The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-12
OLD AND NEW IN
THE. OLD DOMINION
Of Ancient Virginia---Thcn and Nov
1.-THE Famous Springs District---A Social Centre
Where the Whole South Met Year After Year.
Then and Now

plantations as that made by one OF the
early proprietors of a prominent hotel
who always stated If q complaint was
made: Our charge is for the water;
Among the Virginia springs resorts.
in the thirtics and forties Henry Clay,
of Kentucky, was great social favor
lite. Ho used to stop over for weeks at
81. tine Rent en- eu bSa nlSsgt o1 to
gressmen and government officials the
Hot and Warm Springs were then. as
now, a favorite refuge from the scorch-S
Ing heat Of the plains; though for the
erners until after the war. Hero, in
one OF. tho hotel books, the author OF
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" Francis
Scott Key, wrote some amusing lines
regarding the death Of a tame bear
which for many. years had delighted
the guests
There was a bear-alas, that wc must
bear
Tho loss of such bear. He was the
And playmate of the children, men and
maids.
Tho ladies, too, wept briny tears for
him.
Till all the springs were salt. for much
he loved
To play his tricks before them and to
take
From their fair hands the dainties they
would bring;
And they would stroke his sable fur
His velvet paws and then no licked
And paws SO touched he could ravo
licked and lived
Long on such licking. But alas he
Now a bare bear skin and some bare
bear claws
Are all that's left OF Bruin."
| to take about twenty days to reach tho
|SprinSs from Charleston or Mobile.
Much OF the journey was In carriages
over roads where the red mud OF Vir-
gina held up tho traveller after every
thunder storm. Ono of the jests of tho
period was at the expense OF frail
ladies, too III to remain mt home. who
endured days of tiresome joltng be-
cause 1t was the fashion to take in the
Springs All writers agree that before
J. tho war the hotels We're constantly
filled during the season and that sleep
ing accommodations In every direction
for miles around were hard to secure
Tho name silly season. had not then
come into use, but the fact of It's ex.
istenco was we'll understood by fond
lmnmmas of Dixie Tho Springs were
the great marrying place OF tho South
resorted to by desirable young mon al
riding on horses" because. rs has beel
1 wisely explained, they could not get
there any other way. Widows abound
cd, smiling as archly rs tho summer
j sky smiled OH their flirtations, AS 4,
i L, Godkin wrote some years ago in I'll,
/ Nation. 1T Is probable that no othe
summer resort ever served grea
community to such an extent as tn
springs region OF Virginia served tn
i South"
Although many Southern families ar
i stu as devoted ns their forbears wer
to TIC charms; OF the mountain valley
OF the Oldest Of American States, tho,
no longer have tho baths and drive
and trout streams to themselves; no
WOW, would they want to, for a new spiri
parts or tho United States.
4. Railroad enterprise has made villa
4 was once "A sectional now n nntiona
resort. comfortable sleeping ca
lands tho New York or Chicago bust
ness man and his family at ono of tn
famous old Springs where water an,
rest undo the harm wrought by the to,
active life OF our cities.