Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-25
Correspondence of the HERALD.
LETTER FROM NEW JERSEY.
The sen Coast-summer P,easures-BathIng
sports Visitors Country, Etc.

sports -visitors--Country, Etc
Atlantic City, whittier we have
come from our Maryland home. for
few days of healthy recreation. is on
the eastern coast of New Jersey,
midway between Cape May and
Long Branch, and a place Of general
resort, as this season Of the year, but
especially for such as desire brief
respite from business cares and the
recuperation Of physical and mental
constitutions. The town contains
about 1900 inhabitants, with a large
number Of hotels and boarding hous-
es, which, during July and August,
are crowded with men, women and
children, gathered from every por-
ton of our wide spread country, AT
present, there are about two tnous
and guests and visitors here, and the
place presents the appearance Of a
swarm of bees in a July morning.
Every train from Philadelphia, sixty
miles distant, brings its freight ofhu-
man beings, while with the trund!ing
of carriages, bands Of music, ocean
bathers, gymnastic performers, side
shows, and promenaders in general,
one would think bin selfn the midst
of some magnificent city, surrounded
by all the pomp and show OF metro
politan life. AS this is the harvest
season for this and all similar resorts,
folinxr fr II
be meant to make sufficient money
during the next six wSeks TO last a
whole lifetime. Every device is en-
ployed to get money and one can
hardly stop q friend u the street
to enquire the way to some hotel
without being notified that informa-
ton costs money, and all honest en-
quirers are expected to pay in pro-
portion to their wealth and position.
For cash, man can go in sail boat
five miles in mid-ocean, ride in "a
carriage and four along the beach
half a score OF miles, ascend the.
"Sight House" to view the number
Of vessels in sight on the rolling
ocean, or ride in the street cars 20
his hearts content
Now Jersey is a state of sand and
feas. 1t produces, moreover, some
of the most savage mosquitoes and
gallinippers that can be found this
side Of the big woods Of Minnesota.
If any Of the people in Grant Coun-
ty want sand, they can find it here,
Of as nice quality, and in as large
quantities, as Portage City can boast
of, or the region of country between
Sparta and Tunnel City. In dis
lance Of sixty miles, the width OF
this state, | saw no good farms, land
very fiat, and covered with scrubby
pine and sedge, and never o stone or
rock anywhere in sight. Much of
the land is too poor for any fruit but
whortleberries, which l am glad to
say grow large and fine, and are one
of the principal articles OF export to
Philadelphia and New York. Much
of the soil Of New Jersey is as poor
as any to be found this side of Bota-
ny Bay. AS one approaches the
ocean, he finds salt marshes, some
parts of the year covered with water
from the bays and ocean, arising
from which comes fragrance not as
pleasant and healthful as that watt
ed from a garden of spice.
But Atlantic City has peculiar at
ira ctions for those desiring to enjoy
the luxury of sea bathing, and a
large portion Of the visitors are here
for that special purpose. Bath hous
es are strung along the beach for
miles, where bathers dsrobe them
selves and don their water raiment,
consisting Of wooden pants and jack
ct for gentlemen, and for ladies wool
en- pants and a blouse reaching mid
way to the knees. When all are
dressed, one can hardly designate
his own wife, for with little exception
men and women look very much
alike. With bare feet, and straw
hat, all strike a bee line for the ocean
surf, and then comes a plunge, and
heels over head everybody goes I'M
der the waves. Feelings of modesty
have nothing whatever to do with
the excited throng, who are too much
interested in bathing to heed the usu-
al etiquette of fashionable life. For
bali an hour, the sea pours its salt
waves over all alike, when nature,
exhausted from such exercise. the
bath houses are again sought, and
the ordinary clothing takes the place
of jacket and blouse.
Board at these watering places
ranges from $40 to $50 per week
Oysters, crabs, CLAIMS and fish, are q
superfuity. 1t is for the interest of
hotels to keep variety of the best
articles of food, for with many peo-
pie their stomachs are all the gods
they ever worship. Here are gam
blers, thiefs, pick-pockets, Ioafers,
libertines and false women, and here
the chief object ofall seems to be
pleasure, show, and worldly gain
To any one seeking health, the salt
water often acts as panacea, and
especially for delicate females, a few
weeks on the ocean coast is better
than years of medical treatment
Shutting the saline atmosphere acts
as tonic, and proves most invigor-
ating to nervous and debilitated sys-
| TENS. Glorious,
Atlantic City, N. j., July 10, 1871.