Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-29
FROM NORMAN GERARD.

Hot Springs, Ark, March 26. 1900
FRIEND FONTAINE. If you have
leisure this morning, | would like to
show you around this town which is
OF SO much note and has representa-
tlveS from every state in the Union.
The Hot Springs of Arkansas are
situated upon the United States
government reservation and are under
the supervision of the secretary of the
interior. There are Seventy-twO of
these springs and they have tenn
perature of from SO to Isl degrees
There are twenty-five bath houses and
about One-half of them are located in
the government reservation park at
the base of the Hot Springs Mountain.
There are $50 bath tubs in the bath
houses and the government taxes each
tub $50 d year, quarterly in advance.
The price of the baths is fixed by the
department of the interior and is
within the reach Of all, about So for
twenty-one baths. The government
has free bath house for the poor
where they can go and battle them
selves.
Here we are at the Park Hotel. 1t
accommodates 500 guests and board
here costs from So to IS per day. Next
comes the Eastman, the monarch of
the forest, which accommodates 1000
guests and the rates are from So to IS
per day. Remember we are going
north now. 1t is we'll for man to
keep the points of the compass in a
strange town, still | don't think that
there is much danger OF getting lost
here as the mountains extend down to
the street on both sides. Still have
heard of people wandering up in
Happy Hollow and staying out all
night. The stores, saloons, board of
trade, theatres, drug stores, and
doctors offices are all on the west side
of the street as Uncle Sam does not
allow any saloons on the reservation.
The government has expended vast
sums here. Among other things she
has built a National Army and Navy
Hospital. 1t is said to be the only in
StitutiOn of the kind in America and
the largest and handSomeSt national
hospital in the world. They claim to
have cured ninety per cent. of the
patients treated. This magnificent
structure is situated about half way
up the mountain, overlooking the
town. There are fine drives which |
run forwards and then backwards till
they reach the top Of the mountain |
which is about 1000 feet high. You
see thousands of pine trees clustered |
on the side of the mountain. They do |
not mark the course of the River |
Jordan but mark the cOulSe of the |
Ozark mountains.
Hot Springs claims population of |
$4,000. There are 100 hotels and about |
twice as many boarding houses. They |
claim that there are 5000 visitors here |
now. These include all classes from |
cripples and beggars to milliOnaireS. |
1t is said to be so healthy here that |
they have to shoot man occasionally |
in order to start burying ground.
/ am told by good judges that after
man has been here month and |
taken hot baths and drank the water
from the hot springs, they have no
desire for WhiSkey or tobacco.
Here we come to The Arlington |
Hotel, a fine, five story, brick Struct
ure that cost 100000 and accommodates
500 guests. Board is s2l week and
up. Across the street is the WaukeSha
built by Wisconsin people and this is
their head quarters, board but SO a
week. We will now turn to the right
and 90 a short distance up Happy |
Hollow. This log cabin on the left
where you see the stove pipe sticking
out of the window and the coon skins
on the door, is where the original
AIkansaw traveller stops. There he
sits in the doorway playing on his
violin left handed. Next on the right
are twenty burros all saddled waiting
for customers to give them a ride up
the mountain. You can get one for a
dollar for a short ride and boy to go
behind and whip him along. Next
comes fortune tellers and artists that
want to take your picture. then a
manager of various kinds of wild
animals, then pavilion for dancing
and then two medicinal springs where
you can get all the water you can
drink for SC. Well, it is getting late
and l Will leave you here. Next time
will tell you about the fine govern
ment park and the fine Kentucky
riding and driving horses.
Yours Respectfully,
NnpMIN GEp4pD