The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-08-16
VOL. II.
Correspondence Of Daily Gate City
FROM SARATOGA SPRINGS.
SARATOGA SpRrxos, N. Y.,l
August 9th. 1865.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y.,1
August 9th, 1865.
Mr.. Editor = Dear STR: Thinking your
readers might enjoy a few nodes from tkis f..
nous watering place, will be sufficient apol
ogy and introduction for the following.
We have now spent some eight days here,
and more lovely or pleasant place for a
summer resort cannot be found than the M.
lage of Saratoga Springs, the waters of which
are adapted to almost every phase of physical
debility, and their cathartic and tonic merits
cannot be surpassed. The village is nov
crowded with visitors. The Union Hotel,
where we are sojourning now, has some 1900
guests, and every hotel and private boarding
house (of which there are many are crowded
to their utmost capacity. A8a
The manner of passing away time here i
as varied as the guests that congregate here.
Congress, Columbian and Washington Springs,
with the beautiful parks surrounding the
same, are common resorts for all, and are
places that have new daily attractions for in
valids and the lovers of nature.
Those who come here for style and
pleasure, amuse themselves by dress, prom
enading on the piazzas and through the
parlors of the Hotel, and in the park, which
the Hotel surrounds, and at the balls and
hops, which invite their votaries nightly to
their terpsichorean halls, the billiard rooms,
bowling alleys, pistol and shooting galleries,
opera house, and in the suburbs the Indian
grounds, in which is a small portion of the
tribe of Oneida Indians, whose handiwork in
the way of bows, arrows, baskets, beed-work.
&c, is both curious and useful. and in the
centre of which is circular railway for the
amusement of children. This latter is Ger,
tainly Yankee invention.
Among the guests here are Major General
B. +. Butler. Fighting Joe. Hooker, Francis
p. Blair, and many other military characters
of less celebrity; Daniel Drew, the great Erie
Railroad Director, Secretary Harlan, English
noblemen, and palmer John Bulls, French
counts and countesses, Spaniards, Cubans,
and one representative ofChina. who is known
as the Chinese juggler, who performs wonder
ful feats in jugglery, one of which is swallow
my sworn TWO leet long.
Among the votaries of fashion, among whom
are prominent charming widows, mothers who
have manageable daughters and young ladies
who do nothing but study the fashions, some ol
whom dress as many times as there are hours
IN the day. great spirit of rivalry exists.
Silks, velyets, tartans and organdies, with
lace, ribbon, gold and braid trimming abound
as dress forthe person waterfalls Of immense
proportions, and horns, for the hair; for or
hamcnts, pearl and diamond jewelry in pro,
fusion.
The acknowledged belle Of Saratoga is Miss
Burnett, of Cincinnati, who dresses very
richly, but plainly. For pretentious elegance,
Shoddy and Petroleum are great rivals, and
had they the repmed valor of the chivalry
pistols and coffee would doubtless be ordered
for two before the season is over. Theil
searching stare and quaint remarks will indi
cate them in any company. from one of which
1t was Impossible for me to tell which would
carry of tho palm. A Cuban lady, gorgeously
attired, attracted the attention Of an old laaJ
promenading with two Of her daughters. She
threw up her hands in tragic astonishment
and exclaimed to one Of her daughters, doubt
| less her .faroyJte,) "Well, declare, that cap,
the f,n,er,' q s'Jerusha Augusta, dear, YOU
must have one on them The rebellion
| beng over. Shoddy IN Its struggles Tor su
premaey, would have left the great question
unsolved by your humble servant, had it not
| been from a remark she made l mean q
lady of course.} On Friday evening last, in
| the parlors, when they were crowded with
beauty anq fashion, waiting the hour OF ten tt
enter the ball room, DIN unfortunate lady, who
was very guadily attired and decked with dia
monds, stopped upon the trail of lady
dress, who looked daggers at her, and rs sh,
passed an remarked to her companion, skshtl.
turning up her proboscis, SHoDDY!" whei
the former lady, bowling curtly, replied indig
nantly, g No, Madame, PsrRoLux!" Tha
of course settled the question with me, an,
my mind is now at rest as to Shoddy and Re
froleum.
This is the week Of the races here, and tn
grand and open stands, with the whole rae
ground is daily filled with spectators, ana bet
Of one to ten Thousand dollars are made upo
the ground by sporting characters, and pool
are sold every evening for the next day
horse race.
We leave this evening via Boston for New
port, and may a6qit your readers again fror
the latter point. In the meantime subecrib
ourself, Yours Truly,
| RANkLER.