New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
Influx of Possessors OF Huge
Fortunes to Capital for
Coming Season Is
Unprecedented.

...o,,-i,r, 1911 %, John Elneih Watkins
Tho capitars social drama opens this sea
son with unprecedented numbers o' nc"
millionaire hosts among the drahl'u' -
soma and of new millionalrcS
smons the stage settings. lido,
The rate at which WASHINGTON Is c"',o'"7
their families Of wealth may nghuS "'"'l ..',
IFS daughter cities The natonai 'Sp''"'
IS RAPIDLY becoming tho social as wen DC
The political and intellectual huo ol INC ""
rnu. Millionsires and mul''in'ii .
are entering its gates. no longer o| '"V'
aud fo,rs. but by tens ana scores cav"
voar And at an equal rate increases inc
-, ~, ro,irod publiciS's, diplomats ana
,.,ntsirs Of industry. or great wealth. OF
80, ocnius or both. who elect 10 shihe
-,.,londcnt I'm the ornament OF WashnS-
,,r society during the remainder ol theiI
.,,,i,l careers. There is saying thaI
scoson in the capitals salons can be en-
,,,.od only al the price Of an unceaslns
baplorinc 10 return and take up permanent
abode I'm the Versailles OF the New "oIiu'
And recent events prove that there Is more
truth than fslsity in this saw.
rims our distinguished and opuleni for
r,or Vice President Levi =. Morton. has
.urncd his back upon the metropolis oi New
York TO resume in the City OF Magnificent
distances" the citizenship which he reIln-
ouishod eighteen years ago. And II Is
,rmorcd persistcntlv that former Vice
president Fairbanks. another gentleman oil
great wealth. is planning to do likewise.
Also our former envoy to England, Robert
y Lincoln. son Of the great martyr Presi-
,ge n
,itv which nc learned to love even in the
vexed and traGic DAYS when his iathe' was
tenant OF the White House. And three
other diplomatists who. after enjoying me
glamour OF the most brilliant courts OF
Europe. End tho social atmosphere ot
Washington most conEcnial to thcm arc
Henry White. former ambassador to Rome
and Paris; David JAYNE IiilI, former am
bassador TO Berlin and John Hays Ham
mond. who was special ambassador to inc
coronation Of George Y.
II is indeed gratifying to Washington
that more and more of the vast fortunes
amassed in more commercial cities are
heinz drawn 10 make her more ami more
beaudfuL richer and richer year after
year.
Thus H.. widow of Gcorsc VI. Pull
man chose the capital city as the sic
,r hcr nov house. urcD which the finishing
touches have just been put this autumn.
Aristoc-atic 10Th street is Iracod by this
mansion. am atodc ot nearly d hundred
mxmiOusly appointed rooms. with a rooi
garden. vhcrcon smart functions can he
held durins the balmy evenings OF late
spring and early, autumn. AMI "a beautiful
Italian csrder. where. amid tho music oi
q marble fountain. lea will te served while
the evening shadows are leus,hcnine.
Two other muItiminionaire widows Of
Chicago pcrsietcntly reported 10 be plan
nins palaces i'm Washington are Mrs. Potter
Palmer. the recognized social leader of the
Western metropolis and Mrs Marshall
Field. relct OF that city's merchant prince.
In fact. Mrs Field has already acquired
large corner property on New Hampshire
avenue. but two squares above the million
dollar mansion or the widow Of her hus-
hands former partner, Levi 4. Letter Mid
pay between these two properties OF opu-
lent Chicago widows f. that Of Mrs. Thomas
Nelson Page who before she married the
novelist. was the widow of Henry Field,
another Chicago millionaire.
Thus are the great fortunes Of the Windy
city DelnS oldNR upon 10 utlp w dSHiubtoIi
make good the boast that il is the hub Of
American society.
That the present head OF the erstwhile
Chicago house or Letter shares his mothers
intention to remain in the federal city is
proved hy his recent purchase OF Sli-acre
estate upon the palisades Of the Potomac
opposite Glen Echo. Upon this site. com
mandinc a magnificent view OF the upper
Potomac. he is building a house Of fifty
rooms. fifteen OF which viii be for SER
wants. His ballroom will be forty feet
square. and around this estate he will have
a park whose natural advantages are al
nost ideal
The capital makes another draft upon
social Chicago by acquiring Robert r. Lin
coin. who succeeded George NJ Pullman as
president of the Palace Car Company. He
has jus; taken ex-senator Chauncey NJ. De-
pcVs house. At 18th aud y streets. which
has been the home also OF Elihu Root and
Major General Bates
Here the Lincolns will enjoy a social
prominence due to them not alone because