The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-09
AFTER SUMMER HOLIDAYS.
NEW YoRk's BEAUTIFUL SUBURBAN
PLEASURE RESORTS.


PLEASURE RESORTS.
Though Autumn Paints the Foliage In Hoi.
iday 11nts. tho Picnic Grounds Arc
Leneiy and the Merry-go.round L. sun
Just whom the various houses OF entertain.
ment that now maintain q precarlous exist
encs upon the upper end OF Manhattan Island
begin to have spread out before them mar
vellous and gloriaed landscape. clad in the
daily Frightening splendors OF autumn. they
IND their trade suddenly fallen away their
alluring bowers deserted. their frantic procla-
nation OF ics.cold drinks disrsgarded. and all
the catch-penny devices that prosper upon
summer holidays dospised and neglected.
From High Bridge to spuyten Duyvi the
pavilions. where one may dance every night
and Saturday afternoo ION. alre ady look like half
forgotten relics OF an earlier year. Tho scat
tered fragments OF the Inst picnic on tho banks
OF the Harlem are buried beneath fallen
leaves. The music OF the merry. l,o-round is
hushed. and the maidservant from tho cast
side enjoys elsewhere her afternoon out The
earliest red leaf and the first chill evening are
the signals that alarm those who pass their
Holidays among the lingering rural SPOTS OF
Manhattan Island. Warm Sundays still bring
their crowds. but the business OF purvoyiug
open-air amusement to the mass OF New York
ers Is dead for the season.
Meanwhile the Harlem Valley has taken on
Its noblest pomp. From any one OF dozen
deserted piaZZas the marvellous sweep OF
wooded hilsides marking the course OF tho
stream and the valley to tho north from High
Bridge. around aim ost to the Hudson. presents
q marvellous natural panorama. Tho view
from the heights about tho terminus Of the
cable road is second only to that noblest OF
urban or suburban prospects, the stretch Of
the Hudson northward from tho blum Just
above tho burial place OF Gen. Grant. From
the splendor Of the banks that slope in steep
decline to the Harlem. ono half expects to find
the strenm itself mingling OF crimson and
gold, As matter q iast it has on Dright
The etSsss seen half MaSs 0q Esro
from tho bluffs on the eastern bank Of
the Harlem gorgeous succession OF great
clod hilIs interspersed with lawns and dwell
annexed district IS considerably less urban in
character, than the upper three mics OF tho
The region nhH from B !S to
Duyvil looks like an almost unbroken forest.
Of High Bridge, us seen from tho southern end
81 THO aqueduct walk on the opposite hank OF
hs fs SsF TH ia "a and
There were twice as many picnic grounds
and summer gardens above High lirdge this
approach OF frost is doubly great. Tho rlens.
ure seekers and those who minister to them
the time when the bluffs TO the east of Tho
Harlem VIII be occupied ey urban homes: I Ihe
s the sre 1S n
village street OF Inwood TO the blugs of the
Harlem. and to the heights ovcrl9okins t!;n
preparing for a sudden transformation. A few
worry rich men. including the Wee President of
land until some sort Of rapid transit sho uIi
bring 1t as near to downtown New,
x saes hsn nts aVe s
pensd Washington Bridge. next TO Brooklyn
| Bridge. the most eSnspicuous single example
the even more, startling yiaduct and bridge to
connect Washington Heights, with the upland
| transit has been brought in sight of tho north
Western, point o! Manhattan Island, The
retain the character OF a country, road. and
tho heads OF the great dry goods houses vii!
presently find their rural paradise bordering
| that thorough!are transformed IL to n lvnsely
| populated urban district. Already the uneul..
tivated fields between tue French boulevard
Two nv portions OF his region, now 5" curious
Of autumnal foliage. are, likely t. escape rer-
ment. The blufIs OF the Huriem above WASH
ington Bridge. whore the country boys OF tho
prv re at fhss s
need OF space has reached the point OF d"sp"r
alton. A retired policeman has for seventeen
years occupied some acres OF the huhitahlc
portion OF the bluir His cottage stands amid
fine old forest trees. and their fellows arc seat
tored about over a. wide area OF undulatiu:
lawn. which ends in al abrupt descent to tho
rivers edge Ho has seen the en- Ills road the
SUNNI or gardens. and tho Washington Fridge
all come as his hair grew Craye!. and all the
while the beautiful plot OF hillside lawn that
he guards for some one else has become more
valuable.
Almost equally saio from the assaults OF tho
advancing multitude is the steep wooded hill
side leading to tho bluffs Of the Hudson north
OF Fort Washin gton. You may count on your
fingers tho number Of houses facing west
ward on the bluffs. and the hillside dsscends
on the east at an inaccessible ,ung.e. Fora great
many years past the few inhabitants OF this
western edge Of the island have enjoyed most
OF the city's couvsniences aud ali tho iChts
OF a rarely beautiful rural region. Tho post
man makes his rounds alternately through
sylvan lanes. lit with gas and supplied with
1lre plugs. and along broad urban bouicvaras
laid out with q view to the wants OF a dense
nOpulafiOn.