At one o’clock in the afternoon, Hans Anderson, faithful employee of the Bartlett Springs forty years, discovered a fire in the bottling plant. The conflagration soon spread to the nearby buildings. Strong winds, blowing up from the steep canyons below, drove the flames from building to building in minutes. The four large hotels were quickly engaged in the inferno. The handful of guests and workers at the resort could not hope to combat such a fire. In less than three hours, more than fifty buildings, from the four large hotels to the smallest open-air cabin and tool house, were no more than smoldering embers and ashes.

Early morning at Seigler Springs was beautiful. “Warm sunshine wakens us next morning. It is early, and there are birds singing outside our windows. A different maid brings us hot water, and we dress quickly, for the room is cold. The ladies don shawls, and we go downstairs and out into the veranda. How beautiful the mountains are! How clean the air smells! In the city, one is continually afflicted by the odors of livery stables and garbage. Siegler Springs is quite large and modern. It is one of the nicest places to take the waters. The hotel, where we have spent the night, is two stories tall with a gracious veranda extending around to its side. The dining hall is a separate building to the left of the hotel. To the right, down the hill a short distance, is a dance-hall and a theater. There is a dormitory out back for the help. Numerous small cabins are sprinkled about under the trees, that one can rent for a reasonable rate. Directly in front of the hotel, there is a lovely fountain. Beyond this a badminton, tennis courts, and a race track with what must be the most elegant barn in all Lake County. A path behind the hotel leads to the mineral springs, and then the bathhouse and then the enormous swimming pool.”

“I am sure the ladies appear as disturbed over the dangers of the road as Aunt Hester and me. One of the gentlemen passengers explains, ‘Ladies, you must not be concerned. This stage is being driven by one of the best drivers on the route. He is driving one of the most experienced teams of horses.’ I noticed the two rear animals were chosen for their size, being larger than the horses in the front. On the sharp turns, our driver allows the horses to deal with the situation on their own. The leaders pick up speed, swinging out, which allows the Wheelers to hold back just enough to keep the stage under control. Be that as it may, Aunt Hester has become ill with motion sickness and must take a sip from the medicine bottle she carries in her handbag.”