New York Society

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 135, 24 April 1886, Page 3

New York Society

Twelve yearn ago there were two aiaiinet social sets in New York (says a Hew York correspondent). They «roM ealied the "Up Town" and *« Dowa Town. 41 The down town set, was really the swell society set, for it mi headed by the Astors, and included all the aoeiety families, the foundation of whose wealth had. been laid *i laaflt two generations ago. The up town set was composed entirely of the " OOW rich" people, whose wealth had been recently acquired, and who made rather a vulgar display of it. *Se Vaaderbilts were the leadens of the set. If in those days you had intimated to * member of the down £<junt mat that a member of the up town *et would bj any means ever gain admission into the former, the representative of the down town set would have thrown up her hands in holy horror But to-day the old distinction between^ these sets no longer exists. This is how the merger was brought about. Three winters ago it was announced that Mrs Vanderbilt would five a fancy dress ball. A few days efore the invitations were issued Mrs Astor called upon Mrs Vanderbilt. Everyone knew what that meant. Mrs Astor received an invitation to the ball and attended it. Her entrance into the Vanderbilt house waß the entrance of the Vanderbilte into society. The other "new rich" followed them with a rush, and the distinction between down town and up town was obliterated. Thore is no reason why the Vanderbilts flhould not hold their own with tho Astors; for both families rose from equally humble circumstances. Tho old commodore was a boatsman, who |or a email consideration rowed people across the Staten Island JKills, and thus helped his mother, who took in wanning. Isn't it ridiculous for such families to set up as great swells and look down upon humble working