The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1886-08-07
THE HOT SPRINGS.
The Mountain Park Hotel.
Old Things and New.

Old Things and New.
The OLD habitues of the Wapn Spring
! need not be told that old things hav
passed away, in fact as we'll as in name
The destruction by fire in the early win
ter of 1884 of the irregular, hut extensiv,
and picturesque mass of all that constitu
ted the old Warm Springs hotel, fixe6
an indelible line of distinction between
the past and the present, bringing abou
a change in proprietorship, change ir
ideas of hotel requirements, and to make
more significant the entrance upon new
era, change of name. The Warm
Springs will be remembered for what il
was; the Hot Springs will become known
for what it is or will become.
Natural features 0f -ss't
fcnange. They naay be mntilated, ,nadi
fed, possibly adorned by the work or the
taste of man, bat dominant expressions
are imnlutable; and thus the beauty OF
the vale in which the springs burst to
life will never lose its charm, which is
that of peaceful repose in its girdling
cradle of mountains in grateful contrast
to the evidences of tumultuous strife
which lay along the pathway leading into
it, the mountain and cliff which press in
the tormented river which fights for an
outlet between them, and which on the
very verge of conquest seems hopeless of
victory; for at the very entrance Of the
valley, on the east, the mountains project
their very feet into the water and cross
them with stubborn lockstep, and then
most grudgingly yield a narrow way for
the struggling stream. But once within
the gateway, it is the gain of a paradise.
The scenery around the Hot Springs is
the reverse of that from the Battery
Park at Asheville. From this latter the
eye looks down, and sweeps over an ex-
tended, beautiful and grand landscape.
In the other it looks upward. its power
limited by the mastery. of mountain
| majesty. Yet there is no inferiority Of
beauty or of grandeur; and possibly the
emotions and the judgment also yield a
tribute at the foot of the manifestation
of divine power they cannot pay in the
exultation of a downward look upon
boundless prospects and receding vistas.
| Most certainly within the Hot Springs
vale there is much to crafty the eye and
exalt the heart. All around, the girdle
of majestic mountains. except toward the
west, in which lies promise of a gentle
scene; elsewhere, mountains block the
view, but clothed with living green and
stripped Of all that might repel, except
where at one point a bold and rugged
prUmontory projects, all rough and bare
and scanned as if burned and riyen with
volcanic fires. Towards the South the
vale recedes far into the recesses of the
mountain, aad through its bosom sparkles
one of the brightest and the boldest OF
the mountain streams, but not the wild
est; for it brings itselfto close companion.
ship near where it unites itself with the
river close by where the hotel spreads
out its ample wings. On one margin of
this vale runs the French Broad river,
here about eighty yards in width.
Through the centre of the vale runs the
rail road; and midway between the two
lies the
MOUNTAIN PARK Hotel.
This occupies portion of the site of
the old Warm Springs Hotel. But there
has been change of front. It is all
front; but the entrance front is towards
the rail road. On this front the most
ambitious architectural effort has been
lavished, and it may be called the main
building. 1t is four stories high and ex-
tends length of 1Se feet, with width
of 43 feet. The style might be called
that of the French chateau. In the cen
ter projects semi-octagon tower extend
ing above the roof and surmounted with
a pointed cover, and at the ends, each
angle is adorned in the same way. In
all of these from the rooms in these an
giles the doors open upon projecting bal
comics, delightful from their seclusion,
their airiness and their command of view.
Around the front extends a. broad COW
cred piazza; and it maybe said here that
this piazza extends around the whole
building on the first story, front and rear,
giving an unbroken promenade of full a
quarter of mile.
The main Office is in this portion of
the building entered Immediately from
the front piazza, a handsome room about
43 feet square. From this extends to-
wards the east, wide passage way ter
minating with the ladies parlor or
drawing room, handsomely furnished
apartment 43x24. Along this passage,
on the right, are drawing room, smoking
room, reception room and gentIeman's
parlor. All of these are well furnished;
and it may here be said that in all the
rooms, in all parts of the house, in all
departments, the furniture is chaste, sub.
stantial, convenient, yet elegant. A large
portion of it is of cherry wood. Opposite
the rooms above mentioned are rooms
mostly to be used for domestic purposes.
At the other end OF the house is a dim
ing room G8x42, supported by a double
row of columns, and well lighted and
ventilated. From this ready access is
had to the culinary department.
From the central Office ascends broad
and easy fight of stairs, with frequent|
-1andinos and u;nd;rr r., tl,o f,,,, 81, rl,,,xb