Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-23
GOSSIP FROM GOTHAM
Swell Society Now Organized Into a
Sort of Trust.
TEE BANKS AND TEE CURRENCY BILL
Steps to Secure Team Of Noted
Revolver Shots.
E P D E NJ &c OF g r / P


Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, February %, 1900
The social season Just closing has in
many respects been dull, but in other ways
gay. The gayety has been almost entirely
confined to one or more sets, and this di-
vision is all the more marked as the years
go on. No longer can this very wealthy
set be called the Exclusives the Howl
ing Howling Swells," or the -Four Hun
bred" All these terms have become trite
and are considered provincial. The wealthy
set which dominates New York society, is
that which assemblies at Newport every
summer Many of these people have coun-
try seats elsewhere, and are frequently
identified with Tuxedo, with the upper
Hudson, with Hampstead and Meadow
Brook, and even with far-off Bar Harbor.
But al some time in the summer all of them
can be found at Newport, and consequently
the title of the Newport set is the best
which can be applied to them. Mrs. Aston.
Mrs. Ogden Mills. Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish,
Mrs. Elbridge r. Gerry, Mrs. Hermann DEL
richs, the Vanderbilts and latterly Mrs.
George Gould and Mrs. John r. DreXel
may be said to constitute a trust or syndi-
plan these days-which governs social
amusements in this town. Just as the
theaters of New York are controlled by d
combination, so are the great fortunes
banded together for a social common inter-
est. There are, it is true, dissensions with
in this company. but its leaders and mem
bers stand together when there arises any
question of great social import.
Bank View of the Currency Bill.
While bank officers are reluctant to dis
cuss the proposed Understanding features
of the currency BILL which was recently
ma w he Senate they are nv no rnea DS
Indifferent to it. Most of them have given
it a very thorough study with a view to
taking advantage of the terms proposed by
Secretary Gage and incorporated in the
bill. large number have been quietly
substituting for their bonds on deposit with
the Secretary other bonds which promise
them a better return in the final exchange
for the per cents. The large bond houses
are busy making purchases and enecting
exchanges with the great financial fnsti-
buttons having government bonds among
their assets. To such institutions one issue
of government bonds is as good as another
provided they are exchanged on the same
interest basis. The bond houses know
where blocks of Is and IS may be acquired
in exchange for IS, and by paying a slight
bonus it is easy to bring about the substi-
tuition of the IS for the other issues. The
Treasury Department also permits the sub
stitution of one class of bonds for another
without detriment to the bank making the
exchange. The only difficulty in the Situa-
ton appears to be that there is temptation
to banks to withdraw their IS in order to
sell them. without substituting other bonds
for them, thus reducing their circulation.
With money so plentiful as it now is, there
could be no objection to this course We're
it not for the fact that the law forbids a
bank retiring circulation to receive any in
crease of its circulation for period of six
months. If the rates of interest advance in
the spring and money becomes scarce the
evidence of the restriction may be felt.
The Annual Dog show.
The annual dog show of the Westmin-
ster Kennel Club will begin at the Madison
Square Garden on Tuesday, and will be
continued for four days. The show will be
the largest one to the number of eX-
hibits that the club has ever had, there
being something over 2,1o0 entries, as
against 1000 last year. the largest number
in the history of the club up to that time.
Many of the dogs are imported for the
show, and some close contests are expect
ed between them and the American dogs
which will compete with them. Richard
Croker. jr, and Frank Croker. of the
Tammany leader will exhibit some excep-
tionaly valuable dogs. These dogs were
secured in England for the Croker boys by
John Whalen, a wel-known dog fancer,
whom they sent to England to purchase
for them. The dog most priced is the
champion bull bitch Petra mosse. fifty pounds
weight, who has won more than one hun
dred first prizes. OF which many We're fifty
guineas each She has never been beaten.
To Select n Revolver Team.
To form an organization for the primary
purpose of selecting an American team to
take part in the proposed Franco American
revolver match by cable in June. a meet
ing of amateur revolver experts has been
called for March ;. This is the outcome
of a gathering of noted shots. recently
held here. DR.. r. II. Sayre. DR.. C. T.
Adams and Capt. ]. C. Summers have been
appointed a committee to arrange for the
meeting and issue the call By this COM
mittee invitations have been mailed to every
revolver shot of national reputation in the
United States, either to be present at the
meeting to communicate TO the chairman
of the committee his wishes regarding mem
bership in the proposed organization. 1t is
believed that If an Organization be decided
upon at the meeting on March the Amer
lean Revolver Club or National Revolver
Association, or whatever it may be named,
will become permanent institution.
Trnp Shooters Program.
The program of the interstate trap
Shooters Association for the Grand Amer
lean handicap of 1900 and its accompany
ing minor contests at the traps is complet-
ed and will be sent out during the current
week. The handicap of 1900 is the eighth
one shot under the auspices of the asso-
citation and will be decided on the new
grounds at interstate fark, queens, Long
Island. The handicap committee will meet
in the Aston House. this city, Wednesday,
March %, four days after the closing of
entries. The allowances, however. will not
be announced until April l.
The list of entries already received con-
tains the names OF some of the most noted
wing shots in the world The back-mark
men will doubtless be j. A. r. Elliott, Capt
Jack Brewer, DR.. Carver. and probably one
or two of the stars from the west Thos
Marshall. mayor of Kiethsburg ILL.,, who
won the handicap in 1897 and last year. will
be among the crackajacks from the land
of the setting sun. Among the women who
will compete will be Mrs. Shattuck, who
proved in the last two tournaments that
she could shoot better than some of her
opponents of the sterner sex, and Mrs
Milt' Lindsey, better known as WAN
d." who has also made an enviable repu-
tation with the shotgun.
Epidemic of Grip.
According to the officers of the charities
department, there is an epidemic of grip in
this city. For the last ten days cases have
been treated by the score and there is a