The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-20
CHArrY LETTER FROM THE ALUM.
The Author OF which VIII he Recognized
by His Figures OF Spccch-What Cabinet
Minister Told Nctnbfes.
correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.l
RoCKBRIDGE ALUM SPRINGS,
Julv 19 1892

iJorr0spondence OF the Richmond DtSpatch.l
RoCKBRIDoE ALUM SPRINGS
July IS, 1888.
You have chewed green perslmmon.
4, tastes lust like that; this alum spring
does. II has rather the flavor OF sour sor-
ghum. People get very fond OF it. 1t is
clear and cool. prefer the "lime-soda :"
OF the rival fountains on Main street.
Alas have what Horace calls h0rriddiii1,
and this water will turn the cat-gut OF q
fiddle into bowels OF mercies. drink II
for my stomach's ache.
But | didn't take my pen In hand 10
write about healing fluids.
In 1865 the Hon. Montgomery Blair
spent the season here. He was Mr.. Lin
coins PostmaSteRGeneral. lie could tell
much, and did tell some State secrets. He
said whatever fears OF failure the chief men
Of the South had during the war were
cQualed by the doubts Of success that tor
meutcd the Government in Washington.
He instanced the capture Of Mason and
Sldell on British mail steamer by Com
Aiodore Wilkes. Congress and the press
'paiscd the act, but the Cabinet knew that
certain leading men in England waited
only FOR preteXt 10 let loose the war-ships
against the North. Mr.. Blair said he
passed Lord Lyons. and the British en-
basSador gave him look Of high and ST.
lent SEQ. n, which meant war.
When the Cabinet met there was for a
time an omin0uS silence. Al felt that Il
crisis was az hand; or, to use Mr. Blair's
words. " We knew the British lion was on
hind-lec> guawing the knobs OF The door
b. our ROOM They had TO eat dirt or
fight. There was n horrid dread that the
country would rcpudiate any trucking
apology or surrender Of the two COnfede-
rate commissioners. The Cabinet decided
on humble pie. II was wise; for arms
and men were FASTENED to the seapOrtS OF
England from the moment the news OF the
insult 10 the British was known in London
till The American Government agreed to
return the distinguished Coniederates to
the deck OF British vessel.
Mr.. Blair spoke freely Of the battles. He
said that had General Albert Sidney John
stOn lived half an hour longer Grant and
his army would have been prisoners; that
already half OF the Federal army had
thrown away their arms, and were hiding
under the banks Of the river. Mr.. Blair
had his facts from his own brother, who
was present
Your readers, the young ones, don't care
for these stories. They want 70 know who
are here.
Well. there are two t. three hundred. |
hear IT i considered the biggest boom they
ever had. suppose this place has half the
people in this mineral-spring section. The
management have eXertcd themselves
handsomely TO please their guests.
A narrow-cauge road runs between the
springs and the Chesapeake and Ohio line,
a delightful ride in the beautiful coaches
and behind the clever pony engine.
They have got capital cooks. The Grand
Hotel has the best appointments Of any
tavern i'm mOuntains-elevation. modern
cOnyenienccs. electric bells. Gas. and so on.
The Naval Academy Band set the dancers
gong OF nights.
/ see here Mrs. General Pickett, Mrs.
Stonewal Jackson and daughter, Judge
Barton. OF Virginia. Colonel Novel; and
General Stovall. Of Georgia; Mrs. Profess
sor Price. OF New York; Mrs. Triplett,
Mr.. j. ID. Cardozo, Miss Laferty, Mr.. VI.
MiIhiser and family. Mr.. Il. X. Roberts,
Mr.. f. +. Corbell. Mr.. Lynham, Mrs. A.
Harris. Mr.. T. n. Norwood. Richmond,
Va; Miss Patterson. Petersburg; Mrs.
Cooke and Miss Cooke, Norfolk; Mrs.
General EcholS, Staunton, Va; Mr.. Dill
and wife, Miss Fox, Portsmouth; Rev.
DR.. Packard, OF the Theological College,
Alexan sria; Rev. Mr.. Packard, Halifax,
Va; Mr.. and Mrs. J. l.. Penn, Danyille.
81. Louis. Louisville, and Baltimore have
large representations. The West sends
many guests.
Mr.. Packard and Mr.. McNab. missiOna-
nv to Africa. have held services for us.
The Jordan Alum, where a mint OF mo-
ney was spent in grand hotel and superb
grounds. adioins the famous old Alum,
and now under the same management.
The diamonds and dancers are at the
"Grand." The solid and professional men
prefer the famous old Alum Hotel.
1t is the first time | ever was at Nir-
ginia resort without finding grumbler.