Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-11
ATLANTIC CITY RECOVERED
The Horrible Disaster Did Not Permanently
Hurt the Season.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., August Q, 1906.
1t has been but one short week since the
dread disaster which in the midst OF a
bright, gay, season turned rejoicing At
lantic into sorrow and sadness. And yet
within that week Atlantic City has proven
that 1t is a resort OF wonderful power, Of
supreme energy and that its fame is too
fair to be dimmed by such a horror a3
Thursday nights awful collision out on the
meadows. The day after the accident,
when its full horrors had just dawned upon
the people here, the calamity howlers got
TO work. They predicted all sorts Of woes
and misfortcnes. from dire disaster Of the
season to bankruptcy and failure for the
resort All of this they would ascribe to an
accident with which Atlantic City as re-
sort had nothing whatever to do. Indeed,
apart from the question OF responsibility,
the city by the sea jumped into the thick
of the confusion and showered succor and
asss lance right and left. Every hCtei ana
business man in the place threw his doors
open to both sufferers and rescuers alike,
and whatever assistance was needed was
given. All thoughts of moneymaking were
thrown to the winds In the one great senti-
ment OF pity and sorrow. and within three
days Atlantic City had recovered from the
blow which staggered 1t.
Now the disaster is thing Of the past
and the calamity howlers are silent, for not
only Is the business as good as ever. but 1t
is still greater and the influx OF visitors
has attained truly remarkable proportions
AS Atlantic City's sensible and clear-headed
mayor, Franklin p Stoy. said after the ac-
cidant, such an event would not prevent
the people who had prepared to spend their
vacation In Atlantic City from carrying out
their plans. Such calamities occur only
once in many years and never twice in the
same district. SO 1t would not affect travel.
Then, he said, 1t did not alter the aspect
Of the resort one iota. nor make 1t any the
less a place of health and pleasure. and.
further, 1t was patent that enough OF pleas
ant reminders would come before the sea-
sons end to eclipse single day OF sorrow.
The Visiting Army.
And SO the influx has resumed its true
midsummer proportions. and in conse-
quence the hotels are filled and their pro-
prietors are glad. Last Sunday alone there
were fully 25.OOO visitors. All this week
the trains have brought in propordonately
large crowds of people eager 20 cool off
down by the sea- With such foundation
1t Is confidently expected that next week
the second full week Of August is iEvar-
iably the greatest Of the season here.
Among the ranks Of all these visitors
there are many from the capital city. A
stroll along the board walk any fine af
ternoon. a trip on the beach at bathing
hour, or a tour Of the popular amusement
places at night will reveal the presence of
many Washingtonians. Hotel registers
quite numerous. and some of your best
known people are booked for sojourns
varying from a week to a month In dura-
ton.
Some Esplannde Gossip.
Atlantic City's new esplanade Is not yet
entirely finished, despite the promises Of the
&C ntractors. The properties Of the obstruc-
tionists at the lower end of the walk. Lee
G. Bowker, have not yet been condemned
by the commissioners appointed for that
purpose, and the board walk has not been
built through their ground, but around 1t.
This. however. is a matter which cannot
be remedied until the commissioners have
begun their work. which will be on the 14th
of this month. The iron ratings are only
about half completed, and at many points
the temporary wooden rails erected by the
city still stand. There are only a few OF
the handsome Iron lamp posts In position,
and several such minor details as these are
lacking to make the esplanade the thing of
beauty 1t eventually will be.
In the meantime the council has gone to
work to make the new walk, aside from
this, as nearly perfect as possible The
various beach-front men have been notified
to remove their unsightly signs and adyer-
tisements from the walk and to take down
all similar devices from the outside Of the
esplanade.
Once More the Dance.
Some timo ago. 1t will be remembered,
the mayor and the license and police COM
mittee Of council made a tour of in
vestigation along the walk for the purpose
Of wedding out some of the shows given
on the esplanade, against which complaints
had been LOGGED. These complaints alleged
that the exhibitions in question were not
up to the standard Of refinement and taste
which resort like Atlantic City demands
and that some of the performances given
approached very close to the immoral AS
a result Of this tour of investigation, the
Streets of Cairo. the Oriental Theater and
the living picture shows were ordered to
shut up shop. They did SO, but in q day
or two Cairo came to the front again with
a louder hurrah than ever. and, despite
several mimic wars, it has been running
with wide-open doors ever since.
The living pictures seem to have left
town for good. but a few days ago the
Oriental Theater. which Is faded tent.
with stage at ore end where alleged
Egyptian ma:dens disport themselves. open-
ed again, and now the banging of the TOM
tom Is oHce more heard.
Up to date no effort has been made to
close the place again.
Maybe the people want It.
Some Washington Chat.
Among the best-known Washington peo-