The New York herald., 1879-07-28
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY JULY 2s lsew1rH SUPPLEMENT

perature winter and summer. rare on this
continent and unequalled on the other. The winter
colds are so tempered that the fix natures in uxu-
rance more abundant than that OF Genoa Leg
horn. The live oak grows to fair size. not so
great as on the Gulf in Florida; and the bayonet
Palmetto sends out its spikeke and tropical leaves
making a picture seen no farther North The con-
seonence is that travellers fleeing from the rigor of
Northern winters. stop here gong aud coming in
the.r journeyings to Florida. AS late March they
ay from Boston and Bangor. from Michigan and
telegram. mail, rail and express. to be
easily accessible to q call from home.
wings OF the hotel is crowded. 80 that the
proprietor was obliged last winter arrange heat
ing apparatus to warm his welcome but unexpected
guests. Then the warm Southern sun. the boating.
the fishing and the shooting afford continual
pleasure and amusement TO those visitors from the
frozen air and rigorous skies OF New England Cen
tral New York. aud the snow-clad States OF ex-
treme Northwest. Alter them comes IN interval OF
say month or two which is called the ''sack sea-
son, and then the site and chiyalry from the tar
South begin to troop in. They come here first be-
cause 1t Is TOO cold to go to the springs and too
warm to stay at home-striking that nappy tempera-
ture bet the two which is the generous git OF
the Gull Stream. The wind is not so cold and brac-
ing as that at Cape May or Long Branch. and the
water neither bracing nor rough as on the New
Jersey coast 1t better suits the soft languor OF the
Southern constitution, and the bathing just within
step OF the hotel offers Inducements to ladies and
children which the more northern and boisterous
competitors do not.
THE POINT IN THE PAST.
In old times the beauty nd chvalry OF all tho low
country OF the Chesapeake congreated here. aud the
statesmen OF Virginia and the Caronas held high
debate over strict construction, Jat ksons vetoes,
the United States Bank. the Maysville Railroad bill
and other fossil and long forgotten issues winch
listed their syinpathies or exercised their reprooa
ton Calhoun and Tyler and the Barbours and Gill;
mer and Upshur, that unfortunate Navy Secretary,
all here. did the generations before and aft
their prime The politics and the whist the juleps
and the love making. all went on from
season to season with increasing intensity
until the war stopped all But as there were lovers
niens ii clans he ~
be lovers. juleps and politicians after the war; aud
the ancient goics OF the old Hygea are ecipsed by
its present regal spendor. The little Virginia tavern
of old has been replaced by magnificent hotel with
long, broad shady piazzas on all sides and wide COR
every breeze that blows must sweep through 1T.
great partition opens TO the sea. and therein assem-
Dles the company for conversation and the dolce fur
ene and take 1t all in all it will be hard to ind
more pleasant hoselry.
THE NEW ESTABLISHMENT.
The Hygeia Is built on the ground eeded TO the
of iortifcation. Before the war tho old hotel was
built this reservation. but was torn down during
Samuel Schumacher who was and is the head OF the
Adams Express Company in the South and South
west, and who had been ardent patriot, procured
the passage OF JOINT resolution through Congress
authorizing him to build hotel ut Old Point, sub
ject to the direction of the Secretary OF War. BY
this authority the present Hygeia was constructed.
first small and inconvenient building near the
government wharf. The enterprise has prospercd
and the buildings have been extended until they
now have u front of COO feet facing the sea and
Koads, and can accommodate $50 people. Last year
it is stated that Phubus. the proprietor. cleared
$40 900, and his profits this year exceed that
amount. His trade is remarkable, and all the more
profitable because he pays no taxes except to the
United States liquor ana cigar deaer. Ph1bus is
ostensibly the sole proprietor, but Mr.. Schumaker
is said to have large interest in the concern. At
any rate he summers here with large family. con-
slssing of Mrs. Schumacher and two married daugh-
ters, their husbands and their families. Mr.. Schu-
maker, who is a strict temperance man, takes his
Aathorn water with straws.
"A.
The venerable Mother of Presidents, now too old
to bear any more, seems to envy PhGbus his sue
cess and perhaps to ret having donated this
patch land to the United States. Her authorities
have tried force the Mofht bell punch PhGDus
tack aud the courts have ecued that the State re-
nounced her power to tax when she ceded the prop
erty to the United States. So tnat alone
has jurisdiction, and, standing under the Star
Spangied Banner which floats from the hotel. its
proprietor bids defiance to Old Virginia and her
Mofht Bell Punch law SO he shines at the head
grand monopoly. free from taxes. and having only
death to fear OF which At present he need have no
apprehension.
The proprietor of the Hy2cia is character. His
height is medium, his shoulders broad, his corpo-
rotund and alderinanic. his feet large, and
his couutenance, which is rnbcnnd. shines for all
What he cau't do in the performance he makes up
in promises. He is SO jolly, 10 good natured, SO
promising, that no ono gets mad at him, anc he
goes on from year to year, filling his pouch. ex-
pandlpg his paunch and generally growing more
and the typical Bonitacc: II is said of him
that he has aal expansive and IL is fur.
thcr alleged that III the course OF his business he
says some very exravagant things. but always with
the perpetual good naturcd smile and always
with the interests OF his vast conconrse OF going
and coming customers at heart He is credited with
making speech during the rush" OH almost every
arrival of steamer when the passengers land:-
Ladies and Gentemen-l advise you not to come
ashore. There is not a room in the house empty.
Every corner is full We have turned of $40 yester-
day morning, and we have turned off on an average
over thousand o day all this season. But il you
will come, come on. God bless YOU You're well
There's always room for you. 1t there isn't I'll
make it, Oh, yes, every room is a front room and
draught through ali aud If there's no drausht al
have one made to order"
SO they come and crowd and quarrel with the in
nuttinr them in good hun,or. if not in pleasing
them. He feeds them with hosish ana soft crabs
until they are speechess.
FISHING AND SAILING.
Hampton Roads, the Pay. the James, the Eliza
beth and the Nansamond rivers ufiord grounds ior
saiiing and tsning to one and all unparalleled.
The fishing this year has been unprecedented.
party bring in boat load OF sheepshead.
the largest OF which weighed eleven and u halt
pounds, while day before Yesterday i'll tour hours
another party caught five aozen. the largest weigh
ing nine pounds. One day couple OF not very
perieLced fishermen caughf 1875 spots and hoghsh In
two hours little over fish minute, and at all
honrs the Deaux and bellies refresh themselves with
the salt breeze we'll the piscatorlal amuse.
ment.
THE r. =. VS.
Probably the Grccnbrier White Sulphur Springs is
the ndigeno,s climate Tor the double +. VS.; but
the White is TOO Tar of and expensive tor many OF
them. 1t costs too much money, and the ''Vrgin
gentleman, sa' is oUscurcd aud lost i'll the vulgar
cosmopolitan crowd of greater riches who there CON
gregate. He keeps nearer home, Where he meets
COZ genial associates and best enjoy the gentle
aduiaion aud respect to which he has been long
arcustonied. He gathers here from the lowanas OF
the bay shore and the far of bottoms OF the Missis
slppi. Arkansas and tcnnessee, 10 which he emf
grated forty years ago with ten niggers and the pa
tcrnal blessing the resolutions % and % In his
trunk and the principles OF the consiitu.
ton III ls heart. This the annual reunion
tho colonel, aud here these wVrthies cx
change views as TO the past gories of the country.
the supcrexceiicnce of "Nmginiah, san, and the
necessity, now greater than ever her suppiyIn
brains e. the government and the Union. Ih,s ~
the native land OF Co.oncl Mulberry sellers. The
fanily came out with Captain John Smith aud cvci
since have been supplying scions to the West and
South. first brought to national notice in the person
OF the worthy representative the Colonel. III, RI
several of them here One OF them Is q tall
lank, lean gentleman with gold fob chain and a
cane with crooked handle 10 hear him daie on