Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-10-31
EUROPEAN LETTER.
GERMAN WATERING PLACES.
From our own Correspondent.

| GERMAN WATERING PLACES.
/ From own Correspondent.
| Wiesbaden is one OF the Oldest wa
tering- places in Europe for it was
known TO the Romans and Pliny
speaks of its hot baths 1t is now a
city of more tnan 10000 permanent
residents, and some 10000 visitors
and invalids are here annually. 1t is
pleasantly situated on high ground,
a few miles back from the Rhine, and
surrounded by well cultivated, roll
ing land. A view from any elevation
in the city shows country which re.
minds an American of the better part
of New England. The city consists
of an old and new part-the old with
narrow, crooked streets, and all the
peculiaries of venerable continental
cities, the new, which is built around
the old, has wide, straight streets and
fine shops and residences. The most
important boiling spring of the sever
al within the city is connected with
one of the main avenues by a long
curved walk.
The water of this spring, of which
| chloride of sodium, common salt. is
the chief ingredient, is carried to the
surface with temperature of 1867
Fahr., and is carried to various bath
ing honses in the city. The waters
are particularly beneficial in the cases
of rheumatism and gout, and the
great number of invalids being
wheeled around in rolling chairs is a
sad contrast to the otherwise pleas
ure seeking appearance of the visitors
If you wish a drink of Weisbaden
mineral water you can have it at
home by taking a glass filed with
hot water and putting in it a teaspoon
full of salt and pice of kitchen soap
about the size of a pea. After it is
thoroughly mixed sit under the shade
and struggle with it until you get it
down if you can, and you will have a
good idea of the taste Of the water.
The chief attraction, however, of a
German watering-place is the Cursaal,
which in general is fine large build
ing containing concert hall, a bali
room, reading room, refreshment
rooms and other apartments for the
convenience of visitors. In the Cur
saals were the great gambling estab-
lishments in the times when gamb-
ling was carried on publickly and on a
| grand scale.
During the season at continental
watering place music is always fur
nished from once to four times per
day. These bands, which are the fin
est in Europe are engaged by the sea-
son and paid by the city. Sometimes
a tax is levied on every one.who pass
es through the place, as al Interlaken,
but generally small admittance fee
is required. Those who remain for
any length of time purchase at very
reasonable price the privileges Of the
place, including the use of the hot
spring water and admittance to all
the concerts. These concerts are in
the open air when the weather is ia
vorable, at other times in the concert
hall of the Cursaal
| In front of the Cursaal 10 Wiesbad-
en- is beautiful garden, lying be-
tween two long colonades, in which
are large number of small shops for
the sale of jewelry and mementoes
Back of the Cursaal is small open
space nearly covered with chairs,
which is favorite lounging place,
and where the open air concerts are
given. This is along one side of a
| little lake, beyond which is a park,
beautifully laid out in walks and
drives. The reader can scarcely con.
ceive anything more delightful than
these open air concerts in pleasant
summer evenings. He must be utter.
| ly without romance who cannot euioy
an hour in the moonlight in the seat
under tie great tree on the island, lis.
tening to the soft strains of exquisite
music on the opposite side OF the lake.
Life at Wiesbaden consists in
drinking the water at from FIVE to
eight o'clock in the morning, lounging
until dinner, driving until dusk, and
attending the concerts in the evening.
There are many pleasant excursions
in the neighborhood by walking or
riding for those who are more active.
ly'disposed. There are few of those i'm
mense hotels which are the peculiar
misfortunes of our American water
ing.places, but everywhere are
departments" in which one can live
with all the comfort and quiet oil
home. While undoubtedly society
has olaims on people here it does not
seem as if these were as exacting a
with us. In brief it seems as if PEG.
pie 90 to Wiesbaden more for good
solid comfort than display. Amer;,
cans are beginning to realize that the
less ostentatious way of spending the
summer is the better, and our smaller
places among the mountains and by
the seaside are rapidly filing up with
a class OF people who appreciate com.
fort and will have it.
! Wiesbaden counts among its at
fractions a small army of nobility,
headed by the Emperor William and
the royal family, and grading down
to the innumerahle minor mobiles oil
the countless small provinces which
are now amalgamated into the Ger
man empire. These are here in such
) numbers that you can hardly draw a
bow a venture without hitting one.
Amnsements of all kinds are kept up
on the Sabbath the same as on week
. days, and one Sabbath we noticed q
large circus in tull blast near ouI
hotel,