Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-18
LETTER FROM RlcHFIELD SPRINGS.
Richfic1d is FuIs-The Richfield Life
Dress Not the Rule-A musements and
Observation-Disclosures VisitOrS-Ine
teresttmg Personals - Hotel Special.
fticS, Etc

Dress Not the Rule-Amusements and
Observation-Disclosures visitors-In.
teresttm9 Personals - Hotel Specials.
ftfcs, ETC.
| Special Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
RIcHFIELD SPRINGS, N. Y, August IT, 1888.
This Is one of the few watering places which
was really crowded in July, and it is still very
| full, though Richf1eld and Saratoga seem to
| 'ride and tie" so to speak, being patronized by
! many Of the same people, so that when one is
| full the other is comparatively empty. Those
| who come here for July often go there for Au-
| gust and Cice versa. Others now here purpose
| spending part OF September there. This place
has the benefit of mountain air, being LOO feet
above tide water. The ground rises gradually
| all the way from Albany here. The atmosphere
is also strongly impregnated with sulphur, for
the spring which is situated in the Spring House
grove sends forth an odor which is noticed per-
ceptibly two or more squares distant. Tinsel
ornaments are often blackened here merely by
the sulphur in the atmosphere, without being
taken close to the spring.
| popularity of this white sulphur spring,
| which L have never noticed anywhere else Is
that it Is on a natural mound much higher than
| any OF the ground Immediately around 1t.
| Everywhere else the springs have seen have
been in hollow much lower than any of the
adjacent ground. That is true Of all the springs
| at Saratoga
AS usual, many invalids are here drinking the
waters and taking the prescribed number Of
sulphur baths for the cure of govt or rheuma-
| tism, and few seem to fail to find relief
| There are large and conveniently
| lighthouses, where one soaks q certain length
Of time daily in hot water or, in some cases,
every other day, in zinc-lined tubs just large
enough to hold a human body at full length
| and deep enough for the water to cover the
person thoroughly. 1t seems to me too pain
fully suggestive Of future possibilities to lie on
ones back in anything like coffin and smell
strong sulphur at the same time.
THE RICHFIELD LIPE.
Richfeld has been very gay indeed all sum-
mer, and is still so. There have been phantom
parties" "Jarley wax works." tournaments and
| NO end of excursions. There are hops alternate
| ly at the Spring House and the New Ameri-
| can" in the evenings, from to II, and in the
| mornings the band, which is supported jointly
| by the two hotels named, gives concert daily
| at each, alternately. Other concerts are also
offrequent occurrence, as many OF the best mu-
sicians in the country regularly visit Richfeld
each summer. Nine. Schiller, the very accom-
plished pianist, who is also a very handsome
and young lady, though the mother OF two chill
dren. has several times during the season graft
fed the visitors by a concert at Uhe Spring
House. That last Saturday evening was speci-
ally delightful.
On Sunday evening there was a genuine
| sacred concert in the large parlor at the Spring
House. A quartette sang selections from the
Episcopal hymnal. in which most of those
present joined, and Nine. Luther sang beauti-
| full solos from oratoriOs. She has regular en-
gagement in one Of the church choirs in New
York.
The Spring House had a fancy dress and mas
querade ball two weeks ago. which was pro-
ductive OF much pleasure to all concerned, and
on the 18th there was one at the New Ameri-
can, at which some SURPRISINGLY rich costumes
were worn, for a costumer from New York
came, bringing superb assortment of fancy
dresses several days beforehand The invita-
lions for this last entertainment were gotten up
in very handsome style. being engraved on the
best white note paper in pale gold. As an
nounced on the invitations guests were expect
ed to appear either in full dress, fancy cos
tune, or en- masque."
DRESS NOT THE RULE.
Dress is far less of an obligation here than at
most fashionable resorts, and while one sees
many pretty, fresh, becoming toilets, none
which are noticeable chiefly because Of their
estimated cost are Observed diamonds are sell
dom seen except as ear drops; or. set in modest
breast pins and rings. "Twenty thousand dol
lar necklaces" are not likely to appear here. and
the scandal connected with such seems equally
unknown as being enacted here. By the way,
III tle eleven years that i nave VlSlCeQ sara
tOga, all put together. have never heard as
many scandals discussed there the principal
actors In which were pointed out at the time as
being present, as have heard during my three
weeks stay this season.
THE ATTRACTIONS HERE.
The refined class of people always to be found
at Rchheld is great attraction to the place.
Some of these have been coming here for many
successive seasons, and will not go, to places
where there is a mixed crowd, attracted by big
gambling houses, pool selling on races, &c.
There have been races Of some kind at the
driving park on the lake here every Saturday
during the season. Sometimes asOn last Satur-
day. the bicycle riders have competed there
Last Saturday there was q contest for the cham
ponship of the state Of New York by the bicy-
clists, and large crowd was in attendance the
conveniently arranged grand stand being filled
with la0ies in pretty toilets, making the scene q
very brilliant one. There were heat races. q
dash, slow race; and other interesting con-
tests. .---~ -, ...,-,
On Saturday of this week gentlemen riders
on horseback will have race under the aus
pices OF Col. Lawrence Kip, who is here with
his wife, who was Miss LOrillard
Excursions and picncs are daily enjoyed by
parties who go TO CanadaragO lake. or Otsego
lake. or some other most interesting point in
the neighbOrhoOd. for there are an unusual
number of picturesque drives hereabOuts all
over excellent roads. tally-ho coach runs
daily to Otsego lake, where one takes the
steamer Natty Bumpo for Cooperstown, and
after an hour or two there returns here in the
same way by supper time. So great is the
energy displayed about excursions that on Mon
day, at in the morning, party started off and
drove to Cherry valley to breakfast, then went
on to Sharon springs, where they dined, and
afterwards visited HOwe's cave and drove back
here, arriving by moonlight about 10 in the
evening.
On Monday evening a moonlight excursion
was enjoyed by party on Canadarago lake.
There were about twenty in all, eight of whom
were gentlemen, and two married ladies who
were chaperons, the remainder being young
girls. They made the tour Of the lake In the
moonlight on pretty steamboat the T. r.
PrOctOr) and took supper afterward at the Lake
house, returning here about midnight.
WASHINGTON VISITORS.
find q number Of Washington people here.
though some had already gone before arrived
The Minister from the Argentine Republic,
Senior DOminguez and bis wife and seven child
rem spent month here, and went last week to
Niagara, and will visit other points of interest
Admiral and Mrs. Almv and daughters, who
have been here all summer, will go September
LIST to Saratoga for a visit.
Commodore Pattison late c0mmandant of the
Woc 10