New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-12
Observation-Disclosures.

CHARLES F. WINGATE, the SAM
tary Engineer, thus describes his i'm.
pressions upon a recent visit to Ben
sOnhurst:
Coming directly in half-a-day's jour-
ney from Twilight Park, in the Catskill
Mountains, to Bensonhurst-by-the
the contrast seems as remarkable, yet
AS natural, as the change from NOON
light to morning. From the dense
shade and the mystery of the hemlock
forests to broad sunny stretches OF
sand; from the cool September breezes
of the Kaaterskill Glove to the warm,
southern air blowing direct from the
billowy ocean; from rocks and lodges
and waterfalls and bride paths along
wooded precipices to quaint, quiet,
picturesque drives and promenades be-
yond New Utrecht these dissimilar
features only seem to reveal more
wildly the charms and delights OF
both places.
Two months ago | selected site for
a house at BensOnhurst in an unfenced
potato field, and now, as if with one
wave of the magician's wand, the house
is almost finished and the potato field
is fast being converted into lawn.
Yet equally wondrous changes are
shown on every hand. The flower
beds at either side of the station pre-
sent study for an artist. The miles
of trimmed walks and well-made drives
invite the visitor to roam in every
direction. The houses are handsomely
designed and picturesquely grouped,
while their colors contrast pleasantly
with each other and with the land
scape. There are no glaring contrasts,
no gloomy or garish eye-distracting
hues to offend, but quiet tints with
plenty of warm reds and several fine
specimens of pure ivory-white in the
Colonial style, such as the delightful
old Benson Homestead.
Everything looks neat, refined, and
finished, yet not too finished to be
homelike and neighbOrly. In fact,
Bensonhurst is a community of homes,
and not a summer show place for tram
sient city butterflies.
How delightful for the prospective
HORSEPOWER to scramble up ladders and
peer into every nook and Granny from
attic to roof, studying each feature
with lively interest, and fancying how
it will look when lamps and rugs,
books, pictures and curtains give the
finishing touches to the Home. Here
will be cozy corner by the bay
window for mamma to sew in; that
room is for grandpa, and this for
the boys studio and workshop. Here
is the guest chamber, and up stairs the
rOOmy attic-far too good for servants
use alone. Then there are the cheerful
open fires, and the spacious closets to
delight the housewife, the ingenious
cubby holes and windOws-square,
oval, and oblong. How delightfully."-
they all seem. But the
chief charm to me is in the broad
sheltered balcony over the piazza look
ing westward towards the setting sun,
where we shall sit in the cleaning as
long as twilight lasts, to smoke and
chat and read until the evening lamp
is lighted and we gather round the
tireSide reluctant to come within doors.
1t is this feature which cOmpels us to
christen the cottage "Twilight," most
appropriate name.
\ summer home in the mountains is
but no less charming is an
home at Benson
hurst, with ready access to business,
and yet far from the hustle and noise
and discOmforts of the metropolis.
c. f. W.