The New York herald., 1879-07-11
OUR SUMNER RESORTS.
Quiet Retreats Along the Con-
necticut Shore.
MEMORIES OF THE AMERICUS CLUB
Pleasures or a Trip Up the
s Hudson River. iesa
HISTORICAL "REMINISCENCES.


n FAIRFIELD, July .. 1870.
Green wioh Conn.,. 10 little than thirty miles
from New York. whittier you travel by one Of the
occasional excursion steamboats, which land passen-
gers there. by the New Haven Railroad In itself
tt is of the most quiet OF country villages Its
houses stand costly back from the road, hidden with
foliage; its streets wide and shady; its air is
brAcing and from the least breath Of malaria;
its architecture has that true smack Of the antique
which the villas Of Watering places vainly try
spicurean spirit that makes them content to
live ~ their fathers lived. even though they
pay cxtravaRant price for the privilege OF
exclusiveness There are two deep inlets Of water
running In from the Sound, and splitting up
tho ground 1t the base Of the village into the shape
Of the letter NJ. In these two creeks scores OF
yachts and sailing boats lie at anchor. and their
qualities. both harbors and practice grounds.
80 highly appreciated by lovers Of the water that
you will with the utmost difficulty hnd accommoda-
ton ut Greenwich during the summer. There is an
excellent hotel the Lenox House. and there fam
lilies in the village and on the farms who take
boarders, and take them very reasonable terms;
but. not unnaturally in old q community. they
are little coy OF strangers 1t is not every neigh
borhood in historic Connecticut. which can
show one the hill down which General Putnam. Of
Revolutionary fame. made his famous leap from the
British. The local guide books depict him in the
attitude of Curtius. the Roman plunging into the
abyss. and there can be doubt that "Od Put" has
been quite great benefactor to the boarding
house keepers of Greenwich - was Curtius to the
householders of Rome.
THE AMERIcus CLUB HOUSE.
There is pretty winding path beneath the village
leading through the woods. made weirdly pictur-
moon peeping through the branches. Follow it
round of the two nlets and 1t the very edge Of
the further promontory. perched on bold rock and
surrounded on three sides by water. you will find
the Morton House, famous In the annals of New
= York az the Amercus Club House. 1t is built upon
sea wall Of mason work in tho pseudo Gothic STYLE
with turrets on the angles at each extremity and
high tower in the centre. Five little islands acting
breakwaters and two well sheltered creeks running
in on either hand make such admirable harbor
. that one falls to thinking how readily buc-
cancer would have chosen 1t for an ambush
whence he might swoop the merchantmen
Of the Sound. The house is almost un-
changed since Tweed and his followers held
their revels there. since their wine ran down its
walks and their gold was scattered like autumn
leaves. The opening ball the season was given on
the night of the 4th. and while lights streamed
through easement and hall. and music Hoated over
the water and yacht lanterns danced in the ong it
needed little fancy. sitting in the veranda.
to people the rooms with the figures Of that by
gone carnival in which Tweed and his associates
prominent. The genius Of the landscape
architect clothed bare spots and softened down
asperies Round the piazza. which Is fourteen feet
broad ana one-eighth of q mile In extent. canaries
hung in their cages. gold and silver Ash in the
bowls. swinging flower baskets sweetened the shore
. ind ta NnIo l~ral 49,
fountains and .drafullas band made music in the
srbors. The club had twenty three sailing boats
anchored of their house, ten rowboa.s. barge and
two steam yachts. ''named after the and his
wife" There was always something to remind you
Of the Boss. from his portrait in the parlor "
island in the Sound. The rest OF the members
content to enjoy themselves in free and easy man.
ner yachting and racing drinking and driving. and
especially in organizing "scag regattas with boats
OF their own. having logs fastened to their keels
when occasion required or such expert guests were
iancied they could beat ali Americans
In sailing.
A MONUMENT OF STOLEN PROPERTY
Would you penetrate further into the Tigers lair?
Here is Tweed's bedroom. worthy or the most
princely OF democrats. the most undemocrstic OF
princes. Here. under blue satin quilt of cider
down. the statesman slept Frescoes sdorn the walls
and ceiling and all that is not frescoed is carved
No doge OF Venice ever slept in more regal ponp.
As FOR the other bedrooms. the cost OF furnishing
each would BUY large farm In the country. The
Foo sos forty iee square nnsnsa in bIssip
nut. and the ceiling and the floor laid solid In many
coiored woods. AT one side ~ . massive staircase
aud in the centre IL most ingenious back
CANNON board. made OF 1900 pieces OF
wood and indsputably Of Eastern origin.
silver pla,e 10 inserted in OF its edges Pre-
sented to the Americus Club by the Phanix Club OF
San Francisco" The furniture brought from
Europe by one of Tweeds special ambassadors The
carpet In the parior cost 5000. 1t IL of velvet
nnish with tigers head coloreJ from life. and bor-
dered with design In dark red and brown. The din
Ing room IL north OF the main building. and con-
nected with 1t by attice-work arbor. long after
the clubs decease the table OF the hotel served
name and monogram.
For about the time that sheriff caught Tweed
another seized the club house. aud forced sale ts
present proprietor. Mr.. James Morton. formerly Of
the Sinclair House. New York. stepped in, bought
the furniture and established the Morton House,
which has already taken high rank among tho cara
vansaries OF summer The locality Is not to be sur
passed for nshng. cunning and sailing. There no
end to the list OF masqueradcs. hops. phantom
dances. readings. pxntonin,es. calico balls fancy
dress balls and other festv The taxpayer aud the
Taxpayers family enjoy their again. aud when tho
moon is up they love to sail in the very Yachts
where Tweed aud the boys" were wont " recrexss
after e1haus,ing themselves in tho service of un-
grateful Gotham. There billiard rooms, whero
champions come to show their skill; there are new
and extensive stables Ia place OF those which woro
burned last year; aud there is abundance OF game
In the deep woods that enclose tho Morton. At his
table the proprietor has had the courage depart
from the huge bill OF fare. which In article OF
the summer tourists faith and has substituted tho
simplicity and symmetry VI the continents table
Workers With their families ;Nessrs Jahns sn. se~
droth. =. Borg, J. W. Brown. u. Drcyfuss. y. p.
Smith. J. W. Walcott. Isaac Summers, A. n. Combs,
H. A. button. Frank ID. Shaw. Edward W. Kcarney,
John Il. Rutter, L. II. Kirkland Isaac wallack, l..
Levy, A. kohn. A. Mckinney. Charles Minxeshei-
msr, Ii n. Collier, W. VI. Pcckhani. A. q. burgess,
J. v. ID. Wyckon George q. Lake aud Baron W. Fauik
onburg.
A MANAGERIAL sNtGUEny.
The express trains OF the New Haven limo make
their hrst stop thrty-hve miles from New York. ut
the vory neat and pretty little town OF stamford.
The place is as trim Nh u miliners bandbox. Never
we're siawns 80 closely shaveD. trees daintily
cropped. houses so scientifically dnmure Zach stands
under the shade Of attendant eim like an old lady
VI long ago. under her colored servants parasoi. ia
the centre OF the town. facing the Post Once aud
oanks - fountain. with four White swans spouting
water from their upturned bills. The river In
broad. lazy stream behind the town; and those
who come TO sojourn In Stamford Will have ind
their MAN ainusenient, the Arlington House being
open for their accommodation; tor Il is one OF tho
disadvantages OF stamford that Shippan Point, on
the Sound. where the Ocean House IL situated. and
tho besl Doalng. bathing and nshiuu -nra 10 hn