The Portland daily press., 1878-07-29
NV York in the Hot Season.
A Day Mt Manhattan Beach and Couy
Island.

To see New York in its gay summer attire,
one must take trip down to Manhattan Beach.
There, on any pleasant weekday thousands and
thousands of men, women and children will
be seen bathing, while on Sundays the number
of people who line the Beach and Coney Island
from one extremity to the other, at least two
miles in length, is estimated to be from 1OO, 900
to 125,000. That this magnificent spot should
have been so long neglected by the better class
of people seems almost unaccountable, and
yet not more SO than the wonderful develop
made within the last two years. That it is
destined to be the greatest watering place in
the world | have no doubt. With popula-
ton OF from two to three millions of people to
draw upon that can spend day on Long Island
and return home at night, who can doubt but
that these wonderful improvements will steadily
and surely go on. Here will be found most
magnificent hotels, elegant drives, beach un-
surpassed in the world, and what is most essen
tlai, the water always warm and delightful for
bath, giving person none of those chills and
sudden shocks to the system that we often ex-
perience elsewhere. At Manhattan Beach, the
largest and best hotel on the island, the
arrangements for bathing are admirable. The
bathers are protected by an enclosed space on
the beach in front of the amphitheatre, where
visitors may sit paying ten cents for the privil-
ege; but they are not permitted to throng to
the edge of the water, to gaze curiously or i'm
pertlnently at those who are bathing, or make
offensive remarks about their appearance
when going IN or coming up from the waves.
The women's bathing aud dressing rooms are
en- one side of this amphitheatre, the men s on
the other, and the attendance and all the facli-
ties and conveniences both in preparing for the
bath ard dressing after it are faultless. Each
room Is provided with gas and running water,
with wUmen attendants for the ladies' bathing
rooms Two large safes with innumerable
little lockers are provided for the safe keeping
of valuables, and by system of duplicate sig
natures the loss OF any article is impossible.
The key to box in the safe is given to one and
attached to his neck BY rubber band. On the
Day that we were at Manhattan Beach Gra-
theatre to charmed audiences. 1t was esti-
mated that 5000 people were in the water at
| one time at this point on the shore.
The pleasantest part of the drive along the
beach is that from Hotel Brighton to Wander
| veer's. 1t is along the asphalt paved Prospect
| course. The carriage bowls along as if rolling
on velvet, and the promenade for foot passen-
| gers, also paved with asphalt and protected
with posts and chains on each side, and thronged
| with men, women and children, make it full of
| life and brightness. The marine railway run
is very exciting. The little open cars rock on
| their very narrow gauge as if they were heav.
| ing with the swelling ocean. You would feel
uneasy, perhaps, If you whirled along as fast as
| and at such height on the city elevated rail-
| way. But the whole affair is so much like a
| playthiug with its little noiseless engine and
low-lying track on the sands, you feel as if you
| could not be hurt if it all ran off and bounced
| into the very breakers.
| Flags and pepnons, streamers, and all sorts
of banners aud bannerets wave from the top Of
| every building along the whole line of the
| oeach. From the observatory in front of Ca
| bles, two hundred and eighty nine feet above
the sea, the minging of the colored flags fiut-
terlng IN the breeze, with the white lines of the
waves dotted with bathers and the shore alive
| with pedestrians and vehicles, make up the
middle line of picture bounded by the ocean
on the south, and widespread view north
ward, dotted with towns, villages, houses, and
| the waters of the Sound and New York Bay.
Southeast is Long Branch, and westward Fan
| Roekaway and Rockaway Beach, both visible
to the naked eye.
| HAVING MERRY TINE.
AS early as noon there was a very large mum.
| Der on the beach and shortly afterward the
hotels were crowded, and the shore lined with
| bathers. After dining at one of the numerous
| hotels or from the porty baskets borne by the
tourists, the ucipated denizens of this great
metropolis, or large proportion, joined in the
| bath. The swings along the water 'front.' as
| well as the little ponies for riding, were both
| enjoyed by the little ones to their hearts con.
| tent, and, when the sinking sun warned the
| young aud old that the time for returning to
the city had come, many little weary head
had already dropped asleep upon ''papa's''
shoulder. Many came back TO town by way of
the railroad, but most of the New Workers
came by boat. Little g1oups of a dozen OF
more were formed on the upper decks, light
Ietreshments were quaffed choruses were sung,
the different bands playing the most exquisite
muslc,a general good time indulgedip. The
san PACK to the city was if possible, still more
enjoyable than the down trip. The balmy even
ing breezes, the dappled sky, aud the glowing
sunset sea flashing back the images of the
passing clouds, combined to form a scene of
beauty and repose which tended to refresh and
compose the returning pleasure seekers, and
induce inVigorating siumbers that should fiji
them to face the labors of another week in
the broliug city of New York.
w. A., Jr.