The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-06
THE COMFY ISLAND OF OLD.
ChANGES THAT TINE mas uaDa
IN THAT PATCH or StyD


Two islands Made ,uto One b, n Storm
James Gordon Bennett mud =. ,,..o, :,
D"Ws-The origin OF the Islnud'. Nnw.
Three-quarters OF a century ago tbors
was no Conev Island. but whore n ia no~ -.
were two Islands. The lower one A. m. r..,
dents call the end nearest the Point" Ga,
known as Pine Island, and the upper ma .
Guisbith, bv re1son Of the fact that Mr. ana,
bith, a lover OF solitude, built the urst bani,,
ton upon H.. At this time the upper beach d. a
known as Haccoon Beach. on account Of ina
large number OF racCoons that lived there fl,
many years. About a hundred yards wet "A
Van Sicklens ON the creek was a large inle,
from the ocean. often used In the war II ISL ~
American privateers, and small craft manned
by oiizeDs Of Gravssend bent on doing dauays
to the British feet. In 1914 and ISIS heavy
storms swept over this part Of the cOast he
broad inlet was filled with sand. and the twu
Islands became one. 1t was overrun by foxes,
racoons aud rabbits. The latter being tnen
omled "cones." a name easily corrupted 70
coonies.' these were 50 numerous that tusy
anOrded sport to the NimrOds uf Flatlands, fi IT.
Dusn and Brookiyn, and after a while tue old
name OF the Isl nd pissed out Of use. ana par
les made " Tor hunting the rabbit ON the sea-
snore repaired To &c ony Island" rbe cor
rupteu hamoi Is nowsomettmes used but thrUu n
the nhuence Of the dictionary and the PUBLIC
schools its title, whether spelled Cony or Cuney,
!
10 1879 the elder Van sickien occnpied n farm
on the northern end Of the ISLAND. on the oank
OF the creek, aud scattered about FROM one end
to the other were lew fishermen. They were
simple, stslwart workers, whose chief aim IN
LIE was to eaten fish, aud whose amusement
consisted In the drinking Of apple Jack aud the
playing Of odd sledge."
TINE FIRST HOTEL
In the year mentioned, old John wykon
opened the FIRST tavern on the island for tho sc-
commodstton OF nsneru en- and hunters rbs
house was built on a high sand hill and was
supposed TO be set Oh u hr,u foundation; hut ia
ISL. after 1t had enjoyed two ycars OF remark-
aOis prosperity. there was a violent storm, and
the tide rUse to n height never since equaled,
and swept everything before IL. Old JOINS
house went to pieces, out, through the courage
and promptitudc OF a few nsnerulen. Old JOnn.
hts wife, and their i've childrsa were saved. on
the neat morning, wnen the storm had subsidized,
the Island was as level NJ u deal tabtc, anu nOt
q tree or SHRUB was to be seen upoD IL. Inc
not . cony Was left So completely did tue
storm do its work that never since that memo-
single wild animal. naive add to the manner
born, been seen within tue borders Of the once
de Bsely O. ocked island.
Two oil the WyEof family still survive. Jake
and his sister, Mrs. Green. The latter keeVs
small house Of entertainment near the beach.
and nothing gives her more plea urs than TO tell
Of Noney Island an 1t was In the distant past.
The second house esi abi,shed ON the island
was o. st known as the Coney Island House. and
for few years IL wss throneed all sum ner oy
parsons from the city VINO had begun to learn
within Easy rsacs Of Nes YorL. ' Inc aams " VIZ
afterwsrd changed To tho Gee anic. and it pros-
p,red undor the mana geuient OF Charles ROGERS,
whose murder In Twelfth street a few years
are has been one of the most eiaporateiy dis
guessed puzzles Of the age.
OLD TINE VISITORS.
II was tho favorits stopping place OF the eldep
Bennett, the Grinnelis, the Grisw olds. aud many
other citizens, whose descendants now seek
other spots of shade II WA at thus time visited
by = great many wealthy SoutheIners, who re-
maiued ill the end Of September aud IL Was
from this house tpaL Nr. bennett wrote his
famous letters to tue Herald IN 1850 1851, and
lSG. Contemporary with the Oceanic was .
tavsrn oVsned by old john Wykon. and:named
After III ~. Que OF his guests was Gil ID Wis, .
nerchan Of New York. Tue elder bennett Que
oay called a meeting aud after a lew remarks
touching the cnsotic condition of State with
Consy Island. He was elected oy a majority Of
one, Bennett casting the only vots. Wykons
house was over aftervard known the Cover
nors Mansion.
la those DAYS there were two ways Of reachiug
the ISLAND from the city. One WAS Dy steamboat
from tho North RIVER 10 the " Point" thence by
RockawA, To tue hotels. The otnsr was Oy four
horse stage from tue Fulton ferry, Brooklyn.
Hatoush, Fiatlauds, Grsyeseui, aud
Sush Road to tho Usac Ins stage left
~ y clocx y. NJ. and returning left
the island AZ the next IN lrning. Toe fare oy
boat was ORR sniilinI, aud by Stage nfty cents.
leland las the Proprietor, Ia lsij. She was toll
lowed In the mex year by the American EIsis
and the lou AMI when the Pavilion was Quilt
IN l,52 ooats began u MAKE regular Irips, carry
Ing frei2nt and baggage for the upper hotels and
Passengers for the Pavilion.