Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-17

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est expense is that manipulated by
the chef. To feed the crew alone
costs $1,000 a month. But while the
guests are fewer in number than the
crew, not averaging more than five
or six at a time, they require some
thing more fascinating than beef stew
and plum duff for dessert.
Mr.. Vanderbilt is something Of an
epicure, and when only he and his
secretary are on the boat an elabor
ate menu is prepared by the chef
three times day. to say nothing of
a late supper and sundry lunches and
delicious connections of an anti-pro-
hibition flavor. One hundred and
fifty dollars day scarcely covers the
cost of the rare foods and fruits cor
sumed, the wines and liquors drunk.
the 60-cent cigars smoked by the
quarterback contingent Of the Val
liant. When there are many guests
aboard, the expense of entertaining
then runs up 20 $500 or $1,000 a day.
But $50 day is a fair average for
the month.
The incidentals also come high. The
Valiant and her furnishings represent
an outlay Of 100000, and the insur.
ance premium on this sum would
make the average man faint if he had
to meet 1t. The breakage on the Val
liant is also something terrific AL
though she is the biggest American
yacht in commission, she rolls cOnSld
erably when caught in a half gale.
and the cut glassware and the rare
china suffer. The laundry bills of the
crew and the ships linen and the in
cidental repairs necessary to keep
the yacht at the highest pitch of per-
lection amount to So a day, or about
1925 a month. The total expense of
running the Valiant per month aver
ages between $4,000 and So OOO OF
about 100000 a year.
Commodore Elbridge Z. Gerry is an
other past master in the art of spend
ing money ON yachting. His boat, tire
Electra, while not as large or as
speedy as the Valiant, is one of the
most luxurious crafts atioat. C)mmO-
dore Gerry keeps the Electra in com
mission only four months in the year
June, July, August, and September.
She carries a crew of tWenty-eight
men all told, and the salary list
amounts to $1,000 q month. Much Of
the time the crew wear white suits,
and in consequence the laundry bill
is big item. The Electra'S coal costs
$500 month. Feeding the crew costs
another $500. The commodore, when
on his yacht, is a great entertainer.
The Fashionable world of Newport
have been entertained on the Electra
at some time or another. And Mr.
Gerry entertains like a prince
The monthly cost of running the
Electra is $4,000, and three-fourths
Of this sum is spent on the cuisine
Of the yacht. [ have been guest on
the boat when 100 others were invited
at Newport for a days sail. At 10
o'clock champagne cocktails were
served to all hands, and at 1 o'clock
luncheon was served in the dining
saloon, which was fitted with all the
luxuries of a Fifth avenue palace
There were dukes and lords on board
that day, but it is doubtful if they
had ever attended a grander feast
Every imaginable delicacy within the
power of a $7,5O0-a-year chef was to
be had, to say nothing Of hothouse
fruit costing $40 a pound.
Ordinary drinking water is a luxury
on the Electra. 1t cannot be had un-
less a member Of the crew be bribed
to dive into the mysteries Of the fore
castle and get some. Claret cup and
champagne are the standard drinks
on the yacht. Beer is not to be had,
for the reason that it has a tendency
to inflict terror upon all who are sell
sitive to the undulations of the sell.
The commodore tried having beer on
board once, when he took a number
Of Albany statesmen out for a sail !
Details Of the result had better be left
unWritten.
Oliver Iselin is a different style Of
yachtsman from Mr.. Gerry and Mr..
Vanderbilt. He goes into it solely as
a sport. He Will spend in the neigh
bOrhood OF 100000 this season as his
share of thu expense in defending the
American cup. Mr.. Iselin cares very
little for steam yachting. He likes
the pleasure and excitement of hand |
ling a small sailing craft, and doesn't
bother about magnifcence in its
equipments.
George Gould is still another type
Of yachtsman. He goes in for the
glory Of it ard as an aid to his social
aspirations. 1t costs a world Of
money to keep the big steamer Alta ;
lanta in commission. Jay Gould |
spent $4,000 in building and equip !
ping her, but the running expense |
was so great that the Little Wizard' !
kept her tied up at a dock, with a |
Waterman on board most of the time. !
She requires a crew Of forty men and |
cannot be run in first-class style I'M
der $4,000 a month. George Gould |
will probably spend $4,000 this year
racing the Vigilant.
1t requires A large-sized bank ac-
count to handle a big sloop Of this !
size in racing trim. In a stiff wind
the strength of thirty-fve men IS
needed to haul in the 100-foot boom
and the immense spread Of canvas Of
the main-sail.
Mr.. Gould got more genuine peas
ure out of yachting when he confined
himself to his schooner, the b ilde-
o9rda onca orpo5 NV tho 1,ripco of