Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-18
HOT SPRINGS OF VA.
AN EXPERIENCE OF WINTER WEATHER
IN THE MOUNTAINS.
Artificial Heat Can Constitute an
Equivalent for the Natural.

brilliant dance celebrated the opening In
the evening. In its hundred or more
years the venerable hosiery has seen
many display of beauty and fashion
but this, no doubt, although not full
dress party in at least the first respect.
itly compared with them all. The stars
In frosty splendor III up the procession
that wound gayly up the hill from the
Virginia, and merry laughter. minging
with tho strains OF the orchestra woke
unwontcd echoes In the solemn mountains
around Tho band is equal TO its ext
gcncics. and the dancing. winding up
appropriately with a scampering virginia
reel was hugely enjoyed by both paru-
cipants and spectators.
There has been some sharp weather-the
tail end. perhaps. OF northern and west
ern billiards. The thermometer has been.
on one night. as low as II degrees, the
days correspondngly chilly and buster
ing. and nurrlcs Of snow have banched the
fields The genial sunshine Of ten days
ago was agl0w with hope. Strangers.
judging from what Is seen and heard.
looked 10 WALL forth any fine morning.
and discover. not danodils and violcts
only. but clusters Of splendid rhododen-
ron. gay blossoms Of the laurestnus and
evcr-chan ging aza!ea, and to hear the
grcencries vocal with sOngbirds. Tia
change may be the more exquisite when
it comes. but truth cOmpCls the admls-
sion that as yet one has to wait for IT.
Meanwhile. although winter fingers.
some Of the owners Of villas that adorn
the ncighboring hills have already arrived
and speculative inquirers are ut hand
seeking. like the robins and the Jays
for spots 70 build their nests hereafter
Among the latter has been Mr.. Villas. Of
the Fifth-AVenue Hotel. who offered
round sum for n picturesque promontory
near the Virginia. but has not as yet con-
clpdcG his negotiation. other contracts
are pending for property adjacent t. that
Of tho Hot Springs Company, ana point
TO the anticipation OF speedy development.
CoTTAGERS.
Among the cOttage-OwneTs now here or
expected soon are NJ. T.. Ingalls,. T.. F,
Osborn. Decatur Axtell, l.. +. Sullivan.
r. J. Harrison, and {. w. Richardson.
Several noted capitalists of New York
have Of late been here for health's sake.
rs 10 understood. rather than with other
views. Among these l.. A. Van Hoffman
and H. l.. Hortou-who IS already largely
interested in Virginia property--have left |
for home after some weeks stay. George |
Bliss. Of Morton. Bliss & Co. remains !
and looks much benefited by his visit.
Attention having been so sharply d. |
racted Of late to the Virginia Valley and |
its thermal sp~ingS-springs. that is. |
whr.. temperature is higher than the |
mean OF the surrounding atmosphere |
thpt debate has become animated as to |
tli source or rather cause. Of these re- |
markabc waters. Some say this is vol |
canic. some that the springs are merely |
products Of the vast watersheds of the |
mountains that pcrcolate 10 great depths |
and pass IN their journey over mineral |
deposits one theory noted 10y the writer. |
however. has been observed by him in |
ID American publication, and at this |
tin" 10 may constitute whatever its |
NolG' a curious ana attractive contribu-
ton 10 the discussion. This Is the theory |
oi the celebrated Or. Granville published |
in ENGLAND some siXty years ago. Warm |
Springs here in Virginia are said to |
D. most Ike tn German spa "Wildbad."
ana this is what Or Granville. recoc- |
ril' as the foremost authority on such |
subjects. wrote OF it:
10th in this case and in the cases of |
all the warm mineral springs | have |
VISITED. ] am led to ascribe to tcmpora- |
ture the principal effects which the water !
pro luc"s Uuon the human constitution |
But il is not the thormomctrical tempora- |
tnre to which | allude when ] proclaim |
such an opinion-it is to the calorlcity Of |
o." water-which Is not to be measured |
Dry i'anur or Fahrenheit; principle i'm |
parted by nature to tho springs in quos- |
ton from sources which have as vet |
escaped detection, but which. at no dis
tant period. will probably be found con-
= cted with electrical forces. and there
fore not aprrcciable by our ordinary in
st'uw,nts Of tharmometr.cal mensura-
ton"
NATURAL TEMPERATURE.
If this prove to be the fact. would seem |
clear that no artificial heat can consti-
tute an equivalent for the natural heat |
O. warm or hot springs. Hence, too, |
springs of so great heat as 10 require
admiXture of cold water before being |
used-such as those of Carlsbad, Wies-
baden. ToplitZ. etc.-must lack, on this |
theory. the virtue of waters that can
be- used at once at their natural tempera- |
ture. Such. of course is precisely the |
case with the Virginia Hot Springs. the |
daily yield of which is 100000 gallons not |
1900, as, by a clerical error, was stated |
in a previous letter published in the Tri- /
bune.
The opening Of the Homestead completes |
the purpose which Hot Springs is de- |
signed hencefOrth to fulfil The new |
house, the Virginia, is built for all the |
year round. and so will never close. The |
Homestead Is "A summer house only. and. |
being much larger than the Virginia. the |
two Will probably. with the help of ada |
cen cottages pertaining to each, supply the |
present demand. If, however, the springs |
actually do what is confidently claimed |
for them. the day is not far off when |
existing accommodations will have to be |
largely increased.
One hears at Hot Springs, naturally |
enough, much argument as TO how far the |
waters by bath and draught help the in |
valid and how far his improvement is |
due to mountain air and simple regimen.
Such talk is almost as old as the hills |
themselves. Sir Walter Scott somewhere |
says that the invalid often finds relief |
from his complaint less from the healing |
virtues OF the spa itself than because hia |
system OF ordinary life undergoes an en-.
tire change" But SCOTS generality
would have greater force. save mainly. two |
things. One is that at resorts where
springs are not, no such cures are known |
as at resorts where springs are; and the |
second is that from the time Of Sir Will
liam johnson, who was cured at Saratoga
when taken there for dying, and from that
OF Chief-Justice fancy. who left positive
records of his cure. and that of his wife
at these same hot springs Of Virginia the
dutHch'iS HiStoiiSS are numerous or COM
plete restoration TO health under like be-
nignant influences.
This letter, which began with frost and
snow ends in sunshine Spring has stolen
back. disarming wrath with lovely. II
fearful smile. and bringing with her
the singing birds and freshly-swelinc
buds. The band is playing in the open
air. and the little barefooted children are
back again with their baskets of simple
flowers. The hills are once more trodden
by the pedestrians. enjoined by the doc
tors to cover so many miles day. Some |
OF the adventures bring tidings of what
all have heard OF. but which most have
so far failed to see-certain neighboring
mountain caves.
COLORED FOLKS.
A word may be forgiven as to the
coiored folks-that IL to say, here and |
now. Many changes have been noted in
their race during the last generation, and
not always. or by all observers, to their
advantage. The present writer has seen
much of them in all parts of the Union
before and since the war. and, at the ear
Her time not a little of those whose type
Is found in this region. The impression