Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-28
THE VALLEY OF VAPORS.
The Governments Reservation at Hot
Springs and Its Improvement

| Springs anu Its Improvements
Few people who have not specially ex
amined the subject are aware OF the ex
tent to which the government reserva
ton at Hot Springs, In Arkansas. Ia!
been fitted up. The act Of 1871 authorize
its laying out OF its lots and squares
with the required thoroughfares, the re
moval Of existing distractions. and th'
| reservation Of the springs and the noun
| tain areas. Other acts. says the
| New York Suns Washington cor
RESPONDENT. have regulated the lease:
of the hotel sites and the rem
tails of bath privileges. by judicious ac'
ton Il considerable sum is derived from
| these leases. which is applicable to the
| improvement of the reservation. For 6
| long time rentals were very low, anc
| Secretary Noble once charged that Sc
| cret assignments of leases of bath pri
| vileges made II possible for a few mer
| to control the greater number of them
! and to distribute the earnings on agreed
ratings. In the report Of his successor
however no charges or complaints ol
this character appear
The Hot Springs reservation contains
about $3.50 acres: The four mountain
reservations belonging to the government
comprise n fraction over 900 acres. and
under the law are forever set apart for
use as public parks. as were also unsold
lots. From the west side and base OF
these mountains issue all the hot springs.
seventy-one in number and varying in
temperature from II 10 157 degrees. Year
before last the work of improving the
government grounds was begun with a
special fund of 5000, appropriated by
Congress, and also a sum of $4,000 de-
rived from the sales OF public lots in the
town, together with the rents already
spoken OF. Lieutenant II. II. Stevens,
Sixth Infantry, was put in charge of the
work, which was extended to include "A
valley tract Of about ten acres called the
Lake Reserve, that was to be improved as
water-park. The engineering and land
scape work has since been carried on with
success. Up to the middle of last year
about $4,000 had been expended out of
the $4,000 in hand. Lieutenant Stevens,
however drew up estimates of proposed
improvements. consisting OF fountains,
pavilions. buildings for shelter. creek
arches, hot-water reservoirs, pike con-
duits. roads, walks. drainage, lights &c,
aggrcgatinS S47,G93.70. OF course, If these
plans were ever carried out they would
require appropriations from Congress. The
impounding reservoir and pumping
ton completed in 1891 collect large
quantity Of hot water. which will have
to be drawn on TO furnish water to houses
TO be erected under existing leases that
are not yet supplied with water. and also
to supply water under such leases as may
hereafter be granted. 1t appears that the
first Improvement made by the govern
ment was the Hot Springs creek arch,
covered waterway through which the
creek runs. in the centre of the valley.
forming the chief street Of the town.
The superintendents report shows that
the Arlington Hotel, erected under a
lease authorized by Congress, was fin
ished and opened last spring. Its bath
ing establishment has 40 tubs Other
lighthouses on the reservation are the
Imperial, with p bathing and Il vapOr-
rooms; the Lamar. with 30 tubs; the Ra-
melsburg. with IS; the Ozark, with %:
the Magnesia and Horseshoe, with 30
each: the Palace. with @: the Maurice,
with q; the Old Hale, with 70, and the
Superior, with l6. of the reservation, in
the town. and supplied from the springs,
are the Eastman. the Park. and the AL
hambra. with 10 tubs each: the New.
with Is tubs: the Rockafellow and Ave-
nue.. with 20 each. and the St Joseph's
Infirmary, with 4. The governments an
nual income from water and ground
rents is put in the report at Sl6,7S0, and
its expenditures. apart from fuel and
lights, at $500. leaving n balance of over
$4,000 available for improvements. With
the operation of other leases which have
been granted, this sum will be increased
to $1,000.
An interesting feature Is the free bath
house, which. at last accounts. furnished
a daily average Of about COO baths. IL
is boon to the poor, and its privileges
are sometimes used, rs matter OF
economy, by some who do not belong TO
the INDECENT. for whom IL was intended.
Taken as a whole. the Hot Springs re-
seryation seems to be in good condition,
and certainly is. able to support itself
and have n current fund for improve
ments. except those carried out on the
extensive scale recommended by Lieu
tenant Stevens.