New-York tribune., 1878-07-27
SUMMER LIFE IN SARATOGA.


OF THE RAILWAY KINGS
[FRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TR1BUsEl
SARATOGA, July 26.-New- York's fav0rite
inland resort is not crowded yet, although
the season should be not far from its height.
Hotel-keepers despondent, but they are
not making great fortunes. They talk hopefully
OF August prospects and no cause for
gloom in the present condition Of affairs. The season
will not be failure although hosts OF people who
ally visit Saratoga for part OF the Summer and spend
money here freely have crossed the Atlantic this year
The thirsty troops that keep the dpperboys at the
springs very busy 10 the morning. the gatherings on the
hotel piazzas when the bands playing, the
array OF fine carriages on the lake road aud
the other attractive drives in which the neghborhood
abounds the attendance at the track race days. the
multitude the festival in Congress Spring PARK last
evening-hese evidences show that the day Is still dis
tant when Saratoga must lament lost prosperity
In spite OF hard times and the rush 10
Europe, there visitors enough here TO
make every one feel in good humor, although the
enormous hotels have got space for thousands more
There is no lack OF gayety, and the opportunities which
the place presents for enjoyment can be used vastly
better than II there the crush that made ife
here burden in the regatta weeks OF 1874 and 1872
and has filed some August days with discomfort III
other years.
very easy, indol1nt. restiul life most OF the
Summer residents here are leading. The passion for
city excements subdued. Very little dancing seems
to be desired and the people who are the fondest OF
balls, dinners, receptions, keitledrums, ETC., IN
New-York, are content TO forogo these Vant"s
for a time. Aud they are not greatly H.
clined TO make formal calls and TO concern
themselves with matters which seem Of great moment at
NewYOrk I'm the Winter and at Newport in the Summer
AS one well-known householder Fiith-ave remarked
here the other day. There is freedom In Saratoga
which we don't get in Newport Everything Is done by
pasteboard there and too much forality Is the rule
Here every one does he likes" And almost every
one here likes to be lazy, TO lay aside the
cares which beset the daily round IN the city, 10 spend
hours on the broad shady pazzas OF the hotels chatting
with friends or hearing the music, II friends and
musicians are absent. idly watching the shad-
ows Of the trees lengthen on the grass AM
flowers in the charming parks. Railroad presidents
great capitalists and even Wasreet operst0rs-usuay
most restless uneasy. active Of manknd-are not In
hurry here The tape Of the stock telegraph Is not
watched with feverish anxiety as 1t II In the city.
william II. Vanderbilt Fits III loungng posi-
ton on the piazza, cOnversing with William Turn
bull, Samuel Barger, or some other rlehu
needless whether the quotations Indicate rise
or a fall in NewYOrk Central and Lake Shore August
Belmont shows interest In the running OF Ills
horoughbreds than in the latest figures for bonds while
Commodore Garrison and Cyrus W. Field cease to dis
auiet themselves with values Of elevated railroad prop
erty.
The groups in the Hobbies and on the piaz-
zas OF the Saratoga hotels In the sunny,
breezy mornings and the cool, calm evenings
form interesting picture Even matters oil such mag
nitude as the relations OF the greatest railway lines OF
the country have oeen discussed here IN an informal
way apparently almost careless Mr.. Vanderbilt and
Thomas A. Scott have sauntered about the park at the
United States HOTEL talking Of the interests OF the rail-
way combinations OF which they are the heads and
which represent hundreds oil millions OF dol
lars John King and Hugh j. Jeweu have
-. E.ra falgr a.uufg 4hl
outside doors while they exchanged views In regard
10 Baltimore and Ohio and Erie. Meanwhile the lesser
lights Of the railway rmament, YcePresdens Cassatt
and Blanchard, and Traffic Manager Ruter and others
have revolved about the greater lumnares Of their
system, shining like the planets by reflected
light In addition to the suggestions which have been
made and the aton which has been given in this
unconventional and casual way. there have also been
meetings in Colonel scotrs parors, at which questions
OF great Importance the trunk lines and their connect
tons have been considered In a more methodica-
manner. But even there Summer resort laxiy
seemed 10 prevail TO certain extent No
formal organization adhered TO, and the gentleman
who acted as secretary OF the meeng-or at least
the only secretary the railway men had-went In aud
out at irregular intervals. Mr. Vanderbilt did not allow
the conference to prevent his taking his daily drive and
in the latter part Of each afternoon could be
seen behind his pair OF fast trotters. Lady
Mac and Small Hopes, pair that can beat the schedule
time OF many OF his railroad trains.
The axty already spoken Of seemed to Affect also, the
ideas and the language OF the railway There
an amusing diversity OF statement among them as 20
what had actually been done and to what topics
had been talked about Que said directly and emphat
cally that certain step had been taken !;
another who was seen few minutes after
ward and who WAS ignorant Of what the first
had said denied most positively that such had
even been suggested. only by careful consdera
ton OF probabilities and Iudicous balancing OF these
statements that the truth could be learned
Some of the managers sought TO belite the whole a
fair They spoke OF the attracyeness OF Saratoga at
this time In the year. and wished It to be believed that
recreation was largely the object which brought the
heads Of the trunk lines here, and that minor rail-
way questions taken up merely because II was
convenient occasion TO consider tbem
Colonel scott talked with the greatest apparent free
dom and frankness about the relations OF the railroads
The vast responsibilities OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
and the Pennsylvania Company seem to rest lightly on
him. With his ruddy. open face-its color nlaue more
conspicuous by fringe OF white whskers at the sides
his clear, uutrOubled eye, Ills genial, un-
affected manner and his substantial we'll
rounded figure, he resemble English
country gentleman who thoroughly enjoyed life, and
had no more 10 disturb his repose than
those connected with the management of prosperous
estate The broad-brinmed straw hat which, with i!s
edge turned down. shielded his face from the sun, ana
bis comfortable suit of blue hanne ncreqsed the
semblance. Mr.. vanderbilrs rugged face shows
more traces Of responsibility aud toll than
Colonel scotps but In Saratoga, at least, the
President OF New-York Central, who has just added
Michigan Central 10 the immense amount Of railway
property which his father controlled certainly takes his
ease Mr. King has the look Of wefcd descendant OF
an old KnIckerbocker family. His frame "A large and
portly and his broad benevolent-looking face
ia smooth sbayen When serene In mind. as
he seems generally TO be, his eyes beam mildly
through his spectacles Mr.. King afable
but reticent. He would be willing, he said.
10 give any Information about the conference II there
were any 10 give, but the talk general and 30
devoid of actual definite results tnat there was moth
mo IN give This did not coincide with that taken