Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-25
LONDON HOUSES
ARE EXPENSIVE
MRS. PALMERS SEASON WILL
COST 100000
RENTAL ALONE IS $4,000
Many Other Wealthy Americans Es-
tabIished In Colony That Has
Let Aristocratic
Homes
Special Cable to The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald.
LONDON, June 24.-What does It
cost to take a house in London for the
season. The question is pertinent, for
in no previous year have so many aris-
tocratic mansions in Mayfair been Sc
cured by fashionable Americans for
May, June and July, the months which
London most consecrates to social gay
ETY..
Mrs. Potter Palmer of Chicago was
early in the field and did particularly
good stroke by getting the duke of
Abercorn's historic town residence in
Green street, close to Hyde park. The
former May Goelet, now duchess of
Dudley's house in Carlton gardens, just
around the corner from Carlton House
terrace, where William Waldorf Astor
and Mrs. John Mackay have permanent
homes, and where the retiring Ameri-
can ambassador, Mr.. Choate, has re-
sided while in the metropolis. Mrs.
John Jacob Astor, who never before
had house for the season, is occupy
ing that Of Sir Archibald Edmonstone,
in Portland place.
Mrs. Glasgow of Virginia has the
earl of Scarborough's town residence
in aristocratic Park lane, where also
stands Dorchester house, soon to be
opened as the new American embassy
by Whitelaw Reid. Mrs Frank Mackay
has for the coming season the home in
Curzon street of that other famous
Anglo-American, Mrs. Adair.
"House for Season" Is Expensive
Mrs. Leggatt has a house in Burton
street, the Loneys of New York one in
Lennox gardens and before these lines
are printed it is probable that Eben
Jordan of Boston, the Ballentines Of
Newark, N. j., and Mrs. George Law
also will have secured residences for
the season. And this list of Americans
who have taken London houses for the
season isn't anything like complete.
The question that naturally comes to
ones mind is, how much does it cost? ?
Well, there is fair number of ways
them are known to Americans, but, ac-
cording to the information 1 have OBJ
tained the London house for the sea-
son enterprise is about the most expe-
ditious of the lot.
1t can't be done for less than $50,
and my informants, who are the best
authorities in London on such matters,
say that their respective seasons will
probably cost Mrs. Frank Mackey and
Mrs. Potter Palmer from $150,000 to
5000, 900 each. Both of these ladies are
going to do the thing just as we'll as it
can be done. Other American host
esses, such as Mrs. John Jacob Astor,
the duchess of Roxburghe and Lady
Bateman-the former Mrs. Knapp
probably will get off for something like
100000.
There is no stigma attached to rent
ing a. house for the London season
rather than owning one, for the good
reason that fully two-thirds of the
mansions in Mayfair are unpurchasable
through being "entailed." which means
that the estate of which they are a
part passes on from heir to heir and
can't be sold.
$25oo Is Low Rental
About the lowest price at which one
can get fashionable house for the
season is $2500. Mrs. Glasgow, to be
sure. is paying the earl of Scarborough
S45OO for his comparatively small place.
but for, nominally, $25O0 one can Sc
cure mansion containing, say, ten
bedrooms, three reception rooms, a
ballroom and stabling for five or six
horses.
The word "nominally," however, is
especially good in this connection, for
the sum mentioned applies to the house
Just as it stands-with furniture, of
course-and does not include either
linen, plate, servants or horses and car
riages. All of these are costly, and to
possess them and do anything like the
sort of entertaining that is expected
from Americans in the west end will
make the cost of keeping up an estab-
lishment of the size mentioned not less
than $4,000 month. That foots up
100000 for a modest season"
4&