The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-30
RICHMON COLONY
HOL d S THE FORT
Cottage Ownership Plan Be-
comes Popular-Valuable Prop
erty Gets Back in Limelight.
and Many Guests Find De-
lightful Changes From
Former Drawbacks.
BY FRANK S. woopsoN.

Last spring, soon after the newly or
ganized otterburn Springs Company
got possession OF this valuable water
Ing and summering place property,
and mad gotten well under way in the
matter of tearing down and rebuilding
In putting in water works and gas
works and making the place ideal for a
summer home, 1 came up here TO see
for myself what was going on. / was
much surprised at the dila pidatcd con-
dit!on Of the hotel ana the cottages
and the grounds. and thought the new
company. although composed Of men OF
wonderful energy, had u big lob on
hand, the job of making the place the
splendid resort nature and the health
giving waters o: the lithia spring in
tended II should be for no matter how
much nature and good water may do,
no matter how much nice shade the
outrageous foliage OF the grand old
oaks may afford. no matter how de-
lighuully cool the nights may be in
the open air, people in search OF health
or recreation or rest in the summer
time want good beds TO sleep on. want
to md good things TO eat in the din
ing hail. want To lind al least some OF
the comforts they left in their city
homes. and IL happened that for
several years past these had not been
found at otterburn, and there was a
. reason for 1t. as 1 learned
How Otterburn Wss Blnckc,ed.
Soor after the discovery of the
springs and the fact became known
that from them flowed health giving
waters for the jyspeptics and the peo-
pie with diseased kidneys and disor-
dered livers, good hotel was built, and
for several years the place was famous
and crowded with visitors every sum-
mer. In the course OF time a hotel
man who was rather poor manager
and poorer business man acquired a
controlling interest and undertook the
management. There is no denying the
TACT that he gave the place a black
eye and 1t was but natural that in the
winding up OF his estate. which, under
froVlcence. became necessary, the en-
tire property got tied up in the courts.
and there 1t remained tied for three
years and more. In the meantime 4,
was rented by order OF court for only
year at a time. AS no renter had a
certainty OF occupancy for more than
snort season. no renter took more
than a seasons interest in IL, not car
ing whether the reputation suffered or
not. or whether the property was cared
Tor or not, just he came out az the
Dig end OF the horn at the close OF the
season.
New Compnny'x Good Work.
several years "f this kind OF business
not only Knocked the reputation of a
once popular resort into a cooked hat.
pu' lett the property in dlap!dated
shape II was IN this shape when tho
company which bought It at the court
ordered sale took possession. The
company at once went to work TO mako
the place attractive. and with the in
tention of redeeming the lost renuta-
ton. 1t was hardly expected that the
lost reputation could be gathered 10
gether In one season. but such has been
the result. II one may be allowed to
Judee by the favorable comments of the
nearly 100 guests now here Thu
company practically rebuilt tho botaI
and cottages and put in all modern con
veniences such as water. gas. bath
rooms, irst-class furniture etc and
'he'Suests OF this year found on arrival
many OF the city conveniences they left
at home. and were delighted Ths
place has been literally patronized
SINCE the opening day In June, and now
every room in the hotel Is filled. and
sne co'tases have been engaged for the
MONTH OF august. The hotel and cot
tases can accommodate 125 peon,e ava
August / will see that number here
according to the bookings So notwith'
standing the black eye that came fror,
the causes that have been explained
the new management has within tha
nrst half OF It's first season cleared nm
the black eye and restored the renute-
tion Of the good old place.
Hotel and Cottages.
The hotel grounds proper contain
ten acres on beautiful knoll sIopinc
In three directions and affordinr ner.
feet drainage. This knoll is covered
win lovely oak, hickory. poplar and
other shade trees. making it an ideal
spot Tor resting In the hot summer
time. The hotel proper has fortv-twn
bedrooms, ten bathrooms. parlors
ception halls and Offices rhe dInine-
room is 90x3o feet, and is beautifulIv
located, There are eight cottages on
the grounds, which contain ten Lode
ing rooms, and these. too, are to hava
water and will be gas lighted Tbs
wide and commodious halls on botb
floors Of the hotel are a summer corr
fort and 10y for all of the hot DAYS
The spring. encased in solid roek
surrounded by granolithic floors and
covered by an open pavilion, is 400
yards from the hotel, and is reached
by charming winding path, beauti-
fully shaded and essentially attractive
to spoony lovers as we'll as to ad.
mtrers OF the beauties of nature. A,
macadam road will be laid from Otter
burn Station, on the Southern Road
Mt which all trains stop in the summer
season. and the walk from the station
to tho hotel Is but an eight minutes
stroll. The macadam road will also
go on to Amelia Courthouse, Just a
mile away.
The Cottage Colony Plan.
But. after all what most interests me is