The Republican journal., 1884-08-28
Letter from Saratoga.
NOTES FROM A RAYMOND EXCURSI0NIST EN-
ROUTE TO SARATOGA. THE PLACE, THE
PEOPLE AND THE SPRINGS. SARATOGA
LAKE. A NEW STYLE OF CAR.

NOTES FROM A RAYMOND EXCURSIONIST. EN-
ROUTE TO SARATOGA. THE PLACE, THE
PEOPLE AND THE SPRINGS. SARATOGA
LAKE. A NEW STYLE OF CAR.
Correspondence of the journal.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, n. V, Aug. 22d, 1884.
If one wants to have right down good
pleasure trip let him join Raymond party. No
matter in what direction he travels certain es-
sentals to comfort and pleasure are assured.
He will have the best accommodations at first
class hotels, excellent company and an oppor-
tunty to devote the entire time to sightseeing.
Gentlemanly and efficient conductors go with
each party, relieving the members of all care of
baggage. selection of rooms, hiring carriages,
and the thousand little details which consume
an individuals time, money and patience, and
often hinder sightseeing to the best advantage,
On wednesday, Aug. 20, a party of fifty left
Boston for Saratoga, the queen of American wa
tering places. The Fltchburg Il. r. furnished
their elegant car No. 50, which was labeled For
private party" and attached to the rear of the
regular ten O'Clock express. This position in
the train was of immense advantage as it gave
a chance to see that wonderful piece of engi-
neerinS, the I1oosac Tunnel nearly five miles
in length. from the rear, and to distinguish the
lights which mark the half and quarter dis
tances. The car was new one, elegantly fin
ished in native woods with broad windows,
most luxurious seats and roomy racks of brass
in fine designs. Reaching Athol about noon
other passengers rushed into the eating room,
laden with bundles and umbrellas and ate
/ hurriedy with one eye on the clock. Not so with
the Raymond party. All encumbrances were
left in the car: which was locked and Mr.. Whit
comb himself took the responsibility of an
nouncing the time of departure in ample sea-
son.
The route is one of the most beautiful in the
State particularly through the Deerfield Valley.
and in the neighborbood of the Tunnel. Not
point OF interest or beauty, not a single fact
about the construction Of the Tunnel, its cost ,
or length, was unnoted, because it is "a part of
the plan 90 see that the eXcursionists observe
and learn all that is possible. We knew pre-
clseiy when the State line was crossed which
was the Hudson and which the Connecticut
River and the interchange of information bro
noted sociability 10 Il delightful degree. An
early canvass was made TO discover the politi-
cal preferences of the party. Blaine. of course
was ahead. How could ii be otherwise. eSpec-
tally with four Maine people on board: one
declared himself for Butler aud one had not vet
decided who would be his choice. but these two
VIII surely be converted in favor of the '.plum-
ed knight before the trip is completed.
Saratoga WAS reached at five p. NJ and while
TlI-n 1tI,
difficulty III getting accommodations. the Raw
mondists We're c0urteou>y received at Com
gres- Hall al once. and assigned rooms without
the least delay. Before reaching the city each
member was presented with card giving the
number OF his or her room. There was scarce
ly time TO cross the broad piazza before Il
porter took all small traps and led the way
directly TO the various rooms. without any
bother of registering names, and trunks were
delivered in less than half an hour These
may seem trteS, but it is Just such attention to
details that saves much precious time for the
tourist.
Congress Hall is one of the three colo, sal
hotels, having a frontage on Broadway of over
a thousand feet and rooms for 200 guests
There are also dozen mediuE-sized hotels
and about one hundred smaller establishments
and boarding houses. The Grand Union, where
the aristocrats most do congregate and where
Jews are not admitted is directly opposite
On the piazzas of these hotels the greatest
variety of life is seen. For Saratoga is not. as
many suppose, IA resort solely for flash. fashion
and folly. In the immense crowd are people
/ Ofr
as well as many eminent scholars and theolog-
/ ians. Temple Grove and DR.. Strono's lnst-
tute are the fayOritc resorts for the clergy. AT
| the former place, this season, may be seen the
| venerable figure ana striking face 0f Prof
| lark of AEdovcr, whose witticSms etieryeSce
like Nichy water. SO long as the wonderful
mineral springs continue TO bubble up here in
all their strengthening properties. the place
will continue to attract the sick and the suffer
ing. as well as the gay and the worldly Among
/ the guests, at retired cottage. is the gentle,
sad-eyed widow of President Garfield
There are twenty-eight springs in all. six OF
which are spouting Most are owned BIZ stock
companies one having a capital of 81 coo. 600
The commercial value Of these springs NAV be
Z :
for the Geyser, which is a mile and half from
the city, and among the latest opened They
are enclosed III a tasteful wooden pavilion. in
which are chairs and small tables and the
water is dipped up by boys in tumblers attach
ed to the end OF long poles. The number that
resort to these springs at certain hours of the
day is simply amazing. 1t is easy to detect the
NOV h,,tl
SIP and the Wry faces they try hard not to
make. The ha51tnG' seem to guzzle down any
quantity from a pint to a gallon with great
gusto. The principal ingredients are carbonic
acid and salt, with bi-carbonates Of lime.
magnesa, iron, ETC., while some are strongly
impregnated with sulphur. Beside the i'm
mense quantities drank by visitors on the spot.
thousands and thousands of bottles are sent
annually to all parts of the United States. A
walk through the packing rooms Is an interest
| ing sight.
There Is little to attract except the springs
and the ever shifting scenes at the hotels
Saratoga Lake is lovely sheet of water. five
miles distant, but the ride out is dusty and
tame. Here are famous boat races in the sea-
son, and on the road one passes the grand
driving park where Jay-Eve-See recently won
such fame. Woodlawn Park, covering 800
acres, and containing the residences of Judge
Hilton and Mrs. A. I. Stewart, is one of the
show places of the city The grounds ;le
thrown open TO the public, and there are fifteen
miles of drives within the enclosure. Some
portions are finely ornamented with flowers
and statuary, but much is covered with beau
tlful groves of pine, oak and maple. Judge
| Hiltons house stands on high ground and is
the more imposing structure of The two. The
style of architecture is that remarkable hodge
podge known as Queen Anne; the material is
wood and the painting of as many coors as
Joseph's coat
Through the courtesy of Mr.. Leve. the de-
>lgner of new style of parlor and sleeping
ear, our party were permitted to go through
one of the coaches standing on side track
near the depot. In outward appearances it
resembles the Pullman car, except that the
wood is mahogany, which, with the chaste gild-
ing, makes very elegant appearance. But in
the interior arrangements there are some supe-
ror advantages over any other patent. The
revolving chairs for use in the day time. bv a
very ingenious mechanical device, are put away
at night under the berthS, so that the uphol-
stery is not used for bedding. But from Il
closet in the wall, which is converted at night
into the perpendicular partitions between the
berths, the porter brings forth all the necessary
appurtenances for a most comfortable couch.
The space between the upper and lower berths
Is so Wide that one can sit upright and move
about without danger of knocking his head.