The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10

LONDON. July s.-NsrroE. crooked.
lttle Curzon street, which wriggles
along from sutocratic Berkeley square
20 plutocratic Park lane. mas suddenly
discovered that American millions are
making it an English edition OF New
port and Fifth avenue. and by the same
token the smartest street in London
from the viewpoints Of social prestige
and price Der square foot
CUrzon street has had until now a
rather mixed opinion OF itself The
street made one think Of the things the
valrus spoke OF in "Alice's Wonder
land:
shirs and shoes and sealing wax
ard csbbsges and kings
II begins in stables and grocery stores.
runs alongside q slum, takes in the
mansions Of some Of the most aristo-
cratic folk in London and then ends in
more stables-al in the space Of half
dozen short blocks And this is the
street OF ali streets that you must now
live in II you want TO be in the first
rank Of American millionaires, who en-
tertain royalty quite royalty.
II is. Of course in Curzon street that
the Duke and Duchess Of Marlborough.
assisted by the Vanderbilt millions
have built the most magnificent private
residence in London, and undoubtedly
II is the presence there Of Sunderland
House, as the impressive pile IS called.
that has led practically every rich
American who has taken house in
London this season 10 try TO locate
either in OF near the street where. &C
cording 70 Thackeray, Becky Sharp
abode az the height Of her social career
in London. The Bradley Martins and
Mrs. Adsir, IL viii be remembered, have
been in Curzon street for some time,
snd among the other society people
from across the Atlantic who have 10
Gated there recently may be mentioned
Miss Van Wart OF Washington. Thomas
Field Clspp OF St. Louis and ". Craig
Wsdsworth Of New York. The town
house Of Princess Alexis Dolgorouki,
which has just been taken for the sea
son by Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Mackay OF
Chicago, is just around the corner in
upper Grosvenor street, and Mrs. F. H.
Leggatt's new establishment IN Bruton
street is only step away. While writ
ing I hear that Mr. and Mrs. George
Vanderbilt Of New York, who have
been visiting the Marlboroughs recent
ly, have also taken house in Bruton
street
MANSION WITH A NICKNAME.
Il vas pluck, pure and simple. or
perhaps II would be better to say ne
cessity. that led the ducal couple Of
Marlborough TO decide upon Curzon
street as the site Of Sunderland House,
or "Blunderlsnd House" as the place
got nicknamed during its construction
q account Of the many mistakes made
by the builders in following the elab-
crate plans furnished them True, the
present site was suggested TO the Duke
and Duchess in the first place, but
Il was not until Belgravia and Mayfair
had been vainly ransackel by them in
search Of z better location that il was
finally decided 10 build on It. One Of
the drawbacks about the site was that
Il was occupied at the time-this was
in 1SS9-by Curzon-streeI Chapel. an
uncommonly fashionable little church
which cost the Marlboroughs MANY
thousands Of dollar TO have pulled
down.
No one who knows Curzon street wiz
wonder that the Marlboroughs would
have preferred almost any other fash
ionable street in London IN which To
build their new palace. The wonder
rs in fact. that rich American society