Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-11-16
NEW YORK LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS |


of wealth at modern social functions
are hardly justified in describing it rs
..nnprecc,lente,l." There is nothing
new under the sun, and there is moth.
| ing in the lavishness of our own times
that is not equaled or surpassed by
the pyotligacy OF the period dealt with
Ivy Tacitus, Suetonius, Horace, Juve.
nal and ether accepted authorities ON
| the morals and customs OF Rome
under the Caesars. Suetonius men.
tons that in the time of Nero there
were expended at single entertain
meut mo less than four millions Of
sesteces in chaplets, and at another
something more i'll roses" Reckoning
the sesterce at fifteen grains Of silver
this would make the amount spent for
for roses in the display of decadent
Roman magniticence about $3.50, 600.
The same author describes the supper
rooms in which these entertainments
we're served, and they probably SUR
pas Ied anything in New York. Their
vaulted ceilings, fretted and inlail
with ivory, were made to revolve and
scatter flowers, while concealed pipes
, shed n spray Of perfume on the guests.
The master of this splendor ''never
wore the same garment twice" When
he fshed it was with golden nets
drawn by silken cords, and his mules
were shod with silver.
1t was the custom then, as it still is,
to distribute "favors" to guests at en-
tertainments. Under Caligula such
favors consisted of fine garments and
scarfs for the guests, and great sums
were thrown into the streets to be
scrambled for by the crowds. 1t is
said that ut one of these displays the
entire amphitheatre was rooted in
with vermillion and chryso-
lite" At another Function"
the favors consisted Of "clothes,
gold, silver, gems, pictures,
pearls, slaves and many other
articles, some of the most valuable Of
which were divided by lot. Suetonius
declares that finally ships, houses and
lands were thus distributed. Nor was
this wealth lavished only on the hui
man favorites and fiatterers who
fawned upon the great. There were
not only marble houses but marble
stables also, and the favorite horse of
Caligula was dressed in purple hous-
ings with a jeweled frontlet and fed
from an ivory mangsr
This extravaganza had already pro-
ceeded far in the time of Horace, who
complained that at Rome both genius
and virtue, unless backed by money,
were "viler than seaweed." He was
holly indignant to find men who had
plundered the provinces and gained
wealth by every crime from peri
! to murder using it to fill in the sea at
Baiae to make foundations for their
houses in order to create distinction
between themselves and the less
wealthy. Gibbon declares that
the silk in which these degen-
crates dressed cost its weight in gold
pound for pound. 1t was brought at
Incredible expense of danger and
trouble from Ceylon, where it was put
on the market by traders from China
and India who also sold the pearls
which were dissolved in vinegar and
drunk mingled with wine at Roman
feasts. The study of history is al
ways instructive, but perhaps no peri
cd presents facts SO useful to Amer
leans as the first two hundred years
of the Roman Empire.
The introduction of electricity IN
paper-maklng by the Cliff Mills OF
Niagara Falls may finally operate to
induce the Paper Trust to throw away
as antiquated good part OF the plants
now valued 20 highly in estimates of
capitalization. The motors Of hun.
dred horse-powe each which have
been introduced will make antitrust
paper, and it is said that the cost will
be less that $40 horsepower for a
continuous twenty-four hours service.
The superintendent of Niagara Falls
mill is quoted as saying that paper
can be made for from 1926 to $50 a
ton, or from one and quarter to one
aud half cents q pound, with mar
gin of profit. This is interesting and
instructive information at time
when the trust is attempting to extort
two and half cents pound for it.
The success of the experiment at Mag.
ara Falls seems to be we'll assured, and
unless it greatly deceivcs anticipation
it will result in paper produced far
below the line of possible COMPETE
ton from mills located III out-of-
the. way places where electricity can
not be as cheaply supplied as motive
power.
II is proposed to have the foreign
steamers deliver the mails to II govern
ment transport, SO that during the
time consumed coming from quaran.
tine sacks of mail can be separated
and arranged SO as to take all the
mails which are male up for the
United States exchange Offices,
such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, St.
Louis. Chicago, Boston, San Francisco,
etc., to the different stations without
coming to the New York postoffice as
ut present. When the Improvement
is established it will obviato the ne.
cessity OF bringing any mail to the
New York postoffice except that which
is intended for it. At present, more
than 30 pouches of mails received
from foreign countries are made up
for places outside of New York city,
and the adoption OF this improvement
will allow the transfer of this amount
of mail to the different railway sta.
lions, thereby saving from six to
twenty-four hours.
| With a half dozen or mora divorcf