Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-10

MAILIsTER VS., sTUYyEsANT FIsH
Tho Social Dictator Was Bested and
ousted,
Hut tho Row blade Him Famous-He
called II "a sh-DaIiv--uevenee
Came the Noxt Winter when He
Gave "a Gneat Rail All His own.

Tho death of Ward McAllistor re-
calls the famous and amusing contro-
Y yersy IN which he became involved
with stuyvesant Fish. Elbridge II.
Gerry and others. in 1859, over the
y management OF the ceremonial ball OF
tho Washington Centennial.
"a II was a most spirited controversy
4 diversified with much personality Of a
more or less acrimonious nature. For
the tims It helped to make miserable
q tho lives OF Mr.. Fish and his fellow
members of the Centennial entertain
x ment committee. and furnish entertain
ment for the whole country. while II
also served more than any other event
N In his career to eStabiish Mr.. McAlllA-
Il ters national reputation NJ the leader
N of the fashionable host and the great
est amateur chef and manager In the
as country.
Previous to that timo MIR. McAllis-
ter had already become famous. Many
4 years before he had established tho
Patriarchs' ball at Delmonico's. and In
tho capacity OF manager OF entertain
ineptI ana SOCIAL Watchdog had made
mis- assistance Indispensable to a GER
N tain exclusive social set. In tact,
y Enough he had many robelllouB sub
Jects, his excellent social Judgment and
his untlrlnR zeal made his sway nearly
absolute. His tact enabled him TO
smooth over the rough places. and In
I spite Of his enemies mig influence was
very great Ia every circle OF fashion
Il able nooioty.
He did not court publicity at this
time, and his name was little known
n outside OF the parlOrn of the wealthy.
L until, IN "a newspaper interview, ne
Z one day declared that there were eX-
Z uctly four hundred fashionable persons
In New York society ana no moro.
4 Tho furore that this statement made
4 placed him upon the crest OF the wave
Y pf notorlety, and It was not long aftor
Il this that the Centennial ball contrO-
Z yefay made him one OF the most talked
u men Ia the country.
& The Mgnugcra Of the washington
= Centennial were for the most part per-
sons OF social prominence, and the nrst
II conception OF the ceremonial bail was
4 10 make 1t distinctly great fashion
able event. II was to be managed by
4 the descendants OF the old families
u of WashingtUu'H time ana It's official
( honors were to be henped, not upon
a the local statesmen OF the city and
state. but upon thu highest national
d functlonnries.
X The society leaders who were in
B trusted with its preparations had little
thought at this time OF the tremendous
\ howl Of rage that was daatlned to come
from the nlEhtod politicians of Now
! York and Albany when the plans be
came known
Mr.. McAiIia,er's Plans.
IA planned, however. there was only
onu man In the country who was
uttcd by ability aud experience to
Z manage the ball. and that man was
4 Ward Mchlllster lie was placed upon
the entertainment committee, made IT.
secretary ana vested with the dignity
and ONCE Of manager OF tho ban and
OF the banquet which was to follow u
VI day or two later
a Mr.. McAlllster hailed the opportunity
with Joy, For years be mad been
studying the art OF entertainment ana
+ was familiar 10 The smallest detail
+ with tho great court balls OF an times
and nations. Never had he had AN
4 opportunity before TO plan ana man
age a ball costing more than $4,000 or
$4,000. Here was ball to cost 500, 900.
Hts Joy was complete. and he ntudied
the great problem day and night for
months
\ Hts conception OF It. aa he related It
to INC month or two beforehand,
was poem OF dignity brilllancy and
: pride OF family The decorations OF the
Metropolitan opera house were to be
the most costly Imaginable The muaie
h was TO be the Erandeat that the eoun-
4 try could provide The supper was to
be lavish and the wine tho finest.
a The women and men to dance the
quadrillo d'honncur were to be the di-
rect descendants OF those who danced
II at tho ball following Wnshingtons
inaugural century before Admis-
y sions were limited to persona of tho
Il highoAt official standing In the nation
and state. to oiiioisl dignitarles OF nis-
ter atatea. and those whose descent
from the distinguished families OF
a Washington's time, or whose personal
great accomplishments In art, science.
literature. government ana the larger
sffAirs OF life would enable them to
add dignity and lustre TO the ball that
MT. MeAlllster foHdly hoped would
. rival the greatest achievements In that
line OF any foreign court
The honora OF the occasion were 10
cluster around tho president OF tho
Il United States. himself the descendant |
OF great president and famous
family, and the mayor OF the city, |
though n Tammany man. whosc gram |
mar was sllEhtingly spoken OF BY the |
Four Hundred, was by virtue Of Mis- |
Official position to occupy the place or
host
United states soldiers. with cleaning
y bayohetH and clanking swords were
70 guard the peace and order OF the
great nsaemblage and add tho flavor
- 'hfthANS uiiet AlhbAkn u All
the MANAGER Mr. McAliinter himself,
(, was TO be the shining light and moving
+ spirit, with host OF aides OF high
Y birth and brilliant decorations 10 Ecurrv
X this way and that and keep tho great
( spectacle OF dignity and maanilcence
moving along TO Its climax.
Such was McAllister'n dream. Rut
no was destined 10 a very rude awak-
anhig.
n Didn't Suit stuyvcsant Firn.
n The trouble wan that MIR, McAlnster
fnzsumcd from the start a greater re
Ihronsibnity than Mr.. Fish and his
fronimittee thought him entitled 10. He |
went ahead with the arranrenenta
EXACTLY as II he We're - supreme !
hrAd. and he made the machinery "a |
ms Patrinrchs' ball the nucleus OF the |
mechanlam OF the big ceremonial ball |
He consulted with the catererg OF Tho |
Ieity, and made contracts Tor tho aup.
per, the wines and the decorations. he |
fHcttled all the details OF the ceremonlal |
ieyonts OF the ball and made up ana |
+ gave out for publication the list or Inc |
eiffeen women whom he had chosen I
20 dance the qnadrille d'honncur.
II was this last act that brought on
lthe storm. Stuyvealnt Fish had made
~ Hat OF women hlmaoif but Mr. NJ.
tAlli1ter had rejected Il, holding That
some Of Mr.. F'ish's personal frlendg |
III.rIf.f.