The Penn's Grove record., 1894-08-17
OCEAN n We LETTER.


DEAR EDIToR:-When making a
trip TO Asbury Park or Ocean Grove by
all means take the route by way of Sea.
side Park. l with my family have been
visiting this beautiful seaside resort
for about ten years, but never until
this year did we take the Seaside Park
route. We left Philadelphia on Mon
day at 100 p. NJ, and Camden ten
minutes later. The train was an eX-
press and made but three stops between
Camden and Barnegat pier, which were
Mt. Holly, Island Heights Junction and
Toms River and every mile of the road
was al enjoyable one, especially was
the miles of ride through the pine for.
ests very celebrating, and the ride
crossing Barnegat Bay is really charm
ing.
don't know the width OF this Bay
but it seemed to mt to be about as long
a bridge as l ever rode over. As the
train ran very slow in crossing it was
quite interesting TO watch the anglers
as they drew in very many Of the finny
tribe. Another panorama here was the
Bay filled with many beautiful yachts.
After crossing the Bay we have, of
course, reached the Atlantic coast and
Seaside Park was the lifst town ON the
eastern shore of the Bay. The balance
of the run being along the coast we
drank in the ocean breezes all the bal
ance of our journey to this place which
we reached about AIS p. NJ. We at
ono repaired to our Hotel, the Ellwood
House, where We are comfortably lOcat-
ed, occupying the same room that we
have always had, with n exception
for ten years.
They tell me here that this has been
the most successful season that Asbury
Park and Ocean has ever experienced,
all the Hotels and boarding houses be
ing filled with guests and have been
since prior to or about July LIST. There
are now here, in the two cities combin.
ed 125, 900 persons and the board walk
is crowded from ten O'Clock a. M, TN
til about eleven 2. NJ. The bathing is
not as good this year as usual on ac-
count of the great shifting of the beach
but Notwithstanding this there are
thousands of happy bathers enjoying
the surf every day. There are a great
many people who never come 10 this
seaside resort on account of the straight
laced blue laws, but l don't find it so.
There are lots of amusements here Of
many varieties. The larger Hotels at
Asbury Park have their hops and par
lor entertainments. Then there are the
merry-go.rounds, toboggan slides, cry
stal raIzs, bowling alleys. billiard par
lors and on Friday night the Ministries
will he here. At the pavillions on the
board walk the masses are entertained
every night by the Brass Bands. Now
what more is there TO want. The only
element missing here is the rough and
l cannot say that we are entirely free
from that, for there are indications and
experiences every day that tell us that
there are thieves and pick pockets
around so we must be on the lookout
for intruders of this kind. The police
yesterday made a raid on several places
that were running speak easies, so you
see the bad will get in at times, not
withstandiDg every effort on the part
of the authorities to keep it out.
/ did want to write q word about the
great Auditorium that has just been
dedicated here at Ocean Grove. 1t is
the grandest audience hall l ever saw.
Its dimensions are 161x225 feet, almost
an acre, with a seating capacity of 8, 70O
people the first floor being fitted with
comfortable folding leather cushioned
chairs while the ~settees from the old au-
ditorium are used in the galleries. The
building is illuminated by about 900 in
candescent lamps, presenting a most
beautiful appearance. This is all l
have time to write as l must get this
off by next mail in order that you may
get it in time in case you would like to
publish it. Yours truly,
w. d. ROBBINS.