The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-05
GOSSIP OF THE CLUBS.
Business and Profits I'm the Summer-Mr.
LOrillard's Big Scheme.

Business and Profits in the Summer-Mr.
LOrillard's Big Scheme.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Sept 4.-The sultry August
weather of the past week has eccasioned more
general exodus of club men to the seaside or
country clubs than has occurred for several
years; indeed, the past week the clubs were so
little frequented that they were almost deserted,
and many of them did not probably take in the
running expenses AS rule the summer bust
ness averages very satisfactorily in the clubs,
for during this period many married men whose
families are absent in the country take all their
meals at the club, which they seldom frequent
at other times, except on special occasions. In
the clubs which run their own cafe and restau-
rant land nearly all the prominent clubs except
ing possibly the Athletic, have adopted this sys
tenn there is, Of course. no grumbling, but whore
there Is a specializing steward counting each
days receipts and each days losses, and
each day as irrevocably lost that does not
show profit "tbngs are not what they seem,
to quote of Gilberts felicitous lines. 1t is
estimated that there are more family men in the
numerous mem bership of the Union League
Club than in any other in the city, and, except
ing on Sunday, the spacious dining room on the
top floor here has been regularly as crowded as
during the winter when the bachelor habitues
are back from their summer wanderings. There
haitian Club. which in the summer crowd its
dining piazzas overlooking it's well-kept little
garden, with fountain that never seems to tire.
Since the Lotus banishe6 the specializing stew
ard and runs its own restaurant with Lawson,
formerly of the Queens City Club, of
st. Louis as superintendent by the
way) there has been general
rally of its members and its summer has been
large and profitable. The Union has always
done a good summer business, but the hot wealth
er of the past few days (which the weather re-
ports indicate will soon let up now has, as then
said, depopulated all of the clubs Club men
very bad. and those who do not go out of town
HE to some quiet roadside place where they find
cooling breezes and privacy which induces them
to enjoy the meal, which, under other circum
Stances might prove very unpalatabe. If there
is any breeze moving at ali the clubs are SO
pleasantly situated with commodious and we'll
ventilated houses, and they prove as pleasant
lettering places as can be found, being free from
the crowd and hustle of the public resorts.
The restrictions imposed by Mr.. LorillarG re-
garding the membership and routine at the
Tuxedo Club, which occupies his magnificent es-
tate in New Jersey, the Erie road, about
thirty five miles from the city. will probably
| condemn the enterprise to failure. Mr. Lorillard
owned domain of several thousand acres of
forest, stream and field; ne has turned this over
to an Incorporated club flor consideration, of
course. His mansion is to be the clubhouse.
the grounds to be laid out into a royal park,
members can erect private dwellings subject to
the rule; but the scheme looks very much like
one to enable the owner to beautify and improve
his broad acres, which eventually will come back
into his possession the failure of the club for
the reasons assigned. JOHN DARME