 Early
advertisements bordered on
absurdity. Taggart knew that the
sale of Pluto water would in
large amount be determined by the
way in which it was received by
the medical profession. Doctors
looked down on the extravagant
claims advertised by the many
mineral spring resorts at this
time. Immediately after taking
control of French Lick Springs
Hotel, the company paid the
Columbus Medical Laboratory to
make a thorough analysis of the
waters at French Lick. The
company desired the latest
reports of the elements contained
in the water and subsequent
advertising stressed the elements
themselves rather than a listing
of specific diseases which could
be cured by the waters. From the
very beginning, Taggart wanted to
stress the health resort aspects
of the hotel. The principle aim
was to set up a restful,
healthful atmosphere centered
around the springs. This had been
the principle upon which the
hotel had been founded and the
modernization and improvements
under the new management were not
aimed at destroying this goal.
Many
realized the great health
advantages to be gained from a
stay at French Lick, where the
change of atmosphere, drinking of
bacteria-free water, opportunity
for exercise and moderate eating
of healthful, well balanced meals
could be enjoyed to the utmost.
The hotel at French Lick was
equipped to perform every
function of a health resort at
that time. Accommodations for 700
guest were available and steam
heat existed throughout the
building. The bath house
accommodations were good.
Turkish, Russian, electric,
mineral and mud baths were given.
The recreation of the hotel guest
was also considered. French Lick
boasted golf, tennis, croquet,
and baseball. The casino was
located just between the Pluto
and Proserpine Springs and
provided bowling alleys, a
gymnasium, and billiard and pool
tables. A dancing pavilion,
enclosed in glass and surrounded
by galleries. was recognized as
one of the largest in the county.
The scenery surrounding the
springs was also widely
advertised and provided woodland
scenery for those desiring to
take their daily
"constitutional."
The medical
profession realized that health
resorts had a definite place in
the treatment for certain
patients. Mineral waters often
were discussed at medical
meetings and pro and con beliefs
concerning their merits could
always be found. French Lick was
the topic of special discussion
at the annual session of the
Indiana State Medical Society in
1903. Dr. George Kahle reported
that he examined 150 patients at
French Lick and credited the
waters in aiding gastric
function, improved appetite,
chronic gastritus, gout,
lithemia, alcoholism, hepatic
congestion, early states of
diabetes, cirrhosis, systitis,
urethal inflammation and
rheumatism. He stated that
actually medical men at that time
possessed no agents which could
take the place of mineral water.
Early
in the new management of the
hotel, bad breaks seemed to come
with more than normal frequency.
During the first season of the
reborn hotel, a prominent guest
contracted typhoid fever. Rumors
of typhoid germs in the water at
French Lick cleared |
|
the hotel out
within a few days. Water males
were harmed by the newspaper
publicity which the story
received and in sprite of follow
up articles retracting the
rumors, much damage to the
prestige of the hotel had to be
overcome. Shortly after the
remodeling of the hotel, a
cloudburst on a Sunday afternoon
caused streams to overflow their
banks and flood the entire Baden
Lick Valley. Boulders, rubble and
debris rushed down the steep
banks surrounding the valley and
thousands of dollars worth of
damages were inflicted on the
hotel property. Taggart, dressed
in rubber boots and mariners
outfit, worked alongside many
employees in an effort to prevent
further damage to the hotel
property. later, the hotel
installed modern equipment which
acted as a deterrent to further
flood surprises.
In July of
1903, jealousy, spite and malice
prompted John L. Howard, George
S. Gagnon and John C. Howard to
sink wells on property adjoining
the French Lick Springs. These
men then pumped water from the
wells. The wells had been sunk
deep enough that they had reached
the underground stream which
supplied the French Lick Springs.
By continuing to pump a large
amount of water from these wells,
they managed to decrease the
water pressure so that no water
flowed from the springs at French
Lick. The mineral water pumped to
the surface were poured into
French Lick Creek and wasted at a
rate of more than one-half
million gallons a day. John L.
Howard, who had been responsible
for sinking the wells, said:
". . . I will sink old Pluto
to Hell." and he said again:
"When we get through with
them (referring to the French
Lick Springs Hotel Company), they
will either take us back in the
company or buy me out at my
figures." Taggart did
neither. The French Lick Springs
Company immediately ordered a
court injunction against these
men and compelled them to stop
pumping the water until the case
could be decided in court. The
courts in the case of Gagnon et
al V. French Lick Springs Hotel
Company in December, 1904, upheld
the temporary injunction and
granted a perpetual injunction.
They held that the wasting of the
water by the defendants was proof
that malice had been intended.
Tom
Taggart's interest in French Lick
went beyond the hotel. He was
every inch a businessman, yet he
did not overlook the
possibilities of serving others.
Like his forerunner, Dr. Bowles,
he saw numerous business
possibilities and was closely
associated with the town of
French Lick. Soon after the
purchase of the French Lick
Springs property, Taggart decided
to sell electricity to the town
of French Lick. The new power
plant at the hotel was adequate
to supply electricity to the
town, It was an opportunity to
reap additional profits, as well
as to do a service to the town,
Taggart agreed to erect the
necessary poles, wires and all
other facilities need for first
class electric lighting for the
town. Even the maintenance of the
utility was to be provided for by
the hotel company. French Lick
passed an ordinance on June 9,
1902, agreeing to the proposition
brought by Taggart. The franchise
was to be in force for 25 years.
Taggart had taken step one
actively to aid the town. |