New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-31

point OF Coney Island with the broad Atanuc iyinR
quite calm and blue beyond Hardy nv tha
SsJasS< who has known it In the years that are past
The old landing-pier Is much the same ~ MhS
en- eight years ago w se arF there stands the
odd Pavilion Hotel, long. and loW a AZ e
MISUNDERSTANDING it ever has been witn'h .ne mem
ory of sea-bathing mankind And now ions me tb Ua
tSawboat passengers goes in procession along the
beach or by the rckety plank pathway sHat ieaus 70
the hotel Chowder is the great stapie u trs
~, ,na "a not;yes nj the region In calm weather
theee characteristic delieacies go Gown smootny
enough aud are far from despcapie OF 10 pe US
m ssed by Blot. but when the wnu piows ,heh lIe
sind comes in whirls from the ridges and the grit
ting of the eaters teeth conyinces MN OF announcer
condiment in his food beside pepper Aie is to oe
had here and there are all sorts OF temperance
drinks not to talk Of everything in the rum line OF
liquor but never keg of lager IS 70 oe seen Anu
in this fact we can perceive ,,,ch &c Gsrman
one for wherever the burly Ieuton oOhgfega.es,
there is TO be found the resiny lager beer ana lew
things in the world except grlm uealn anu nea'y
taxes perhaps are more certain IMAM tnls same,
Passing the hotel the pedestrian soon hnds h,mseli
at the first row of bathinghouses on tho beach ana
here the scene is very lively, not 70 say oint'
with benches and chairs in it, and mere one can st NJ
ease and contemplate the panorama that extends far
away up the curyng beach toward inc head VI tno
island The very passengers who came out with INN
inst now from the relieved steamer, aud with the
features and general appearance OF many OF wnem
a
formed, transmogrifed metamorphosed, transig9red
they are Bottom, thou art transated'-or SHAKES
perian words TO that efect-wOud be an apostrophe
very appropriate here. Forth from the dresshg-
stalls emerges crowd Of characters remindfnl OF
grotesque procession in spectular piece wherein
Neptune, and tritons, and mermaids ana
g sea change are the component elements
of the fabulous farrago. Very stralgnt-upm anu.
down do some feminine figures appear In their SURF
costume of BloOmer cut. while very much the re-
verse do other loom to the eye OF the curious
gazer. 1t all depends upon build. here yon See
while, on tho fashionable city promenades, ~ ae
ponds dress only that IS, upon what constitutes
female dress, nowadays, to great extent-pau-
ding, saw-dust, india-rubber, and several other
things of which the present writer has mnch ourions
information, but which never coulu ne Drowene
within the limits of newspaper article, very
1appy and battered straw-hats complete the cos
tune of these Coney Island sirens. and OUT lnlo
the surf they plunge in what appears 10 DE very
promiscuors manner. And promscuous 10 certainly
must be- seeing that between attire ana salt water,
and general toss and tumble and eaten whom you o
can individuality must soon DO utterly LOST anu 80
must everything like delicate reserve Mithih q lew
years past many new rows of bathing-houses nave
been put up along the sands here ana now .ne
long perspective by the shorene is one OF tritons
and their clinging mermads, all dipping ana piubg-
ing about In the roll OF snr that srges heavily back
ward and forward on the beach oven when the vino i
upon their flabby limbs, run races Win UNI men
along the beach. 1t is saturnalia rather than an
Eleusinian mystery, the whole arrangement; Ior
there is but little mystery about it, and though the
elders are certainly here Susannah is by no means
shocked at their approach. Sometimes hats arc
washed of by the SURF and then strange revelations
regarding the fictitious character OF chgnons ana
Grecian curls TO light Nor is the fair Grecan
bender likely to well maintain her fascinating stays
in the Wild raging surf Art Is lost here to great e1
tent and it may be that COney Island. after all, IL
not bad place for detecting vile deceit, and bring
ing the fair yet false ones 70 task 49,. 49,. ,o,v
Policemen from the Metropolitan force are now
stationed during the Summer at Coney Island, but
in spite OF this the gamblers still carry on their OPP
eratons there, and knots Of them are Always 10 pe
seen in long perspective tho beach. There, with
bits of board proppod on sticks by way Of gaming
tables these sharpers inveigle into their tolls any
| unsuspecting young men who may stop for while
TO inspect their manipulation of three cards Around
each operator there Is always gathered little gan
of confederates each OF whom has special eharao.
ter TO act and whose great mistake generally Is that
he Oyeracts that character a. to put any person
not the merest greenhOrn Immediately on his guard
These fellows though frequently pusillanimous OF
aspect always carry deadly weapons about them, so
that the discreet had best omit having any
Spspa4ed foT All sn me- Ss. .U
wihal 10 resent the insult and provocaton which he
! liz certain TO receive from them when they discover
Approaching the head Of the island. the visitor ut
once sees that much change has taken place there
within short time past Wyckoi's stands there
ret bnt is put out OF consideration by the number
of buildings that have grown up around It, and
everywhere upon the sand bills and beach. Great
numbers OF people come down herr 10y the cars ano
aud small during the season. Comfort there Is ittls
or none at any OF them but people generally leave
their homes for the purpose Of obtaining little dis
/ comfort this is not matter of much Importance
| The greatest improvements hereabouts bayo been
made to the property of Mr.. William Wheatley we'll
known for several years past as the lessee Of Nibloa
This is the house long kept by Mr. s. Felter. who
| still has the head management OF affairs there But
within year or two numerous additions have been
made to the concern, which is now q really conve-
nent and roomy hotel The ground about II, but
| lately so bleak and barren. has been laid OF into
| beautiful pastures planted with rare shrubs and
flowers. Statues and fountains and glObular refec-
tors Of polished steel give further attraction to the
place and there is also lately added bowling alley
for all who wish TO exercise their muscles otherwise
| than by dipping about in the surf.
The season for Coney Island is drawing 10 close
now but it seems certain that. at timc not far
distant the place will be more fully recognized than
it has yet been bathing place for NewYork city.
II is equvoca in its characteristics and associations
yet but there necessity why IL should be 80.
Should the lower end of the island be converted to
quarantine purposes of course there be no more
bathing there but there large tracts Of beach
tending away 10 the head Of the island which may
yet become AS fashionable a resort as Newport or
Long Branch.
THE DRAMA.