 After
drinking the waters at French
Lick it was recommended that some
form of moderate exercise be
taken. Walking generally filled
the bill. A favorite walking
place was called the
"track." A path which
made a third of a mile look
through shady forests. More guest
would take their morning walks,
perhaps stopping at the white
tiled Bowles Spring House on
their way back. Another favorite
visiting place on the grounds was
the formal garden located just
west of the Pluto Spring House.
The garden was beautifully panned
and contained blue spruce and
pines set at intervals among
immaculately kept beds of
flowers. Red brick walks followed
in ordered lines. and in the
center of the gardens Taggart had
them erect a sun dial inscribed
with these words: "Tome and
tide wait for no man; neither
does Pluto." the Pluto
bottling plant also attracted
many visitors. The interior of
the plant finished in white
enamel brick and terrazo stone
tile made an attractive setting
for the bottling machinery.
Taggart loved to turn unsightly
areas into beauty spots. The
Japanese gardens were a perfect
example of such landscaping.
There were located just below the
Pluto springs where a low marshy
area had existed. Natural rock
formations and outcroppings made
the area an unsightly one. At
Taggart;s suggestion this spot
was transformed into a model
Japanese garden complete with
bamboo fence, and foot bridges
leading over a miniature lake to
a small island. Ferns,
evergreens, gold fish, and water
lilies made this a favorite
stopping place for visitors to
the Pluto Springs House.
In the
afternoons many of the guest
rested on lawn chairs painted
various colors. Some had wheels
so that they could be moved with
ease to shadier places. Birds of
all descriptions also made
themselves at home among the
gardens and trees of French Lick.
The entire atmosphere spoke of
unhurried serenity. Flowers
bloomed everywhere, and the
spongy sawdust paths wound
through gardens of phlox,
petunias, delphinium, sinnias and
roses in all colors.
Many guests
visited the baths in the
afternoon. A special bath
elevator served all floors of the
hotel and took guest directly to
the bath departments. The ladies'
bath was located on the main
floor at the extreme south wing
of the hotel. Here, in addition
to the medicinal baths, the women
could receive hairdressing or
manicuring. One floor below the
ladies' bath was located the
mens' bath department. A
gymnasium and a physical training
instructor were ready to serve
the guest. After making
appointments for their baths each
guest was received by the
superintendent who in turn
assigned an attendant to him.
"Turkish, Russian, 50-50,
Pluto, Oxygen, Nauheim, Vapor and
Cabinet baths...",
"Salt, Oil, Witchhazel,
Cocoa Butter, Talcum and Friction
runs and massages..." all
could be obtained in either of
the bath departments. Bulletins
stated that the drinking of the
waters, and the treatments to be
received at French Lick,
"helped": diseases of
the stomach, liver, intestines,
gall bladder and ducts. Also,
auto intoxication, indigestion,
rheumatism, diabetes, obesity,
malnutrition, the urinary system,
skin, nervous system, kidney
diseases and arteriosclerosis. In
these years the emphasis was upon
health, and the physical benefits
to be derived from a visit to |
|
French
Lick were never slighted
in hotel advertising.
The
hotel was actually a city in
itself. With in the hotel were
located all manner of services to
provide for the needs of each
guest. Complete valet services
were provided for. A laundry with
equipment for a town of 20,000
people also served the hotel and
it guest. A telegraph office and
a broker's office were open
daily. A newsstand and many small
shops were also located inside
the hotel so that clothing,
jewelry, gifts, ect. could be
purchased without leaving the
building. Barber shop, beauty
parlor, hotel photographer,
physicians, even a laboratory for
conducting test on water, paints,
etc. A "Pluto Bar," an
ornate serving counter, located
off the lobby of the hotel served
Pluto water, hot or cold, piped
directly from the spring. In bad
weather guest drank the water
without stepping outside.
In the
evenings French Lick glittered.
Dinner was always a formal
occasion and guests entered the
dining room, shortly before
seven, attired in tuxedos and
evening gowns. At dinner the
jewels were displayed as society
showed itself off in all its
splendor. The meal itself was
showtime for the hotel as well.
colorful menus graced the tables,
printed in the hotel's printing
shop. On all holidays special
menus were provided and on each
one could be found the "red
devil" a constant reminder
of the reason for the existence
of the resort. Scores of negro
waiters, many of them had turned
grey in the service of the hotel,
glided past the tables carrying
the laden trays on their heads.
White clothes on the trays hung
down and flapped as they walked,
adding the final touch to the
spectacle. Long time guest tried
to appear oblivious to the
balancing act, yet no one could
actually ignore the sight. Meals
were always something to talk
about at French Lick. Course
followed course and the
healthful, well planned meals
were the pride of the chefs. In
the spacious kitchens, delicacies
of every descriptions were turned
out with precision and apparent
ease. Rows of iron ranges were
used to cook the foods, and
French Lick pastries became
famous because they were baked
over wood fires. In 1912 long
before kraut juice and tomato
juice were commercially paced,
they were being served to French
Lick gourmets. The hotel
orchestra provided music at all
meals, and provided a finishing
touch to the luxurious setting.
When the hotel was unusually
crowded, guest ate on the
glassed-in porch facing Pluto and
Proserpine springs. After dinner
the evening's entertainment
began. Many lounged and visited
with friends and acquaintances.
Others settled down to card
playing, or possibly chess or
checkers. Guest could always
dance to the music of the hotel
orchestra, or during the busy
seasons to the music of well
known orchestras. The lobby was
an ideal spot for dancing, and
music lasted every evening until
10:00 p.m. except on Sundays. In
bad weather dancing replaced the
daily band concerts in the
morning and afternoons.
Hundreds of
hotel guest would leave the hotel
in the evenings and visit Brown's
casino. The casino offered
roulette, faro, blackjack, and
all manner of gambling devices.
The yellow brick facing on the
casino building may have
accounted, in part, for the
widespread belief that the casino
and hotel were one. |