Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-06-14
LETTER raom aosear LAWRENCE.
To tie Editor of the Eagle /.

10 he Edaor 81 he Ldgk'
Thinking few notes by the way might
be Of interest to your readers, venture TO
comply with your request to drop you
line.
As your readers know, went TO Sarato-
ga as delegate to the general assembly Of
the Presbyterian Church of the United
States. This body comprised nearly coo
men ministers and elders from all parts OF
the United States and some from foreign
countries. In this assembly felt like
boy, they being for the most part venerable,
dignified, gray.headed men. Men promi.
nent in the church, good parliamentarians
and capable of interesting an audience any,
where. Such men as Drs. Hatfield, John
Hall and Crosby, Of New York; Herrick
johnson, of Chicago; Cause. Of Louis, and
| host Of others. The assembly lasted thir-
teen days, including two Sundays, and In
the day time the sessions were mainly de-
voted to reports and business. In the even
ing there were popular meetings on various
subjects. Many delegates were here with
their wives and families, SO that the num-
Der of visitors to the place on account oil
the general assembly was really 800 peo-
pie.
The Baptist convention assembled here at
the same time, drawing as many more stran-
gers. vet they were easily entertained.
Saratoga il emphatically place Of resort.
One would imagine from the number OF
"boardingr signs seen on the houses, that
Saratoga was one vast city, or village. as
they call 1t, of clearinghouse. The place
| contains about 10000 inhabitants, and IN
| the height of the season accommodates ~
900 guests. There are many large and cost
" hotels, mot open yeti the largest of which,
the Grand Union and the United states, are
capable of entertaining 100 people each,
with rooms ranging from Sl5 to $500 per
week, board extra.
or course, the great attraction here is the
springs, without which there would be no
Saratoga. These number about thirty, each
containing some peculiar medicinal quality.
The one most frequented by the commits
sioners was the Hawthorn, situated on
Spring street. near Broadway, and it was
| rather strange TO person from the prohi-
bition(.) State of Kansas to see dignified,
gray headed, misunderstanding men, with
high hats and white neck ties, rushing along
| the streets, before breakfast. with brown
bottles, jugs, pals and pitchers, to get their
morning tonic; to hear sedate and solemn
women accost each other with the common
western query, "Shall we have drink p
to see even small, well.dressed children,
carving bottles and jugs home to parents,
all anxious for glass. But during our
stay there, both Mrs. l.. and myself so far
oyercame our Kansas education that We
could take our morning dram with the best
of them.
Among the pleasant resorts around Sara
toga that we visited is WOODLAND, q tract
of land nearly adjoining Saratoga. compris-
ing 800 acres, bought few years ago by
Mrs. A. T. Stewart, and under the super
vision of Judge Hilton and herself, and by
the expenditure of S3,0O0,000, has become
one of the pleasantest parks in the land.
1t is most beautifully laid cut in lawns,
groves, and some natural thiekets and
swamps, with more than six miles Of drives,
with statues, cottages and mansion in seem.
ing confusion yet on a beautiful plan, 80
that in very short drive one passes from
the lawn, as beautiful as can be made, into
thickct and swamp SO dense that was II
not for the wide and smooth carriage way
would seem place never visited by man
This beautiful place is thrown open to the
public for driving. Carriages and tally-ho
coaches being freely admitted, but omni'
buses and picnic parties not allowed to en-
ter.
Another place We visited is Mt. McGregor
twelve miles distant, to which place mar
row gauge railroad has been built, and fol
grades, curves and rocks, it throws the
PENNSYLVANIA Central in the shade, but from
J the summit most magnificent view can bt
} had Of the valley of the Hudson, Saratog'
battlefield, etc.
Another resort is Saratoga Lake, beau
tiful sheet of water nine miles long, Of
which is small steamer for excursion par
ties, and sail and row boats innumerable
Geyser and other spouting springs, abou
three miles out, are also very attractive
places. In fact, the assembymen were 81
well pleased with the place and their treat
ment here that they decided to hold the rs
sembly of 1884 here also.
From Saratoga We came to Massachusetts
: and are now visiting our old home AM
friends among the hills of Berkshire. w
cannot but feel that the hills are sleeper, tb
rocks more numerous and larger, and tn
, fields smaller, than when we called thi
home. But this grand, sturdy old New
England shows unmistaken signs Of decay
The great, enterprising, never-satisfie'
West has drawn heavily on the young an
!, ambitious men of this region. Large house
going to decay, farms once rich and vaiua
BILE are abandoned, and cellar-holes an
ruins greet one on every hand. Even tn
farm on which labored faithfully, when
boy, picking stones with bloody fingers
, swinging the scythe with aching back, try
ing to accumulate enough in the short sum
mer to take us through the cold, drear
winter; this farm with its once extensiy
orchards, large house, and well-filled barns
is abandoned and Is growing up TO bushe
and hardhax. The West is no longer lean
, ing on the East. Here they eat wester
. meat and western -four. II reminds one
q an old, feeble, tottering man, leaning on hi
Y young, strong, and robust son whom b
once supported.
But my rambling letter is already too long
With the exception OF longing wish
: see the two little boys at home, Mrs. L. an
' myself are having very enjoyable visit an
: hope to return safely to the best spot o
e earth, to us, the glorious Arkansas Valley
}. Yours truly,
|