Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-25
Won Nn,ike at Ragasz.

At The little village OF Ragatz. situated
Oh the Cbur and Zurich line Of railway.
and in The canton Of It. Gall, there Is So
jOurnng al the present moment one or the
greatest military genuses The world has
known, says q Geneva CORES pendent NJ the
London DaiiV NelrS. Marshal Won M0ltkc
arrived m SWitZerland few days ago, in
order that be might take the waters Of the
iamOus Raeatz spring. lis ouly retinuc
consisted OF two soldier servants. and
his personal baggage might easily have
been carried in chlld's wheclbIrrow. A
London morning paper recently state that
the removed German strategiS, was nell
tally and physically broken up. Thi, Is
not the case, for. save In those signs which
must accompany cighty-iOur years OF age
he bayin2 been born on the 26th OF OctO-
Der, 1S00-COunt Won llOitNe pres mt, no
special symptoms Of decay, while hi. intel
iect il clear, bright, and unimplred. A till
man, somewhat bowed, with rugged face,
keen, deep-set eyes oyerhung by shaggy eye
brOws, i massive forehead and firm, sol.
derry ireed, Won Moltke would be cOnsp;cu-
Gus even among thousands OF other con-
Spicuous figures. In his manner and
habits le,is osSimple and frugal ~ was the
great Duke OF Wellington, and he has
horror Of being made show OF. Naturally
iaciturB, il Is seldom he enters igt) con-
versation, especially with strangers, and
meet him when YOU will he always seems
to tie wrapped in thought. He rises early,
and goes unattended TO the QuellenhOf,
where the waters are drank. Having taken
the first glass, rs by rule prescribed, he
folds his hands behind his back and
PAGES up and down, watching with keen in
lcrest the water-drinkerS, and smiling o.
casionally as some ,yro taking his first dose
pucker. his face up in disgust ut the strong
sulphurous fumes. These waters rise in
the Pfaiier's gorge, three miles away. 1t
Is one OF the most remarkable gOrges I'm
the whole Of switzerland. The furious river
Tamina has carved a way for itself through
a stupendous dcGe. In no place is this
chasm more than twelve yards wide, while
overhead the rocks meet, a few openings
here and there admitting the light. Be-
low the river boils with incredible fury,
and so terrific and uncaithy seem, the
noise, owing to the rcyerberations and
echoes, that visitor for the first time can
scarcely repreSs feeling OF alarm. On
one side OF this weird cavern a wooden
gallery about eighty yards in length has
DeCn built, being supported by means %
wall OF rock. He who would traverse thi,
gallery with dry skin must clothe himself
from head to foot in mackinto,h. for
the water pours down from above
IN endless streams. The hot springs
bubble up from the floor OF ca
vern at the end OF the gallery, and run into
an enormous reservoir. The cavern is 80
hot and the fumes Of the sulphur 50 strong
that the curious visitor, being apprehensiye
OF asphyXia, beats aspeedy retreat. From
tie gorge the waters are conveyed by
means OF conduits,to the village, and, owing
TO The great fall and the rlpidty with which
the water flows. ii arrives at its destination
with the loss OF only few degrees OF heat.
ltisayery powerful sulphur and iron water,
and is said 10 work miracle. in cases OF rheu-
matism and govt. The village OF RIgatz
j. magnificently situated 10 q scene OF
true Alpine grandeur. IL stands 1850 foet
above the sea, and close to the spot where
the Tamna pOurs into the Rhine. Its natu-
raj attractions aud the repure OF its waters
annually attract about ten thousand stran-
gers. Count Won Molike has been in the
habit OF visiting Ragatz for some years. He
generally arrives unexpectedly and takes
the plainest bedroom he can get, for any
thing like luxury he totally eschews.
Won Moltke Is an exceedingly frugal
eater, wine he seldom touches. but now and
again he takes little beer. lie Is 4 good
walker still in spite of his fourscore and
four years. lie prOmenades alone, and
without even the assistance OF stick
HIS habitual attitude Is with his hands be.
hind him. He walks slowly, and with his
head slightly bent forward. In the eve
ming. alter dinner, he spends an hour in tie
salon of The Quellenhof, where danciug and
games are indulged in, and though he takes
no part, he manlfosts great interest in all
that goes on. At O'Clock he returns to
his hotel. and hall an hour later retire; for
the night.