Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-10-07

HOT SPRINGS
GAIN IA VOR
SAN LUIS oHIsPo SULPHUR
POPULAR
HUNDREDS FROM Los ANGELES
THERE
Situated Centrally, Resort Is Vacation
Place for People from Northern
Part of the State as
Well

- months Is any criterion, taking the
waters is becoming more and more in
favor with people of the west as a way
of spending their vacations. To one place
springs, people fiocked by the hundreds
from all over the state. Some came for
their health and some for a rest and
some for a good time, and some-these
were the women, of course-came for
their complexion's sake. over three hum
dred of these pilgrims were from Los
Angeles
Those who have been fiuttering for
years between the mountains and the
seashore when on holidaying bent find
the first experience at the hot springs
one of new pleasures. To have the wild
freedom of the wooded mountain COM
bined with the exhilarating air of the
sea, and added to these the comforts of
civilization furnished by cozy modern
hotel-these give variety of entertain
ment that make the days pass all too
swiftly.
Being situated just about midway be-
tween San Francisco and Los Angeles,
the San Luis Obispo resort is favored
meeting place for the north and the
south. Sacramento, Grass Valley. Mer-
Aced, San Francisco and San Jose fra
teruize with San Diego, Pasadena. Los
Angeles and Santa Barbara for the happy
days when all come together to play a
bit.
Here there is no burning of the mid
night gas. Most of the guests come to
enjoy the out-of-door life, and after a
day spent in mountain climbing, rowing
on the creek or fishing at Port Hartford,
two and half miles away, they are
quite ready to go to bed when, at 81
o'clock, the deep bass voice of the pro-
prietor, A. NJ. Smith, gives the command
Lights out!' Once in while, when an
interesting card party is on and the
O. clock warming Is given, the pleadirgs
of the devoted players will succeed in
winning them little extension of time,
but it is not often the. rule is broken.
Regime Beneficial
Whether they come for recreation
merely or to benefit their health by
drinking or bathing in the hot sulphur
water, the visitors readily fall into the
sensible regime that governs the place.
Early in means early out, and o'clock
in the morning finds a procession of cup
bearers already started on the way to the
springs to quaff the before-breakfast
tonic. The newcomers are easily distin-
gu1shed from the old stagers by the way
they approach the steaming current that
gushes from the earth at the rate of
1892 gallons an hour. The beginner gin
gerly carries the cup to his lips, his face
unconsciously fixed in an apprehensive
grimace. Nine times out of ten the COM
ment follows, 1T tastes like eggs,' and
the expression deepens to one of utter
disgust. Then, after the second cupful,
''Thats not so bad; L suppose 1 could
manage to drink ten glasses a day after
while. They say it won't do you any
good If you don't drink lots of it,
HUH" (this from the veteran tippler
who has been at the springs three weeks
II drink twenty glasses every day."
Then 1t is in order for every one in the
group to tell his or her capacity. This
they do quite as seriously as stay-at-
home folk talk about the weather.
A few hours later every one has taken
a walk after the hearty breakfast, and a
hot sulphur bath after that, the guests,
looking pink as babies after their soak
ing and steaming, gather under the
trees to pass the hour before dinner in
conversation. The subject this time
when the experience is still fresh in their
peaceful minds, is usually the bath--the
temperature of the water, whether it was
too hot or too cold, and the amount of
good it was doing the speaker. One who
has not been through this might not
think it interesting; but it is, intense
ly so.
Relate Impressions
Suppose there are seven of you in
group Each one has a different expert
and when and how much water he drinks.
If one happens to mention he does not
roll up in a blanket after his bath the
others are surprised, and this starts
new train of thought. But what's the use
of trying to tell it? 1t is something that
has to be lived through to be appre-
ciated.
This is only minor feature of life at
the springs, after all. There are some
delightful excursions to be had by the
lover of nature, and one can walk far
enough to tire himself without ever leav-
ing the grounds of the resort which
reach from the little narrow gauge rail-
way track on one side of the valley to
the top of the green mountain range
that rises behind the springs.
A climb to the summit is one of the
most pleasurable jaunts. The trail leads
straight away from the ravine back of
the dining room up through a thicket of
ferns, wild honeysuckle, buckthorn, scrub
oak, with gnarled old live oaks to furnish
shade from the sun, to the clearing on
top Of the peak. On reaching the summit
sight greets the climber that more
than repays him for the effort he has
put forth. Instead of his beholding other
mountains and ranges beyond, which is
the usual result of toiling up a high
mountain, there, far beneath him, is
spread the limitless. blue of the Pacific
breeze and his pulses quicken with Joy
at the beautiful spectacle A. white
winged boat skins on before the wind far
out on the bay. On the right the hills
break Off abruptly, but Immediately be-
low is sandy beach, where the country
people from far around come in the rigs
on Sunday to dig for clans or fish off
the wharf at Avila, the tiny fishing viii
lage which lies off to the left. Still be-
yond this, mile away, is the long
wharf of Port Hartford, -hugging nearly
its full length the dark protecting coast
wall of the Santa Lucia range At is
terminus Big boat is anchored and sew
eral smaller craft dart about, complet-
ing the seascape SO well worth beholding
Iron Spring
Coming down guidepost directs the
way over a side trail to the Iron
spring" Nearly every mountain resort
has its iron spring, but nobody tells how
much water he drinks at this one. With
the cup, taken ON the advice of the wise
ones back at the hotel. the tenderfoot
starts gleefully along that trail to
quench the thirst acquired on the climb
with a drink of iron water. Reaching