Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-07
FOURTH ON THE sUwANNEE.
How the Day was Observed and Othel
News Notes of Interest

How the Day was Observed and Other
News Notes of Interest.
I SUwANNEE SULPHUR SPRINGS HOTEL,
+ SUwANNEE, FLA, July To-day your
/ correspondent attended a Fourth of July
+ picnic at the above named springs, given
chiefly by the citizens of Suwannee
county, but Madison, Hamilton and Co
lumbia counties, Florida, and LOwndes
/ county. Georgia were represented. The
number of people present must have been
between four and five hundred. The day
was bright and warm in the forenoon, and
warm and somewhat cloudy in the after
noon. 1t was the most quiet Fourth
of July celebration have
yet witnessed. There was no patriotic,
I sOUl-stirring, eagle orator speaking as in
the golden days of the republic; no music
by the band or otherwise, except a Ger
man harp blown by a little darkey; no
dancing, no crOquet or other games of
amusement; nothing but a gathering Of
. the people at the Sulphur Springs, SsawaY
down on the SUwannee river" a quiet bas-
ket dinner-nOt at a common table, but in
gTOups-when and where il suited their
. pleasure: little side show of a century
plant at two bits admission; a prOmis-
f cuOus pTOmenading of the young and old,
. especially of the lads and lasses, and a
I general chit-chat upon the current topics
Of the day. ''Only this and nothing
. general inspection of the new
{ hotel, now being erected here by Messrs.
+ ScOville a Culpepper, and of which | will
now try to give a brief description. Mark
+ YOU, this was my first visit to the Springs,
I though / had more than once passed near
+ by. / had heard that a hotel was in pro-
/ cess of erection here, but had no definite
4 idea of its plan or size. Behold! the
/ halt had not been told me. Instead of a
/ cheap boxed building of twenty-five or
/ thirty rooms, / find a magnificent hotel,
one Of the finest in the South, and one
that would be a credit to Long Branch or
I Newport.
/ The sulphur Springs are situated about
midway between Live Oak, in SuWannee
county, and Jasper in Hamilton county,
on the left bank of the Suwannee river,
aud about one mile east of the Savannah,
+ Florida and Western Railway, or that
/ branch Of it extending from Dupont, Ga,
( to ROwland's Bluff, Fla. The springs boil
up from the bank of the river, throwing
out, il is said, about 10000 gallons per
minute. In time of high water in the
/ Suwannee they are covered by the river
water, but so strong is the current, eSpeci-
/ ally of the main spring, that they boil
up through it and throw the sulphur
I water above and over the surface of the
/ river. The water of these springs is
I highly impregnated with sulphur, and
when not mixed with the river water,
/ sends forth a strong sulphurOus OdOr,
/ which, il is said, drives away mosquitoes,
. gnats and other insects annoying to both
man and beast. The medicinal properties
/ Of the water are said to be excellent. curing
/ dyspepsia, all kidney, blood and skin dis
/ eases, and giving those who drink it
. keen appetite.
'NIessrs. Scoville Il CuIpepper, having
/ learned something of the curative proper
. ties of the water, and noting the beautiful
. site. determined to erect here hotel
I which should be an ornament to this sec
tiOn of Florida, and furnish ample accom-
mOdatiOns to the seekers of both health
and pleasure; and l doubt not, all, who
I visited the premises to-day, Will Join me
in saving that they have. so far, succeed
ed most admirably. Having secured
about 40 acres Of land, which lie some
T what in the shape of a parallelOgram, on
I the south side of the river, with the
/ springs about midway between the east
ern and western ends of the tract, they
( selected an eligible site, and pro-
/ ceeded to build. The main building
fronts to the east, and is 225 feet long,
. with wings extending back 19S feet. all
two stories high, and well lighted and
/ ventilated. Another building, 100X42
feet, is erected Immediately west of the
7 main building, extending from one wing
= To the other, so as to form an open court,
+ which Will be set with shrubs and flower
ing plants, and have a fountain. The
lower story of this structure serves as
dining room, and the upper as a ball
, room and skating rink, and this and the
/ main building are Ornamented with seven
I towers Just west of the dining room is
hnfIdfnfr 0~il cto
high, in which is the baking room,
kitchen and carving room, all fur
I nished with the most recent and approved
/ appliances for the cuisine. Besides
the dining room, ball room, office and ar
/ cade, there are ladies' parlOr, ladies' read
! ing room, ladies' billiard and pool room,
{ with toilet room adjoining. gentlemen's
smoking room, gentlemen's billiard room,
/ gentlemen's parlOr and 120 bed rooms.
There are 1,200 feet of hall way in the
/ building and 1900 feet of veranda on
lower floor. thus giving ample ventilation
/ and promenade. The furniture is black
walnut of the latest style, the bureaus,
tables and washstands having marble
I tops. The beds are hair mattresses on
woven wire springs, and the floors COW
+ cred with Brussels carpets Of beautiful
! designs and cOlOrs.
The dining room is amply furnished
/ with tables, chairs, sidebOaTd. china and
( sIlverware of the latest styles, made to
I order for the hotel. Every room is lighted
. by gas, the chandeliers in the dining
/ rOOnl parlOrs, reading rooms, office and
I halls, being very beautiful; and every
. room is connected with the office by speak
ing tubes.
The hotel stands about three hundred
. Yards from the springs, on an eminence
I overlooking the tOrtuOus Suwannee to the
north, and a campus or park of many
20 90 II of
forest trees, as live oak, water oak, maple,
ash. interspersed with pine, all draped
I more or less in long moss. Immediately
I about and all around the hotel are also
many trees of native growth, furnishing
( ample shade for rustic seats, wherein to
while away the passing hours in reading
[ or pleasant converse.
In addition to all this there is an excel
lent bath house, having two pools 12X16
feet each, one for ladies and the other for
I gentlemen, and eight private baths with
I dreSsing-rOOmS adjoining. Pipes leading
. from the spring convey sulphur water to
/ the baths, the stream running all the
/ time. Ample arrangements are made to
I furnish hot baths also to those who may
desire them. There will also be swim
ming pools i'm the river near by for those
/ who may wish to indulge in this pleasure.
/ These Will be public, so that ladies and
I gentlemen may 90 swimming together or
alone, as they may prefer. There will be
a small steamer to ply up and down the
I Suwannee, as well as rOw-bOats, for the
I use of the guests, at a very small
cost. A horse car will run from
I the hotel TO Suwannee station on the
/ railroad, about one mile distant, for the
| convenience Of all parties concerned.
/ There are. also. beautiful rides and drives
through the grounds, as well as delightful
I prOmenades through the shady dells and
I cool cOlOnnades of the forest, where guests
/ in quest Of health may inhale the balmy
/ breezes Of our sunny land, and those
merely seeking pleasure may ride or
drive, walk and talk, sing and laugh,
I love and be loved. without the cOnven-
/ tiOnal restraints existing at more preten-
. tiOus but less pleasant resorts. There is
this marked difference between this and
most other springs: 1t Will be visited
quite as much in summer as in winter,
and Will no doubt be reSOrted to by many
the whole year round. The plan of the
motel was the conception of Colonel Cul-
pepper, and as it nears completion the
beauty OF the design is only the more ap-
proved and admired. The estimated cost
of the grounds, hotel and its furnishings
will not fall Tar short of 500. 600. That it
will take rank among the most noted
health and pleasure resorts in Florida.
and IN fact in the South, / have no doubt.
Having spent the day quietly and
pleasantly. the assemblage dispersed
about , d. m. many of them returning
home bv rail. while others went by
private conveyance. Except for want Of
l a few thrilling sDeecheS and appropriate