National Republican., 1884-07-10
SUMMER REFUGEES.
Whsro tho Wandering WaShIngtonians Go
rho eltys Growing Summer Attractions.


rho elty's Growing Summer Attractions
where do Washington people mostly go to
spend the heated term" was asked the other
day In u small party of gentlemen.
"rhcy mostly don't go anywhere nowadays,
except maybe for few days ut a time" said
nm old resident, "sincc Aleck shepherd
changed this from dust and mudhole 10 the
most beautiful city in the world. In the old
times, iifleonsycars ago, when Pennsylvania
avenue was about the only paved street in
town, and that of cobblcsones, and there was
horrible mud in wet weather, or more horrible
ANA -tiiing dust storms In dry, people were
ubso utely forced in the hot season 10 escape
from town to save life.
Now our streets arc we'll paved and dry,
the dust storms are thiugS of the past, ana the
thousands of be uutiiul shade trees that ShCp.
herd planted arch tht streets with the cool
shade thut Is as refreshing rs the cool forests
OF the mountains or the suit air Ut the seaside.
You were not mere in Our unpaNed days, ana
can have no possible idea Of what was kiloWh
rs dust storms When anything of q iresh
hrce2c was stirring the dust was 50 thick that
II blinded aud GhyECd you on tho street anu
drove yOu home only to md II llliiug every
crack and corner, and hunting more pIaces 10
| invade and foul. Every old timer mas seen
the dust so thick on Fifteenth street that the
old paymastcr generals Office COlld not be
seen iTOn the treasury opposite
one Of the party remembered those times,
ulll l0Uue some Inquiries hNltlt tHlllbta
| told OF. II is true tha! residents do not feel
| the absolute need of going away now, aud
although many do make a point oil going Tor
| the season, most of those VINO DO are people
| who own residences ut various summer resorts
| or those who follow Old habits of Hooking in
| colonies to the same places year after year.
Nowadays people 90 away FOR month more
| for the .ake of change, that all need al times,
but inquiry shows that the majority make lit
| tie trips Ola week or ten or twenty days each,
| usually In different directions. Old Point
| Comfort is great inyoritc with our people,
! and 20 great IS the rush each Saturday of per
| suns going down 10 return Monday or Tuesday
| or wednesday that stitcrooms must be 81.
| cured tWt Or even three, weeks III advance.
| Ano.her nNorlto Is the summit of the Allegha'
| mics at Oakland or Deer Park, und another
| still al Pen Mar on South mountain, while
very large numbers patrOnMc the various
| points along the lower Potomac, ike Lower
| Cedar Point, fincy Point, Colonial Beach, &c
| At the railway ticket Offices II appears that
! the summer travel ffom Washington mas very
| largely increased OF hate years, aud Washing
| ION people seem tO have no invoritc points
/ but 30 ono way one trip and the opposite the
/ next, Tie system OF excursion tickets h','
done much, apparently, to increase travel
| Half dozon years ago the sales OF tickets fol
| summer travel at the Pennsylvania Railway
| company's Office here averaged about Sl5,OOt
monthly; now, the increase is 30 or more PEI
| cent. Great numbers who leave here tax,
| tickets 70 Boston, mud thence radiute to Tn,
| coast of Maine, TO the Waite mountains or tn,
| Maine lakes. Probably, Mr. Parke, the Penn
| sylrania railway agent here thinks every ono
of the places On the huge list of resorts oil
their excursion route is visited each season b!
! wandering, plcasure.seekiuI; WJShingtonian
The great majority OF cNCursionistS from
Washington are those who run away for
week to Concy island, or to one or more Of thu
| many places that fringe tie Jersey seGcoast
almost every foot of the way from the Nevi
sink highlands, at Sandy Hook, where tint
twin light towers guide the mariner by day o
beacon with bright lights N night to safe har
hor, around TO the smooth beach ut Cape May
where the warm gulf stream caresses the Ian,
on its journey TO the fur north Virginia
many springs, hot, warm sulphur, and chaly
beate ana her picturesque mountains wo,
many more especially of the old-timcrs q
"beio the wah,p or the southrons who haV
lately settled in Washington.
North Carolina's wild mountain scenery ha
Its admirers among Us, while others still e
west and idly sail through the cool waters o
the great lakes To the grand scenery, lcgen'
laden, of Saperior-Proctor Knotts "unsaltet
sea-"
The result of the inquiries made is tina
while greater numbers go each year "a;unk
citing atar," the percentage of people is really
| smaller, because in the horrible days beiOr
the work of the Magician shepherd there wcr
| oO,WO who had to go, while now there ar
2OOOOO who may go IL they want to.