The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-05
WORKING GIRLS AELO1E
Fineen Hundred Pretty, Modest. wcn-Be-
haved Misses Enjoying Themselves.

When the Columbia steamed away from
tho last OF her New York landings yesterday
morning she carried 200 working girls and
at her Brooklyn landing 800 more were takon
on board.
The Columbia arrived ut Rockaway Bench at
about o'clock. and the excursionists poured
over tho gang plank at each OF the landings. At
the second landing some OF tho officers put out
a narrow plank beside the gang plank. and
helped many Of the girls ovor IL. The bystand-
ers appaul led thcir gallantry and tho girls
laughed as they were assisted to the pier. At
Roekaway everybody was alert to see the ex-
pected visitors. The girls thronged the wooden
walks and hurried to the beach. where a flne
surf was rolling IN. A few went in bathing Mt
once, but most of them soon returned To the
buildings .along the shore and presented their
chOwder tickets. Two hundred of them sat
down together at tables in o grove near the
second landing. Praise was showered on them
on every hand for their attractive appearance
At lenst thousand OF the girls went into tho
water. Over $500 bathing suits had been
placed at their disposal free Of charge by. the
bathing house proprietors. A few Of them
we're lod ,swmmers.. and struck boldly out
to- Ser waists IN t1e Water epns tsst
OF the safety ropes. The majority. however.
stayed very near the shore and padded in
mained in tho water a longer time than
Is usual. as though reluctant to give up u
pleasure 10 Wni"n tney Were unfrcuStonleu.
One of tho swimmers was Mary johnson Of
18th street and Fourth avenue. n middle-aged
woman who has only one leg. She laid her
crutches on the shore and hopued through tho
surf On Thursday last she went down 10 Rock
away because her physician told her that she
ought to take her little six-yenr-old girl down
TO the seaside for the hcneflt Of her eyes. She
lost her ticket, and could not return until she
was taken to Capt. Pease. who allowed her to re-
turn on the Columbia, md in addition gave
her three tickets for Yesterdays excursion.
She said that she tried to give two of them away
10 her neighbOrs, but they would not believe
they were worth anything. When she came out
Of tho water she said yesterday was the bright
est day she had seen in America There was no
snrvable among the hundreds Of spectators on
shore. Tho bathers laughed and screamed as
they tumhlcd IN the surf.
Many who did not go in the wnter walked
along the shore. finding endless novelty In the
freaks OF the water as II made frequent darts up
the beach after their retrcatng steps. All
| looked with interest at the large transatlantic
steamships as they moved senward in the dis
tance, their long black hus being half con-
ceal"d in clouds of dense smoke.
At half past 1 o'clock the Columbia again
/ touched at the landings to bring the eNcurs ION
| lists back to New York. The girls hurried from
/ the beach som" ~ thrm apparently with regret.
/ sport. Again the Plymouth Rock fired salute.
! nnd both steamers, with their docks crowded,
! started hack TO- New York. whore they arrived nj
about half past o'clock. On the passage up
/ lemonade was AGAIN served In unstinted qunn-
! tty hy Mr.. Spencer. Tn" band played and the
/ glcc club sang. When Columbia. the Gem Of
] the o 'ean." was sung. some Of the words hav-
steamer Columbia and Capt. Peasc, the girls
| Joined in the chorus,