Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-06-30
BUNKER HILL LETTER.

Special Correspondence Independent.
BUNKER HILL, June 18th, 1888.
Every week brings something new.
One of the new things Of last week
was the Peabody Institute, held at
Martinsburg, which attended and
had good time generally l will
not attempt to report the proceed
ings Of this august body, as it has al
ready been ably done by e. S. Grant
PitZer and the Herald. / will give
you mere outline of my own ex-
periences, and tell you what l did,
and whom l saw. l hardly know
whether the Institute or the numer-
Gus strawberry festivals brought so
many people to town, at any rate
both were well attended, | took up
my quarters at the st. Clair hotel,
which is under the management of
Mr., S. Y. Fiery. 1t is unnecessary
to say that it is an excellent hotel
everybody who stops there knows
that. My experience in travelling
has been, that it is the management
that makes the house. Wherever |
found pleasant, cheerful landlord,
| always found a gentleman at the
head of good house, but if other
wise, when | run upon these over
Quilted, sickly-looking crabs, who
looked as though they would rather
squeeze your pocket book than your
hand, | only stay as long as necessi-
ty demands it. Mr.. Fiery is an am
ateur in the business, but he is an
apt scholar, while his long experience
in the mercantile business and his
associations with the people of the
county have long since introduced
him to the people, and qualities him
we'll for the position he now holds.
The accommodations are excellent,
both as to convenience and comfort,
and do think, the most comforta-
BILE dining room / was ever in, which
in connection with a profusion and
variety of grub, polite and attentive
servants, makes it very desirable
place to stop. The prices are mod
crate, but even if they are little
higher than at some low tavern, l
say we had better pay them, from
the fact that it frees us from that
uncultivated and uncivilized ele-
ment which frequent low places.
Martinsburg can well boast of her
well-conducted public houses.
The Continental does not stand
below the st. Clair in point of man
agement. 1t is well conducted and,
as thousands can testify, no one can
beat Billy Rutlege keeping hotel.
l had occasion to visit the Eagle
Hotel, kept by Phil Smith. l have
known this house ever since I was a
boy, but l can truly say never saw
it in as nice trim as it is now. There
is nothing like having good help.
Charley Griffith, the gentlemanly as
sistant of Mr.. Smith, is an exception
in his line, although his experience
is short, he already understands how
to cater to the tastes Of the public.
did not think a few years ago
that your city would ever have
restaurant, conducted upon such u
grand scale as that of Dick Cooper.
Delmonico's Of New York, or Har-
vey's, of Washington, may excel in
style, but not in refreshments. !
most always take at least one meal
there with my friend Feidt, and it is
but tame expression to say that l
enjoy it.
| speak of these public houses as
being a benefit to the community at
large, as we'll as to the traveller, and
it is but justice to these men who
keep good houses to be advertised. /
know of no better medium than the
INDEPENDENT
1t is the FIRST time since the war
that l have spent week in Mar
tinsburg and l dare say some of
your citizens will hope that it will
be the last time until the next war.