Morning journal and courier., 1888-08-03

the top of the bus, across rustic bridges
 whose timbers shook and cracked and around
 inconceivable corners, finally led to the brow
 of hill, and here was opened out the living
 picture of the point.
 How did it look?
 Far at the left was New Haven harbor, and sweeping in broad expanse before the eye lay Long Island Sound, which shut it's wa- ters tumbling and rushing onward till they
 broke in fieecy rolls of foam upon the rocks at the Point. A fortifcation of fanciful and brightly colored cottages lined the extreme
 head of land, and to the right lay shady
 groves and bathing beaches. Set somewhat
 inland was a colony of cottages, before which winding road now took its course toward the shore and now struck in towards the mainland. At the left rested the high lands of Brighton Bluffs, with it's new and growing settlement.
 And as to the hotels.
 Right before us on 8 high grassy level rests the lately built and beautiful Pembroke cottage. It's brightly colored cupola is seen over the tree tops for miles around and from it's grounds may be enjoyed the pretty land- scaRe. It's balconies command 8 sweeping view of forty miles of the Sound. Steamers and vessels sailing along the coast are promi- nent objects and the names of the larger steamers can, be read with the naked eye The hotel itself is hardly furnished, but so eager are residents to try it's excellences that all accommodations are tested to the utmost. The proprietor, NIT. J. s. Rood. has a big fame already for his dinners, and some ten or twelve cottages have forsaken their own humble boards to taste his daily delicacies. His large dining hall seats sixty guests with the greatest ease and comfort.
 Hopsa Yes, and card parties, too.
 The cottagers capture the hotel every even- ing and inaugurate lively scene of gaiety. Although formal hopa are given in the par l0ra ho wait so long as this. They have them almost every night. A musician is retained by Mir.
 Rood and music is ready for all occasions. When it isn't dancing it's card parties; and when not card parties it's anything for good time. Wednesday evening one of the weekly
 hops was held and a more brilliant party
 hasn't been there this season. The par1ors,
 with their network of airy windows and doors
 opening upon the verandss, were filled with seasiders and their guests from this city and
 places near by. A gay evening was enjoyed
 to the utmost and the frolickers, till late
 hour, 'tvexed the drowsy ear of night with
 mirth."
 What do the young ladies play?
 We'll, they may play four aces or a straight flush, but the reporter didn't see anything of
 the kind. There are, however, three or four law tennis courts where everyone can see them, and such playersi One would think a party of champions were summering together at the Point. The young gentlemen are mo- where when the ladies enter the game and as bright, lively and pretty a picture is formed by the jaunty costumes and happy faces as one could see anywhere. The Misses Genieve and Hattie Allis of Birmingham are develop ing marvellous art in the game and their only vaDquishers at the shore thus far are the Misses Ella and Bessie Birdseye Miss Mamie Birdseys and Miss Maude Beckley are also fine players and play pretty though losing game with the Misses Manson
 But croquet, that's the game
 All play this and the cottage lawns have every kind of furniture for the players. Wickets, balls and mallets are scattered about and rejecting lanterns hang from the trees for use in evening games. The ladies have great fun after dark and night is as happy as day. The lawns of Mr. Charles Smith of this city, whose cottage faces the sea, have fine fittings for this game Penn broke Cottage also has grassy plot set aside for this amusement and numbers of young ladies are often found there deeply buried in the mysteries of the game.
 Boating and bathing, but little fishing just at present.
 Yet some good luck is had with the hook and line by patient anglers. The fishing sea- son, however, doesn't open until somewhere about the first of September and then you can catch fish by the pailful. Merwin's Point has always been famous for fish and it don't as yet gainsay its reputation. Oyster river near by is also great place and all the old salts for miles along the shore have been there. The beaches are many snd the cottagers don't seem to be a bit afraid of .water. Although the shore is rocky, wide gaps happen every now and then, and these are well filled with soft sand. Bathers are seen at all hours, and one can't help but smile sometimes at the odd bathing cos big baggy bathing suits. When the water takes the tailoring into his own hands, how ever, one would think school of nymphs was springing from the waves. Boating is another pastime, and Captain Merwins sail- boats are as popular as the captain himself. There are some twenty-five more boats at the Point this season than last.
 And the cottagersl
 There are lots of them, and all have many visitors throughout the season. Those own ing cottages at the point are: John McEn- cry, H. F. Waning, Henry Somers, Mrs. William Bowman, G. 0. Allis, Thomas s. Birdseye, Colonel W. B. Wooster, c. E. Att Dana Bartholomew, Mrs. David Somers, J. Naramore, Mrs. Willis Hotchkiss, B. I. Lind ley, from Ansonia; Seamen Smith, West Ha- ven; MT. Webb and David Samuels, Water bury; F. O. Cannon, Charles Smith, Fred Baldwin and Edward Smith, New Haven; s. H. Downs, Boston; Mrs. Thomas, Philadel- phia; Dwight Russell, Orange,
 Brighton Bluffs and Oyster river.
 Here are also cottages, and fine ones, too Brighton Bluff is newly settled, captured | and held by New Haven settlers. Only one outsider, Mir. Hammond of WaIlingford, has been let into the charmed circle Our peo- pie owning grounds there are: Messrs. Hoyt, -Bnttricks, Horace Hurlburt, E. A. l Beckley, Brown, Bronson and Smith. Oyster l river colony is a little behind the bluffs in l population. Its census shows these colonists: Rev. Dr. Anderson, Waterbury; Mrs. Fox, | New Haven; Superintendent Howe of the | State Reform school.
 But is it growinga
 Of course it is, and the people there say | hat it won't see it's best days for five or six Il years yet. Even in this season, when shore I esorts are forsaken for the rustic freshness If the country, they say Merwin's Point is booming. Mir. N. Clark, of Milford, has just | new cottage in very fine style, nd next spring three new cottages, each of which will cost 5000, are to be built. Iharles Smith, of this city, has lately bought
 cottage of B. E. Warming and moved it to is grounds, making two fine buildings owned y him. MT. Warming intends soon to build ohm Johnson has lately bought lots and uilt cottage. Everyone is enthusiastic yer the pretty little resort and think it the oming place for our seaside goers. Bir- lingham people are wild over it and have aptured large number of the cottages.
 What a historyl
 Ten years ago the original proprietor, Mr. | ohm W. Merwin, would have sold the whole l oint for $1 ,000, and now you caa't get a ,ot of land eligible for cottages anywhere aort of $10 8 foot, and some of 1t sells for I 15. Three new lots have been added late . and more will probably follow before the ,ason ends. The whole Pc int is solid rock, Iith an upper layer of fertile. soil The els, whose waters are far famed for their ,ol and refreshing character, are bored | { trough this rock till softer strata are ,aohed and where the cool rills run. Every ,ar sees new improvements to the place and Z Ie line of stages, grocery store, livery stable , I'd other bustling businesses make things vely and convenient for the cottagers. Guests lately registered at the Merwin pint hotel are: Mrs. J. F. Sullivan, Lizzie, Flynn, F. J. iIliyan and Miss Lizzie Bert, Birmingham: M. Vidal, New York; Mir. and Mrs. Garner .idgeport; Miss Nora Bradley of Torrington d cousin of Philadelphia Miss E. M. Col IS, Milford; Mrs. Ada Simpson, Derby; M, 1cker and family, Peter Reilly and family, Ielton; John F. Ryan, N. E. Hart, D. P