The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-23

young men had their way, and the
board walk was lifted in altitude, broad
ened i'll feet and made the feature OF
Atlantic City. 1t was the pioneer board
walk, and met with such great popular
approval that now all the pretentious
seashore resorts have their board walks
too.
But there is no other board walk quite
like the Atlantic City board walk. up
and down it's great length move 10000
people, all watching each other. 1t IS
study in human nature, in clothes, IN
millinery, in style. On one side, the
beach and the duly roaring sea; on the
other, the strangest aggregation OF
amusements and temptations the eye OF
mortal ever beheld. Merry-go-rounds,
always moving, all crowded; roller coast
ers which fly SO fast that the air is
often rent with the screams OF fright
ened but not endangered passengers; an
Conservation railway" whose cars go at
such speed you can't see much, and then
go through tunnel in which you can
see nothing; a figure 8 railroad, on
which you describe two circles at diff
ferent heights over and over to the
tune of maggie Murphy's Home" from
steam music machine; a huge wheel
which lifts humanity laden baskets above
the housetops; merry-go-round COM
posed of bicycles bolted tandem and
propelled by steam; another merry-go-
round which initiates the motion of a
ship at sea, and thus produces in most
passengers a delightful an inexpensive
seasickness; scores Of other queer things
to ride upon; piers to walk out into the
ocean upon, finding half way out a the
atrical or opera troop; Photographic
galleries warranted to make one look
ugly in his bathing suit; restaurants,
theaters, horse shows, illusions, candy
stores and taffy factories galore; ice
cream, soda, lemonade, popcorn, pea
nuts, cigars, curiosities, toys, relics-of
these a revel.
Atlantic City is the city Of the hoi pol
loi; it is also the city Of the nickel.
Given three or four children, an indul-
gent father and FIVE dollar bill. Re
suit, more fun than any sane man had
ever thought could be had in two hours,
and not nickel left. Almost every
thing is five cents. IT'S so cheap you
take everything in sight.
By strict attention to business, nimble
chasing of the willing nickel, Atlantic
City is rapidly growing rich. Many
comfortable fortunes are made here
every year. Hotel proprietors do well.
Bathhouse owners put four or five per-
sons at quarter each in room which
cost eight dollars to build. The taffy
man spends his winters in Europe. Two
young men who started a merry-go-
round here eight years ago, and who
knew how to take care of and invest
their profits, are now worth half mil
lion dollars.
Property along the famous board
walk is worth from $500 to 81 900 per
front foot, though it is valuable only
three months in the year. There are
locations on this thoroughfare that could
not be bought for 1000 foot, simply
because their nickel catching owners do
not wish to go out of their business of
running a gold mine.
About in the afternoon there is a lull
along the board walk. The thousands
are at dinner. AT this hour the most
typical scene in Atlantic City is the
young man who sits in a hammock be-.
side maiden, running MS ringers
through her hair, throwing it loose to
the winds soaAthat it may dry enough
to be seen in sthe dining room. Happy
youth n WALTER .WELLMAN. J.