The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-13
THE WATERING PLACES.

oci Marine vila-The "WO1fr Reefs" assd
Glands End"- -somsthsng about Arclaltsc-
turr-Houses or Mcssrs. Bancroft, Wet,so~s.
Dc Rhsm, Wolfe, Phalen, and Othrss-Ps-
e"nsnsiesof the Soil and Ciimasc--Markcts,
T"xasion-Thc Peoples Right ar Way DAs-
Puted-Rise aud Progress OF nAvsy,ort - q
Watering Place, &c., sxr.
The history OF Newport IL both pleasant 10 tell
and interesting 10 hear. II IN the capital spot of an
island about as large as Manhattan with i,s north
eriy point resting on the bosom OF Nanagansett
Bay-its easterly shores crowned With The vernal
heights OF Mount Hope-its western coast washed by
Long island Sound. and ts southern extremity
rocky point against which tho ocean waves beas
ever MORE ls waters abound in fsh--from evc~y
point the eye Is greeted with marine view OF cx-
ceedng beauty and the climate bears out the rcpu-
tation Of the Mediterranean paradise from which the
Island takes it, English name.
What wonder IL Il, then, that with all these nats-
ral advantages Newport should be famous watering
place, and that LTD summer floating population OF
three or -four thousand should bc made up Of dele
cations from oil casses OF society aud a parts Of tho
continent md that though there may be we'll groand
ed complaints in regard TO minor matters. yet that
there should be but QUE opinion aa to the merits
Of the place. Always popular always arissocrxuo
year Of grace seventeen hundred and eighty. and
walked up TO new and sort Of dissipatcd hfe about
sixty years afterwards. From being thriving oom-
mcrciL town, with foreign trade long exceed
ing that Of New York. II became the brighton of
America the resort 70 which old and young came
for few weeks Of bathing flirting. riding. fishing.
and other sports mope or lcss moral, healhfu dele
tcrious, frivolous or llcentious. The principal
hotels, although expensive enough. were not
satisfactory to those who enjoyed the comforts which
modern science gives 10 the wealthy citizen, and
the little. ncoayencnt chambers were exceedingly
uncomfortable when compared with the splendid
suites Of rooms which the pleasure seekers too well
remembered in their city homes They sonsh,
quiet spct, and found themselves IN the mids, Of
nose and confusion. At abont the time TIM, things
became regulated in the hotels they wcro ready To
cofe for the The next year 8 new set Of
sistants came. and the same difficulties were met.
and only suHnountcd ia part. There were many
other reasons why some II the moro wealthy fre.
quenters Of Newport deserted The hotels. bu, they
are not important to be mentioned here. When
has plenty OF money and plenty of
ienme Lie IL foolish Il he does not takn
the tssk Of freeing himself from Inconvenience
into his own hauds. The "old Guard Of New
about five years ago commenced the erection OF
spacious, Substantial, and elegant marine villas,
tainly unexceed- and we think unequaed--by any
thing Of the kind Ia the world II Is from this point
that we are now viewing fashionable life In Newport
First, little topography.
Tie Ncwpor, tourst Il landed the westerly Hide
Of the town, among dingy tumble down warehouse.
decayed wharyes, fishing boats queer little streets
filed with odd old bdildags which almost seem 70
meet over ones head. narrow arc the avenues In
which they are situated aud various other debris Of
a once fonrirhng but now 'ad,d commercial town
lie il rattl,d through these little streets up high
bill into an avenue which, IL the afternoon IL plea
ant, i dllcd With da.hing tuuoutl. from troi,ins
sulky tp 70 the stately family carriage and IL pro
mcnadcs thfonged with gayiy dressed pedestrians.
Here things aro more modern everything Il light,
gay and plcasant-So tba, the town really pteents
the appeannce IL old bean who has pat on the
clothes of Young ropf and who 4 oudcayonng to
make people Dolicye that there ~ really no great
difference between Axtyflye and t~entytwo There
u ar much distinction between the Newport of basl-
rcss and the Newport o. fashion there i between
the east and the we1, sides q New York city below
Fourteenth street.
Tho fifih avenue. or broadway ~ fashionable
Newport. bsgins AZ the Jewish cemetery and runs
due south nearly ,No milcs On near th. street.
called Bellevue avenue, are the principal hotels. 10
wit: the Ocean House, the Bellevue House. tho
Atlantic, hquidnock andtso other houses, and la-,
but not least. the Sea Cir House built aud kep.
the European plan. ny our esteemed friend, George
7. Downing. colorci man, and snPpprtr- of tho
ienc,s of Young Africa. Also. upon this street
the splendid marine villa. that We have referred 70
above. Formerly bellevue stree, only extended N
o short distance below the Ocean IIo1-e bat about
four years ago q number 81 gentlemen bought the
land at very cheap rsis, and opened the ayenne
over a mile further, 70 the cx,rsmc sou,hrriy poin,
of the Island or Lands End. a. II T. callei the
old maps. No grading waa required The .lryation
81 the and Just rulcIen, h give gentle slope
Tor u lawn, 70 the rad one side and = the ga
shore on tie other. The houses generally
placed about midway between The road aud u'e sna-
shore. Hr. James Phalsn. of New York, Dirvctor
Gcncrnl u the Academy a. Music, One n
the first builders upon this point certainly the
plessan,es, location 10 serport. NJ. Phhn buiit
upon the extreme pint and his 0ser overlook. The
broad cxpanse n the Atlan,ic ocean. The land OPP
pt~ic ~ him u Cape Pnis,0rc. which lorllliy h.
INK several thousand miles or h. oannd rJnve-
nienuy -ee. even on a clear day. Tho fame ~ lands
End and The splsndid castle rhscA crowns u. drew
haudreds ~ fashionable r~opir % H. sDi similar
ediacfs we're commenced along The road. TIE land
held at pretty high prices sbd no cheap hooyr.
could v boil, s0eh err~nsive oss. There nons
of this land IN the nsrkr, Ut present. We b~lir,.
II sod thr,s years anos for ,hoasAhd doIars
m acre. frDm ~hieh pric. u roe " four ,housasd.
sos Il eanno' he had al that prioc.
wb'n ps Tsas q marine villa Of - one u og-
Councilman calls his cottage ., ibe Highlasas
s1ifnarns b4s,sry~we an lndetini,e crpfcs.is1.
which means anything from fishing tor -hich iot.'
IKE An ninha,ed bathing sied Up O. syendd manson
quite equal 10 PM sv.nne palace ~hich ha. cot
hundreds of tboasands. one n ibe scw fori hsh-
ionabls.. who scrsbtlss insipd Ie,ss from abroad.
ay. that hoasc Al sewpor no- i altogether D.
yond the r.s1h ~ man 9Th Moderate Income. N
- iA.-.a1 L-axL.