The New York herald., 1878-08-26
CONEY ISLAND.
The Remarkable Changes Effected
by Rainy Weather.
DISAPPOINTED CATERERS.
The Rochester "HeirS" Confident That They
Will Win Their Claim.

Everybody knows there is such thing in the
world as a mad passion for peanuts, but the existence
OF similar demsnsa for Coney Island will he
revelation who have not visited the place on
adisssreeable day II IT, however beyond disproying
that people 60 10 Coney Island on sun
day habitually some oshcr people 60 to
churob. They constitute the "regulars" OF the
enthusiastic army that marches o the sea on
Sabbath. No amount ofugly weather Can deter them
from the trip, and no quantity Of inconveniences al
ter starting dissuade them from enjoying them
selves. Their ranks may not be numerically impos-
ing, but they make up the energetic portion OF
crowd, and thcrc enough OF Them TO form re-
spoctablo nucleus tor particular resort on this
sandy region OF bliss.
DISAPPOINTING STORMS.
The class named went to the island yesterday
entirely regardless OF the dark and traitorous sky
But the greater NUMBER tie volunteer portion OF
the army. were differently disposed When the rain
battered down, httle before noontine. the hour
when the tide OF travel toward the beach fullest,
conservative folks gave up all notion OF holiday
by the waves. Ana though but little rain
Tell after two o'clock and the sky grow cieur again
long before sunset, there was but poor array in
comparison to the throng that parades the beach In
lair weather. Five ten thousand people are
meagre ga,herug the eyes OF the frequent visitor
Coney Island In the eyes OF the hotel and trans
portasion men the number Is moro mssgre still
Few, perhaps. understand the moaning Of rainy
day in the best part Of the tho Of
such resort. When preparations have been madc
for the entertainment Of 40 OOo people, and only 5000
or 600 appear at the ieast the loss Is very heavy
one 1t is, however. gratifying TO reflect that
the men who lose money BY an uniavor.
able day ON Coney Island are in posi-
ton to afford it, Tho loss fell heaviest
yesterday on larger hotels like tho Brighton, the
Manhattan and Cables The railroads ana steamboat
inss with or TWO exceptions perhaps just about
Going down on the steamer Rosedas the
writer asked an individual IN authority how
many people he had on board. About Two
hundred" was tho disdanful reply, "and
we ought have At least Thousand.
before the noonday crowd could get piers. An
hour later ana we'd had em all on board"
There were notably very lew visitors at the western
end of the island The little handful landed by each
steamer uagsd along over the sandy roads, dropplng
out OF line here and there until thu band
was entirely scattered On this part OF the Island
there many places ot retresRmsnt, SO many
iions concentration OF forces Is Impossible,
even busy day. Yesterday nobody appeared TO
be dong any business. There was NO clatter OF
plates IN the eaiipg houses, and the idle walters
appeared TO reconcile themselves 10 the situation Win
far less eaor. than .s o s"o'ss a
mate things snowy spread, with rs allotment OF
plates and cructs, appeals most strongly TO the YIN
pathics OF man. TO q room full OF them, unat-
tended ana unpatronized, was u melancholy sight
even for VINO didn't have TO pay rent and taxes
Going over the hill from tho steamboat landing to
Norton Il Murray's pavilion visitor observes IN
the distance signboard, reading 'Look out Rife
some targets, between which and the OBJ
server are series Of small sized moun-
ans n. OF .msIl bovs nu woua never think Of
traversing. The situation reminds one OF Mark
Twaln's story of the stage csach feeling i!s way
tho ntaipa adupiU - nv
Oft the track the driver sent assistant ahoad to take
sounangs VINO. as he stepped IN front oil the horses
sDon'l come herci" he shoutsd, ana Tho driver re-
sponded, ado you think Pm a. tool"
"Zoe, tho gypsy fortune toller," who has pic
uresque tent opposite he re range must havo been
terribly gloomy her forecasts OF the futurc In store
sr ne, sM o"1 v ssa o .h man uhor ON
the beach, who sndeavoro 10 dispose OF what nc loudly
proclaimed TO be "snadss for the eyesi" Their glit
Ter lar exceeded anything OF the KIND they were ia
tended TO neutralize In the eIemsuts.
SAND TRAVEL
In walking along the beach the writer made q dig
coyery that may fusure visitors from unneces-
gary exertion. be chose his route close By the
waves, wnsre the sand 10 harder packed, and mar
vcIisa at the stupidiiy Of the crowd who dragged
themselves along tho middle Of the beach, where the
SINKS ankle deep In tbe sand. After about mile
the crowd right abreast oil him aud apparently
as little ia,igusd Then he remembered that the tide
was nigh that he had found 1t necessary 10 keep
constantly the alert for waves that invaded hts
footpath. In his zigzag course he had thus travelled
an eighth mile further than the others Alter all
the public are such tools sometimes Is sup
posed.
There was more walking than bathing yesterday.
though looked much colder than II really
wsx During IN hour vi sunshine that occurred just
before nightiaii nearly everybody went of Tor q
STROLL, and only returned to tho hotels wnen
appetite asserted itself or the cool night
fall compelled them. The music al Brighton,
tan ad Cables received proportional
OF attention, and u canvas iastt ution called the
Brighton Theatre had goodly number OF curious
patrons As The nights are now becoming chilly
an early rolreat from the island was the conse-
aacncc. There not the usual rush for seats
the trains yet the place nearly deserted eight
O'Clock.
HOW THE aIPFoRDs CAME TO own THE ISLAND
ROM .NCE OF THE REvoLUTIoNs--THE CLAIM