New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-10
A CITY FOR CHRISTIANS.
THE DIFFICULTIES OF REACHING TT.

OF ATLANTIC HfGHLANDS-Ihb
BIES TIE FOUNDERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED.
YRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIBUSE.l
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, N. j., July S.-The Allan
tic Highlands Association was organized in Febru-
ary 1881 1t was formed through the efforts of the
Rev. James l.. Lake who is now its president, and
his brother. the Rev. s. w. Lake. one OF Its direc-
tors. Thcy had become enamored of the beautiful
scenery of tho Navesink Highlands. and
especially of that part which looks out over Sandy
Hook Bay toward Staten Island, the Narrows and
Coney Island AS the president expresses 1T in his
first annual report, just ssued: "As often rs L
thought of these wonderful grounds and of the
desecrating hand of rum, heard voice saying,
They ought to be saved" The voice obeyed.
After many failures, a company formed with
sixty-two stockholders; 400 acres of land were
bought for $3.50 900, and work was at once begun
toward making great camp-meeting ground and
"a Christian summer-resort, uncursed by rum"
The natural advantages of the place hardly
be excelled Part of the land slopes gradually up
ward from the water the rest rises abruptly Ill high
bluffs, which end in the wooded SUBMITS of the
Navesink Highlands, the highest land on the
eastern shores of the United States" The opportu-
mites for drainage perfect; the brcezes from
the sea and from the bay are always cool and
heathful there is saltwater bathing at the foot
of the bluffs, and surf bathing BIO found just
across.the neck of Sandy Hook. The buzz of the
Jersey mosquito, it Is said, is never heard III the
land. All these beauties and practical advantages
were spread before the public IN general, and the
capitalists of the Methodist faith in particular Ma
ture had done her part well man began to do his
with the valuable aid furnished by the capital of
sixty ministers and laymen drawn together by
common desire to do good In founding Christian
city" the president says in his report wooden
pier was built out into the bay 1850 feet, at a cost
l,fp - \ nAn opHt Mo- larOplX
by the treasurer of the association, Thomas Leonard,
began to make three round trips from the pier to
! New York daily, Broad avenues were laid out,
| winding drives graded. a tabernacle to seat
| LOO people was built at cost OF $500, and
| natural ampllheatTe Oh the wooded hillside was
| transformed into temple of nature where $4,000
| could sing Praise God from whom all
| blessings how' Limpid springs caused to
| flow from the hillside hotels built and cot
| ages of elaborate design and varlegated color
! sprang up on all sides, none of which were more
picturesque than those of the president and the
superintendent of the association In short 1t
looked as if some modern Aladdin was rubbing his
wonderful lamp most vigorously among the quiet
hills and wales in the Highlands of the Nagesink.
On July ~ 1851, the grounds formally
dedicated with religious Services and with
all the pomp and Circumstance OF
war on notwithstanding and rum"
! glowing accounts of this magic city by the sea. 1t
| was to rival nav eclipse Ocean Grove, Asbury Park
ana other p-meeuBg resorts 1t was to grow ard
wax great ana shame out o. existence the worldly.
sinful Coney Island that gttcred so gaudlly across
| tue waters at night, while II would JON hands
with other similar resorts ami guard the New-Jersey
coast from the green-clad hills OF Monmouth
to the sunny sands OF Cape May" as the
president puts it III his report before mentioned
! The nelghbOriug farmers were intoxicated, not Oy
anything liquid nature for that had been
stcmly bauished but by the bright Visions of faDu
ous prices for real estate brown. houses III the
city, rips TO turopcsi dresses Ior the WI ana an
unendng tOurtn-Oi-Juiy and cOunty-faIr KIND OF a
lille for the VINO family winch were conjured up by
the sgnt OF the changes in their quiet neIghoorhood
ana Dy The promises OF the association. capitalists
rom the city also dazzed aud bought large
tracts of land bordering the associations ground.
Alter the formal opening oil the place the Atlantic
highlands sank slowly below the horizon OF the
puOnc gaze. As they DO 10 Voyagers across the sea;
Ihey were sun there, however, and the enthusiasm
of everyone interested III the pace dld
not aDate DUNG last summer More cot
$500 and con aiming 100 rooms, on
buff, new streets aud drives were graded ana
more capi,al was carefully tucked away III sun
dry holes III the hllisue.
At the close OF la.t everything looked al
togeih her lovely But alas, IN spite OF the pres-
deni' Is report, when says: " The years experience
has demons rated two fundamental facts; first
that the natural situation Is perfect, and second
that best of All God Is with liz, there are dark
clouds gathering over the Atlantic II gnands ana
the mutterIngs OF a coming storm have been 30 ioud
tnat they nave reached New-lork. The farmers
Drat the tarnal association; they charged
us and l. GEMS TO drlve teams on
their Old per We sent our freight
another way and they had TO come, down;
but now tho boats dOn't run regular an people
amt comm any more 80 real estate Is gOln 10 90
! down. Lots o 1oiks neIeabOuts VIII lose heaps u
money"
Tue city capitalists who real estate IN the
! nelghborncOd aisO complaining, while the as,o-
Tor the present IN an agitated state vi I'M
cer,ainty.
A lMBUNE correspondent, upon making inquiries
among the people AID the memoirs OF the aasOcia-
ton here. To-day found nat the cause Ol the OuDle
| WAS the uncertainty III regard to transportation
Inc farmers say the officers of the association
are 10 blame the officers luslst That tue farmers are
Unreasonable; the capitalists owning lands mere
charge the NeW-Jcrsey southern halfway WIN
Dr-iA ing It's contract. while the railroad people VIII
say uOtuing az ali about Tie mater.
E;riy the spring OF tins year the association
be., 10 look about iOr the means of carr ing pas
seugcIs and ire gnG between NeW-1OTk ahu
It's long per. sir. Leonard, the treasurer,
whose boat. the ManOn made regular round trlps
last season, lost several Thousand collars by Tue AT
rangemeht, and dlduJ care to try lt again. Two
Jc. ssy CIty capitalists. the Gillette DiO hcTS VINO
tOgctner with lilian Andrcws own "A lhgt trtcJ OF
nncly situausd land heie back from tue Day offered
40 run two steamers, tue joan sylvester ana the
HANCOCK 10 the CIV, provided they could have the
| ,X,ldsIye rgnt 10 land tnelr boats Tor ten yeas,
AT the same une agreeing - Keep the pier III repair
i'm The mean tine, New-JeIsey Southern itiiii-
ROAD company oheTed 10 make thIee lVunu ulPS
a oay 10 the pier If they cold have All nights 10
lauu incfc iOr nVc Years. heir boats were 10 run
over from thelr landing al SANDY HOOK, "hlch Is
| three mics from Tie Atlantic 1Ienanus per
The ollcers OF the association SAW an opportunity
! 10 ma Ike "A Dargain. Ihcy accepted Inc Olor 81 the
/ railroad company ana helped 10 FORM "a company
/ 10 Tan "a nl.le s.eaiher from thelr pier 10
| connect WIth the steamers OF the rallroau when
went directly back TO tine city from SANDY HOOK
, | Why snoIiIunG Jney accept the IaIIOaus tcills
/ In ave Yeas the OF tnelr pier wound Nc worth
untold sums. SHOULD the, BIND themselves ior Tn
years under sucn circumstances Never! hheh
Inc monmouth Park races began, however, ana the