Telegram-herald., 1889-11-20

Prince, Inn Keeper, Doctor and
Philanthroplst.
A Basarisn Duke's Hotel IA the Alpine
pending the Pronts for
the BENEFIT of the shabby 1enteei'
a Free Hospi-sl for the foor.


a Free Hospi-sl for the Poor
Perched high up on the great Alpine /
range that separates TyrOl from Bavaria /
Is a large hotel that enjoys The unique /
distinction Of having for It's landlord /
prince; one, too, who, perhaps more than /
any other IN Europe, has stood forth as /
the champion Of his order though II Is /
not 50 much the rights and privileges Of |
royalty, as It's duties. that he insists upon. /
The owner and director OF the Grand /
hotel al Kreuth is Karl TheOdor. the /
duke in Bavaria. His father, the Duke /
Maximilian. was a well known traveller |
and writer. and his mother. daughter
Of king Of Bavaria, is 10 this day in the |
south held as a model Of all royal virtues.
THE MINERAL SPRING.
Duke Karl Theodor's home is few
miles distant from Kreuth, at Tegern,
where he has turned his palace into a
hospital for the blind He is himself one
of the most skillful oculists in Europe,
and his door stands open the whole day
long 10 visitors who choose 10 consult
as can afford 20 pay them, but the poor
and needy he shakes heartily by the hand
and assures them that they can form no
idea Of what a pleasure it is for physi-
clan 10 see his patients.
The tiny hamlet of Kreuth owes its
existence 10 a spring of mineral water,
supposed TO possess marvellous medicinal
qualities. Ii bubbles up clear and spark
ling on a little natural terrace, formed
on the mountain side some 5000 feet
above the sea, right at the head of the
valley. About the year 1911, the Bene-
dictines, who owned great monastery
at Tegern, discovered the qualities Of
this spring. and built on the terrace a
badhaus, which they used as a hospital
until the suppression of their order, in
1903. The badhaus then was used for
farm buildings; but a few years later
King Max took possession of it, and re-
stored it, seemingly with the intention
of turning it into some charitable insti-
tuition or retreat. Queen Caroline and
Prince Karl both cherished the same
idea, and added considerably to the
buildings. But money was a scarce
article in Bavaria in those days, as now,
and for the lack of it the owners of
Kreuth found themselves thwarted
whilst attempting TO carry out their
eleemosynary schemes. To their dis
covery of the impossibility of doing
good, in the way they desired to do it,
without money, we owe the establish
ment of the present systematic strang-
est combination of charity and business
it ever entered the brain of man to con-
ceiVe
All the buildings planned by the for
mer owners of Kreuth are now COM
plete. Roads have been made, gardens
laid out, and the conveniences and lux
uries of a first class hotel introduced
into the badhauser.
THE HOTEL KREUTH
A hotel, Kreuth now is, in name and
fact, for three months in the year. Dur
ing June, July and August it is a charm
ing health resort, thronged by wealthy
tourists, who come and go at will. 1t is
in the midst of the most perfect scenery
in Europe, surrounded by lofty noun
tains, with exquisite views on every side
of winding valleys, silvery lakes and
foaming torrents. In the hotel visitors
are provided with every comfort and
luxury they can reasonably desire; and
| for these their royal host requires them
to pay just what they would have to pay
neither more nor less-in an establish
ment Of equal standing, but Of a less an
omalous nature. As everything is con
Quoted upon sound economic principles
the duke is his own butcher, baker and
| brewer this innkeeping is most lucra-
tive; and, when the end of August comes,
| Karl Theodor has always a handsome
| sum at his command This he always
sets TO work 10 spend in a manner
| worthy Of his race. An intilnation.
| worded with the most delicate courtesy,
| is conveyed to the paying visitors that
| the time is at hand when their rooms
viii be required for the use Of the
| dukes personal friends. These, as soon
"a the ordinary tourists depart, be
| gin 70 arrive, and in the course Of a few
| days there is not a room left in the hotel
| without its occupant. For the whole Of
| September. and as much longer as the
weather will permit, the duke entertains
some three hundred Of those whom he
STYLES his friends As rule. these
friends are not chosen from among the
very poor. but rather from that class
the most 70 be pitied Of sll-the shabby
genteeL Poverty stricken artists. strug
Cling literary men, alf-pay officers. poor
! professors. university Students are
| there enjoying the rest and change they
sorely need and can III afford 70 pay for
During the time they are at Kreuth. not
ouly arethey provided with rooms. buf
they ara fed. tended. cared fer and
treated a. honored guests. The only diff
ference made between the rich pleasure
seekers who had preceded them anc
themselves is that they, the poor. ar
welcomed with 3 little more effusiv'
/ friendHnezs. and q little more trouble j.
taken to prevent their feeling lonely o.
! duh
/ T. the month II Nav. too, the hotel h
put 20 a ike use, and, as each q hu
guests ia invited for 4 fortnight, it fol
/ lows tbst in tbe course ~ the vesT tbs
Duke Kari Theodor must entertain
nearly thousand y them Thus n
| chooses - spend the money he ha.
gained h7 his three months innkseFinl
- night rsral wsv. il truth. # com BIN
iug the roles f prince and trader Lon
don Graphic.