Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-09-14
Mr.. BRICE OF NEW YORK.
How He Wastes His Money on
Extravagant Living.
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ARE WASTED.


New York, Sept. o.-The wasteful
and prodigal expenditure of an Ohio
senator who lives in Newport in the
summer, in New York in the fall, in
Washington i'll the winter, and in the
Buckeye state not at all, is exciting
sharp comment on every side. There
are thousands of people who enjoy ele-
gance and the liberal spending of
money, but there is q difference be-
tween liberality and sheer wastefulness,
and this difference the Brices do not
understand. In Washington they hire
n social secretary at So, 900 year, whose
sole duty it is to arrange for dinners, re-
ceptions and other social entertainments.
He selects the menu, makes out the list
of guests, orders the food, wine and
flowers. During the winter season the
Brice's bill for game and fish at single
dealers i'll Washington was more than
81 900 month, and in their frenzied
effort to outshine all others i'll the way
of elaborate entertaining, they think
nothing of paying famous opera singers
and musicians 1000 night for per-
forming for the diversion of their guests.
What strikes me as wonderful, said II
gentleman recently, who is frequently
guest at the Brice villa at Newport,
sis how man in public life can be a
senator from one state when he spends
his time and money in high living
in places far distant from it.
"The Brices have been working for
years to get into the exclusive set. 1t
was in the winter of 1883 that Mr..
Brice, having attained a large fortune
in his railroad maneuvers, decided to go
to New York and reap the social bene-
fits of it. To this end he bought the fine
old mansion at No. SOB Fifth avenue,
which has always remained his New
York residence. Six years the Brices
lived at their new home and quietly
added to their list of friends all who
might be of any advantage to them ia
their coming social life, feeling their
way, as it were, toward tie inner ranks
of the exclusive set. Small dinner
parties and the dainty teas of Mrs.
Brice were the only social affairs which
marked these, the first years of their
eastern life. Their summers were spent
abroad.
Six years ago Mr.. Brice saw that to
gain his end he must have Newport. AS
Newport would not come to him he
went to Newport, and since 1889 his
family have been, with the exception of
last season, constant summer residents
there. During the years 1881 1892 SEN
ator Brice occupied the palatial Bennett
villa opposite the Casino and in 1893 the
Fearing estate. Their life during this
period was a quiet, rather prosaic exist
ence, always aiming to future star
ring.
Capturing Washington.
While the senator permitted his fapl-
lily to steal quietly into the New York
elite set, as it We're, his entree into the
Washington diplomatic circles was far
different. Secure in his position of
United States senator, with one enter
tainment, even before he had secured
residence, he made doubly secure his
position as Washington society leader
and was the most talked of man in
town. Sending ont cards to the entire
social elect of Washington early i'll the
season of 1890 for "sman entertain
ment," Mr.. and Mrs. Brice gave in the
parlors of the Arlington hotel the
grandest and most costly musicale that
Washington had ever attended. The
program included Emma Eames, Scalchi
and Edward Lloyd, the famous English
tenor, who was at the time under con-
tract with the Cincinnati Musical asso-
citation, and it is said that Il large sum
was paid for the permission to sing
away from Cincinnati.
All society was captivated with the
entertainment, and the Brices' position
AS social leaders was secure. Later in
the season Mr.. Brice was fortunate in
leasing the Corcoran estate and mansion,
which, facing on Lafayette square, is
said to be the most valuare estate in
Washington. This residell9e is almost
as exclusive as Lady Alva's marble
palace at Newport. The grounds ON
Sixteenth street are surrounded by a 12-
foot solid brick and stone wall, and the
main entrance to the house is reached
by a carriage way under a covered
arched passage, and is entirely hid from
the street.
Clincling the Victory.
In the season of 1898 the Brices lavish
ly entertained the Duke Veragua, and
later III the year Grand Duke Alexander
of Russia, who has since married the
sister of the present czar.
Two winters ago "all Washington"
was again invited to the Corcoran man
sion to grand cotillon. 1t was one theIof
few affairs of the present administration
that was honored with the presence of
the President and Mrs. Cleveland. The
Letters, Fullers, and in fact the whole
political circle of Washington was in at
tendance.
Last winter Senator and Mrs. Brice
determined to eclipse all previous efforts,
and sent out 400 invitations to mu.
sicale. The horsecars on + street pass
ing the house were stopped for nearly an
hour by the hundreds of carriages that
afa ia a1h hn