Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-21

and other scrap iron, which, the old
story ran. impaired the quality or
property to- the spring that was sup
posed 10 have made it's waters bene- /
ncial when taken by the. afflicted.
Possibly this story originated
through misunderstanding. but I'll
seems TO have held together for three
quarters Of n century, notwithstand-
ing the alleged frequent analyses Of
the water invariably revealed iron I'M
solution. which could not have been
introduced by man.
Three weeks after the fire, a local
paper reported that Mr.. Newltirs had
decided to rebuild the hotel and added:
1.-TWO or three years ago we were COM
missioned 10 offer him $4,000 for the
property, but the offer was declined
by Mr.. Newl<irk, who wanted s25, ,000."
These figures are the only ones avail
able that give any light ON tho value
OF the hotel. Possibly at the time OF
tho offer the house had deprecated
almost half. and, on this basis, It is
to be assumed to have cost more than
| $4,000 in 1925. Comparing building
costs at that time with those of the
present st. well within the bounds Of
reason to put the valuation OF the prop
erty at $1,000. 900 estimated at today's
costs of construction and furniture
and the expense of plumbing, for bath
rooms, wiring etc, which did not enter
into the old structure.
Mr. Newk.rk, on subsequent con-
sideration. seems TO have changed
plans, and instead OF rebuilding he
renovated and rernodeled and enlarged
his own cottages and those OF his
daughters, and brodght them under
the same roof, and the three-in-one
building was opened as a hotel the sum-
mer following the fire in 1853. For
several years the place was continued
as an Inn. a health resort 90 which
rrany OF the older summer visitors
lreturned from the south, bur gradual
ly its glories faded and il, too, after q
years or so closed its doors. The ex.
pertinent of utilizing the old building
for school was then tried as a means
of keeping it going. but after a time
this also gave way and the schoo
lN4OStu- H. NdS AlAoN II do AAAG 81 JUL
School for Boys. conducted by Freder
ick Thompson. Some few season
afterward the house was opened agail
and continued as a hotel for severa
summers until IL was finally closed, al
1902 and since has been going int
decay. Richard L. Crook was its las
. proprietor. Since then the buildin
J had been in charge Of a caretaker.
Q few months ago he was withdraw
D and the disintegration has been goin
G on rapidly so there is little but rui
left.
If -
, The chalybeate spring, from whic
Indians for two or three centuri
. drunk healing potions and there taugi
the whites how 10 cure their Ills, is a
= most the only remaining feature OF I'll
= splendid place-the finest resort
- America less than century ago.
- The water that made BrandywiT
- famous now runs away unsought, "
!. It must retain whatever healing p'
y tency It ever possessed. If. indeed.
y had fraction OF the curative quail
ties that have been claimed for it
these years since 81 became known
ei could have healed almost all the Il
of all the suffering people Of our eoul
n try. For years its waters have "rl
Id under the bridge" so 10 speak,
H. waste. The hotel, builded hy man h
RS disappeared from the face of the ear
re and is forgotten; the spring. Great
by the Master Builder, has been free
re offering it's waters to man and bea
N, since "the heginping" and will co
ad tinue to flow uninterruptedly forev
In and forever. There too remains {
hc splendid grove. stiA the resort
rn pleasure seekers, hundreds OF who
re find their way every summer to Il
at excursion park.
sr- 1t is interesting to know that j,
rt ferson Davis was guest at the lat'
he OF the two hotels. and that AleXanc
Id h. Stephens came from the South
Ire take the waters prior to the W
me James Buchanan came from Lane,
a ter in his coach to see friends tn,
two or three times before he MAS pre-
dent. President John Quincy Adai
is too. was a guest OF the original no
iv- II the old legends are correct, q
as doubtless they are. John NJ. Clayt
sed who lived nearby, frequently resor
ere to the springs, where he met Sci
on- torial colleagues from the South, 9
hat some from the East. There is q ST
sh- that he. went there 10 see Ole b
nee the famous violinist. after that q
for bilious Swedish artists attempt TO
thy tablish a colony of his countrymen
nts Olean. on the Pennsylvania-New Y
tly, border, had failed, after which he !
his obliged to take up his fiddle and
due bow again to keep the little group
ing dependent settlers in forest wilds fl
cue going without bread. He played h
no it has been said. and sent the mo
from his concert back TO his help
an compatriots. One can imagine
by Mr.. Clayton and the virtuoso We're {
de- genial. for. the Delaware statesman
hat devoted TO the violin and played y
the considerable skill.
d General Lee Is reported to b
nch come to Brandywine Springs Fl
Just from West Point with his camnniss
| at new sword. and wearing q resp
hole dent uniform. He was regarded 3
'oad handsome patrician. The Spa