Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-26

Grand total l...................... ,O2o coo
 This Is an approximate estimate of the cost of Vanity Fair in New York-more than s1, GOO. GOO.
 Society places itself on show in Madison Square Garden and expends kings ran som in doing it. This takes no account either of the immense amount of money that is spent on the horses that are gath cred from all parts of the country for the annual horse show competition, no modest figure in itself.
 The Duchess of Marlborough on her first appearance at the show wore a costume that had been made specially for the occa- sion. The proprietress of fashionable dressmaking establishment in Fifth ay- enue who saw 1t said that it could not have cost less than $500.
 Her mother, Mrs W. K. Vanderbilt, who was present on the opening night, wore gown of old rose velvet and satin, trimmed with lace, and with bonnet to match. Like that of her daughter, it was a creation for horse show purposes only, and was one of several which she had made, for although she appeared on several ocoa- sions subsequently she was always in 0 different costume. Five hundred dollars is low estimate for such garments in these end of the century days of dressmak- ing.
 In the table above, which was prepared by well known modiste, recognized authority on such matters, tho figures are most conservative. When 1t is estimated that ten women expended @, ,000 each in their special preparations for the show, it is probable that there were really double that number, and that some of them, seek ing exceptional brilliancy in Vanity Fair, were not content with the expenditure of less than twice that amount.
 Less than 5000 women are included in the table, no account being taken of the other thousands whose expenditures for the horse show, though specific, were con- paratively trivial. With these taken in also the total might have been increased by from s20, GOO to S50,000.
 Masculine frills are of course not so ex- pensive as those of the women, but their cost forms no unimportant part in the ex pense of Vanity Fair. Tho tailor and the natter would have good cause for regret If the annual horse show were to be dlscon- tinued. While the women spent upward of $500, GOO in preparations for the show tho men were content with a quarter of that expenditure.
 Charlie Bates, best known as Fatty" wore an average of three suits day, and there were many more like him. Willie Doerr imported whole trunkfuls of clothes . especially made for the occasion.
 Horse show trousers are differant in many respects from those of ordinary ifo and have to he provided. Horse show hats are as different from the ordinary style as are the tiles of our granddaddies. Bates hats were made from a special block, and after the first day there was rush of the knowing ones to get something as near like them as possible.
 Tho Broadway florists estimate that they sold flowers for the horse show alone to the amount of more than S10, GOO. The women of Vanity Fair will use only those that are the most expensive, and dollars do not go very far in purchasing rare blooms.
 Ten thousand dollars for special cab and carriage hire is said by the man in charge at the Garden to be a moderate estimate.
 Visitors came from all parts of the coun- try, and as they had to vie with New York's wealthiest set the cost of their transportation and their maintenance at the most expensive hotels cannot be esti mated at less than $50 900 for the week. Five thousand of those that attended the horse show, it is said, came from out of town, some from nearby places, others from Boston, Philadelphia Baltimore, Washington and as far west as Chicago.
 The box office receipts are estimated at S15o, 900, of which upward of S1oo, 900 will be clear profit.
 For dinners and luncheons the hotels and restaurants received not less than Sl00, 900 during the six days of the show, and $50, 900 is thought to be @ modest es- timate for incidentals. As a sample of this it is known that the cigar stand at the Hotel Waldorf took in 5000 in single evening during the week.-New York Xuo1,ld