Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-16

I weather in the cities. If hot the boats are crowded; if cool, the passengers are few.
 It is very noticeable to old residents how
 many more people than usual go by the l Vineyard to Nantucket. On some days the ! number of pleasure seekers going to that ! quaint old isle is double the number arriving l here. A few days sojourn at both of these rival islands is enough to convince the most exacting person of the superior advantages offered at Martha's Vineyard. It may not be ! aniss, at this point, to recount some of the l advantages offered to all classes of people coming here.
 First as to the situation. The cottages are built on high bluffs, commanding fine marine view, and where every breath of air is felt. Some persons, however, prefer to be further back amid the trees, and consequent l ly many cottages have been built away back from the stronger and fiercer breezes, at the foot of lofty oaks, where the light is greatly softened by the dense foliage. We have no fogs here to dampen the ardor and spirits of our residents, unlike Mt. Desert and some of the resorts further north, which are some times enveloped for week at time. New York, Boston, Providence and Portland are accessible by several lines at very reasonable rates, and this certainly is of great advantage to the business man. The drinking water here is of very fine quality and is highly rec commended by physicians, while the sewerage is now (thanks to an efficient board of health) better than that of many large cities. Then the bathing is very good and also var jed One day we have still water and another day surf bathing. Again, for amusement we have large roller skating rink, open three sessions daily, and with band in constant attendance. Also bluefishing, clam bakes, dancing at the hotels, drives to Vineyard Haven Chilmark and Edgartown, excursions to Guy Head, Falmouth Heights and Nan tucket, and last of all narrow gauge road extending along the shore a distance of eight miles to Katama, where fine shore dinners are served and where the Atlantic surf rolls in with great vehemence.
 The Baptists and the Methodists hold camp meetings here in August and some of the ablest preachers in the country preach at these meetings. For the benefit of the reh- giously inclined it should be stated that be- sides the two camp grounds there are five chapels here, and that services are held every day throughout the season.
 The Summer Institute with its fine corps of professors, affords rare treat in the lecture line. The lectures are delivered at o'clock on four afternoons every week. Some two hundred students are registered at the Institute this season, and it opened yesterday under very favorable auspices Among the faculty are Professors Homer E. Sprague (its president), Benjamin Putnam Alexander
  Raymond, and Thomas Heness of New Ha- ven. The latter arrived here with his daugh- ter on Monday evening and is greatly pleased with the place.
 This is a national resort, and there are families here from Colorado, Kansas, Mis- souri, Indiana, Illinois and many other west States, while Canada contributes some fifty visitors this year. This is peculiarly a resort for cottage life and this is by far the pleasantest way of summering at the Vine yard.
 The Boston Herald is the paper of this city and the sale of it is so great that its proprie- tors have erected pretty little booth from which the paper may be had after half-past 12 every day, at the regular price of two cents The sale of the Sunday edition on the day following the shooting of President Gar field was unprecedented at this time of the year. and parties drove from all parts of the island, even from Gay Head, twenty miles distant, in order to secure copies. Massa- chusetts people seem to have strange aver sion to reading New York papers and they meet with little sale here. The Cottage City base ball nine has been and will be made up principally of Harvard players this season, but Brown and Yale will be represented. Games are to 1 be arranged with the local clubs. Lawn ten 1 his is very popular here this season, but it does not at all supersede croquet, ill which 1 sport the older people, and even many dl- I vines while away many hours.
 My next letter will contain the names of many prominent people summering at Cot l tage City, and also many interesting personal 1 items F.