Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-11
FASHION ABLE CENTER
WHAT WASHINGTON IS DESTINED
TO BECOME.
More Wealthy People Here This Win
ter Than Ever Before and
More Entertainments.

eff any doubt existed that Washington
is to become and is to remain the fashion
able center Of this country. this winter s
influx Of wealthy people into the capital,
the unprecedented social activity OF the
season and the overflow. at the hotels dispel
It," said the manager Of one of our big up
town caravansaries this morning to a Star
man.
THE distinction between a fashionable
center and fashionable winter resort
should be drawn in connection with an in
telligent discussion Of the social side of tho
capital. Washington is a winter resort in
one sense, and is yearly becoming more so,
but 1 do not place Washington In the cate
CORY Of winter resorts, though, for reasons
which are too apparent to deserve elabora-
ton, Washington is now and Is to continue
a winter resort; but the city rises to a
much higher social plane than Is embodied
under such a title
This winter to greater extent than
can recall wealthy people have poured
down from the northern cities to abide
tells have been full to the doors with this
highly desirable class OF transient resi-
dents. Many wealthy families, hundreds Of
them, In fact have taken houses for the
winters social season. paying therefor the
rental Of an entire year, SO great has been
the demand for residences of this character.
The Capitals Pre-eminence.
''Most Of these people come from New
York. The metropolis is all torn up; is
dirty. dusty. unhealthy and disagreeable
on account of the building of the subway
and the revolutionizng Of buildings in the
fashionable quarters Of town; some Of the
houses of the rich on Murray Hill being
propped up by timbers to save them from
possible collapse. Under these disadvant-
ageous conditions New York Is not a
desirable place Of residence to those
whose wealth makes them independent; so
they pull out. And where are they to go to
find congenial associations? Why, to
Washington. and 1t is to Washington they
gravitate as naturally as the needle turns
toward the north.
"a single instance will serve as an inter-
esting local Illustration. am speaking
only of people Of large wealth. OF this
class those who come to Us are not all from
the metropolis. I personally know Of four
very wealthy and prominent families who
have como from Albany, N. Y, and taken
houses in Washington this winter, where
they have entertained lavishly. There are
many other wealthy families here this sea-
son from Buffalo. Syracuse and other New
York state cities. while the visiting con-
tingent OF smart people who are making
q seasons stay from Philadelphia, Boston
and other New England cities cannot be
counted.
Eyes. there are many wealthy western
families who are with US. but the great
bulk Of the representative class Of which !
speak are from the north These people
constitute a distinct class by themselves.
and the west does not produce them as
does the east. OF course, you understand
exclude entirely from my remarks those
OF the rich social set who are in official
life; refer exclusively to the people in
private life. I venture the assertion that
never before in the capital has there been
seen on our uptown streets SO many equip
| ages bearing the hall mark Of wealth in
strictly private liveries. This means that
those to whom I refer have brought theiI
| own carriages and horses with them All
| of this tends to make the streets of the
fashionable section gay. and they arr
| crowded with carriages filled with elegantly
| dressed women.
| Washington Loadstone Of Attraction
LAS for entertaining, 1t has been thus far
| and will SO continue to be up to Easter, car.
| ried on in the most lavish manner. In sew.
| eral Of the more fashionable hotels, for in.
stance, from four to eight separate dinner
parties In each hotel every night have beer
the rule. while in private houses 1t has beer
| dinners, and still dinners, night after night
| until 1t Is not to be wondered at that sew.
| eral of our popular and prominent states
| men have been obliged to take to their bed.
| to permit their digestive functions to- re-
| sumo a normal tone. How many dinner!
| are given on an average every night in thu
capital among fashionable people? One hun
dred and fifty may seem extravagant, bu
| do not so consider 1t. There are so many
dinners going on. night after night. Of sa,
| from twelve to twenty-four covers and up
attempting to enumerate them. AS for tn
other social functions. they follow one An