Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-07-14
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
Special Correspondence.

The season at the seaside resorts
opens this week. Large crowds have
been making daily visits to Long Branch
Coney Island, Rockaway, etc., for sever
al weeks, but the ball does not fairly
get rolling before the first of July. By |
the time the GLORIOUS Fourth" arrives
the entire city, and all the towns in its
vicinity, pour their inhabitants out into
the popular resorts. Cars and steam
boats are crowded to suffocation, pers-
piring multitudes rush nervously about
in search of rest and recreation and by
nightfall on the Fourth, the great ma
jority of excursionists are limp and ex-
hausted. The man who has the best of
it such time, is the one who remains
quietly at home on the Fourth of July,
and who reads his paper, smokes his Sc
gar, drinks his julep, and eats his din
ner in a comfortable manner while the
rest of creation are tearing about In a
vain endeavor to have a good time. Of
all the places in the world to see life in
turmoil. commend me to Coney Island,
from the West end. frequented by the
commone and rougherr element of our
city population, to the East end, which
is the resort of responsibility, shoddy,
vice, in fact every phrase of life that can
be imagined. Coney Island, until about
three years ago, had very bad name.
Decent people would not 60 there. 1t
was almost entirely given over to the
depraved. 1t could only be reached by
an unpleasant railway journey, with fire.
quent changes from horse.cars, or by
boats packed with vicious men and wo-
men, who made things lively for the
company until they dispersed at the
beach. The Island was celebrated then
for three things, three card monte men.
roast CLANS and surf bathing. The Gen.
ter and eastern end of the Island was a
dreary stretch of sand that was little
frequented. During the Centennial
Summer q noted New York reStauranteuY
opened hotel in the center of the ISL
and, at q sufficient distance from thu
, old establishments to give it an air O
responsibility. His object was to pro
vide hotel that would not only satisfy
the wants of excursionists but would af
ford attractions to people who wished tt
pay something more than passing visi
to Coney Island beach, which is noted
as being one of the finest in the world
Cables was successful and his exampl
was Immediately followed by other en-
e terprising parties, who formed compa
u ny and purchased large tract of sand
= upon which they erected the Manhatta
) Beach Hotel. Two lines of railroa
u were built to connect this hotel wit
II New York. Manhattan Beach was i'm
s. mediately followed by Brighton Beac
IS and its hotel, situated little east {
u Cables. Then the eyes of the inhab
E tants of New York and the surround
D. ing country we're opened to the fact tn;
; close beside them was a splendid Sc;
f; side resort that could be comfortabl
p reached in about one hour and thirt
e. minutes, at an expense of fifty cents, il
u Guiding the return trip. People did n
:; fully appreciate the new order of thing
IN until last Summer. Then they went
the extreme, as Americans generally d
cd They made continual rush for Con,
Us Island, depriving themselves of sle'
OF and comfort to accomplish their all
Ill They neglected business to get to Con,
r. Island, and were pleased with the fe
Is Their and tickled with the straw of
ny ney Island in every way, shape al
or manner. The little marine railroad
~ tween the Brighton and Manhattan H
ny tells is in good running order, and tax
rs. in from $500 to 500 day. 1t is r
riy at daily cost of $50, and $4,000 We
by expended upon its construction a
equipment. The time occupied in goi
le- from one hotel to the other by this 70
Try is just half a minute. but its great g
5ht vantage is that it has driven away
ing the hackmen. That's the way they
INT things at Manhattan Beach. The n
the iron pier in front of Cables is a Or,
ent success. 1t was opened to the public
Ons Tuesday last. Six steamboats, land tn,
ear every day. No difficulties are experie
I'D, ed from the surf, on account of the or
length of the pier. On the pier tn
are 1900 bathrooms, with steps lead