Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-13
THE STORY OF ELBERON.
THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT BY THE
SEA.
History Of the Place Which is Now the
Centre Of Attraction-Who Resort
There and the Prices They
Pay Dresses Worn
by the Ladies.
Special Correspondence of the Philadelphia

SlSSSOS VI
by the Ladies.
Special Correspondence OF the Philadelphia
Times.
ELBERoN, n. j., September 8.
In 1855 all this part Of Long Branch
was either a dreary waste or else made
up OF poor, barren farms, on which a
few forlorn Jersey agriculturists worked
themselves almost 10 death in order to
get a living, and would no doubt have
starved # it had not been for the fishing
in summer. What is now known as
the West End Hotel was then Como.
ver's, and the whole OF Long Branch as
it existed then was two or three miles
north. On account OF the war Mr.. l.
b. Brown was obliged to give up that
portion Of his property situated In the
South. He was at that time living IN
New York, having been driven North
by his extreme abolition views. His
health was much broken also and he
determined to settle down in some re-
tired place near the sea for a few years
He was attracted 10 the high stretch ct
land skirting the sea west OF Long
Branch, and not only built himself a
cottage there, but made up his mind
that he could not invest his money in
any better way than by buying the sur
rounding land.
In 1870 Mr.. Francklyn, then man.
ager of the Cunard Steamship Line,
while in search OF a location for a quiet
seaside cottage took a fancy to this
place, and from that moment, 1t may be
said, the spot became a summer resort
for people OF the largest means and re-
fnement. Mr.. FrancKlyn put up a
long low cottage somewhat OF the Swiss
order and otherwise improved the place
He was in Europe a great deal, how
ever, and the place was often vacant In
the summer. One day Mr.. Brown said
to him:
"Mr. Francklyn, why not build a
slight addition to your cottage and use
it as a hotel? l will build some cot
tages about it; we will rent them fur
nished through the summer, and nave
the people served with their meals from
the hotel"
Mr.. Francklyn approved OF the idea,
and it was at once put into effect. Sue
cess has crowned the enterprise from
the start. The elegance and intelligence
OF the class Of people who were drawn
to the place soon made it attractive In
the highest degree, and Mr.. F~rancklyn
put up a new cottage Tor his " use
lust at one side and back OF the n he
had turned into a hotel. The cottage
he then put ND is the one now occupied
by President Garfield.
GIVING THE LACE A NAME.
From the first the place was in want
of a name. Mr.. Brown wanted to call
it "Francklyn," but that gentleman
would not listen to it for a moment.
John Taylor Johnston, then president
of the New Jersey Central railroad,
which had only just been extended that
far, solved the problem by naming the
place Elberon. 1t was a long time, how
ever, before Nh. Brown suspected he
was the sponsor and that his name and
initials furnished the idea. When he
did it was too late to alter it. George
w. Childs, who had been located higher
up, came down and built his exquisite
Swiss cottage and others quickly follow
ed, until the place has reached the dis
tinction of being considered the most
desirable watering-place location IN the
country. Lots which Mr.. Brown bought
for $500 he sold for $1,000 and they were
sold in turn again for $4,000. The
building lot which Commodore Garrison
paid $4,000 for only cost two dollars an
acre originally. 1t is in this way that
this place, which NAV now be called a
national resort and has almost seemed
at times TO be the seat OF government,
had its origin. 1t is the Outgrowth OF
the war.
THE PEOPLE y THE PRICES.
A gentleman said to Robert Lincoln
to-day: "lf your father had not eman-
cipated the negro there would have
been no EIberun for General Garfield to
come to. Ii it had not been for the
trouble he encountered on account OF
mis- anti-slayery ideas L BBrown would
never have come here"
1t is the greatest mistake to suppose
the place so very arlstocratlc. The PEG
pie who come here are generally very
wealthy, but not always so, and 1t Is rs
much a place of resort for artists, archl,
tects, civil engineers, doctors, E.1lscopal
clergymen and literary persons as 1t IS
for people Of inherited wealth or who
have retired after amassing fortune.
The prices are a little steep, but not un
reasonably so for what is given. Ali
the maids and walters and servants OF
every description in the house are
French. Meals are to be had a la carte
at all hours, but the regular meals are
quite simple. The cooking is scientific,
and the head cook probably gets a sal
ary far ahead of the majority OF college
professors. After a person registers
everything in and around the house Is
at his disposal. To be admitted 10 the
house is taken as a. guarantee that the
guest is responsible, which, OF course,
makes the visit all the more enjoyable.
Scores Of applicants 20 away from the
Elberou in answer to the sorry, but
we cannot accommodate you," when
there are whole cottages waiting for the
right kind of people.
HOW TIE PEOPLE DRESS.
There is very little Of what might be
termed style. The prevailing thing
seems rather to be taste and the most
subdued sort OF taste at that. 1t 10 as
different from Saratoga, for instance, as
a Corinthian column is unlike Chinese
pagoda. The ladies here wear white
dresses almost al the summer, very ex-
pensiye, to be sure, with tight sleeves,
sometimes OF the finest thread lace set
between long satin strips, but simple
and appropriate, nevertheless, and gem
orally unrelieyed by any brilliant color
except when wraps are worn in the
evening. For driving and occasional
receptions and so on the dresses are
always of very delicate tints and there
is nothing glaring and very little Jew: