will
| Dt, Ill u ItSluNItC rNNthtD VI NiShty wv
square, 200 people dressed to death. A
little flare-up of the gas and away go the
whole swarm, like burning theatre
Then to think of getting your carriage
there. Why, everybody who goes there
will have a carriage, while the opera
contains no more people and four-ffth'
of them walk"
The first speaker then remarked again
81 don't quite see how William X. stands
all that expense. My recollection is that
his grandfather left him 10000 shares o
New York Central stock, or, in round
numbers, 100000. If lie has put 81,
600 in his house, he mnst have made
a good deal of money in other quarters
to stand the expense of living there.
reckon that his father has let him into O
good many snaps. His father is worth
S200.000,00O."