The New York herald., 1877-09-03
THE PEOPLES HOLIDAY.
DELIGHTFUL. WEATHER THAT DREW CROWDS To
THE PARK AND SENT THOUSANDS TO THA


Sweet day so cool so calm. briGhs
Tie briaaI OF the earth and sky.
although sung by George Herbert some two hun.
dred years ago, might have been written for the
tiiul day that dawned upon the city yesterday Satur
day night people went to bed and TO sleep, . cool
blew at the windows, and actually blankets
were not to despiscd Tho churches yesterday
better nllcd than they have been since last May;
ciergymen preached with more vigor. for their
hearers not dozing; congregations listened
more attcntively, for their senses awake;
choirs sang louder and tho with the c0ntri.
button box got around in velier fashion than they did
with the thermometer at 100 degrees In the shade.
Fat men walkci about with their and shirt
collars stood up white and stin Men and women felt
more like dressing ealyy, and every one looked his
best All the coats that loft the CITY
nlei and The Concy Island beach and "Long Islands
sea grit shore" swarmed with happy people. The
Park was crowded, and presented glorious sight
The streets even full OF people, Tor not too
walk. ana seemed actually wicked not TO be
enjoying the blue sky and the bright sunlight
when the air fresh and cool.
That every hour OF yesterday enjoyed Thousands
of people can attest, and many hard working man
and woman is ready TO sing with old Carey
or all the thst's in the week
dearly dearly love W sa snt one, one aay. ,.,.,~
y Saturday ana Monday.
One reads at times in certain class Of books OF city.
born poor who have never becn In tho country, and
whose whole lives, therefore, have been spent IN total
ignorance Of grass trees and flowers. and who
having seen nothing but narrow strip
parallelogrim OF sky, know nothing Of the
broad expanso Of tho heavens familiar to their
favored country COUSINS Now this may
DO occasionally true, but only in few very excep.
tional cases. It Is seldom That any healthy boy
girl, no matter whore born bred, lives many years
without fair notion OF the appearance OF grass and
trees and the general shape and color Of tho sky. It
is say that there Is such unfortunate indi-
vidual in this city to-day, and equally certain that
there nsver will be long Central Park continues
10 be it long has boon-the great breathing place
Of the metropolis There tho poorest OF the
poor may ana do resort to spend their leisure
moments in study and enjoyment. The fact
that from $4,000 to 80, 600 persons. chiefly Of the
poorer classes, visit the Park every Sunday In
weather u sufficient proof that they blind to
the greatness OF their privilege Before many years.
the rapid growth Of the population up town.
Park will become more readily accessible from many
points, and its advantages will be generally
enjoyed than at tho present day. As II Ia, its value
only DO enhanced by the length OF taken
TO get there. Yesterday was great day az
the Park as elsewhere, tho unusual clearness
oaa ns ~eaunse making
600 persons 1t estimated entered the
gates SO long as they remained open. Tho greatest
crowd between tour and O'Clock In the alter
noon, and the Filth avenue entrance received tho
greatest press of visitors The Sixth, seventh end
Eighth gates helped to tighten the burden, aud
there great influx at the Museum and Mcnagere.
Heretofore there have been two drawbacks 10
the ParSone sSs Closing of '' hs A'G Museum
OF Natural History, the other the absence
OF music on the assor m mall srn The Latter objection ns:
night, thero was music on the lake rom seven till ten
O'Clock, band OF five pieces making the cult In
boat and ling the air with the harmonious strains oi
familiar airs. The experiment Of Sunday music
tried several years wnen The Fourth VI July hap
pened TO fall first day OF the week. 1t only
ico great success, the police being able clear
the grounds until long after midnight Additional zest
seemed to 30 gwen to sng Of riding
consciousness that the is nearly over. and
may be whole year before such another day will
bless resting poor An endless line Of carriages
swept rapidly along tho drive and the ous walks
were crowded from side to side by bright laced but
leg pedestrians All the baby carriages aud
donkeys, large and small were IN constant use, and
The sunt waters of tho lake covered with bright
Seats 'ror talking age and whispering lovers made -
without their happy occupants, while playful children,
the spreading trees great centre oi altrao
tion was tho wide open and well stocked menagerie
Boys who had spent their precious moments during
the week IN porng tho pages Of dime novels and
the exciting tales OF Mayne Red gathered In cr0wda
around the cages OF bears and bison, wolves, foxes,
prairie dogs aud baldhcaded eagles Others watched
tne sleeping and seeming dead alligator or listened
half terrified 10 the barK Of the sleek headed and
h0arse sea lion
At RocKAwAY BEACH.
An unusually large number Of people took advantage
and to Rockaway during the day. SO iarae, IN
deed, was the crowd which filled the Columbia that
long before Ten O'clock the hour at which the boat
was advertised TO leave West lwenty-iourrh street.
her decks were literally packed with people, many Of
whom had gone to that pier from the lower part OF the
city order to make sure OF procuring available and
good seats fnat this foresight was not In vain
proven by the TACT thai OF the large number
which subsequently boarded the boat West Eleventh
street, per ana Jewelis wharf, Brooklyn, scarcely
one hall could accommodated This fact however,
did The pleasure OF the trip aud all entered
into the enjoyment OF the occasion with zcst which
| plainly indicated TINT everybody had board
TO have good days recreation, ana dotermined
to have II, even though he had to stand all way.
WhIlc some were seated IN the cool and shade Of The
main deck others sought tho soft and easy chairs II
tho cabin or snugly cnsconced themselves camp
STOOLS on the promenade deck.
| The trip down Rockawuy cnlvened at inter.
vas by the music OF Conternos band and tho singing
| OF the ''CoumDia Quartet" whose rich and timely
toned voices nlled the with a flood vi me lody.
AT halt past one O'Clock the Columbia made the 1rst
landing at Rockaway, aud the remaining two a lev
m nutos latcr. When her full complement Of passon.
gors had gained the beach the scene indeed most
animated ono All the avenues ana cross roads
literally black with people who with but few EXCEPTIONS
bound IN the same dircc ion tho bathing nouscs
into which they disappeared, only 10 reappear Ire.
quently attired Tor plunge IN the surf The bathing
was better than yesterday, the breakers
very high not coming in with tho stunning forco
which usually characicrizcs hem ana estimated
that fully twenty tho usapd people lined the beach.
AS the afternoon wore ON the people began 10 leave
and wend then way toward the various landings,
where steamers were waiting 10 take them 10 the
| city. The Columbia reached JEWELS wharf III
halt past O'Clock, an tho remaining laEdpE ~ in
tnis city little later, when the throng oil rxcur
slonists departed for tner homes well pleased wi.5
thor days recreation.
| AT MANHATTAN BEACH,
! Concy Island did not fare well RocKaway, tho
cool weather having perceptible effect upon
ness the hotels and bathing houses. On past
Sundays the steamboats, and cars conveying pas
gers to Manhattan Beach wcro uncom or,ably crowded
on every trip. There was rush and visitors wore
not forced 10 elbow their way Inc steamboats, Nor
walk and d. Il. Martin made i've trips each way aud
| carried ABOUT six thousand passengers. The
water excellent condition for bathing,
| but owing to freshness OF tho arr
the number OF persons who donned bathing SUITS was
decidedly small Graulla's Seventh Regiment Band
discourseJ excellent programme of sacred music
during the afternoon front of Manhattan Beach
| Hotel The rowdy element was not visible The
beach at any time during the day. partly owing tho
tact mat the police arrangements were well planned
und carried out The visitors comported themselves
IN sober aud orderly manner and thero but itls