The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-30
On tho Wfng-Ncw York . Summer

Saturday were burdened with flying tourists,
anxious to escape the midsummer heats of
New York and to find comfort and opportu-
nifty and recreation in England and the Con-
tinent This annual hegira of pleasure seek
ing travellers to Europe increases from year
to year. A journey across the Atlantic has
become q matter Of almost mathematical GER
tainty in the way Of speed and safety. Every
year it grows simpler. Competition between
the great steamship lines makes the Atlantic
journey as comfortable as life in New York
hotel We fear we must look toward Europe
as forming in large degree the summer resort
Of our citizens. One reason for this hegira Is
the strong desire Of the American to visit tho
older lands, which are associated with every
and fable and song. The cultivated mind finds
relief in the ripeness Of Paris and London.
The artist and the lover Of art can think Of
no holiday so charming as that which brings
him to the galleries Of the Louvre, the archi-
lecture Of Seville and Rome. The shrewd
business man is tempted by the opportunity
to make profit between the prices on the Con-
travels to kill time, is tempted by the ever
varying ripple Of pleasure that, during the
summer season, extends from the hills Of Scot
land to the springs Of Germany.
While there are natural reasons for visiting
Europe there arc others, however, Of differ
who govern New York, and of those to whom
we are indebted largely for its interest and
usefulness, to make it in summer an aban-
doned, desolate city. There Is no metropolis
in the world as dreary as New York from the
middle Of June TO the middle Of September.
There is no reason why it should be 50. Let
us consider tho advantages Of this city
and it win be found that we have
as attractive o residence for summer as
Paris or London or Berlin or Vienna 10 be
sure there is O little burst Of summer heat
now and then which is oppressive, but we
have no heats like those Of Vienna, for in
stance, and there are days in Paris and Lon
don as enervating and harsh az any we have
in New York. But we have the SEQ within an
hours journey. We are almost in tie shadow
Of the most picturesque mountains in the
world. We have river and lake and valley
and hill and stream, oil within two hours Of
the City Hall. The city itself is full Of
summer opportunities. What drives are
there In Paris or London to compare with
our grand drives to Jerome Park and
Central Park, or across the river to
Fort Hamilton and Coney Island2 Where is
there . city in which the resident may leave
his business at four o'clock in the afternoon
and either dine two. hours Later by the sound
Of the surf or on the top Of the clear noun
tain heights? What street in Paris or Lon
don could be more attractive for an
evening stroll than Fifth avenue or Broad
way? We could do as much with our city as
the Frenchmen do with Paris, but We do not
attempt it. We close tho churches and The
Libraries and the places Of public resort, and
houses are shut up for months and our public
squares are abandoned, and New York is
given over to the very poor people, who can
not get away. and q small class Of the sensible
rich people who know the real merit Of the
city, and who find more comfort in their
homes, in their libraries and their daily sur
roundings than in the tumbhng rookeries Of
Long Branch or the wilderness Of gossip and
fashion and nonsense at Saratoga.
There Is no reason why New York should
not be made o summer city, 50 pleasant that
If it could not keep its own rambling citizens
at home it could attract people from other
States Why should We not have in our pub
lie squares musical entertainments like those
which We have in private gardens2 Why
should there not be in Central Park at
the Harlem end, garden Ike those in
the Champs Elysees, and another q, the lower
end, where the citizens o. Harlem as well a.
those OF lower New York might for small
sum spend q delightful summer EVENING"
They have these musical gardens IN Paris
and Madrid and Vienna, and in Berlin,
Stockholm and Copenhagen. In these public
places the people are accustomed to flock
BY thousands, and find no time OF the
year SO enjoyable as the long summer nights,
when they can sit with their families, listen to
the music and look at the stars. Give US
rapid transit 50 that our beautiful suburbs
can be brought closer to the centre Give us
musical gardens ia our parks. Let us have
more excursion boats like those which are
now 50 successfully steaming around the rivers
and bay. Let our theatres have summer
companies and light summer performances.
Let our preachers remember that souls are to
be saved as eloquently in July as in Novem-
ber Aud there is no reason why New York
should not be as attractive metropolis in the
summer as il IS found by 50 many hundreds
OF thousands to be in winter