The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-03
Peculiar Character of American
Watering Places.
THE QUESTION OF BOARDING
Gay Flirts and FOpS - FalSehood
and Extravaganza.
Reforms Proposed Before Seaside Life
Can Be Called Comfortable.

called the American Brighton The name seems
TO have hit the fancy of the friends OF the Branch,
and they have used it freely since. There are some
points Of similarity between the two popular
watering places Both are within such easy dis
lance Of the metropolises as to place their advan
tages within the reach Of persons Of moderate
means as wei as Of the wealthy. Rich New Workers
are beginning to build private seaside residences
ss Long Branch, as L0ndoners have for years built
them at Brighton, and before the next quarter Of
. century has passed we shall probably see nearly
as large population on the Jersey coast during
the season as may be found on the Sussex
coast on the other side Of the Atlantic. Both
are favorite resorts for eXcursionists and in
both the society Is or mixed character, the
thoroughbred and the pdrUe'su, the gentleman
and the snob, the genuine article and the shoddy,
gold and BRASS being umbled together in inextrica
bic confusion. or course there are marked points
OF difference between the two places but, az time
rolls on, Long Branch viii, no doubt, be to New
York what Brighton has for years been TO London,
except that nature has given to the former place
advantages which the latter never possessed. 1t
would be impossible to find in any country q
grander beach than the beach which stretches for
miles along this favored coast, or a more glorious
surf than the surf which ioams and losses over 1t
as the long waves come swelling ana rolling in
nom an unbroken eXpanse Of 5000 miles Of ocean.
THE CHARACTER OF AMERICAN WATERING PLACES.
American watering places possess, however, .
character peculiarly their own. They are unlike
any other watering places in the world While we
are justified in calling Long Branch the American
Brighton, we should, In fact, be puzzled to find its
counterpart in Europe. No other people but
Americans would ill its spacious and incommo
diOus hotels, submit good naturedly to It's discom-
forts and gross eXtortiOus, or live contentedly Its
nimsy, artificial life for three or four months out OF
the amous French pace to- an
American seaside resort; but life at TrOuville Is
very different from life at Long Branch. There are
large fine hotels there, 1t is true; but they are
built for the comfort and convenience OF their
guests and not upon the principle of crowding as
many individuals INTO as small space as possible.
The people who go to Trouville like the people who
60 to the seaside In England, are bent upon enjoy
intent only upon OvershadOwing their ncighbors In
equipage and dress. Walk past the cottages with
their well shaded gardens. and see the families
taking their dinner out in the open air under the
trees in cOsey, homely. fashion, and imagine the
gingerbread tops and elaborately compounded
young ladies' OF Long Branch enjoying meal in
such manner with no one to ogle or be ogled by,
and with no admlring eyes TO gaze upon their
a m the aSs
and picture the starched beaux and nicely got-up
bellies OF the Branch, indulging in such sportt TO
the damage OF well stlnened shirt collars and
elaborately embellished Summer hats. No; there il
nothing any more "Amercanish" in life at Trou-
church in the village, which stands with It's doors
always OPEN and its beautifully decorated altar
always lighted up, ready for the devohons OF the
piously disposed or OF sinners who may desire to
offer up an ave In atonement for some OF those
little indiscretions common to watering place life.
THE APPLICABILITY OF OUR SUMNER HABITS
Whatever may be the cause our American Sum-
mer life Is lamentably artificial Perhaps we are
uine enjoyment for the sake OF enjoyment without
regard to appearances. Perhaps our rich people
sn Sx9 to wear their glory in Sensible 5ecp@
ing manner Perhaps the good fortune which has
raised our shoddy aristocracy, with Aladdinlike
suddenness from the stall or the counter to the club,
and from the laundry TO the drawing room has
spread abroad an infection which creates In nearly
every person the yearning to be rch or next TO
that to appear rich 1t is certain that at all our
watering places, and notably at Long Branch,
pretence which cannot iail to have an injurious
effect upon the rising generation. The other day,
while writing quietly in my room, at the open
window, / unavoidaby became listener to q
gossip between two nurses, each with an infant in
her arms. After some preliminary chat, one inquired
OF the other how she liked the duties OF nurse
'4Oh.n was the reply, .T'm not nurse We only
keep one nurse at home. Pm the housemaid, and
the girl who attends TO the little boy is the COOK
but Missis wants people to think she keeps three
nurses, SO she shuts up the house and bnngs us all
here.n
This Is an actual occurrence, and not mere sea-
side anecdote. 1t is worth while to inquire what
effect this false show and pretence must have upon
young people Just beginning 70 understand 81 me
Living for q brief period in style when their
means do not enable them to keep up; dressed ex-
customed to very different garments for the rest
OF the year seeing about them, under the sanction
Salsehood. what wonder II they should grow up
reckless men and heartless women
THE GENUINE PEOPLE AT THE BRANCH.
1t must not, however, be supposed that there are
no substantial sensible moral people enjoying
themselves at this place, and behaving ike ra-
gratifying increase OF SUCH visitors the Branch
this season. They drive, they ba:he they walk,
they read and they enjoy the society OF their own
rriQ
absence Of tawdry show; by their quiet, unobtru-
sve manners; by the inlrequency OF their visits to
the hops and public parlors, and oy their natural
ease and refinement. With them wealth Is simply
means OF enjoying themselves in sensible man
pro ylng their health. They are Of a class entirely
Inherent from the over-dressed women and lm-
pertinent op who give telg real 70 our
in cottages if they owned them or could rent them,
and it Is only the absence OF all accommodation ex
cept that furnished by the hotels that brings them
to places of public resort This brings US TO the
question of much-needed and desirable reform in
all our summer watering places We need sys-
TEN similar to that adopted IN Europe-a system
Of private lodging houses enabling families 10 i've
according to saeir means. The main cause Of the
fact that persons OF large wealth and those OF
moderate means are now compelled TO i've at the
s Whcb n0S induces sna IN dress and
other absurd attempts to compete in appear.
ances with our Weather neighpors. believe that
the Spectator who shall first build blocks OF houses
and squares of different classes OF houses at Long
Branch with o view TO renting them In iurnlshed
apartments for the season, according TO the means
OF the tenants will make q good profit out OF the
investment and will take the first and most I'M
portant step IN reforming our artificial watering
place life.
WHERE ARE THE NEW YoRKRRsf
Tne t chhange IN the weather has not yet brought
down the expected crowds from New York. What
il the reason' There are a great many persons
here, IL Is true, but none Of that rushing and
crOwding that have been known at the Branch in
the latter part OF July in former seasons The
West End Is only filed up on occa-
sions and at the Ocean House there Is
has been comfortably cool, but the indications
point to scorcher In the CITY, Probably the six
O'Clock tram WI, bring good supply OF visitors,
failure. Time enough vet, however, to put plenty
OF money in the pockets Of those who so well know
how to coin 1t out OF pleasure-seekers
ExCITRMENTs AT THE BRANCH.
We have had one OF two little incidents, outside
of the severe thunder storm, to create ripple on
the quiet waters of Long Branch life. bather
Yesterday swan out boldly some distance from the