Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-01
Count Won Moltke Mt Rasatz.


At the little village of Ragatz. situated on
the Chur and Zurich line of railway, and in the
Canton of st. Gall, there is so;ourning at the
present moment one of the greatest military ge-
muses. the world has known. Marshal Won Moltke
arrived in Switzerland a few days ago, in order
that he might take the waters of the famous Ra-
gatz springs. His only retinue consisted of two
soldier servants, and his personal baggage might
easily have been carried in q chiid's wheelbar-
row. London morning paper recently stated
that the renowned German strategist was men,
tallv and physically broken up. This is not the
case. for, save in those signs which must accom-
pany "a years of age-he having been born on
the 26th OF October, 1s00-Count Won Moltkepre-
sents no special symptoms Of decay, while his
intellect is clear, bright and unimpared. A tall
man, somewhat bowed. with q rugged face
keen. deep-set eyes. overhung by shaggy eye
brOws, massive forehead, and firm. soldieriy
tread, Won Moltke would be conspicuous
even among thousands of other conspicuous
figures. In his manner and habits he is as
simple and frugal as was the great Duke of
Wellington, and he has horror of being made
show OF. Naturally taciturn, it is seldom he
enters into conversation. especially with
strangers, and meet him when you will he al
ways seems to be wrapped in thought. He
rises early and goes unattended to the Quelien-
hot, where the waters are drank. Having
taken the first glass as by rule prescribed, he
lUlus His uduuS Uelltlu MS DaCk anu PAGES up
and down. watching with keen interest the
water drinkers, and smiling occasionally as some
tyrO taking his first dose, Fuckers his face up
in disgust at the strong sulphurous fumes.
These waters rise in the Pfaffers Gorge. three
miles away. 1t is one of the most remarkable
gorges in the whole of Switzerland. The furi-
GUS River Tamina has carved way for itself
through stupendOus defile. In no place is
this chasm more than twelve yards wide while
overhead the rocks meet. few openings
Hnu {l,nnn I,1,skS v.-Ixk
river bOils with incredible fury, and so ter
rife and unearthly seems the noise, owing
to the reverberatiOns and echoes. that visitor
tor the first time can scarcely repress feeling
OF alarm. On one side of this weird cavern
wooden gallery about so yards in length has
been built; being supported by means OF iron
brackets let into the perpendicular wall Of
rock. He who would traverse this gallery with
dry skin must clothe himself from head to foot
In macintosh, for the water pOurs down from
above in endless streams The hot springs bub-
BILE up from the floor of cavern at the end Of
the gallery, and run into an enormousreservor.
The cavern is SO hot and the fumes of the sui
phur SO strong, that the curious visitor, being
apprehensive of asphyxia, beats aspeedyretreat.
From the gorge the waters are conveyed by
means Of conduits to the village, and owing to
the great fall and the rapidity with which the
water flows it arrives at Its destination with the
loss of only very few degrees of heat 1t is
very powerful sulphur and iron water, and is
cuiu w WOlh mtIdClcS i'll CttScs vi TNcuHtdtiSul
and govt. The village of Ragatz is magnificently
situated in a scene Of true Alpine grandeur.
1t stands 1,6S0 feet above the sea, and
close to the .spot where the Tamfna
pOurs into the Rhine. It's natural attractions
and the repute of its waters annually attract
about 10000 strangers. Count Won Moltke 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
Motke is an exceedingly frugal eater, wine he
seldom touches, but now and again he takes
little beer He is good walker still, in spite of
his fOur-score and four years. He promenades
alone and without even the assistance OF astick.
His habitual attitude Is with his hands behind
him. He walks slowly and withhis lead slight
ly bentforward In the evening, after dinner, he
spends an hour In the salon of the Quellenhof,
where dancing aud games are INDUCED in, and
though he takes no part he manifcsts great in-
terest In all that goes on. At 0 O'Clock he re-
turns to his hotel and hall an hou. later retires
for tue night.