Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-01-18
LIVING IN NEW YORK.
What Fashionable Dwellers There Pay FOR
Their Embellishments.

Their Embellishments.
Several wealthy New Workers have
been lately interviewed as to the cost
OF living In their city Their replies
do not include the cost Of food and
clothing, for these expenses are rather
the least that u fashionable New
Yorker has to meet "A gentleman
of fair family" said one of these
men, ito be in the social swim, II he
owns his own house, can live hand.
somely on $4,000 a year, and can
spend double that amount without
any appreclable difference. In the
latter case he has more servants and
gives more receptions For $50, 900 a
year he can live just as comfortably
in This city as he could live quietly in
some interior village for $4,000 a
year. In the village he would doubt
less enjoy better health.
"The servants are important. There
must be a butler, with one or two as
slstants; a chef, with assistants; a
lady's maid for each female member
Of the family; two laundresses, at
least two chambermaids, a goveTness
for the children, coachman, q foot
man, tutors for languages and music,
and two stablemen.
"The wine and cigar bill of course
varies according to circumstances,
Wine Is not used so much now as it
was a short time ago, and fewer gen.
tlemen smoke; still, there must al
ways be the best wines and cigars in
the house. The church pew costs
from 5000 to $500, and the opera box
costs SIS, 900 for the season. The news
paper bill is unusually large--in the
newspaper bill l include, of course,
magazines and all periodical litera-
ture. Most men of affairs take all
the principal newspapers Of the city,
even If they have time only to glance
at the headings. They must know
what Is going on,
"For receptions, a prima donna
costs from $500 to 81, 900 a night. l
say nothing about the stables, be-
cause a man may keep two horses or
twenty or none without affecting his
social standing; $4,000 a year is a
fair estimate for proper establish
ment. The expense need not go much
higher and cannot 60 much lower"
The next wealthy New Yorker to
whom the question was put protested
that his own experience could not be
used as an example, for he lived in a
very moderate and quiet way-Yery
moderate, indeed, his expenses rarely
exceeding $25, 900 year.
"But l have plenJy Of friends who
live in better STYLE" he said. "Any-
where between $50, 900 and 500, 900
a year l consider a moderate expense
for a wealthy family. For moderate
sized house the rent may be estlma-
ted at $1,000, and that is very low
for New York. There must be a man
or woman servant for each Of the chill
dren, at $50 to $40 month; a butler
at from 800 to 5000 a month; chief
COOK at about $40 month. You see
l am making the whole thing mod
crate. You can pay your chef SO, 900
a year, like one Of the Vanderbilts, if
you choose. An undertook at $75 a
month, two kitchen girls at about 500
a month each; a governess, $40; two
chambermaids, $40 each; coachman,
about $50; groom, $40 to $50; stable
boy, $40; two or more Wallets at $50
each; a lady's maid for each woman
or girl, at $50 each; two women for
the laundry, at S25 each; two garden
ers, if there are any grounds, one at
$50 and the other at $50 a month;
two door boys at $40 each, and boy
for backing shoes.
"Then there will be from six to
twelve horses, with their feed, and
anywhere from two to twelve car
riages to keep in order. On this scale,
which is moderate one for a family
in New York, you cannot estimate
less than $75, 900 year, and 800, 900
Is safer"