Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-15
WAS A SMALL DANCE"
But the Fortunes Represented
 Were Fabulous.
THE DEBUT OF MISS VANDERBILT
There Was Untold Wealth at Mrs. Wander bilt's Ball, and the Florists Reaped Rich Harvests-Costly Gewgaws Given to the Guests-SOme of Those Present.

DiICs Abalis ana tue FIorlsts Eteaped Rich
 Harvests-COstly Gewgaws Given to the
 Guests-Some of Those Present.
 NEWPORT, R. l., Aug. 15.-There was a dance last night at the new cottage, The Breakers, which Cornelius Vanderbilt has erected here It was given for his daugh- ter, Miss Gertrude. On the cards of in Yitation it was called a small dance. |" All this Is very we'll and everything seems simple enough except ill $ Wander bilt sense. In the first place 150 people, none of whom were worth less than $500, 900 each, were invited to this small dance" and the cottage, The Breakers is an enormous stone structure, with magnificent grounds, which has been built at an outlay of over $500, GOO. The Hun garian band oS 30 pieces performed. The Newport florists were given unlimited sway to decorate the different rooms, and they did it as only Newport florists can and at prices which only Newport florists ask. The supper was served by the Casi- no caterer and consisted of the usual elab- crate refreshments-that is of bouillon cold and bot entrees, birds, chicken and lobster salads, ices and fruits. There were three kinds of wines-chablis, claret and champagne-of expensive brands. besides punches in great silver bowls served all during the evening.
 Guests Given Valuable Gewgaws.
 The cotillon, which was danced after supper was the occasion for the giving to the guests of beautiful and valuable gewgaws. It was q royal welcome given by Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the enormous house was thrown open and lighted brilliantly from roof to eel lar. The gorgeous furniture, which has recently arrived from Europe, the hang ings, the tapestries and the marvellous fittings of each of the magnificent suites of drawing rooms wero shown to their best advantage The great hall was radiant with lights and beautiful with flowers. A dinner to some 35 chosen guests pre- coded the ball.
 Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, arrayed in a gorgeous silk gown and with all her dia- monds on, received the guests at the en- trance to the first drawing room. Her daughter, Miss Gertrude, is a sweet look ing, refined girl, not especially pretty, but very attractive and bright. She is always very simply dressed, and her gown of white last evening was tasteful and in keeping with the ensemble of a debutante She wore no jewels.
 But the interest in this ball is not so much in itself, because the Four Hundred are constantly giving such entertain ments but on account of it's being a rep roscntative assemblage of wealth. There was not literally poor person in the rooms. At Newport there are gathered this summer the wealth of four cities New York, Philadelphia Boston and Chicago-and they all had showing.
 Billions of Wealth Represented.
 Indeed had census been taken the wealth represented last night would have rolled up into the billions. In the first place, there was the entire Vanderbilt family-Cornelius, William, Frederick and George and old Mrs w H. Eanderilt The aggregate amount of their fortunes must be about S2O0, 900. GOO.
 Mrs. Astor glcamed with jewels, repre- senting $50, 900, 900, with her son and daughter-in-la law, Mir, and Mrs. John Ja- cob AstOr, .Jr., NIT. and Mrs w. D. Sloane and Mir. and Mrs Nick. Twombly can come in for $40, 900, 0OO Mir. and Mrs. Orme Wilson represented at least $2, 900, : 900 moro. Miss Mabel Gerry is Miss Ger trude Nandcrbilt's guest and stands for her family at figure of $10 000, 900. Miss Virginia Fair has, without counting the millions involved in the Fair contest, at least S5, 900, OOO
 The Brice girls have been rated at $10, = 900, 900. MT. and Mrs. Ogden Goelet rep resented o,O0O, O0O and Mir. and Mrs Theodore Havcmoyer might well be put down at $50, 00O 900. Mir. Joe Wolfe and his sister, Mrs. N. D. Clapp whose daugh- ter was one of the dobutantos of the ball. has been rated at 5000, 900, and Miss Gcorgottc Kidd, tho daughter of MT and Mrs. George Kidd, at S2, GOO, 900.
 Besides these there was a long list of others whose wealth Is rated from a mil lion up.