The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-12-24
A TRIP BELOW.
Items of Interest Gathered by
the Way-Side.
The HALEY Hot Springs---the Mecca
for Pleasure-Seekers.
The HALEY Theatre-Its Formal Opening
The Play Presented by Local Talent.

teemed friends, Mr.. and Mrs. H.
Nj. Stewart of the HALEY Hot
Springs to spend few days with
them at that delightful resort.
1t was a perfect day-the skies
bright and blue as in midsummer
and the air mild and balmy as the
breath of May and yet the calendar
showed that it was past the middle
of December when the weather to
be strictly en- regle at this season
of the year should be cold and
crisp, suggestive of the near APP
proach of the Christmastide and
the cheerful blaze Of the Yule log.
There was only the snow on terra
frma to remind US that it was mid
winter, but above it was as beauti-
full as poets dream of fair weather.
With slight deviation from Lowell
we ask, what is SO rare as a perfect
day In December.
The first thing to attract our at
tention as we stepped aboard the
train was the new passenger coach,
handsomely upholstered and up
to-date in all its appointments
with which the Oregon Short Line
officials have recently graced the
Branch road, also new smoker
and baggage Car, for the accomoda-
ton of their patrons on this part
of the division.
AT Gimlet Mrs. Otto Lefang got
on board the train for a ride down
to the county seat where she had
some business to transact. We
noted new improvement on the
ranch-thes.pretty Swiss cottage
which Mr.. LeAang had erected last
fall for the family residence. There
were several bands of sheep feeding
at the hay stacks-Mr. LeAang's
new enterprise. He sold off all his
cattle at Omaha in the beginning
of the winter and invested the pro-
ceeds in Nebraska sheep and Merino
bucks. He arrived at the conclu
sion that the only way to keep in
touch with the Republican admin
istration was to 60 into the shee,'
business and raise mutton and wool
for the eastern markets. The Idaho
ranchers are not very much in love
with the wheat business either as
they "used to be''-however, there
might be another famine in India
and Russia and then look out for
the mckinley wave of prosperity"
to strike the wheat fields again.
When the train arrived at the
county seat Mr.. Stewart, smiling
and genial as in days of yore, was
there to meet us with the hotel
sleigh. After delightful drive of
two miles over a road smooth as
glass (the snow being packed as
solid as marble) we arrived at the
HALEY Hot Springs, which may
we'll be termed the Mecca of the
Gem of the Mountains for pleasure
seekers.
The hotel is a magnificent three
story brick structure erected in 1891
by Robert Strahorn, a prominent
Chicago capitalist, at a cost OF
s125,OOO.
There are nearly 100 rooms,
sinole and en- suite, all of them
handsomely furnished-some lux
bedsteads with silk
en- canopies and all the other ap-
in perfect harmony.
There are handsomely equipped
toilet rooms and porcelain-lined
bath tubs, with hot and cold water
for the use of guests, on each moor.
The hotel is heated throughout
With steam pipes, and there are
electric burners in every part OF the
The main entrance is through the
office, and massive door connects
/ with the immense reception room,
which is elegantly furnished with
spacious chairs, tete-a-tetes,
iivans and everything else sugges-
i've of luxurious comfort. The
arge bay windows are used for !
and while gazing out
IN snow-clad hills one can ENJOY
he delicious perfume OF the rare
.xotics.
Leading off the reception room,
,r parlor, connecting with immense
'liding doors is the grand ball room;
As we looked upon its beautiful
highly polished floor we imagined
With the presence of a fine orchestra
IN the occasion of a Terpsichorean
evel what Paradise 1t must De
or deyotees of the dance.
The dining room with its elegant
is the most attractive
DOM in the hotel-especially al
neal time. The carved tables with
heir spotiess linen and dainty
hinaware look most inviting while
beautiful chilfonier is respondent
nth it's array of cut glass.
The cuisine is presided over by
japanese chef. whose deliciously
repaired viands have established
eputation for him as = culinary
rtist that threatens TO snatch the