Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-21

How to Live at Martha's Vineyard,
OAK BLUFFS, MARTHA's VINEYARD,

Aug. 20, 1872.
MessrS, Editors; As see many arrivals daily
of strangers, who for the first time visit this
beautiful Cottage City of America" take the
liberty to offer few suggestions that may rem
der the visits of some of them more pleasant and
satisfactory. 1t requires one visit to learn how
to come, and what to do when one gets here, in
order to render long Or short visit agreeable
The various routes of travel here are all good,
and the uniform low price of excursion tickets
makes.the trip as cheap as it is pleasant 365
from Worcester and home again, with baggage
checked through and carefully attended to, in
Guiding 30 or miles, at option, on the steamer,
is cheaper than staying at home"
1t is best for new corners to take the earliest
trains, (7.30 or 925 from Worcester so as to ar
rive here at about four o'clock, in time to secure
lodgings before night. Be sure and have bag
gage checked for Oak Bluffs, as that landing is
much nearer than the other TO any point on the
camp ground, as well as the bluffs. If "the
Highlands" is the destination, then Camp
Meeting Landing" is the right one
On landing, the visitor can hardly walk up
the wharf without meeting some familiar face,
and may freely ask any information about lodg-
ings, &c. But if not, and you have no place
secured, hold on to your baggage checks and
look around for stopping place. If you wish a
first class hotel without regard to cost, call at
the new and beautiful Sea View house, right at
the head of the wharf If that is full-as most
likely ii will be, Notwithstanding the cost is
some four dollars and upwards per day-follow
the concrete walk to the right, which passes
several well kept hotels on the European plan,
where the expense may be regulated somewhat
by the wants OF 1.-THE visitors, though the charge
for rooms is sometimes thought excessive. The
plan of asking $3.50, 81 or So for room,
whether occupied by one or two persons,
Is apt TO make a person wish he
had brought his vile along with him,
as the cost of lodging does not seem so ex-
travagant when shared by two. If the hotels
are all full, as they often are, rooms may be had
in numerous private cottages, and tents in the
camp ground and on the Bluffs, during camp
meeting, for $3.50 TO So per day; at other times
at IS to $40 per week, according to quality mad
location. Lodgings in the camp meeting tents
can be had for % cents per night. Good board
can be obtained at several of the boarding
houses in the camp ground for one dollar per
day; at other places food is sold by the plate
at good round prices, land three bakeries fur
nish excellent brown and white bread hot bis
cult, cakes Of ali kinds, pies, &C., &c. and Sun
day mornings baked beans, all at quite reason
able prices, while the different stores sell nice
butter, cheese, milk berries, fruits, melons, &C.,
so that those who wish can live well at a very
small cost There is one thing not plenty here
and that is the drunkards' drink. | have not
seen drunken person during the three weeks
have been here, and believe liquors are not
openly sold on the island. The atmosphere is
not attractive TO the class of persons who must
have their daily or hourly drains. As a conse-
quence, the twelve or fifteen thousand persons
here present a remarkably quiet appearance,
women and children going where they please at
all hours, without thought Of insult or annoy.
anee; and the police, of whom we have two
state aud few local, have but very little TO do
The bathing facilities here, as is well known
are ample, safe and excellent There is little or
no surf, no undertow, no dangerous holes, but
long beach with very gradual descent to deep
water, where between ten and twelve O'Clock
daily hundreds Of men, women and children
may be seen floating, swimming, jumping and
otherwise amusing themselves, in every varje.
ty Of costume. Here as elsewhere on the island
"the high and poor meet together" on equal
terms, and greatly enjoy the health.giyng and
inyigoratng influences Of the sea and air.
There is no other place in the world like Mar.
tha's Vineyard, and probably never will be-
where the religious element predomnates, where,
such perfect freedom prevails as to dress.
where every one who behaves well may feel as
much at home as any other one. Some who
enjoy visiting Newport Saratoga and Long
Branch, where the expenses Of the great hotels
are paid by rumseling, gambling, horse racing,
dancing, &C., have attempted 10 disparage this
place by comparing II with those. They talk
about extortion here when they can live as well,
except the above extras, for two or three dollars
a DAY as there for twice the money But this is
no nome Tor that class Of peasure-lovng fash.
'onables; and it is to Offset the representations
OF some OF this class that / have been tempted
10 write the foregoing, which some in vour
Office will recognizeas correct
A miner fell 1888 feet down a coal SHAFT In Iu
zerne county, Penn, few days ago. and oni,,