New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-07
UNIQUE SOUTH BEACH.
THE aiETAMORPHosIS OF A LAND OF FIDDLER
CRABS AND SAND Fi.EAs INTO A SUMMER


THE MrTAMORPHosIs OF LAND OF FIDDLER
CRABS AND SAND Fi.EAs INTO A SUMMER
EDITION or THE BOwERY
Lying along the southern side OF Staten Island Is
a narrow stretch OF low sandy beach. separated
from the remainder o. the ISLAND by a broad. salt
meadow Up 10 within - few years ago sand heas
and nldler crabs held ,u sway on this sand beach.
md no ono came to rake up and cart away the car
ron FISH and refuse from the citys garbage scows
which were washed up the shore by the incoming
tide over In the swamp behind the beach the frogs
croaked the peppers peepel and the ever-Nary mos
quito lowered in the long grass. it's family multi
plying every hour. watching and waiting for human
victims
Finally man came and woman also. Few IN num-
bers at frst but more and more after awhile. until
the fiddler crabs driven 10 other quarters and
the sand heas were tramped 20 death by hundreds
OF thousands. but they refused 10 give up their
homo entirely. IN spite OF the slaughter. The
mosquitoes went joyfully forth and returned we'll
filed. Man at the seashore, 1t seems. must have
beer 10 drink. And thus II pass that this
barren stretch OF reddish-brown sand became. al
most in night. full-hedged summer resort and
the Bowory moved down there during the hot
weather South Beach the place named. from
reasons perfectly logical.
Tho history Of the growth OF this place would
make a boomer OF Western town turn green with
envy. Before any one ever thought OF making a
summer resort at that point the Staten Island Rapid
Transit Company extended It's line a station next
below Fort Wadsworth and called II Arrochar.
Some inquistive individual discovered that II was
only short walk Of perhaps hall mile from the
station the shore of the Lower Bay. and that It
could be reached across neck OF high ground at
the eastery end OF the salt meadow.
The of this discovery apparently spread rap
idly and It only short time before the visitors
began 10 come In tens and even hundreds. partcu-
larry on Sundays and holidays The itinerant vend-
ers OF peanuts and fruits followed the crowd Some
OF the more enterprsing ones set up small stands.
and lemonade and other soft drinks were dis
pensed to the thirsty Gradually the temporary
stands began to assume a more substantial appear
ance. and 1t only short time before the famll-
lar sign OF huge and foaming glass OF beer began
to appear with the announcement that thirsty NOR
tails could secure all that amount OF cooling bev-
erdge for Ave cents.
From beers saloons 10 bathing pavilions
short step and II soon taken. In some re-
spects the shore was excellent for bathing. this
exercise could be INDUCED In at any time OF the
tide and the water salt the ocean Itself
/ The breakers were not heavy at any time which
was an argument in favor of the place for many
| people and at times the water was smooth and
calm IA a mill pond 1t was not particularly clear
when the tide came In and brought with II the Nth
dumped from garbago-scows.
The saloon and bathing pavilion brought with
them the usual dance-halls, merry go-rounds tooog
gan slides on wheels, shooting galleries photograph
Studios and cheap concert halls These Increased
and multiplied. and the place grew and grew. until
there nearly two miles OF buildings and a
wide board walk extending along in front OF them.
There side streets in South Beach All the
buildings front the ocean. with back yards
toward tho swamp. Consequently the view OF this
enterprsing summer city from the Island proper.
with It's two solid miles of back yards and clothes
lines from which fly innumerabe bathing suits and
other equally picturesque garments, Is not one
which would inspire either poet painter.
/ For year two after the place was started
! the only way to reach the beach was across the