The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-11

vitality OF the Highland air, yeritablc
elixir after the torrid week In the city, and
now the southeasterIy wind blowing gently
all night long had given us a September
morning, crisp, sparkling, inyigorating.
What relief! No wonder the people oil
New York take pleasure In trips Of greater
or less duration TO Cranston's, now that
the hotel under his management has re-
gained the fame Il had under the elder
Cozzens. i sat long at the window In
balng the delicious air and thinking those
haif-thoughts which wander through the
mind when one, contemplating nature, be-
comes a part OF II. Another hall hour
or more, after slowly dressing, was spent
in the little pavilion. The river, tossed py
the breeze into waves, murmured SAD
hath anthem that came softly up to the
Let ms be honest. There are three
churches in the village OF Highland Falls
Episcopal. Presbyterian, and Catholic.
Each has sweet bell. and each at II o'clock
made its appeal, to which many OF the
guests at CranstOn's Especially the ladies'
promptly responded; but sat In the rear
piazza, near the room which General Scott
always occupied when he visited West
Point, and listened to the conversation OF
o gentleman who knows
A GREAT MANY THINGS
about great many people III every part OF
the United States, Richmond included.
This was Mr.. Joseph II. Curtis, who
Glanced TO come up on the Mary Powell
for brief holiday at Cranston's. lie had
been Joint lessee with Boyden when the
Exchange was first built, knew Mayor Jo-
seph Mayo and many other gentlemen OF
the time in Richmond. and had rare fund
Of anecdotes about prominent Virginians
who have passed away. We talked about
them and about West Point in Fillmore's
time, when Mr.. Curtis was one OF the
Board of Visitors. He said the puritanical
rule of General Howard, of Frecdman's
Bureau notoriety, was very distasteful alike
TO the cadets and to the people, and that all
were glad that his place rs superintendent
will soon be filed by General Mer-
rift. of the Fifth cavalry. 1T will
hardly pay you," said he, "to go
up there this afternoon, for there will
be no dress-parade, which constitutes
the great attraction" / asked him how
Cranston's happened to be built. He told
me that the elder CoZZens was puryeyor
for many years at West Point, and out OF
the profits arising from his lucrative posi-
ton built the old hotel which still stands
on the Academy grounds. When he left
West Point to engage in business in New
York he presented the hotel to what is
called the Post Fund. Prospering greatly
in the city, his love for his old home was
such that he was not content until in 1860
he erected the hotel which bore his name,
and which is now called
CRANsToN's.
II is very solid. affair, capable of accom-
modating 400 guests, and possessing attrac-
lions in its scenery and surroundings which
DEFY competition. Originally well built
and equipped, Cranston has nevertheless
eypendcd between $4,000 and 100000 in
improving it. having added no less than
eight miles Of iron tubing TO perfect its
drsinage. There can be no healthier spot.
A first-class house in the full sense OF the
term, It's patrons are also tirst-class. One
meets only Che best people-the wives and
daughters Of gentlemen who live in the
city, and who find at CranstOn's the social
atmosphere to which they are accustomed.
Many families spend the summer here. 1t
is favorite stopplng-place to and from
Saratoga. The piaZzas and grounds are
enliyened by merry troops OF children
with their nurses. 1t is a yertable summer
home for gentlefolks.
From Cranston's our talk wandered of
to other times and paces-to California
in its early days, to Panama, to Europe, to
Long Island and its many resorts. Insen-
sbly the day wore on till dinner-timc. As
VIC rose to go to the table | interrupted
Mr.. Curtis for moment to ask him a
question or two about our host. Judge
my surprise when he told me that Henry
Cranston had been comparatively few
years in
THE HOTEL BUSINESS,
that he was a model farmer and the best
Judge OF horse in New York State. had
supposed that he had been trained almost
from boyhood under his Uncle Hiram, SO
well known for his ardent southern pro-
clvities. NO." said Mr.. Curtis, "Cran-
ston simply has an aptitude for business of
any kinda fitness growing out OF indus
try and personal attention to details. He
is the only hOtel-keeper in New York
city who is his own caterer and does
his own marketing. He succeeds be-
cause he deserves to succeed, and he is
destined to become one OF the historic
landlords of America. The lease OF the
New York Hotel will expire in n few years.
II will then be torn down to make room
for stores, and Cranston Is already nego-
tiating for site near the Park on which to
erect hotel which shall have no equal on
the continent. The site alone will cost a
million of dollars, the building as much
more; and it will be when completed, what
no other New York hotel is, absolutely fire
proof"
When the declining sun began to throw
shadows across the road that leads to
THE ACADEMY
strolled thither, pausing again and again
to look at the river hundreds OF feet below
and at the hills beyond. Forty years had
passed since / last visited West Point, in
company with my schoolmates from
Princeton. Many new buildings have
been added since that day, but in
essential features the place is I'M
changed. Once upon the parade-grOund
everything seemed familiar. The corps OF
cadets was in its summer encampment not
far from the river bank, and except few
sentinels passing TO and fro none of them
seemed to be stirring. A Sabbath tran
gully rested on the scene, broken only by
the swift wheels Of the carriages filed
with Cranston's guests, who were enjoying
their evening drive. Throwing myself
upon the grass near the mortars and guns
at the upper edge Of the parade-ground.
saw the sun go down in golden mist far up
beyond the C.atskills.
Mr.. NJ. j. Crawford, who has charge of
Cranston's (by the way, a Petersburg gen.
tleman, Mr.. Gormley. is his principal as
sistantl coming by in a carriage with
some gentlemen from Baltimore, kindly
gave me seat back to the hotel. After ten
many handsome equipages drove I'D with
ladies' and gentlemen from the Academy
or us ylclnage to call on friends at the bo-
tel. There was singing i'm the parlor, by