Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-25
SARATOGA AND LAKE GEORGE.

SARATOGA AND LAKE GEORGE
A Glance at Material Developments
and ImprOvements-TheM Moral Side Of
q Pleasure Resort.
Correspondence Of The EVENING STAR
SARATOGA, August %, 1888.
GROWTH OF SARATOGA.
After lapse Of nine years 1 find myself again
at this place, with my family. spending my
vacation in quiet way. As you have received
letters from here more especially devoted to the
fashionable element or life Of Saratoga, pro-
pose to give you brief account of some of the
most prominent improvements that have been
made here since my last visit, which I hope may
be of interest to the general reader.
Foremost among these Is the erection Of the
Windsor and Remington NOTES.-The former by
the Stewart estate, on South Broadway, diago-
nally opposite the Clarendon, and the latter on
Union avenue, near Circular street, by a gen.
tleman from New York. who is also the mana
ger. Near the kensingtOn, on Union avenue,
the grand thorOughfare to the lake, ia the
private residence of Charles Reed, who was for
merry partner of the late Hon. John Norris
sey. The grounds around the house have been
laid out with exquisite taste and on q large
scale. The dwelling in style of architecture is
hundred and twenty-five thousand dol
lars. Mr.. Reed controls the club house
and the race course. / am told The
summer residence Of Judge Hilton is in Wood
lawn Park, on most commanding eminence In
a northwesterly direction from the village.
This park is free to ALL and is said to be one of
the largest and handsomest private parks in the
country. Near to this park l noticed quite a
plat of unimproved land, which was purchased
nv bo 1ofo To- 10
since. Close to the main entrance to the park
is the elegant residence of Mr.. Gage. one Of the
prOprietOrs of the United States hotel, and SON.
in-law to the Hon. James F. Marvin, which is
said to have cost about $50. 900, and to my mind
one of the most beautiful places here. While
have observed many elegant residences on Cir
scalar street and other prominent thoroughfares,
L think the general tendency of the fashionable
and wealthy is out north Broadway. towards
WoOdawn Park.
VALUATIONS AND TAXATION.
Saratoga now has resident population Of
about 600 Inhabitants. The assessed valua-
ton of its real estate is between four and five
million dollars. The rate oftaxation istwo dol
lars and fifty-two cents on the one hundred dol
lars; higher, you perceive, than in WASH
ington. But the assessed valuation Of real
estate is proportionately much lower.
AS instances, l learned upon inquiry at the
Grand Union hotel was $265 900; that Of the
United States sos, OOO Nobody, presume,
outside Of the Stewart estate knows what the
former cost. but the latter is supposed to rep
resent one million dollars. The visitors this
month have averaged about fifteen thousand
The season has not been very successful for
the large hotels, but the boarding houses have
been full. The accommodations for visitors
during the last fifteen years have increased In
the ratio of Is to 1.
INADEQUATE PROTECTION.
had occasion yesterday to visit the new Sara
toga fire department building. on North Broad
way. into which the company have just moved.
Imagine place where the assessed value of
the real estate exceeds four million dollars with
only one steam fire engine. Heretofore reli-
ance has been placed upon the volunteer COM
panies and the Holly system of water works. 1
examined a magnificent horse which had lust
been purchased for the use of the department
The animal was only four years old, weighed
$50 pounds and cost in Albany $500.
LAKE GEORGE BOON.
An excursion to the Sycamore hotel, near
Bottoms Landing. on Lake George, during the
past week, afforded me an opportunity to
observe the many and noteworthy changes and
improvements that have been made along the
lake in the last ten years. have remarked to
real estate men here that Lake George had out
stripped Saratoga In the number Of new cot
tages and they have conceded the point. But
they contend that Saratoga is emphatically q
place for hotel, not cottage life, and this much
grant readily. The Sycamore Is new enter
prise by Philadelphia parties, and an instance OF
remarkable success The hotel was designed
by the Messrs. Wilson, Of Philadelphia, the
architects who designed the Pennsylvania rail-
road depot In Washington. and the Broad street
station in Philadelphia. The island on which
the hotel stands was purchased some years
since by two Philadelphia gentlemen for q COM
paraffvely small sum. An undivided half interest
was sold for ten thousand dollars, while the
owner Of the other half stood out and received
twenty thousand dollars for his part. The hotel
was completed and opened to the public on the
Cd day of July last, when there were IS arrivals.
From that time onward the visitors daily
increased until the 1st Of August, when the
hotel was filled to its utmost capacity, and new
corners preferred to sleep upon cots in the
parlor rather than go away. The proprietor
told me there were two gentlemen occupying
one room in connection with himself and his
son, and as soon as they completed their toilet
they vacated in favor of the lOsengey.s from the
parlor. The Sycamore is, without exception,
one Of the prettiest summer hotels have ever
seen. .sE
sARAT0GA's MORAL ATMOSPHERE.
have been pleased to see the order which
prevails in Saratoga There is little OF no in
toxication to be seen upon the streets. Whisky
Is dear, am told. have observed that there
is generally much less drinking Of alcoholic
stimulants ut places where mineral waters are
freely used than at seaside resorts. There is
also visible very general and profound re-
spect for the Sabbath In Saratoga. The churches
are well attended and the preaching is done
mostly by men of high intellectual order. Some
Of the ablest ministers Of the gospel come here
In the summer. have had the pleasure Of lis
tening to Dr.. T. L. Cuyler. Of Brooklyn; Dr.. J.
2. Newman, of New York, and the Rev. DR..
Yerkes, Of Plainheld, New Jersey. The daily
prayer meetings are well sustained, and the
audiences are In profound sympathy with the
success OF tho gospel and thoroughly respon.
sive to the prayer that 1t may be in every mani
aud woman = well of water springin& up into
everlasting life. nsSs F. q
Mosquitoes are accused by Prof A. =. A.
King Of originating and disseminating malarial
disease.
The local Journal at q fashionable seaside
town greatly damaged It's popularity By acci-
dentally using .'b" in place OF IN e, calling
the place hummer resort.