The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-08-01
SEEKING SUMMER HOM;
Efforts of the City People to Sec.
Country Comfort.

Efforts of the City People I'd Secure
Country Comfort.
To the student of modern indNlktrial
conditions few tendencies of the. time
are more striking than the grow;h of
cities at the expense of the coantry
districts, not only in America but all
over the world. The congestion of
population in the greater cities has
given rise to some of the most pefplex-
ing of social problems. Overcroyded
tenement houses and generally upsan-
itary conditions of life are amorg it's
results.
1t is therefore encouraging tcAnote
that the exodus of city people in b the
country during the summer insults
becomes larger year by year 9ver-
crowding is bad at all times, but fit is
worst of all during the heated season.
just how many people from NewYork
and Philadelphia and Chicago. and
Boston seek the mountains and the
sea-shore at the approach of July and
August it is, of course, impossible to
say. But the suffered windows along
a fashionable street during those
months indicate that practically every
inmate of the costly houses is out of
town."
Other reasons besides the search for
comfort justify the fight. A thought
full writer attributes the remarkable
physical and mental soundness Of the
upper classes in England IN t,srge
measure to the fact that they spend
- ho; ! lo. t-tr.
seats.
The rich American who divides his
time between two homes follows the ex-
ample not only of the great families of
England, but of the ancient Roman
also, who fed to his villa in the APP
ennines at the first approach of the
summer heats. Whatever relieves the
strain and tension of our eager Amer
lean life is desirable; and nothing
could accomplish this purpose better
! than a few weeks quiet sojourn in the
country every year.
But what of those who cannot afford
such sojourn? While the great
houses on the fashionable thorough
fares are empty it seems cruel that the
cramped dwellings in the narrow
streets and alleys should be as crowd
ed as ever.
OF course, this is but one of the Incl
dents of poverty; but with the con-
stantly growing facilities for rapid
transit, it is hard to understand why
workingmen do not generally live in
the suburban regions rather than in
the heart of the cities.
The moderately well-to-do are fast
learning the advantages of such loca-
ton for their homes, as is attested by
the rapid territorial expansion of cities
like London and Chicago.
1t is surprising that in one respect
we are so far behind European cities.
In summer the inha bitant of Berlin or
Paris is out of doors practically all the
time that is not spent in sleep or work.
Meals are taken out of doors; concerts
| and other forms of amusement are en-
joyed in the open air.
The parks are utilized much more
fully than with US, Notwithstanding
our liberal appropriations for such pur-
poses. Municipal governments could
hardly spend their money in better
way than in tempting people out of
their houses as soon as winter relaxes
its hold upon doors and windows
To turn the tide of population-espe-
cially of foreign born population-back
to the country would doubtless be bet
ter than any device for ruralizing the
city. But efforts in this direction do
not seem to meet with much success.
The fortune-seeker is apt to go city
ward; only those who have made their
fortunes are apt to go back to the
country to enjoy them. The two
streams are naturally far from equal.
1t is worth while to note, however,
that the summer migration of city folk
has resulted in keeping a certain num-
Der of country people at home. The
regions frequented by the summer
people," as they are called, are not apt
to be filed with abandoned farms. The
native population have found a new
occupation in providing for their visit
ors The city market is brought to
their doors.
In several of the New England
states, particularly Maine and New
Hampshire, many people obtain a live
lihood in this way who might other
wise have helped to crowd the already
overfilled tenement houses of Boston
and New York.-Youth's Companion.