Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-11-10
COSTLY PLAYTHINGS.

Steam yachts have long been the craze of
opulent New Workers. From the following
from the New York World it will be seen
that they are rather expensive toys:
1.-THE cost of running steam yacht varies
of course with the size of the boat, tho
amount of use her owner makes of her, and
last but by no means least, of the extent and
quality of his hospitality. If there is such
thing as yaehtsman who is not only a
teetotaler himself but who runs his yacht
on the plan adopted by Mrs. Hayes during
her stay at the White House, his expenses
are probably less than those of any other
owner in the feet. But the cost OF the cabin
table and wine locker cannot well be COM
puted. The sailors and iremen receive on
the average about thirty dollars q month,
which is more than is paid on steamers in
the merchant service, in addition to the fact
that they are much better fed and housed
than in seagoing steamers Yachtsmen there
fore, have the pick of the seamen and most
of their employees are Scandinavians, as
they are the best sailors and the finest look
ing men. Mates receive from S45 to 500
per month and engineers the same, while
sailing masters or captains get from
500 to 5000 per month. The steward
gets from $50 to 500 a month, and
the cabin walters the same as the
sailors. In the galley the assistant
cooks are paid from $40 to $50 per month,
but what the chef gets is usually q secret,
which the cook is too discreet and the mas
ter ashamed to disclose. The yachts crews
vary from eight to fifty men, according to
her size and the service she does, and the
ships pay roll from $40O month to $4,000.
Add to this the cost of fuel at about 81 a
ton and repairs, engineers supplies such
as waste, oil, tools, &C., deck supplies
in the way of canvas, cordage and the
like, and the cost of feeding the crew
at an average of at least dollar q
day per head and the furnishing of the
cabin table and it will be readily understood
that the amusement is only within the reach
of millionaires. Take for example the Ma
mouna, owned by James Gordon Bennett
Carrying crew of fifty men, her payroll is
at least So, 500 a month. Always in COM
mission, the cost of feeding her crew is at
least $500 month. Coal and supplies,
repairs and the lavishly supplied table and
wine locker of Mr.. Bennett, who ontertains
large parties on her regardless Of cost, and
$3.50, 900 year is moderate estimate Of
her expenses.
"Mr. Gould does not entertain so lavishly
OuC us EXPENSES CduuOb ue leSS ludu SO,OOO
per month, and Mr.. Astor's Nourmahal will
only fall short of the expenses of the Ma.
mouna aud must be $4,000 to $4,000 s.
month E. S. Stokes, who only uses the
Fra Diavolo a few months in the year,
spends 100000 o season on her.
"Mr. Edwin D. Morgans tour of the
world in the Amy cost fortune; her five
months trip is estimated to have absorbed
at least $4,000 A Yacht under hundred
feet long cannot be kept up even with econ
omy for less than 81 900 per month and on
most of them at least twice that amount is
spent, and this without counting the in
terest on the money invested or the annual
depreciation in the value of the property.
"Pierre Lorilard sold the Rhada to Mr..
J. NJ Seymour for $4,000 and it must cost
Sc, 900 month to keep her afoat and the
same is probably true of all yachts of her
size. As an old-time yachtsman observed 1
don't know which will eat man up the
quickest, an extravagant wife or steam
yacht, but think of rich man with BOTH !"