The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-27
Won MoLTKE AT RAGATz.
Appearance Of the Great strategist at the Age
Of Eighty Four.

Appearance Of the Great Strategist at the Age
Of Eighty-Four.
Geneva Letter in London News.
At the little Village of Ragatz, situated on the
Chur and Zurich line of railway and in the cam
ton of st. GALL there is sojourning at the pres
ent moment one OF the greatest military eeni
uses 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
Ragatz springs. His only retinue consisted of
two soldier servants, and his personal baggage
might easily have been carried in childs wheel
barrow. A London morning paper recently
stated that the renowned German strategist
was mentally and physically broken up. This
is not the case, for, save in those signs which
must accompany eighty fonr years of
age--he having been born on the 26th
of October, l80O-Count Won Moltke pre-
sents no special symptoms of decay,
while his intellect is clear. bright, and unim-
paired. A tall man, somewhat bowed. with a
rugged face keen, deep-set eyes overhung by
shaggy eyebrows. a massive forehead, and a firm,
soldierfy tread, Won Molke 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 a 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 always seems TO be
wrapped in thought. He rises early. and goes
unattended to the Quellenhof, where the waters
are drunk Having taken the first glass as by
rule prescribed, he folds his hands behind his
back and PAGES up and down watching with keen
interest the water drinkers, and smiling OCCASION
ally as some tyro taking histirst dose Fuckers his
face up In disgust at the strong sulphurous fumes
These waters rise In the Pfaffer's gorge, three
miles away 1t is one Of the most remarkable
gorges in the whole of Switzerland. The iuri-
GUS river Ta.nina has carved way for itself
through a stupendous defile In no place is this
chasm more than twelve yards WIDE while over
head the rocks meet a few openings here and
there admitting the light Below the river boils
with incredible fury and so terrific and un-
earthly seems the noise, owing to the reverbera-
tions and echoes. that visitor for the first time
can scarcely repress a feeling of alarm On one
side of this weird cavern wooden gallery about
eighty yards IN length has been built, being sup
ported 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 poufS down from above in endless
streams. The hot springs bubble up from the
floor OF a cavern at the end of the gallery, and
run into an enormous reservoir. The cavern is so
hot, and the fumes Of the sulphur so strong, that
the curious visitor being apprehensive of as
phyxia, beats a speedy retreat. From the gorge
the waters are conveyed by means of conduifs
to the village and owing to the great fail and the
rapdity with which the water flows, it arrives at
its destination with the loss of only few degrees
of heat 1t is > very powerful sulphur and iron
water. and is said to work miracles in cases of
rheumatism and govt The village of Ragatz Is
magnifcentlv situated in a scene of true Alpine
grandeur Itstands $50 feet above the sea,
and close to the spot where the Tamina
pours into the Rhine. Its natural at
fractions and the repute of its waters an
nually attract about ten thousand strangers.
| Count Won Moltke has been in the habit Of visit
ing Ragat5 for some years. He generally arrives
unexpectedly and takes the plainest bedroom he
can get, for anything like luxury he totally
eschews.
Won Moltke 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 prom.
enades alone, and without even the assistance Of
a stick His hRbitual attitude is with his hands
behind him. He walks slowly. and with his
head slightly bent forward In the evening. af
ter dinner. he spends an hour in the salon Of the
Quellenhof, where dancing and games are in
dulged in and though he takes no part, he mani
tests great interest in all that goes on. At 8
o'clock he returns to his hotel, and half an hour
later retires for the night