Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-07-27
VIRGINIA HOT SPRINGSEARTHQUAKE IN CHILE
The Delightful and Famed Noun
tain ,..1esort as Seen by Gazette
Co. respondent.

The Rev. DR.. Samuel A. Wallis,
who with is wife, is enjoying a
vacation at Hot Springs, contributes
the following interesting letter con-
cerning Virginia's noted mountain re-
sort:
1t is some time since your CORE
spondent has essayed to send vaca-
tion letter to the columns of your ven-
cradle and esteemed paper, but the
beauty and delights Of this celebrated
mountain resort has induced him to
take up his pen and write something
about it.
There is good description of the
Hot Springs and the Warm Spring
Valley as the whole valley contain
ing these springs is called. in Howe's
valuable history of Virginia and its
antiquities, which should be revised
and brought down to date by some
competent writer interested in the
historic places of the Old Dominion.
The Warm Springs arg five miles dis
tant from the Hot Springs, in a
northerly direction, and the Healing
Springs three miles southward. The
Hot Springs are celebrated on &C.
count of the fine palatial hotel. The
Homestead, which is noted far and
wide as of the highest class in the
United States. It is beautifully sit
uated in its well kept and most attrac-
tive grounds with lovely mountain
views on every side. 1t is large
pile of buildings. constructed of
brick with splendid porfhes. decorated
and furnished in the interior with ex-
cellent taste, containing everything
that can minister to the pleasure and
comfort of those who are able to be
the fortunate guests of such a we'll
equipped vacation home among the
Virginia mountains. There are sew
eral springs on the property and
near the Homestead. Three on the
ground are kept in special order, the
soda, the magnesia and the sulphur
springs. There is fine. bath house
with every equipment known to the
present development along that par
ticular line for the treatment of
cases. In the olden days the baths
were famous for the treatment Of
rheumatism and similar diseases.
There is a copy of an interesting let
ter written by General Lee on the
Goth of August 1870, from these
springs to his cousin. Mrs. Fitzhugh,
of RavenSworth, Fairfax county;N.>a
short time before his death, framed
and hung up in one of the corridors
of the present hotel in which he
speaks of the fine curative properties
of the waters. He says that DR..
Cabell of the University. then the
physician of the Hot Springs remarked
that 95 out of 100 cases were either
wholly or partially restored by the
treatment received though the Gen
eral remarks that very possibly. for
himself he has passed beyond their
powers of healing. He died at Lex
ington on the 10th of October Of that
year.
The Hot Springs Company owns a
large tract of land reaching from the
Warm Springs to the Healing Springs
and we understand including these in
it's bounds. The Warm Springs is
only open for the season but is an
old Virginia resort, Of high standing,
and still attracts a number Of guests
during the summer months, about
two hundred being there at the pres
ent. There are about two hundred
and fifty at the Homestead, Hot
Springs, but this is the slack time at
this resort for during its full periods
comprising the fall, winter, andspring
months its capacity of 750 guests is
taxed to the utmost. The main build
of the Warm Springs is solid
edifice filled with "reminiscences of
olden days. The names of Thomas
jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, the
Breckenridges and other great men
of the past are found on it's records,
and "juleps' appear on the accounts,
which sopn(F Firginians might desire
\air honor for the law
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lev is the at.