National Republican., 1883-08-09
sUMMERING AT CRESsON.
The Famous Mountain Springs that Cheer the
Thirsty Soul.
Some Accomplishments that Are Not So
Cheerful but stilI Endurable.
speeidl Letter.

low among the numerous readers Oh lHE
REPUBLICAN who have not heard Of Cresson,
but some there may be who have not thought
or cared where it is. And for the benefit Of
those IL may be well to soy that this beautiful
summer resort is on the summit of the Allie
gheny mountains, somo 1900 feet above sea
level, fifteen miles west of Altoona, and ten
hours ride from Washington The present
hotel, finished some two or three years ago,
has capacity to entertain 800 guests. When
first entered its capacious dining room l was
struck with its immense size, but my aston
ishment was greatly increased whom on in
quiry of coored waiter how many they
could seat at one time he said about q
million, and that IL requires 200 walters
to attend to them, and certainly If he
were correct in his first statement he was
not overrating the second.
But Mr.. Bruce, the head waiter, quito an
intelligent oolored man "a Washingtonian,
but no relation to the register), informed mo
the seating capacity of the room was 800, but
that this summer having been so cool they
have not had at any one timo moro than half
this number. The grounds around the hotel,
comprising some 500 acres, belong to the
Pennsylvania railway but the hotel is run by
the Keystone Hotel company. The grounds
are tastefully laid out with walks, drives, and
lawns, the latter being kept neatly trimmed
with u mower, while the native forest trees,
not having been destr6s-z1i, but the lower
limbs and underbrush having been cut away,
afford beautiful and refreshing shade for
scores ofchildren, ranging in age from one to
thirty years, who enjoy themselves playing
numerous games among which lawn tennis
| app cars to be the favOrite.
But while the shade may be grateful to tho
small babies on warmer days, the sunshine
just now seems to be most sought for, as tho
mercury is ut noon standing at $50, while the
| young ladies with uncovered heads are run
ming and screaming with their rackets after
the ball, while inside the house invalids and
older guests are seated around Il bright wood
| fire, reminding one of Interaken or Cha
mount in Switzerland. As | sit on the plaza
watching the play, but of course not the play
ers, a servant passes with huge log ON his
| shoulder TO repenish the fire in the sitting
room, and this on the seventh of August if
generally known, should be sufficient to make
| Washingtonians feel cool.
| One OF the great attractions here is the
water from the famous Cresson spring. These
springs We're known long ago, but not until
within the past twenty-five years have they
been brought prominently to the notice of tn Q
public. About that date the Allegheny Health
association was organized by DR.. Jackson.
Previous to this tho old Mountain house
stood at tho foot of the plain on the Portage
road, and in this house it is said Charles
Dickens jennie Lind, and Kossuth stopped
while visiting this country in 1852. There
are four springs-the chalybeate or iron
spring, the alum, the magnesa and last, but
not least, the pure, unmedicated Cresson
spring This strong flow of clear, cool
| sparkling water is one of natures choicest
blessings. 1t is situated in the hillside a
little way below and to the right Of the hotel,
is an oval pool nicely walled, about eight feet
long by five in width, the water being about
two feet in depth, and reminds one somewhat
of the haunted
Where Mingo's mither hanged herself
] ;xcept that the latter is rather deeper and
not so large around. Quite a large and airy
summer house is built around and over this
spring, which is presided over by colored
man, also Washingtonian, whose business il
is to dip water for the guests. This he docs
by means of kind of caster, holding fou
tumbers, and attached to q long handle, and il
would do cold water mans heart proud
to see the drinkers seated all around talking
and slipping the cup that cools but does moi
inebreate." This is certainly strange kind
of saloon, and the bartender tells me that
the stream is so strong that three men
with buckets could not bale it dry in less
time than four hours. One of th'
advantages, too, of this beverage is its cheap
ness, for while nothing is charged the presid
ing genius does not forget to have O plate il
q conspicuous place where pennies are de
posted for his special benefit. The tempera-
ture of the water as it stands in the pool is
the year round, about 43o, quite as cold with
out ice as water or anything else should evel
be taken into the stomach, and being entirely
free from all medicinal properties, il has the
advantages over all mineral waters of dissolv
ing in the system any salts or impurities il
the blood which medicated waters, if not
perfectly adapted to the condition, are more
likely to aggravate than to relieve, making il
safe for every one to drink the former while
the latter used imperically is to the invalid 6
dangerous experiment.
AS health resort, q place to recuperate
from business or brain fag," this would eX-
eel were it not for few dra ybacks One OF
these is what is to be expected at all health
resorts, and consists in nervous and sensitive
persons coming in contact with Others
equally or more seriously diseased, as this
often has the tendency to make them more
nervous and uneasy. For myself am moi
particularly sensitive to the presence of sick
persons, but just now am obliged to fire.
quently move my chair out of the way of an
old lady who has to be wheeled back and
forth in kind of a sedan chair for hel
health, whilst hundred older ones, girls
| and
Run deis for rnnten and for noise"
The fat woman, too, puts in her claim for
full share of room, while the cough of q lear
man nearly seven feet in height, whose neck
does not seem thick enough to support his
head, is so lank and so long as to welnigh
drown tho whistle Of the locomotives that