Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-18

1OI-1N-6A1. OnlO June Ia, AoIA'
Many years ago Putin Bay was one OF
the gayest and most fashionable sum
| mer resorts In the country. Thousands
Of wealthy and fashionable people used
to come here from Pittsburg, Cincinnati
Louisville. st. Louis and other cities OF
the southern and central states, to spend
their summers. but for some reason, or
perhaps for several reasons, they do not
come any longer. There are a few cot
tagers. few small hotels and boarding
houses are well patronized, and excur-
sions OF pleasure seekers organized by
the railway companies In central Ohio.
northern Indiana and southern Michigan
are brought daily by steamers from
Cleveland. which Is sixty-flve miles; To-
iedo. forty-four miles; Detroit. sixty
two miles. and Sandusky twenty-five
miles. The mammoth hotel Victory. with
800 rooms. which was built in 1898. by a
Spectator named Tomlinson without the
investment Of dollar Of his own, people
say. Is now closed and in a melancholy
state Of decay. 1t occupies a delightful
situation and 1t is curious that nobody
has had the courage to repair and reopen
it. The grounds are still kept with care
moved, but the floor of the vast porch
and the pillars are rotting the decora-
lions are peeling off and 1t looks like a
haunted place
The hotel Is owned by a Mr.. Ryan of
Toledo, hardware merchant, who also
owns power house and trolley line in
tended to bring passengers from the
dock where the steamers land. but the
rails are now only two "streaks Of rust"
and the power house has been silent ever
since 1t was evacuated several years
ago.
A bronze statue of Victory. a curious
nRure OF woman with very long legs
and a skirt wrapped around them so that
she looks like mermaid. occupies a
pedestal in the hotel grounds. 1t was I'M
yelled by Vice President Fairbanks sew
eral years ago. The bar association
met here in 1906 and Put-in-Bay was
formerly favorite place for conventions
1t Is strange that SO delightful a situa-
ton should have fallen off as 1t has,
but 1t wouldn't be polite to tell the rea-
sons that people give to account for the
phenomenon.
There are several small. comfortable
hotels that charge $3.50 and So a day
and several boarding houses.
Admiral ]. ]. Hunker. retired, Of the
United States Navy, occupies a coy
cottage surrounded by a
prominent vineyard. The mayor Of
Residents Put-in-Bay is T. B.
A'0Siuen's' Alexander, whose wife
Is the granddaughter Of old John
Brown Of Ossawatomie, whose eldest
son. John Brown. jr.. lived at Putin
Bay from 1862 to 1892. when he died.
He had a large vineyard. but would not
sell his grapes to the wineries from
conscientious scruples, and shipped
them all in baskets
South Bass Island has an area of
about eighteen hundred acres and is
one Of an archipelago consisting Of
Kelly's Island. North Bass and Middle
Bass Islands. Pelee. Middle Sister and
West Sister. Sugar Island. Rattle Snake
Island. Green Island. Bass Island. and
north Of Sandusky. Geologically, they
offer an interesting study. being of white
limestone, which is disintegrating. and
forms soil that is especially good for
grapes All of the islands are prac-
tically covered with vineyards. which
were started by Spaniard named
Rebira st. Jurgo. who brought the
owned all Of South Bass Island. which
he purchased from Edwards. the
original settler. who bought it from the
government. Later st. Jurgo sold off a
considerable area, and the island is
now cut up into small vineyards. the
largest being about two hundred acres.
which belongs to Peter Dausa. his SON.
in-law. The latter gave seven acres
for park, and 1t is now covered with
a beautiful grove Of oaks and hickory
trees.