Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-09-05
LETTER FROM THE COLD SUI
PHUR SPRINGS AND GREEN
WOOD DEPOT.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.l


up the quill rs at otter tines, but now
near the close of is vacation will at
least Lay hs respects T. the season of
1908. So after having the usual de-
lightirl time at Atlantic City where
many Lends lent additional pleasure II
his s.~y, it was thought that a tip .
the mountains of Virginia might offer a
pleasant change of residence s"hough
the cooluess of the summer IN the
vicinity of your ancient city tempt d us
to forego the attractive suggestions OF
friends or of railway booklets and fold
ers. The latter, however, prevailed aud
we were presently gliding along the
well-cquipped track of the Chesapeake
and Ohio TO Goshen in the Alleghanies,
from which dive of two miles brought
us to the Cold Sulphur where AL
house greeted our arrival. This pos
sc ses the usual Accomplishments OF
mountain health resort, a valley with
the mountains closing you in and
spring protected by structure akin to
summer house. The waters of this re-
treat are well known for their excellent
curative qualities. They are Delightfully."-
cold, light aud palatable, and while WEI
impregnated with sulphur, do not fill
the surrounding air with its odor as is
the case at some other well known
resorts. Such is the reputation
of the water that visitors retuin year
Der to partake of its beneh' :,
though of course it is not uni
versal panacea, and we are well ac-
ouainted With some who claim that it
does not suit their particular cases. The
first " elk Of our stay was wet and cool;
a fire on the hearth in The Office was not
at all unpleasant, 10 the early mor1ing
or az er supper. But the next week we
had some little experience of what sum-
mer could do in the mountains during
the daytime; while the nights were al
ways pleasant. as they should be, at an
altitude Of 1900 feet above the sea level.
Half way between the Cold Sulphur
and Goshen there is an iron furnace built
during the boom period, when it was
thought there was good supply of ore
in the vicinity. This was afterwards
found to be of a low quality, so now the
iron ore as we'll as the coal and the lime
are brought from distance; consequent
ly the furnace does not work regularly
throughout the year. 1t has been in
steady operation for some months past
and at night often lights up the country
round the springs with its glow. The
great attraction of the Cold Sulphur out
side of tie spring is the drive to the
Goshen Pass, about eight miles distant
We made two attempts to get there but
unfortunately the time passed away
without permitting us to be spectators
of its grandeur and beauty, about which
we heard a number of eloquent de-
scriptions from our friends at the
hotel. 1t was through this Pass that
Commodore Maury desired his body
to be borne when the laurel
was in bloom.
At Goshen on a high bluff just above
the station is situated the Allegheny
Hotel, fine modern hostelry, command
ing splendid prospect of valley and
mountain heights. Towering above all
the rest rises the splendid mass of
Elliott's Knob ascertained to be higher
than the Peaks of Otter. We believe
that this knob is the second highest of
the peaks of Virginia, one in the south
west claiming the precedence. Goshen
is a small but well-situated village con-
tanning the Allegheny as its CHIEF
hotel for the accommodation of summer
visitors. A smaller hotel is now being
built on the same level as the station,
we presume for the accommodation Of the
travelling public throughout the year.
II also contains three churches, Presby'
terian. Baptist and Methodist, which are
well attended on their respective Sun
days for service.
The Rockbridge Alum Springs are al
a distance of nine miles from Goshen
and are reached by narrow gauge RAJ
way. The water at these springs II
strongly impregnated with alum anc
from the effect it produces upon the
mouth must be a specific for the diseases
which are embraced under its curative
properties.
But trips to thespring5 rs to all othel
resorts come to an end, and we at last be-
gan our homeward journey, expecting Il
make one or two pauses on the way
So determining to get view by
daylight of the beautiful country through
which the Chesapeake aud Ohio runs be
tween Goshen and Charlottesville, W.
made a start in the morning, getting
many exquisite "bits," to use an artistic
expression, as we crossed the NORTH
mountain. Then after that was passed
came the great panorama Of the vale!
as we approached and came 10 Staunton
Next the ramparts of the Blue Ridg'
drew nearer and nearer as We pass
ed Fishersville, Waynesbero and Basi,
CITY. We were told that the Brandon
at this place was q modern hotel with
fine view over the valley to the noun
tsins beyond. But Of all the views, non
L. .-,o~o axnutaitQlv fair thai