Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-18
HOW THE 400 DANCE.
the PArRIARcHS BALL NEW YORK
soc,ETYs MOST SOLEMN RITE.

4>ers Az Three OF Them Every Win
-now They Wore Begun and Why
~ ward McAllister-Dates for Hold
- Then This Winter.
Especial Correspondence
Hrr YORK. Dec. S.-The most solemn
sorsn,onial of New York society is the
Pstxiarchs ball, and Mr.. Ward McAllister.
= its high priest Not only is he that, but
he i its creator as we'll. The Patriarchs'
halls were inaugurated in 1872 They have
occurred every succeeding year, and have
grown constantly in success, size and
brilliancy. Mr.. McAllister says the idea
of them was suggested to him by anecdotes
which his father used to tell him regard
ing the great balls given years ago at
Almack's in London. These balls, which
were known as the greatest social events
in London society, were given by coterie
Of high and mighty ladies who banded
themselves together for this purpose. Our
own AcAllister says that remembering the
accounts his father was won't to relate of
these splendid affairs, and realizing fully
that in society, as elsewhere, union is
strength, he decided to blend together men
ct solid merit, birth and wealth, who
should form coalition SO powerful and
imposing rs to insure success to any enter
prise they might undertake. So away back
in 16z2 Mr.. McAllister, who was even then
becoming known as 'sleader," looked
about him for twenty-fiv individuals, ''all
honorable men," who would work with
him and for him to make these balls the
most magnificent and successful that our
continent has known.
The men he selected were John Jacob
Ast0r, William Astor, Delaney Kane,
George Henry Warren, Eugene A. Living
ston, William Butler Duncan, Z. Temple
ton Smelling, Lewis Colford Jones, John
w. HameEsley, Benjamin S. Wells, Fred
eFick Sheldon, William r. Travers, G. G.
Goodhue, f. G. D'Hauteville, Walter
Langdon, Alexander Van Rensselaer,, Ma
turin Livingston, Francis R. Rives, Will
lam c. Schermerhorn, Robert G.. Remsen,
Lewis NJ. Rutherford A. Oracle King, Ed
win A. Post and Royal Phelps. In the for
nation Of the original band of Patriarchs it
Is q noteworthy fact that each gentleman
invited to join accepted with alacrity, and
aimee then, when the ranks of the members
have been depleted by death or other 'cas-
ualties, whenever a man has had an op-
portunity to become u Patriarch he has
never let it slip. OF the original list nine
Patriarchs have gone to swell ''the great
majority" But nearly all who survive
still hold that high distinction that ranks
pre-eminently at the head of New York's
social pretensions. When these balls were
inaugurated it was decided that each Pa
triarch should have the privilege of invit-
ing nine guests-four ladies and five gentle
men. For this privilege he paid subscrip-
tion of $780, Three balls were given each
season, and each one, oddly enough, seemed
more enjoyable than the last, which at the
time of its happening had been voted un-
approachable, still less unsurpassable
There are but two stringent rules laid down
for the guidance of the Patriarchs. One is,
that each member shall be personally re-
sponsible for his guests; the other, that he
shall invite eguests who will be credit to
the gathering, and whose presence is de-
sirable from every point of view. To in
sure this contamination so devoutly to be
wished, each invitation must bear in full
the name not only of the invitee but of the
|nviter as well.
Everybody remembers the rather laugh
able, yet wholly distressing incident which
came near making shipwreck of a certain
young girls social aspirations, because her
name on her invitation was very evidently
written there in place of previously writ
ton name, which had Just as evidently
been erased. The right of the young wom-
an to enter was challenged, just as they DO
with suspected voter, and she was not
permitted to pass the sacred portals of
Delmonico's ball room until the person
whose name appeared as issuer of the invi-
tation had been sent for to declare that the
young woman came by the invitation legit-
imately, and that it had not been procured
through fraud, stealth or connivance. The
Patriarchs' balls from their very incipience
have been given at Delmonico's, and the
supper following them and preceding the
german has always stood hors de combat
among suppers. To be seen at Pa
triarchs' ball gives one an undefinable but
indispatable hall mark of merit and posi-
ton. The Patriarchs, who are nothing if
not hospitable, always invite fifty distin-
guished strangers who happen to be within
our gates when they take place. The So
ciety girl who can make her debut at
Pstriarchs' ball is enviably launched, and
has every guarantee for successful belle
ship. The moment man has daughters
to be introduced into society his thoughts
revert to becoming Patriarch, with the
same unerring and answering directness
with which the needle points to the pole
Happy father, happy daughter if he achieve
this distinction!
The money supplied by the subscriptions
is devoted to hiring the ballroom and the
music, to the floral decorations, the sup
per and to purchasing the favors for the
german. There is never any surplus, for
everything is done on a scale of liberal
Everything is in the most
exquisite taste; nothing is wanting that
could c0nduce to the general elegance and
Three ladies, generally the
wives of some three of the Patriarchs,
form reception committee at each ball to
welcome the guests. Being invited to
serve on this committee is considered a
most enviable distinction. The only lady
not a wife or daughter of a member who !
has ever thus officiated is Mrs Paran Ste
vens, whom Mr.. Ward McAllister and |
great many others besides consider the |
most fashionable woman in New York. |
At each separate ball this committee of |
ladies' makes suggestions as to special dec |
orations and arrangements for the evening. |
It is the aim sAd ambition of each trio to |
,urpass those who have gcAe before and to |
excel those who may ceme after. So sue
,essful has this friendly rivalry proved |
hat the record of the Patriarchs' balls, |
rom the initial one down to the last one |
If the past season, shows them to have