Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-09-13


city when we felt that we missed something,
and something that was good TO be missed.
II was the sickening smell from the poultice
pavement boilers set up by the contra ctor
all over Washington; for at that time the
city, by the common consent of the Board OF
Health and the District officials, was given
over wholly to the devil aud all his asphalt
works. The season had been so cool AMI
pleasant in Washington that but for this
nau eating nuisance there was really NOT
much excuse for leaving the city, for lie
summer resorts.
SARATOGA.
Reaching New York at six O'Clock the
next morning, a transfer 10 the next
slip took US on board the day boat to
Albany, affordlng a view of the American
Rhine by daylight. Meals. aud vel J tolera-
BILE oneI, are supplied on the Hudson river
boats on the European plan. lac vet srau
old day-ooats, the Chauucey Vihbari and
Daniel Drew are still doing duty. Toe travel
OF them this year seems somewhat lighter
than In years past; at any rate, the supply OF
deck chairs was equal to the demand, Tor the
first time in my experience on the Hudson.
AS usual at this time OF the year the boat
WORKED SLOW on nearing Albany, on account
of the shallow water. We reached Saratoga
(by rail from Albany at . p. M, and found
that most cheerful spot On the American con-
tinent in the height of its season, with ali its
leading hotels nearly "fplI up The Sara
toga season opened rather slowly, and the
strike is charged with having ratar lei its
development, but at the middle OF August Il
was up TO its best marx. It has been re
marked by veteran observers experienced IN
travel that one can get more for his money
at Saratoga, in the way OF ch Crful enjoy
ment, good fare, aud all the comforts that 90
10 make life pleasant, than al any other
pleasure resort in the country. One clnmeet
at Saratoga more people worth knowing
than anywhere else, with the possible excep-
tion OF Washington. And IL is by no acct
de Mt, or gift of nature solely, that Saratoga is
thus attractive.
WHAT THEY DO AT SARATOGA.
A few men interested in the prosperity OF
Saratoga, foremost among them John Nor
rissey, (who, whatever else may be said
about him, is most enterprising citizen,)
are untiring in making the place delightful
TO every sense. The luxurious drives leading
out from the village for miles In every direc-
ton are lined with watering carts, and
squads OF men are everywhere at hand % re-
move any chance pebble from the roadway.
The same thoughtful provision Is noted In
regard TO everything affecting the health aud
comfort OF visitors. In nine years S6C0 90
has been spent in drainage and sewerag e for
the place. At the superb and admirably
managed race course one sees john Norris
sey, eX- shoulder hitter, performing the wO k
OF dozen policemen in maintaining order
saw him at one time walking a couple OF
robust members OF the swell-mOb OFF the
ground, md little later he was compsllirg
10 come quietly into line for the reception of
their fares. The hotel management at Sara
tOga has been noted for liberality, and every
year marks new features OF improvem ent in
this respect.
THE GRAND UNION.
the pet OF the late A. T. Stewart, and upon
which all the vast resources of his New York
establishment were lavished In the way of
luxurious furniture, upholstery, &C., has
been greatly enlarged, and Is now unloubt-
eddy the largest hotel IN the worlI; Ia fact it
is said to cover five times more ground than
any other hotel IN the world. II mas been
furnished on the same magnificent scale,
and IL would seem that the ingenuity of the
universal Yankee nation had been tax ID 10
invent appliances to promote the ease, com
fort, appetite and digestion of the guests.
The statistics of the requirements for build
ing, furnishing and running this immense
establishment would fill a book, and VIII
not enter upon them I'm deta il, but will give
a single item setting forth the list OF al icleS
used in the Grand Union in single season.
The were as follows
Hans, ~, 1Sss5; fowl, l6,o2I; spring
lbs, 1872; butter, lbs, 2i,0l; Beef, lbs,
i56 DDS; 1our barrels, 40; eggs doz en-, 3l5 2li
milk, quar- J, 50 1873; sugar, barrels, us.
This was before the hotel was enlarged,
and the supplies this year were on a yet
more colossal scale.
/ see that Judge Hilton is disposed to claim
that the success Of the season at the Grand
Sellgman type, but probably this had very
little 10 do with II one way or the other. The
travelling public are apt to go where they
will be the best accommodated, without
much regard to sentimental considerations.
Visitors naturally gravi' ate to the Grand
Union as the largest, mott central, and alto
e ler the best Kept hotel. II is managed by
A. 7 stewards wholesale store, and William
Wilkinson "a gentleman well known in
Washington) OF twenty years experience in
hotel business.
DOUBTFUL ENVIRONMENT"
Among the Improvements at Saratoga
is one which is hardly entitled % praise, be-
ing In the line of the growing tendency in
this country to fence In everything of public
attraction and make IL pay show. Toe
pretty little park surrounding the Congress
spring has been fenced In and ma lie q perfect
little beauty spot through the dressing up
of its natural charms; but alas! one is nov
halted at the entrance for ten cents admis-
sion fee. II should be Sddsd that acc ess TO
the water Of the Congress spring is still al
forded without charge, but it is obtained by
descending some steps aud entering a
cramped little "cubby-hole;" altogether Civ
ing the impression that the purpose had been
by making II so incouveuient and repulsive
entrance. This Congress park feature seems
TO be an anomaly At Saratoga in the way of
exclusiveness, and 1t Is TO be hoped, for the
interests OF the place, that this style of ''im-
provement" will not spread.
LAKE GEORGE.
Another new wrinkle Is the establishment
of an excursion line to Lake George, by
which that most picturesque OF American
lakes is made sort OF side show for Sar:
toga. Heretofore, in visiting Lake George,
ii was requisite to spend at least one night
AT Caldwell on the lake, but by the new ar
rangement one can leave Saratoga at In the
morning by the Delaware Il Hudson rail-
road; dine at Fort Ticonderoga on the Lake
Champlain steamer that stops there; 60 by
the newly built railroad from Ticonderoga
TO Baldwin, on Lake George, where the new
land very Handsomely steamer Horizon takes
The passengers the full length OF the lake to
Caldwell, where they are transferred to
Concord coaches and taken to Glen's Falls
and thence by rail to Saratoga, reaching the
latter place about p. m. OF the same day.
This excursion trip business works well for
Saratoga, but badly for the Lake George
hotels, a. the excursionists are whisked
past their doors without q penuyworth
OF custom. This may account partly for the
exceptionally I'd season at Lake George
The fare for the excursion trip mot in
Guiding dinner at Ticonderogal is bat SIS, and
~ is altogether one of the most varied and
charming that can be supplied in q single
day. One misses, however, the delightful
feature OF the amt boat trip on the head
waters of Lake Champlain, from Whitehall
to Ticonderoga, that used to form a part Of
a 81 - IN nj b A. Mi