Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-08-12

their children home during the malarial
months and would gladly embrace
the opportunity of coming here to spend
the summer with them, if pleasant and at
tractive accommodations were offered them.
The principals of our schools will doubtless
testify that large patronage to such an es-
tablishment as we have indicated might be
expected from the classes of persons above
referred to.
And if the location should be within half
a mile of the town, many persons engaged
in business in the city would find it to their
advantage to board permanently at such a
hotel, which would prevent many of the at
fractions of private home, rather than be
annoyed with the cares of housekeeping.
OF the advantages of such all establish
ment to the city it is almost unnecessary to
speak. 1t would bring large addition to
our population, both transient and perma-
nent This would involve the expenditure
of a large amount of money here, and in a
way but calculated to do good. Every old
woman who had basket of eggs or half q
dozen chickens, fruits or vegetables, to sell
would find ready market; merchants and
growers would find large increase of their
custom; doctors would find new classes; liv-
erymen and dealers 10 provisions would
~
mirable schools, male and female, would
become better known and more highly ap-
preciated. Strangers riding over our coun-
ty would become better acquainted with its
agricultural, manufacturing and min
eral resources, and be tempted to buy farms
or make business investments here; me-
chanics of every kind would find an increase
of their business; indeed, it would be diff
cult to name any class of our community
that would not be directly benefited.
There is one class of our population shat
would doubtless hail the Inauguration of
such an enterprise with enthusiasm. We
refer to the youth of both sexes. 1t would
bring gaiety and amusement and delightful
society to their doors
In pecuriary point of view such an es-
tablishment would be of as much advan-
tage as the erection of q large mandatory;
it would involve the annual expenditure of
as large an amount of money among our
people; it would bring with it as large an
increase of population, and of a far more
desirable class, inasmuch as it would be of
the more educated and refined portion of So
ciety.
The only remaining enquiry is, is this
within our means? In other words, is it
practicable? We answer unhesitatingly in
the affirmative.
The expenditure for what may be called
the ''plant" the cost of the ground, build
ings and furniture would be less than the
cost of the ground, buildings and machln-
cry for any manufacturing enterprise ON a
scale sufficient to be of material benefit to
the city.
We believe that if judiciously managed,
the dividends ON the amount invested would
be greater and more certain than if en-
ployed in manufacturing enterprise
But the indirect benefits in elevating the
tone of society and affording opportunities
to our young people of associating with the
most refined classes of other cities are con-
siderations which ought not to be lost sight
of. Young people are naturally DESTROYS of
seeing something of the world, and with
this view they urge their parents to send
them to the springs. This enterprise
would bring the springs to them! 1t would
bring them into daily association with the
most intelligent and refined people of our
own and other cities.
We have thus barely touched on few of
the more prominent advantages of the en-
terprise we have suggested. To treat the
subject fully we would be obliged to fill
many columns of your paper. Our purpose
is not to exhaust the subject, but merely to
introduce it and invite the attention of our
people to it. Let the thoughtful business
men of the town give to it serious consider
alton. We are too prone to let our thoughts
run in old ruts. We are too much disposed to
look on everything new as something WIS.,
ionary and chimerical! In word we in
cline too much to old fogyisml
We throw out our suggestion for what it
is worth. Let our enterprising men turn it
over in their minds cautiously, deliberately
-distrustfully if you choose, but with an
honest desire to deal plainly with it.
If adopted, it ought to be prosecuted with
prudence, beginning on a comparatively
small scale, but with d plan adjusted to
large development in the future.
PROGRESS.