The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-13
Beauties Which Make Up the
Charm OF This Lovely Bay.
Difference Between New Jersey Coast
and Rhode Island Shore.
Interesting Points About Newport, Oak
land Beach and Narragansett Pier.

OAKLAND BEAcH, r. l., July g, 1893 =
"What are the wild waves saying" along
the pebbly beaches of Narragansett Bay? /
took down their remarks in shorthand to-
day, and free translation of the same, as
seemed 10 catch words and import, was in
substance that they were all ready for the
bathing season of 1895. Everybody seek
ing their briny embraces would be well
coined, but the patronage OF pretty girls
was especially solicited. "Whyl" said i
TO the waves aforesaid: "That's q regular
business announcement and should cost
you at least 20 cents line. +" "That's all
right" i thought 1 heard a surf soloist
sing out. "6tep into our Office, corner of
Deepwater and McGinty streets, any time,
and Wen wash out the obligation. F"
From Watch Hill TO Little Compton, COW
ering an area of nearly $50 square miles,
the blue waters of Narragansett Bay wash
the picturesque shores of Rhode Island,
upon which are located more delightful
seaside resorts perhaps than any coast line
in the world Of equal length can show.
; knew of course before I came here of
Watch Hill. Block Island, Narragansett
Pier and Newport, but thorough tour of
observation "alongshore" recently has
revealed 10 me the existence of scores of
minor coast resorts had never heard of,
the beauties of which find TO be the real
charm OF this lovely bay.
A PECULIAR SALTY FLAVOR.
Every loWu DedC0 along InlS sea
shore has peculiarly salty flavor, as
If Father Neptune had breathed over
Rhode Island the breath Of his own ocean
born vigor. Bristol, quiet, old-fashioned
place that once was great whaling town,
and boasted quite commerce long before
New York came into prominence, is the
best specimen Of We antiquated New
England seaport the mutations of time
have left stranded on hckleFortune' s reefs.
l. used TO consider Nantucket the prize
fossil OF all the old whaling ports with
their mnsty, salty flavor of olden days by
the sea, but the Bristol trademark of dilap-
idation out-ancients Nantucket by full
century, and the latter's air is but the
breath OF baby sea god compared to that
briny atmosphere which old Neptune
himself supplies TO the former. II you
want TO see a veritable gone-to-seed relic
/. of an antique, colonial coast town and
want TO sniff up doulbe-distilled, triple
extract OF "bouquet de saline,n 90 to
Bristol, X l., my reader. They have
faint imitation odor of the sea along the
New Jersey shore and elsewhere on the
Atlantic coast; the true business, none
genuine without Neptune & Co. blown in
the bottle brand OF air brine, though, Is
only made at the subterranean labora-
tories OF the aforementioned firm
located under Narragansett Bay.
A HUNDRED RESORTS
presume there are at least 100 small
local beach resorts between Watch Hill and
Seaconnet Point, II. i. i cannot undertake
TO describe them all or even name more
than few of them. Buttonwoods, Oak
land, Greenwich, Little Compton, Wick
ford, Warwick, Bayside, Crescent
Park and Rocky Point are among the
most prominent OF these minor places
For beauty of location, quiet and healthy
surroundings, good bathing Rrounos and
excellent hotel accommodations, Oakland
Beach, only 10 miles from Providence, Is
the most attractive spot on Narragansett
Bay. We have here magnificent strecth
OF water before us and broad stretch of
meadow-land behind us. A commodious
and well-kept inn is perched on COM
mancing eminence but few yards from
the waters edge, toward which a lovely
lawn slopes down. There are two pretty
innlets,. one on the upper and the other
on the lower side of the jutting poin, of
land whereon the hotel is situated. When a
seaward breeze blows In, the air is wonder
fully bracing, and when land breeze pre-
walls the delicious odor of new-mown
hay or OF woods and wild flowers is borne
to ones senses like grateful incense.
Pure, fresh air You know is my great hob
by, and don't think that ever found a
spot where local conditions combined TO
supply the two varieties s-sea and country
air-in such purity, strength and con-
stancy as they do at Oakland Beach.
Those of You who may read this and who
~
along the Jersey coast or north of New
port, would find the air and attractions of
Narragansett Bay new and delightful |
revelation.
HAPPY COMPROMISE.
The sandy, barren beaches OF New |
Jersey are tame and fatiguing TO the eve. |
"A sea breeze there Is only breath of |
damp air, and a land breeze Is perfect |
sirocco OF heat that brings swarm OF |
mosquitoes in its wake. The New En- |
are, as rule, the base line OF "a stern |
and rock bound coast, where the water |
Is too cold TO battle in, even IL you can get |
to 10 over the cliffs and lodges. And the |
air of this region is usually In summer |
time one part ozone and ninety-nine parts |
ocean fog.
Besides Narragansett Bay Is a most
happy compromise between the sultry,
sandy coast OF New Jersey and the bleak,
foggy coast OF Massachusetts, or Maine.
Instead OF dreary stretches of sand or
rough and slippery ledges OF rocks, the
shore line there is a succession of "sweet
fields arrayed in living greenn with
rivers OF delight penetrating inland
every few miles The grass grows right
down TO the smooth pebbly beach all
along this coast. The lay OF the land back
from the waters edge is for the most part
gentle upgrade, with here and there a
range OF bluffs TO break the monotony
and lend picturesque effect TO the general
outline. am describing the intermediate |
shore between Narragansett Pier and the
west end of the bay and Newport at the
east. AT those two particular points
there is combination of rocky and sandy
beach, and in consequence of their ex-
posed positions n rougher aspect OF sea
and strand. The bay extends northward
81 miles into the State, and II Is along
its interior coast line find the numerous
small resorts that suit me bes.. and which
possess the beautiful features OF a beautiful
country behind, with a broad sweep OF
still water In front; gravelly beaches and
CLASSY coves; bracing but not boisterous
breezes, and quiet, comfortable hotels,
Instead OF the usual noisy, crowded hos
telries Of more fashionable places.
MARITIME PLEAsUREs
At these smaller resorts excellent fishing
prevails either outside in deep water or
among the numerous inlets and coves.
Lobsters, soft and hard shell crabs, clans,
scollops and oysters abound everywhere.