Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-09

vIslTohh rAsr hsn rnEsESr-MR RIDER To III
MAIN AT THE srHF HOUSE ANOTHER YEAR-AS-
riGiPATED IMfRoyEMENT5 AND A +" LETTING ur'
0S nuLEh-soCGAf. A5pECrut THIS sEAeoN IA
ToRrIoNs or THE BaaaAdE-afAN, AC. :
Special Correspondence of tie Commercial. (. "
llEHoBorH BEACH, Aug. 7th.
The elose Of tho camp-mooling, while it
thinned out tho numbor of yisitorH here. did not
abate the enjoyment in the least, and seems not
to have taken away anything from tho popular
ity of this resort. The Surf lIouse, still the only
hotel although Behoboth ls now passing through
its third season, remains full. For few days
after the camp tho departures exceeded tho ar
RIVALS but the reverse now prevails, and although
large number OF guests departed to-day others
fell right into ther places. Looking over tho
register / tlud that there arc between one hum
dred aud thirty and one hundred and
forty person. stopping with Mr.. Rider,
and that something over five hundred visitors
hayo already been entertained.
This ID regarded as marked success for this
SEASON, many of the guests having entered
shortly after the opening of the hotel aud re-
NAMED to this date. To the proprietor it is
more than satisfactory, md he has already ex-
pressed his determination to accept tho charge
for another year on the strength OF ii. Several
of his guests, too, haye partially engaged rooms
for next season, 80 popular has been his man
8sement, aud III our centennial year 1t ~ antici-
pated that Rehoboth will be more sought than
eyer. There are also well grounded reasons for
tho belief that the nuinber Of cottages, now
about fifteen, Will be doubled before the opcn-
ing of the next season. The new hotel project
IL also taking shape, and lis early erection is
confidently anticipated. Tho Association, having
cut loose from tho camp meeting, will eXpend
its entire resources on the addition of improve
inents and the development OF the place. Past
errors arc now plainly seen, and with the Wis.,
dom gathered from experience their repetition
in the future will naturally be avoided.
There is also, | understand, a disposition
among at least portion OF those Interested to re-
lax somewhat of the strictness which has here
tofore been enforced. hut at tho same time to
maintain the distinctive christian character of
the place. 1t ie felt that some of the recreatory
and health giving aGiusementB which arc now
iuterdcted will, ere long, be admitted, aud that
social enioyments now looked upon with disfa-
vor will be tolerated IN Il moderate degree. Once
or twice this season feint has been made in tue
direction of dancing with sono SUCCESS and with
no opposition, tplease don't tell the Directors
for they wero ignorant of it, and the very gen
eral opinion was that nobody was hurt thereby.
Music was furnished from tile piano, tho only
kind procurable, and the tripping did not eX-
tend beyond the Virginia Reel and one or two OF
the square dances, but there waa something de-
lightfully refreshing about it. Its very quaint
ness investedit with charm which gave it. a
zest that was not alone confined 10 tho dancers.
Society at Rehoboth, this eeasor, is OF the
most pleasant and agreeable character. There
is all the refinement and culture of tho most
fashionable resorts, without their stiffness,
strange incongruites and stranger methods OF
social cohesion or binding force. Hero the
guests have mostly come i'll companies, each
sufficient i'll itself TO provide all necessary az
soclation and enjoyment without fnnhi, but
those groups have been most wonderfully ASST
inflated into one large social circle, Of which
responsibility is the only condition of entering,
and propriety the only limimlt Of continuance.
The perfect harmonilntion of social elemonts-
tho absence of afioctation among tho really
wealthy (and there are hucll here Together
with the cordially everywhere displayed, has
rendered Rehoboth a place Of precious memory
to many who haye Quilted its iivigorating at
mosphere and lovely beach.
10 approach niorl matter of fact .ubjecte, it
would be well to invite especially the attention
of the Association and as many others "a feel III
tereeted to a species OF victimizatlon winch IL
now conducted by tho baggage man between
Lewes and the Beach. Before the opening OF
the season a contract was entered into between
the Association aud this man by which he
obligated to carry all trunks, except Saratogas.
each way for fifteen cents, charging twenty for
the large ones. As long az the camp lasted and
arrivals and departures were moro numerous
than at preeent tho party Of the second part
Gas the legal expression would rum adhered to
his contract but for severai days past he has eX
ceeded the limit allowed and has advanced his
rates to forty and fifty cents each way. This
lhS DeCOme " bourCe vi gtiefous Sohpiaihb
among those who have been attracted to Reho-
both on tho promises of the Association not on
account of the money consideration but by rea-
son of tho principle involved. Tho Association
owes it to itself to put stop to tins imposition,
and at once, otherwise its christian character
may sink into Niagara of extortion.
There are many other subjects with which l
might prolong this letter, but it is scarcely me-
cessary that should do so. The beach and bath
ing remain in the same unsurpassed condition
which has frequently beer eStollod in the Conf
MERcIAL; the dryness and healih-gNing proper
tics of the atmosphere are only confirmed with
each season; the natural advantages of the place
continue to be recognized by all strangers; the
facilities for driving boating, cunning and fish
ing are more thoroughly enjoyed the more they
are availed of; mosquitoes, except upon one or
two occasions, and then only moderately troube-
some, still remain an absent luxury-ln fact all
that ha sheen said heretofore of the advantages
Of Rehoboth has been fully recognized aud ad-
mitteu this season. The only drawback ID the
lack Of capital. Gould this in any way DO procut-
ed Rehoboth would soon reach its destined posi-
ton of pre-ominence among seaside resorts.
T..