Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-05
IMPROVEMENTS IN EVERY DIRECTION
The New Board Walk and Its
characteristics.
n OTES AND SIP
STAFF Correspondence Of The Evening Star.


phere to the exclusion of all else. Lucky
is the individual who prefers to get up with
the ice man, because such does not have
his beauty sleep spoiled by the muscular
efforts of the merry carpenters. Following
up the natural Interrogation that such
condition inspires the observer here is apt
TO reach the conclusion that every fourth
house Of a public character is having its
capacity enlarged in order to meet the de-
mands which each summer season sees in
crease in remarkable proportions. and for
every four such additions it is hardly ex
aggeration to state that one entirely new
building is being constructed. The vacant
lots on the more prominent avenues are
held at ever rising figures, and find eager
buyers at seemingly ridiculous prices. The
meadows UP near the inlet are giving place
TO city streets and cottages. The we'll
known sand hills down near the Excursion
House at the opposite end of the city have
been leveled, and there are now blocks
upon blocks Of houses lining the broad
avenues running through them. Atlantic
City. in Il word. is increasing the capacity
of her already enormous NAV to swallow
summer visitors as she never has before.
Board Walk or Esplannde.
Along the ocean front new board walk
is being erected. I will be criticised and
illuminated for calling 1t new board
| walk Its supports are powerful steel
posts driven deep into the sand. with steel
piers resting upon them. and on the latter
the heavy wooden flooring is being laid.
Owing to the modern character of its con-
struction the old and familiar name. which
made and makes Atlantic City famous the
world over. which makes this sandy strip
of Jersey shore distinctive in London or
Bombay, in San Francisco or Chicago as
the magic name of Broadway" makes
New York-in a word, The Board Walk
has been decided entirely too COM
!nonplace, and the lew affair is to be
known as THE Espanade," and to make it
worse those who favor the newer nomen-
claturc call it the .'Asply nard.' Il will be
interesting to hear what the coming mil
lions of summer visitors will call it, and
whether they will submit to the eradication
of the name of that broad wooden sweep
along the shore, where they all meet On
common level, and which presents
July or August Saturday night or Sunday
the most remarkable kinetescope OF hu-
nanity on earth.
Along the Inside Edge.
Probably there are no other three miles
of walk or "asplynard," or anything else
you choose to call it, in the world fringed
by such complexity of catchpennies as
this stretch along it from Pennsylvania
avenue to the Excursion House. There are
the tin-type galleries profuse as the
apocryphal leaves of EaiIambrosa. The
specimens of work exhibited in the frames
in front of them are ten years study for
an ethnologist. In them you find the sum
mer girl portrayed in every style of gar
niture-walking dresses. ball costumes
bathng-but let's draw the line. Here are
the summer boys from every Pennsylvania
and Jersey town, and from other places
far and near, and here are sedate business
men and sturdy farmers. In those frames
IS the composite photograph of the Ameri-
can people, and on a day of summer
crowds you see the breathing original of
it sursing up and down the broad boards
| i,, Of
merry-go-rounds. where little and big chill
drcn whirl around the live-long day; the
omnipresent candy booths. filled with salt
water taffy:' phrenologists, who invite you
to have your talents told" monographs
microscopes, curio shops, mineral water
and soda water booths, millinery establish
ments. those dyspepsia creators, better
known as eating houses; jewery stores,
observation towers, toboggan shoots, and
bath houses that seem Capacious enough
in their number to accommodate a million
people.
FroprietOrs of the Places.
The proprietors of all these places make
money, too, and lots of it, but for eight
months in the year they sit by with folded
hands, so far as Atlantic City is concerned
Many of them follow the crowds to the
south. Turk sat with his legs crossed on
the floor in Haddon Hall yesterday. with
rare draperies spread before him. He gave
me pleasant smile and little nod /
had priced his wares last winter in the
Windsor Hotel at jacksonville Before
then he had quietly conducted his business
at our own Arlington. The Turk was a
picturesque representative of the nomadic
class of merchants who favor Atlantic
City in summer, although he will probably
fly still further northWard and be found
silent and squatting at Newport and Bar
Harbor before August comes around. There
IS an army OF the craft, however whose
members make Atlantic City their home all
thew a
sure every one who gives them the op-
portunity that they ''starve nine months in
the year in order to live three.
Home Talent and the Imported.
Another popularity with them is their
hearty hatred Of those who have entered
into business on the island without making
it their permanent place of residence while
if such persons happen to purchase their
supplies elsewhere than in Atlantic City
itself they are regarded entirely proper
subjects for cruciIxion or worse. Some
times there Is a big storm and communion
ton with the mainland either by way of
the meadows or by water is cut Oft for
three or four days. l was here in Septem-
Der. 1889, during such period when even
Geographic news could not be sent out or
gotten in. One of the big hotels-it was the
Brighton-suffered a scarcity of supplies
and yet could get nothing for its guests
from the Atlantic City merchants because
the Brighton had secured its meats and
vegetables elsewhere before the storm. And
the Atlantic Cityites, to the manner born,
brag of this sort of thing though 1t was
the most applaudable course in the world
to pursued
Hypnotic Exhibit.
Already the sensational form of attrac-
ton SO delightful to the crowds here is be-
ginning to be presented. Last night a
young man, who needed money badly, 1
suppose, submitted to the powers of some
hypnotic professionals who are doing q
turn at one Of the local play houses, and
Immediately after being placed In a SOM
nolent state he was put to bed on a cot in
the window Of store on Atlantic avenue,
adjoining the post office. There he has
been ever since, calmly sleeping, while
crowds of people stand and stare at him
Now and then he changes his position
slightly, sleepers will, but it is evident
that he is resting easily despite the glare
of the broad daylight and the constant
noise and movement in the throngs outside
A large placard in the window announces
that the sleeper will be awakened tomor-
row night after forty-eight hours reposs
One irreverent spectator suggested. that the
condition of the man might have been
superinduced by Atlantic City whisky but
it is said there is no awakening from the
slumber inspired by the real Jersey brand
of the article found on this slip of the sand
There must be an enormous quantity of it
sold here during the season, and there are