The times., 1899-07-30
SERVANTS OF THE RICH
New York Palaces Require an Army
of DomesticS.
MuIti-MiIIionnire Nnbobs Pay Fabu-
Ious Salaries for Their Retinue of
Help-About Naphthn Launches
and other Smart Craft-women
Famous for Beauty specinitics.

old days. when genuine republic
can simplicity reigned in New York,
the wives of the most wealthy nabobs in
the city conducted their households with
the aid Of FIVE servants at most; nowadays
ten domestics is the essential number in
anything like smartly managed house,
twenty-five the rule in one of the lesser
tcwn palaces, and there are at least seven
houses on upper Fifth Avenue where, in
Guiding stable and house help, the list of
employees numbers nearly fifty busy men
and women. Just take a look at the win
dows of the Cornelius Vanderbilt, Gerry,
and Astor houses, and any shrewd woman
would calculate that it would need the eN-
elusive labors of at least one woman to
keep the sashes as crystal clear and the
lace hangings as frostily white as they
always are. What with the increasing sizs
OF the houses, the amount OF lavish enter
tanning done. the quantities of siiverware
steadily in use, the masses of almost price
less bric-a-brac TO be cared for, and bow
ers of expensive plants to be tended, il is
no idle waste for fashionable hostess to
call a number of expert domestics to her
aid.
The great ladies of New York, as it
stood half century ago, would however,
wonder at some of the servants now set
down on the domestic pay roll. For ex-
ample Mrs. Burden. Mrs. Twombly, and
their friends not only employ housekeep-
ers. but also what is known as a coufiden-
tal maid. This woman waits on nobody,
but usually gets $50 a month and her
business is to keep the big. richly stocked
linen closets in order, dust the precious
bric-a-brac. see that no moths get into the
invaluable rugs, prune, wash, and water
the house plants. and with their own
hands wash and put away all the costly
glass and china used at every luncheon,
dinner or supper party. The amount of
excitement and actual cash her efforts
save in a splendid New York mansion
more than justifies her wages Besides the
confidential maid in these big homes,
where so much money is lavished in deco
ration. so much plate used and jewelry
worn, il is necessary to keep a door man.
He is one of the three men usually en-
ployed in a fine house. One of the trio is
the butler. the second is his assistant in
waiting at table, rubbing plate and valet
ing the gentlemen, but the third employe
rarely leaves the front door. and he is
personally responsible for the safety of
the valuables. Three times in the night
he patrols the entire house, and ALI day
he is on duty, but especially is he alert
and crowd of guests offer opportunities
for the entrance of sneak thieves.
Added TO their actual usefulness in the
house, these male dome5tics are considered
excessively modish and ornamental, and il
was Mrs. Pierpont Morgan who set the now
prevailing fashion of three men in atten-
dance on 'at home" days and made il
obligatory for the front door bell TO be an
swered on the instant. At Mrs. Morgan's
great Madison Avenue residence. a touch
at the bell swings back Immediately two
massive oak doors, and behold, stately
footman stands at either side of the en-
trance, the butler in the middle bowing ever
SO lightly, ready to conduct and announce
the caller at the drawing room door.
Among fashionable domestics the Pierpont
Morgan, the Gerry and the John Sloan
houses are regarded as Offering quite the
most desirable positions In New York. They
are the mecca Of the ambitious, and in
event Of large entertainments In these
houses, u Is no uncommon sight to hnd
handsome footmen posted at nearly every
oocr on the first floor. quite after the fash
fon in the royal European palaces.
White md Gold Naphtha Launches.
Ye. ho. for the naphtha launch-not
bit OF a cookie shell with ill-smelling
little engine putting in the stern-bst
long. iow-iyilg. clean-buiit. swift-keeled,
iaxuriolsly- appointed pleasure craft, is
the naphtha launch as patronized by So
ciety seadogs. naphtha is the latest
and one of the costliest toys the smart
sporting fraternity have found, and a
proper .aurch costs about Sc. 0oo 1t meas
ures about forty-five feet in length, and
consists Of a deck forward. q saloon,
cooks galley and the engine room. Tucked
in one eorner Of the saloon is tiny toilet
81
proyides the refreshments from his gal
ley, and one man only is required as Of
ficer and crew. This man is nearly al
ways huge blonde Swede or Norwegian,
who gets big wages and Is expected to
dress as daintily as a debutante. He
wears white serge or flannel and a scar
let cap, TO bring out his blonde charms
TO the best advantage and usually the
boat he manages is herself a vision OF
white comfort and udiness.
All along Long Island Sound. the south
side coast and at the New England resorts
as high as Bar Harbor, the naphtha launch
is very much in evidence. II is used as
the pleasure sloop used to be, for taking
of parties a day on the water, and to the
luxurious soul IL is a vast Improvement on
the finest sailing boat that was ever built.
Some Of these launches are indeed htted up
with the completeness and beauty OF
woman's boudoir. One Of the handsomest,
owned by Frank Otis, has its saloon walls
lined with mirrors between the windows.
framed in white and gold panels. Golden
water dragons sport on a ceiling inlaid with
pearl. and beautiful white and gold jap
anese silk is used in the upholstery Of
white and gold wicker seats. A complete
set Of white and gilt china and special
service of glass. silver, and napery is sup
piled for the table. on which a famously
good luncheon is served in honor of who
ever catches the first fish Of the days
expedition Edward Post owns one of the
smartest launches afioat. the Russian con-
sui is the proprietor OF one decorated who'll
ly In Russian woods and fabrics, and not
a few OF the finest are possessed by women
who dearly love boat that is not depend
ent upon a breeze. and that takes one safe
ly home when the waves threaten to up
set ones dignity.
This is the day when not only In the
sciences and arts, but in the matter of
physical beauty as well, the specialist
reaps all the honors and rewards. The
long-headed American girl has recently
come 10 realize that the fame of her
good looks flies in q wider course and
on stronger wings when the tongues OF
men dwell with persistent note in
praise OF some feature as showing un-
rivaied perfection. The New York beau
ties have brought this specially system to
a point OF perfection that cannot fail to
arouse interest and admiration. For ex-
ample. who nowadays ever speaks
OF or points out Miss Emily
Hoffman. without at once proclaim
ing the unmatched splendor of her black
eyes? Mrs. Lee Taller is justly quite
as famous for her Titan red hair, and
Mrs. Tom Taller for her black hair. The
nrst mentioned fair young matron inyari-