The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-21
SUMMER AT THE SPRINGS.
Il LIVELY SKETCH OLLIE At SARA
TOGA.
The Rush OF Many ,Waters-How the
Congress Spring was Discovered and
Named-Thc Grab Game-Seven-Dol-
lar CarnvanseraIs-The Political Sit
uation-A Prime Radical Roorback.
fFRox OUR OWN coRRRspoNpRNr.l !

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. T., August Is.
For any one seeking health or pleasure, this
summer resort cannot be surpassed by any
other in the United States. Long Branch is
an excellent seaside resort, and az such per-
haps 1t is unrivalled by any place In the States
except Newport. But In many respects this
place surpasses all others which have seen,
and the experience Of many other persons
with whom have conversed eOroborales my
assertion. To begin with some OF the advanl
tages First In the list Is the excellent waters
oblalned from the various springs here, which,
for their medicinal virtues, cannot be excelled
by any olher. There are 80 many Of them
partaking of 30 many different chemical con-
slltuenls that there is scarcely disease to
which manis subject for which bountiful ma
t1re has not provided remedy in The bosom
of these hills The next advantage ls the
superior hotel Accommodations, which far
exceed anything have ever seen. The next
Is lha bracing mountain breeZes, and next
and finally, (tnough 1 might enumerate mortG
is the great collection OF the wealthy and dis
tinguished from all parts of the Union who
are here seeking pleasure.
OF the springs the most distinguished and
popular are the Congress-, the Empire, The
Washington, the Geyser, the Halhorp, the
Excelsior and The Columbian. The Congress
is the oldest, and has 30 far the best reputa-
tlon, but 1t has great rivals In the Hathorn
and Geyser, both OF which possess very near
IL the same chemical combinations, but in O
more powerful degree, aud they are growing
rapidly into pubic favor. The Congress was
discovered as early as 1882. while The Geyeer
was discovered as late as 1870, and the Ha horn
ln 1868. There Is a piece of history connected
with the discovery and The naming Of The
Congress which may not BIZ generally known,
and hence It may interest some OF your read.
ers. It was discovered in 1892, as slated, by
a party of gentlemen who were engaged IN
hunting In the vicinity. One Of these was
John Taylor Gilman, an ex-member Of Con-
gress from New Hampshire. Their attention
was attracted to small stream OF Water issn
log from The rocky bank Of the creek along.
which they were strolling, aud which, upon
being tasted, was found TO be mineral water
of agreeable taste and remarkable strength.
The Importance of the discovery seems to
have been at once apprehended, and ont of
compliment to the leading parsonage OF the
company, and as token Of their high opinion
of It's value, the name OF the Congress Spring
was then and there bestowed upon lt. AT
first, the water coulo not Do ootainso ~ smail
quantities, owing 10 the position OF the rock
and the nature OF the aperture from which it
flowed; and thia, with lis increasing popuari-
ty. soon being found to be Insufficient, efforts
were made to render It more accessible, and
at the same time 10 increase the supply
These efforts resulted In q temporary oSslruc-
ton of the wafer In 1904, Gideon Putnam,
who was one Of the founders Of what they
call here the Village of Saratoga, but what We
in South Carolina would call city, observing
bubbles rlslsg to the surface Of the brook,
few feet from The spot at which the water was
first observed to flow, conceived the Idea that
The principal point of discharge was In the
bed of the brook, and that py turning the
stream aside through an artificial Channel
this Invaluable spring might be secured per-
manently In carrying out this design he
was entirely successful, copious supply of
the mineral water being found to flow from
the point indicated. After thus reaching The
spring, he caused the earth to be carefully re-
moved some feet below the bed Of The brook.
aud by proper tubing so rfeclually protected
it that all apparently unlimited supply was
secured. without the necessity OF any 1urlner
excavation or tubing, for about forty years.
This sprlng aud the Columbian, which are
near together In O beautiful park, are
now owned by company which have been
Incorporated by act of The Assembly. For the
two springs and The park they would not take,
but could easily get, one million dollars. They
bottle up the water from the Congress and
Empire springs and aend them of lor sale to
all parts of the world. They have immense
houses here for boltling, packing, &c; they
also manufacture their own bottles here.
The Columbian and Washington, which is
great tayorltp, will not bear bOttling on ac-
count OF The iron 10 them which settles TO the
bottom. 1t Is q remarkable fact that these
waters are inexhaustibe. There are OF per-
manent Inhabitants about ten thousand peo-
pe here, and of visitors not less than fifteen
hot
four tumblers day, (aud great maDy drink
ten times that amount. but averaging them at
that fgure,) and snpposing that these four
glasses make quart, then there are siXty-tw0
hundred and HfLy gallons oil water consumed
daily, and yet no dlmlnutlon In the supply can
BIZ observed. Besides this constant daily nse,
the botlling process Is going on every day
with iorce of abont fifty hands at each
spring, and yet no effect Is produced upon
these wonderful springs. In the morning, al
daylight, the drinking at the springs COM
mences, and there Is perfect jam III about
ten o'clock. Grab Is the game, and It Is really
amusing TO Southern man 10 see these
Mortimer grab the G ass OF water away from
q lady when her hands are almostupon 1t. Ne
conrteses are shown; every man, woman and
child makes his or her own grab.
As said In the beginning, the hotel accom-
modalions are magnificent. Nothing can ex-
ceed the hrst-class OF them. These are the
Grand Union, the Congress Hall, the Grand
Central and the Clarendon. The Grand Union
cost in its construction $500, 900, and is the
property OF A. T. Stewart, of New York City.
He leases 1t this year to the present proprle-
lors for $50, 900, and they expect TO make
clear profit of SIS. 900, though they run 1t but
four months out of the twelve. Some Idea
OF its size may be formed from these facts:
Its piazzaa, when strung together, make one
mile; its halls two miles; lis doors number
l474; Its windows, 1891; Its carpeliDg would
cover twelve acres; the dining-room is $50
feet by SO feet, and twenty feet high, and will
accommodate at one sitting 1900 people. At
tached to it are 2 great many cottages and
extra rooms, which afford the proprletors the
means of accommodating at one time from
three to four thousand people. Board by Inc
day is 81, though better terms may be made
for any length of time over week. Thls
house and the Congress Hail. face each other,
and are great rivals, and 1t Ia difficult to de-
eide which enjoys the greater amount OF pub
Tic favor. though Incline to think The Grand
Union has The preference.
There are said to be more people here this
wear than at any former period. The wealthy
from all parts of the United States, and even
from Cuba, are here. They seem 10 be actually
bloated with greeDbacks, and try 10 see how
much money they can spend just for The inn
of IT, The women are as fine looking az any
man would wish to see. and dress to dealh.
They dress In the finest the immense dry
goods STORE OF Stewart in New York can sup
nly. and have new dress for nearly every
hour iu the day. 1t is surprising 10 me the
dear creatures do not get Tired OF dressing;
bit they do not. They never appear tne Sec