Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-05-17


tress Monroe-Their Leases Arc Revoca
bls-Breathless Moments Passed Thirty
ok Ysarn Ago In the Old Hygeis Hotel.
There are In the United States two no.
tells. costing together 81 200, 600, which. In
case Of war, would be subject to destruc'
ton either by this government or by the
guns Of hostile feet. They were built on
an army reservation with this express un'
derstanding. 1t Is doubtful II, In event
that the hotels were razed the owners
could get comrs. sation from the United
States-certainly not wtthoat special legis'
lation from congress.
These hotels are the Hygeia and the
Chamberlin, on Old Point Comfort, and
within the military reservation of Fortress
Monroe. The land has been In the possess
sion Of the United States these 20 years,
and every foot of it is still held by the gov.
eminent. The owners of the hotels have
revooable leases by which the United
States can resume occupation OF the hotol
sites at its pleasure.
OF these hotels the Hygeia is the Older,
having been put up nearly so years ago. ID
10 on the right Of the main road running
into the fort. The other hotel, the Cham
berlin, is on the opposite side Of the en-
trance and was opened only two years ago.
It cost $500, 900 and was built by com.
pany headed by John F. .Chamberlin, who
died a short time after the opening OF the
fine hotel that he had planned. The Unit
ed States, too, had hand in the building
Of 1t, for structure for 1000 persons has
to have an elaborate system Of sewerage.
The disposal of the sewage was serious
matter, not only to the hotel, but to the
government, which has extensive buildings
of its own within the reservation. So all
the plumbing was done under the super
vision Of United States engineers.
The old Hygeia was Of wood, while the
new Chamberlin is of solid masonry and
built to last, at least so long as peace shall
endure. Yet the possibility Of war Is not
far of, to judge, anyway, from the light
of the modern high power guns which tho
government is planting in the battery just
beyond the hotels Guests of either house
have but to turn their heads to see from
their windows the new Notifications.
But with the mind 8 eye is gained sight
to which evon Old Glory at the garrison
flagstaff and the war preparations OF ma
ton reused seem tame. Memory brings
within view that glorious scene 36 years
ago, almost to day, when the Monitor
staid the Merrimao-the northern David
overcame the southerns' Goliath. From
the Hygeia, which even then stood on Old
Point Comfort, the naval combat could be
seen, but not by loyal men and women,
for Hampton Roads and the James river
were held by the secessionists Across the
Roads is the Norfolk navy yard, where the
Merrimac was burned upon the abandon
ing of the yard by the government, and
where she was rebuilt by the Confederates
and made into an ironclad.
And after the war and the capture OF
Jefferson Davis the president Of the crush
cd Confederaoy was brought to Fortress
Monroe to be held until the plans of the
federal government for his disposal de-
veloped into the decision to free him, the
most generous treatment of head rebel
that the world ever saw before or since.
He was confined first in one Of the case.
mates Of the fort, and General Miles, now
at the head Of the United States army,
was his chief jailer. Later he was trans
ferred to Carroll Hall.
In 1892 the biggest and most powerful
naval feet America ever mustered gather
ed In Hampton Roads to do honor to the
great disooverer, Christopher Columbus.
New York Press.