Evening star., 1884-07-26
LETTER FROM RICHEIELD
SPRINGS.
A Crowded ResOrt-Life at the SPRING.
The Amusements Of the Day and
Night-ExcursiOas ON the Lake-Per.
sOnal Mention, Etc.
ce OF THE EVENING STAR.


RIcHFIELD SPRINGS July 25th. 1884.
IT you want to be gay in July this is the place
to come. At almost every other inland water
ing place you will be told that it is never full.
or very lively until August. Here. on
the contrary. the middle of July finds
every hotel and boarding house full to overflow
ing. When I arrived, on the 18th, found that
the Spring House. the largest hotel here, had
all its rooms full and sixty persons colonized In
cottages in neighboring streets, and the New
American, the next in size, was ''colonizing."
too. 1t is, on the whole, rather nice to be
''colonized," because the rooms are In private
houses, and daintly fitted up with more home
like furniture and ornaments than one ever sees
in hotel.
As Richfeid. while only little over an hours
ride by rail from this and the many railroads
which pass through there including the West
Shore, is not on the way by which one ordinarily
travels to other places. the people who come
here, as a rule, come to spend at least a week.
and generally longer. Transient visitors are
very few indeed so that boarders at all the
hotels become we'll acquainted with those in the
same one with themselves. and at the others
and the cottages also. In respect to the amuse-
ments. spirit of communion prevails
The band OF music employed by the Spring
house and New American plays alternately at
each in the morning for concert and alternates
the same way in playing for the hops in the eve
ming. The dances always take place in the large
parlOr OF one of these hotels. and these hops are
exceedingly lively. The spirit of enjoyment,
which have observed to be most conspicuous
by its absence in the most gorgeous of ball
rooms at certain fashionable watering-places,
seems never to be lacking here.
Somehow. people who come here do not ap-
pear to be afraid of meeting doubtful persons.
and even New Workers when at Richfieid seem
less shy than elsewhere Of being introduced to
strangers. 1t is q fact that most Of those who
come here are on the same social plane, which
is true also of the White Sulphur Springs in
West Virginia. In other respects as well Rich
field reminds me more of a southern than q
northern resort. 1t must have at least one fancy
dress ball each reason, which is a sine qua non ut
the SOUTH and this year and last it has revived
tournaments likewise, which once were known
only at the south. Other amusements than those
named are equally frequent. Tennis continues
to be the favOrte outdoor pastime. In the
Spring House grounds are five tennis courts. and
there are three in those of the New American
hotel, opposite; one ofwhich is the private prop
erty Of Senior DOminguez sons and daughter,
who, as their Washington friends are aware, are
exceedingly fond Of that game. Opportunity
for archery practice is also afforded at one of
the hotels, Bowling, and even croguet holds
its own here. while horseback riding and driving
over excellent roads through most picturesque
country, boating on Candarago lake, which is
only mile away. pic MICS on that lake. and
Lake Otsego. which is further of, excursions
to COoperstOwn, via tally no coach, and
steamboat on Lake Otsego, are a few of
the many pastimes indulged by visitors to Rich
field. There is something going on all the time
literally. There were trOtting races at the
driving park, half mile out of town, on last
Saturday, and again Thursday, while tomorrow
there will be running races there. At other
times this park is used as a riding school.
have rarely seen 30 many large parties on horse
back anywhere as here. Nearly every afternoon
several of them are seen.
No watering place this year seems complete
without roller skating rink, and this season
one OF mammoth proportions was opened in the
Spring House grounds and the Fourth Of July
grand patriotic celebration took place there.
Last evening there was musical and dramatic
entertainment given there for the benefit OF the
Village Improvement association. in which
artists OF great merit took part. The second
part OF the program included the comedy of
"Woodcock's Little Came" by the Richtield
Springs Dramatic association.
Earlier in the week there were readings given
in the mornings by Mr.. George Riddle the same
vino got up the Greek play at Harvard college.
reading-room for ladies' is one of the attrac-
tions at the Spring House, which has lights On
tdtteS at night. so that one is not obliged to
waste every evening in idle talk, or watching
dancing. which many ladies', including myself,
find great boom mean the having a place
provided free from draughts, where one can
read by good light after sunset. Why can not
all hotels have such one: Probably if they
did there would be fewer scandals discussed in
hotels. for when idleness is enforced. women as
well as men. must talk together to while away
the time. | have never heard any scandal at
Richtield at ALL
PERSONAL MENTION.
| met Washington friends, including those
who, living elsewhere, are well known to most
of its residents at every turn. Admiral Almy and
part OF his family are still here. The wife and
lovely young daughter of ex-senator Mitchell,
of Oregon, are at the Spring House. Senior
DOmingueZ, the minister from the Argentine
Republic, and his large and agreeable family.
are at the American. as they were last year, and
also Mrs. McCeney and daughters and Miss
Berry, and Miss DcfOrd, of Baltimore, who visited
Miss McCeney last winter. Mrs. Collins, Of
Washington, is at the Spring Honse.
Mrs. VIM. p. Kellogg arrived at the Spring
House from Worcester, Mass, on the 10Th, with
her little niece.
Mrs. Myers, Of New York. and her daughter
Mrs. Julian James, who both. last winter and
the previous one, visited Mrs. Myers son. Lieut.
Mason. and his wife, in Washington are as is
their custom, spending the summer at Richfeld
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Berry, one of whose
daughters is here, is visiting friends in New
Jersey with her other daughter, and will come
here In August.
Miss Annie Almy. who had spent nearly q
month here, left for Bar Harbor, Maine, last
Monday. Admiral Almy and his wife and
younger daughter will 60 later in the season to
Saratoga.
Ex-Gov. Van Zandt, of Rhode Island, one of
the regular visitors to Rchfield is at the Spring
house. accompanied by his wife. He was speak
er of the Rhode Island house of representatives
when Gov. Anthony was first elected United
States Senator. The latter got the caucus
nomination by only one vote majority and that
was cast by Mr. Van Zandt because of personal
friendship, although the other candidates had
nearly equal claims upon his consideration. The
friendship of the two men continues unbroken
and has lasted thirty or more years.
Senator Anthony friends will regret to hear
OF illness. This occurred on the 10Th of the
present month. The day previous he had die
tated letter to friend here the tone of which
indicated that he was in excellent spirits He
said then that he hoped to get to Saratoga in
August and mentioned that his health had been
steadily improving, but that he was las they
say out west powerful weak"
Mr.. and Mrs. Flood, of California, accom-
panied by their daughter, son and niece, Miss
FOllis, arrived here last week. Mr.. Flood is
not in good health and will stay here long
enough to try the effects OF the baths and
mountain air. Miss Flood and her brother
have since gone to New York. By the light of
recent events Miss Flood and her parents
doubtless congratulate themselves that she es-
capped marrying Mr.. Ulysses Grant to whom she
was at one time engaged. The celebrity with
which that young man and his partners made
ducks and brakes of Father-in-law Chaffee's
fortune shows what he could have done with
the Flood millions.
THE FOREIGN LEGATIONS