The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-30
A Trip 10 the North
HAMILTON SPRINGS BATH HoUsR, !
NEAR CONGRESS HALL HOTEL,
SAuArna "A Iplv OF l2SG

p
SARATOGA, July ~, 1856.
Letter from Saratoga Springs-Josrney from Neso
York-Niseriss Of Rail,ooy Trovsi-SSmmsr
Tyaveliers and Summer HoseLs--LVe at Fash
ionGbie Feeding Piacs--SaratogG in its Glory, &c.
The magnificent apartment from which write is
fitting commentary on the watering place system,
with its attendant humbngs. You have heard of the
Black Hole Of Calcutta, and have probably read
Horace Mayhews London Labor and the London
Poor Indeed, you may have glanced over tue
Developments made by the Legislative committee
last winter when the landlords Of the tenant houses
received such stirring up. They were bad enough,
but our ashi0nables may learn to feel for the poor
by comparing what is given here for two dollars
day, with what ia given in the Rag Pickers Paradise
Tor two dollars per month.
You should see the palatial abode of two young
gentlemen, who, when at home, are accustomed to
being decently lodged 1t is a single room, about
eight feet In height, eighteen in length and twelve
in width, with small window. IL is furnished Ia
the Puritan fathers style, with two queer old fash
Toned bedsteads, with lumpy straw beds, two ten
shilling chairs two small washstands, with an ho
meopathc dose of water, and cracked looking
glass. The room is 80 small that could hardly
get our trunks into it, and our approach to it is
as difficult as the advances to the Redan at Sebasto
pol careful apprasement Of the furniture gives
four dollars and half as its value. We are cut of
from the world, alieLated from society, and con-
signed to the tender mercies Of an elderly lady, with
. forbiddng countenance and misanthropic turn Of
mind. had a better bed at Lane Aster, at the Tue
tonic Hotel for two shillingr than get here for six
shiiings. But here am presumed to be fashion
able.
Our abiding place Is sort of out work to the great
fashionable fertilization, Congress Hall Hotel. !
presume we are put here because young and
single, and anything will DO for US. With the re-
signation of a marble saint we accept these quar-
tiers till we can get on. of town.
Circumstances compelled your correspondent to
leave by the quickest route North from New York
city. Taking afectionate farewell of his favorite
summer retreats-Hoboken, the Washington Parade
Ground, and the end of the Collins dock, he was
whirled out of town by taat curious instrument of
torture, the Hudson River Railroad; aud here let
me advise travellers for pleasure t. shun this method
of conveyance 1t is, indeed, two hours quicker
than the boats, but what are two hours gained in
time compared to the awful noise, the binding
dust, the thirst and the intense heat from which
you suffer on the railway, You cannot enjoy the
delicious river scenery in anything like comfort;
you are continually reminded OF the old monkish
stories about the horrors OF purgatory.
The trip on the Hudson, with another on the line
Of the Central Railway, satisfied that in spite Of
the assertions of some of the New York papers to
the contrary, the travelling season had commenced
The excursion public was with me.
All that dear, good natured, LIBERAL generous,
prodigal excursion public! How it bleeds, and how
it suffers With what Christian resignation does
1t allow itself to be pucked, plundered, buled and
-
railway companies down to hotel walters How
pleasant the young women looked in their queer
dust colored travelling dresses-with their novels
and their diamonds-with tner dear little CATERS
unlaced-with their curIs all out OF curl and with
little rivers Of penpiration dotted with islands Of
dust, flowing over their pretty faces. How morose
were their male protectors, who, cut OF from to-
bscco and brandy and water sat buried in dust and
covered with Indignation
But Albany is reached at last and, if il is night
train, we rest at Stanwix Hall, which is the hotel
most frequented by railway travellers. II is . regu-
lar railway house. Everything In II is ordered by
the arrival Of trains from the East, West, North
South. You can have meal here at any hour Of
the day. from in the morning till ii at night; and
they viii give you something good to eat and good
place to sleep. The charges are moderate dol
hundred and fifty miles on the Central Railway
most uncomfortable, dusty and badly managed con-
Germ. Iis trains are, however, very long and very
full just now. The way business is immense, and
the travel TO Niagara Falls is also heavy. As an
Instance Of the peculiarly sagscious manner in which
this railway Is managed, I may mention that some
time since the directors adopted an invention Of Mr..
6aiisburys for the purpose Of keeping dust out Of
lanta zn1
by passengers falling between them. The inven-
fiou was kept on while the weather was wet and the
travel light, bat as soon rs the road became dusty
and the summer ravel set In II was taken of, for
Che reason thst the patentee asked for bis pay Que
of the directors stated in the meeting Of the Board
that be knew positively that thus invention had
saved two lives. On the Erie Railway, the rival Of
the Central for the through travel every attention
paid to the comfort OF the passengers and the con
sequence IL that the Erie gets the larger part OF
the Western travel. Still neither VI these roads
mp TO the progress Of the age. some Of their West.
ern brethren are far ahead OF them. On very
dusty day in June rode from Cincinnati TO Cleve
land. Ohio--a distance Of $50 miles-in nine hours.
The car was delightfully."- cool, entirely free from
things was brought about by the adoption Of an in
vention Of Mr.. foss, Of Buffaio. On other Western
roads they have cars where passengers may sleep
comfortaby-here one has to coil himself up like
an anaconda In a tight place and awake with his
fingers and toes full OF pins and needles
But we are pretty nearly done with the railways
Cor day or two. IL are going to Niagara by
Che Central we shall find II convenient 70 stop over
night st Syracuse, where the Globe Hotel gives you
decent supper and clean bed, at the rate Of two
dollars per day. IL we are going from Albany 10
6antogn, we take two railways TO go thirty
miles. At what they call the junction We are turned
out 70 Qrsas 10 wait for another train. The women
cit on their trunks and things while the men repose
calmly smoking bad cigars and lolling 10 various at
fitudes, more comfortable than graceful, upon the
grnaay banks on either side of the rails. Nothing
can b more uncomfortable than this railway ride,
which In accomplished in two hours and threequar.
ters or ~ the rate Of nearly twelve miles per hour
The price Of transit from Albany TO Saratoga Ia 81
12k; by railway 10 New York, ~ l2A; by boats, 81.
We are living, az said before, in sort OF bathing
Nhed attached 10 Congress Hall The chief hotels
here are the United States, the Union and this.
The charge per diem Il 81 so az each Of these houses
Therc are many nther tayerna. and may mt