St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-09

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road director. *
When the increase of Income came
Mrs. Vanderbilt became discontended
In the Oakdale home. and urged her
husband to set up an establishment or
his own in town, fitting to his station In
life. She was ambitious to become a
prominent figure in society, and was
hampered by living in Oakdale.
She talked house SO much to
Willie X. that he induced his
father to let him have the money
to built the palatial mansion at
Fifth avenue and Fifty-s second street.
which cost upward of $3.000.000. The
original estimate was $1,000, 900. but
Mrs. Vanderbilt took the matter In her
own hands, and made alterations in the
plans and fixtures which added paltry
S2,0OO.O 900 to the bill. She personally Sc
lected the decorations and furnishings,
and when the house was fitted up it was
equal, II not superior. to any thing in
this country. IL was Mrs. Vanderbilt's
desire to have the most expensive es-
tablishment in the land. and she got 1t.
The main staircase cost 81, 600 stair,
and the appointments were regal. In
the parlOr were curtains which cost
enough yard to furnish an ordinary
house. and at every hand were richly
The carpets were SO thick and soft that
they seemed like pathway for fairies,
and the slabs of marble used for interior
decoration and statuary each represent
ed fortune. Such lavish eXpendi-
ture of money created plenty Of talk in
society; but when the big house was
opened the le, ding social lights in the
town did not fly to it, as Mrs. Wander
bilt expected.
Something had to be done to elevate
Mrs. Vanderbilt to her coveted position
as social leader among the blue bl0odS.
ana, after consultation with Lady
Vaudeville. scheme was invented and
made public after all the details were
perfected. 1t was announced with
great blare OF ttumpets that Mrs. an.
derbllt would give the grandest fancy
dress ball ever known in this city. The
invitations were sent out, and cost s.
each. Mrs. Vanderbilt announced that
she had sent to Paris for her costume.
The Fifth avenue house was fitted I'D
for the occasion at cost OF $50, 900. The
invitations were limited to 1000, and all
prominent persons in sOcie. Y were in
vited to attend. In the evening OF March
n, 1883. the guests filed into the house
before the eyes of two of Inspector
Byrnes' experts, who were on hand to
look out for the diamonds, worth many
millions of dollars. worn by the visitors.
But when Mrs. Vanderbilt looked over
the list of guests who accepted Der invi-
tation she found that there were many
of the leaders in society absent. She
got her revenge later when she eStab-
lished set of her own. which would
not associate with the flower of the
ariStOcracy. There is no record of the
tears that we're shea by the poor people
who had been excluded from Mrs.
Vanderbilt's set.
Mrs. Vanderbilt appeared at the ball
in the character of a Venetian princess,
which was adopted from picture in her
parlor by Cabanel. AS the dress was
imported at cost of $4,000. perhaps 1t
is well to briefly describe it. The I'M
derskirt was white and yellow brocade,
shading from the deepest orange to the
ground Of white silk. The figures of
flowers and leaves were outlined in pure
gold, white and iridescent beads, light
blue satin embroidered magnitcently in
gold and lined in Roman red. Almost
the ehtire length of the train was
caught up at the side, forming a large
puff. The waist was Of blue satin COW
cred with gold embroidery. The dress
was cut square in the neck, exposing
her shapely neck and bust, and the
flowing sleeves were of transparent gold
tissue. She wore a Venetian cap COW
cred with magnificent jewels, the most
noticeable being superb peacock in
many.colored gems.
Lady Vaudeville wore dress copied
from a picture by Van Dyke. Willie X.
appeared as the Duke de Guise in a
costume from painting of the duke
which hung in the gallery. The jewels
Oil the costume were valued at 500, 600.
Two bands under the direction of
Gilmore furnished the music, and every
thing was conducted on the most lavish
scale. The dinner alone is said to have
cost $4,000. The newspapers were
filled with glowing accounts of the ball,
but Mrs. Vanderbilt was not satisfied,
as her object was not accomplished.
The discord in the Vanderbilt house.
hold dates from this fancy dress ball.
There was no open rupture. bur Mrs.
Vanderbilt, who has always shown
rather jealous disposition, objected to
paid by Willie K. to one of the guests.
Those who were present saw that Mrs.
Vanderbilt was displeased, but it was
not until years afterward that the real
cause of it became known.
Mrs. Vanderbilt gave receptions and
parties afterward on scale which was
never before attempted by any of the
social leaders in this city, with the idea
of forcing her way into the place by
lavish expenditure of money which was
denied to her by the right of birth or
her marriage relations. The result of
it all was that she Overdid the business,
and was without any competition. The
real Swagger set did not care to spend
Ia nj hi I,x.
Vanderbilt. and she found after while
that she was living In world of her
own, away up in the clouds, where the
air was very cold and cheerlpss.
Willie K. fell into his wife's ways for
while, and he bl0ssomed out with
Wallets and bigh-priced liveried servants
by the score. The swagger set smiled
and looked on with amaZement at the
sudden exhibition of funkeyism shown
by Willie X.
eThe capital of Willie K. was running
low, owing to the brilliant spending
powers developed by Mrs. Vanderbilt.
The death of William H.. which gave
Willie K. fortune of about 100000
in his own right, came at the opportune
moment. When the period of mourn
Ing had passed away Mrs. Vanderbilt
asserted her independence In social
matters to a greater degree than ever,
and those who had snubbed her when
she made her first efforts at society
leadership felt the weight of her dis
pleasure; or, at least. she tried to make
them feel 1t. The great marble palace
in Newport was suggested by Mrs.
Vanderbilt, and her husband paid for
it, and kicked very hard at the size of
the bill. She supervised the building
and The furnishings of the palace.
Among the articles which she selected
for her own bedroom was magnificent
bed imported from France. 1t cost
fabulous sum, and when Willie K. first
saw it he raised big row. The
headboard and footboard were
mirrors, and the whole affair
was inclosed in beautiful lace canopy.
1t is said that Willie X. was so angry
that he sent bootjack through the
mirrors and declared that he would not
. have any more OF such samples of