Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-05-24
Oar Arlsnnnns Traveller

uVCEVH-bhOFb-A 0LAaCE AT AbLLt
TOWN." AND ITS MYRIAD OF JOLLY
Dogs THAT WORRIED THE CATS THAT
CAUGHT THE RATS THAT WOULD 9TH.
ERwIsE HAVE INHABITED THAT RE-.
GI0N.
BOT SPRINGS, Ark, May 10, 1878.
Editor Vicksburg Herald:
This town is made up principally OF
hotels, stores and ocior.shops. The
variety in the way Of hotels is very
great. They run from the Arlington,
3 large establishment pretty we'll kept,
clear down to q smoky old tent, whose
paraphernala seems to have been in
service since the food, If indeed 1t was
not a part of the cargo Of Noah's Ark,
having come away down from Adams
time. There seem to be no private res
idences. Nearly everywhere bOarders
are taken in-perhaps In more ways
than one-and the charges vary with
the character Of accommodations, as
elsewhere. In most cases the figures
are high. The Arlington taxes from
$75 (their lowest figure, and which
means away up under the roof up TO
$l35 per month. 1t is pretty low fare,
with musty smelling rooms, and with
four or five persons In q room that can
be had for $50 per month. Now and
then one can secure q comfortable
room in q private house for S25 per
month, and board at q French reslau.
ant or any other place he desires; in
which case he will have privacy and
quiet, though at greater cost. A hotel
here Is not like a hotel in town OF
city, where the proprietor expects, Il
he properly treats bis guest, he will
put up with him at another time. Few
people, comparatively, ever return Ia
this place, and the idea seems 10 be tC
make all that can legitimately be made
out of pc pie while they are here. In
this respect, | am reminded some o
Niagara, though the shop.keepers arI
not so persistent and do not fall ou
with you ii you do not buy. NolhinG
ia cheap here, except II be the it'll
"ral" cans, resembling coffee pots, will
tght.fitting cover and a thimbl
arrangement over the spout TO keep il
the steam and heat. This, with tin
cup, may be bought anywhere 70
twenty. cents. Try anything els
and you are suddenly awakened 10
sense Of the necessity Of having a larg
net income.
Nothing is given away. Oa comm
over here, one OF our party asked
gentlemen on the train If any OF th
hotels had free omnibusses. He re
piled that he had lived here since lSj
and he had never heard OF anythin
being free in Hot Springs. In this n
.spect one Of our party changed Ii
programme soon after arriva'. A
Master Frank was returning one afle
noon to the hotel, after a forced tram
10 the Springs for dose Of hot wate
he was approached by lady heavil
yelled and asked If he would not dC
liver note to q gentleman at Arlingto
Hall and bring back verbal reply {
"yes or mo-" Master Frank being {
that age that one begins 10 take an il
terest in the gentler sex, readily cor
sented, and on returning and deliver
ing "yes" as the answer, he was o.
fered a quarter as compensation for hI
services, which, not knowing the rule
of the place, be declined. He has sine
been advised 10 keep this a secret, IA
II the action should become generalI
known the boy would be regarded 8
so much q curiosity as TO make II Al
noying for him 10 appear upon th
street.
have Two or three times spoken {
the street. Strictly speaking, there
but one street. This runs along tn
valley with all the windings and SIT
uosilies of the creek which comes dow
between The mountains, There Is n
regular sidewalk. In front OF many {
the stores they have built platforms
some narrow, some wide, some higl
some low, aud some with none-whiC
makes locomotion uncertain, while al
pearsnces are not very symmetrica
The houses are rude and rough, and q
frame. think there is not q brio
structure Of any kind In the place e.
cep. the chimneys. The fire playe
havoc, and completely swept the vale
for over a quarter Of q mile. The burr
district Is being rapidly rebuilt. Hous
are in almost every state of fconstructic
all over this territory. l never In n
life saw so much hammering, sawin
planning aud psinting. The street
crowded with lumber and material {,
building, and one has 10 walk ov
plank piles and rubbish as he pass
along. The buildings are occupied loI
before they are finished and the doct
will feel your pulse or thump yoI
: ches, in the back room while the ca
penter is mailing on the wainscoting
, the front room. But the buildings a
: rude and rough, and very f1imsy.
/, only few of them has dressed plar
been used 10 enclose them. have n
seen q neat piece Of mechanism
! wood work in the place, either in Il
old or the new. Ore 10 reminded
the hurry 10 build that Is seen in mi
ing towns the first year or so after b
: ing started.
. Just now, in some places, the sire
resembles the main approaches to son
Z great fair where are erected all kint
I. OF booths, tents and shanties. On Il
; side Of the street next 10 the creek a
found vendors Of divers commot