Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-01-06
LIVING IN NEW YORK.


Society Wen shy sHSNlpnAhf"N " DrrV
Along on $4,000 YeNr.
"What does it cost to live in New
Yorklo support such an establishment
as married man in society in this
CITY must have?'
When Y. Y. san reporter asked
this question recently of several prom
ipent New Workers whose means war
rant their living i'm any style they
choose. he found that the estimates
oiyeu not only differed widely, butthut
in the details they were lacking, every
one Of them, in what The majority Of
people would consider the most inn
porlant items In no case was any ac-
count made of the cost Of food and
clothing. These things, that with the
most of us are first TO be considered in
the expense account, make compare
lively SO small figure in the cost of a
New York establishment that none of
the questioned considered them at all.
1t is an easy matter to induce almost
any wealthy New Yorker to make
detailed estimate of the cost of sup
porting an establishment, and the esti-
mate will usually be based upon its
own expenses. But it is not 50 easy to
obtain permission to use the wealthy
New Workers. name. The first man TO
whom the question was put, for in
stance, made ii condition that his
name should not be mentioned 1t is
seldom that he makes such stipula-
ton, too, for he is interviewed oftener
aud with better results than any other
man in the world.
"A gentleman of fair family" said
this prominent New Yorker, TO be in
the social swim, if he owns his own
house, can live handsomely on $50, 900
year, aud can spend dou Die that
amount without any appreciable diff
ference. In the latter case he has
more servants and gives more recep'
tions. For $4,000 year he can live
just 10 comfortably in this city as he
could live quietly in some interior
village for $1,000 year In the viii
lage, he would doubtless enjoy better
health.
Cost OF an Establishment
"The servants are important There
must be a butler, with one or two as
sistants a chef, with assistants; a ladv's
maid for each female member of the
family; two laundresses, at least two
chambermaids, a goyerness for the
children, coachman a footman, tutors
for languages and music and two
stablamen.
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, le-
men smoke; still, there must ALWAYS
be the best wines and cigars in the
house The church pew costs from
$500 to $500 and the opera box costs
$1,000 for the season. There seems TO
be a little discrepancy hare between
the cost of religion and music, but |
am merely giving you facts without
comment The newspaper bill is usual
ly large--in the newspaper bill | in
Clude, of course, magazines and all
periodical literature. Most men Of At
fairs 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 my own
part read as many newspapers rs an
exchange editor, and consider 1t part
Of my daily business.
$500 to $1,000 night. say nothing
about the stables, because man may
keep two horses or twenty, or none
without affecting his social standing;
$4,000 year is fair estimate for a
proper establishment The expense
need not 60 much higher, aud can not
60 much lower"
scrimpIng ON s25, 900 a Year,
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 u
very moderate and quiet way-very
moderate indeed, his expenses rarely
exceeding $25.0 O0 a year
But | have plenty of friends who
live IN better style" he said. "Any-
where between $4,000 and 100000 a
yea' / consider a moderate expense for
"aWfhy family. For n moderate
si@eu house the rent may be estimated
a $1,000, and that is very low for New
49fn, There must be man or woman
servant for each Of the children, at $50
10 $40 a month; a butler at from 500
. S2JJ a month; chief cook at about
Nl4J q month. You see am making
'At whole thing moderate. You can
laF your chef $4,000 year, like one
q lhe Eanderbits, if you choose. An
"3eer cook at month, two kitchen
-'rIs at about S2J month each; a
-3Fethess @l3;two cham bermaids, $2)
. aeamau. about So; groom, $40
80 F"li stable boy, $50; two or more
1-g.2 al F5l each; a lady's maid FOR
'NtA woman or oirl nj gao each. two
women tol The laundry at SO each;
Two gardeners. if there are any
grounds. one at $50 and the other at
'oJ month; two door boys at $40
s"e4' and a boy for blacking shoes.
2en there viii be from six 10
we've horses, with their feed, and any.
"us'e from two to twelve carriages ia
Nssa p order On this scale, which is
1e"3efale one for a wealthy family
10y A0ls,v0u can not estimate les.