Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-28
A STRANGER AT INDIAN SPRING
Jack Plane Visits the Famous Place
After an Absence of Twenty Years.

lapse OF twenty years find myself once
more at this Mecca of the health seeker
Twenty years have wrought MANY changes
in the outside world. Almost genera.
ton has passed on their grand march to
the tomb, with all their hepes, and ioys,
and sorrows, and disappOintments. Amid
all this outward change there is but little
visible at Indian Spring. The ruins OF
the Mcintosh House and the adjacent
stores make the greatest change to the
eye. The landscape sleeps in its pristine
beauty, and the setting sun purples the
tops OF the surrounding hills and throws
Its slanting rays over the fields of corn and
pasture lands as OF yOre. The twilight
steals out of the grove of majestic oaks in
front of the Elder House, adding an
additional charm TO the falling waters as
they rush over the rocks on the other side
close by the mill. \ thousand thoughts
come tTooplng up of the long ago. This
was enchanted ground a century ago. be-
fore the ''pale faces'' first beheId ii. or
realized its healing virtues. There are
several beautiful Indian legends, l am
told, connected with this famous spring.
but l have neither time nor space to give
them now. Of one thing, however. / am
cOnvinced-nature has never given more
bewitchlng scene of rural beauty than the
valley and rugged hills around the Indian
Spring. Its beauty charmed me twenty
years ago, as / alighted from the lumber
ing coach, after a ride of sixteen miles
over a rugged road, and it has lived i'm
memory ever since.
This spot has been famous as a health
resort for over fifty years. Before the dav
of railroads hundred private carriages
with splendid teams would be gathered
here every season. The Southern planter,
with his family and retinue of trained
servants, made this the most attractive of
all Southern resorts. Here gathered the
politician and the statesman, the lawyer
and the tradesman, the beauty and the
chivalry OF Georgia. 1t was a grand place
in those days.
The building of railroads changed the
mode of travel so completely that the
stage coach, with its sounding horn, lost
all charm for the average pleasure seeker.
New watering places were opened up and
modern ideas introduced which attracted
the blithe and the gay. Hence Indian
Spring was left to the invalid
and the weary, and the crowds
summer. The building of the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad
last season was the resurrection morn to
this famous resort. Every hotel and
boarding house was filled to OverflOwing
last summer with GeOrgia's fairest and
best. A glorious future seemed to be
opened up. The season closed and was
deemed the most prosperous for the past
twenty-five years.
Preparations were being made for
another joyous summer, and large num-
bers of summer visitors had made out
their slate for the coming tour, taking in
Indian Spring. The burning of the Me-
IntOSh House blighted the anticipatiOns
and confused the plans of many. The
building could not be restored this season,
and many set their faces I'm different di-
rectiOn. and the apprehension is nOw-that
the crowd will be limited. However, the
Elder and the Warner Houses are in ele-
CANT trim, and with their accustomed
hospitality are prepared to take care of
all who come. DIR. Bryant has also open
ed a boarding house, where he can accom-
modate thirty or forty guests. There are
not over hundred guests here now, but
every train brings some one, and slowly
but surely the number augments. The
Elder House will have an elegant string
band by the first of July.
Indian Spring is located in the forks of
Sandy creek, in Butts county. The cOun-
" was named for Captain Samuel Butts,
a native of southampton county, Vir-
ginia. He came to Georgia when quite
Young He entered the home army raised
to protect the frontier from depredatiOns
of the Indians. He was killed at the bat
tie of Chalibbee, with the Cherokees, on
January -, 1914. The Legislature, in
honor of his bravery and honest
The spring comes forth from a
crevice in a rock some fifty yards above
where the two prOngs of Sandy creek COM
hine. 1t is not bold stream, but con-
stant flow. The water is strongly impreg-
mated with sulphur, and has other medici-
nal qualities. Nature, in the secret lab
raiOry i'm the rocks, brews the wonderful
beverage and sends 1t forth for the healing
OF the people. Thousands have tested its
virtues and have gone their way reioic-
ing. Some wonderful cures have been re-
ported.
The people are plain, honest, and are
now waking up to an appreciation of
what goOdly heritage they possess.
They claim much for their section on the
score Of health. They point with pride TO
the fact that Mrs. McMichael, a most eX-
cellent lady in the county, lived to the
good old age of one hundred years.
And they are pleased that Robert Grier,
of almanac fame, lived and died
i'm this county. He has been dead many
years. but a firm in Macon continues to
publish the genuine "Grier's Almanac"
an the same. "Mine Host" Colonel Wet.
Elder. is one Of the landmarks of the sec
tion. He stands erect at sixty-five, robust
and strong. He is over six feet in height,
aud most genial gentleman. He has
lived all his life within radius OF sixteen
miles OF where he was born. and has spent
f0rtv-fOur consecutive years in hotel life.
This places him at the head Of the list OF
hotel keepers in the State. He claims to
have shaken hands with, and entertained
more of the best people of Georgia, than
any living man. He has now the largest
hotel at the Spring, and Will soon have 1t
full. His table is well supplied, and his
bread and coffee exceptionally good. He
has an old relic upon which he
dotes much, and never wearies OF
telling its history. 1t is an old
clock of the s'wall-sweep' style.
1t was the property of family by the
name Of Watson, and had been handed
down for many years. They have posi-
tive knowledge that it has been running
for iO7 years, at least. It has an elegant
mahogany case. gold hands, and gives the
day Of the month and the changes Of the
moon with perfect precision. The ma
chinery is but slightly worn, and cannot
see why il should not run for another hum
dred years. The house in which il stands
was built thirty-tive years ago, and Col.
Elder is determined to keepit there until
the wheels OF lie stand Stlll IN MIN, anu
then il becomes the property Of his young
est son. 1t is quite a curiosity.
The Indian Spring depot, on the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Rail-
road. is two and a half miles from the
spring. and Is reached by a line of superb
hacks, owned by Mr.. William Elder. At
the depot l found Mr.. f. W. Edwards,
formerly of Savannah. He is the popular
agent and telegraph operator. he seems
delighted with his position. The
station small and business limited, he
puts IN his spare time in crayon sketch
inc. He had finished in handsome style a
life size crayOn portrait of Mr.. Tom
Rurnev and wife. it is thought that all
fhe business houses at the Spring will be
transferred to this point. Many are
making preparations to move over this
fall. The running of the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia Road through this
section is developing the whole country.
New villages are springing up all along
me line. The train is coming and my
stay at the Spring is ended.
80 JACK PLANE,