Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-27

vacation idea popular with thousands who
never entertained it before. The central
Chautauqua and its seventy-odd branches
gather together a multitude that numbers
from 10000 to 1,ooo,GG at all times during
the season. With the other educational, re
hgfous and temperance assemblies the
ChautauquaS continually entertain no fewer
than 1,oo0u0 pleasure-seekers and repre-
sent an expenditure probably not less than
100000 per day.
Any comprehensive account of the
amounts paid out for summer vacations by
Americans must include large item under
the head of ocean travel. In any ordinary
season the cabin lists of all the Atlantic
liners are crowded from May until Sep
TENDER. certain amount of this travel
Is on account of business, but the majority
OF the travellers are on pleasure bent. In
addition to the regular voyages of the liners
there are many special trips TO various
parts of the world which claim thousands
of voyagers.
No fewer than 500 900 is a safe estimate
of the number of those who take their sum-
mer outing in the form of a sea trip. 1t is
expected that next year nearly l,Vppo
Americans will cross the Atlantic to visit
Europe and attend the Paris exposition.
Cities as Summer Resorts.
1t is not usual to consider the large cities
like Chicago, New York and Boston. as
summer resorts. but it Is fact that good
many persons spend their vacations in these
to rent certain high-class apartments in
New York and Chicago in summer than in
winter. They are taken for the most part
by visitors from the south, who choose
this time to visit the northern cities and
view their various attractions. Many
clergymen, teachers and professional men
from other parts of the country spend their
vacations in one or another of the large
cities where they can make use of libraries
or other conveniences that they desire to
enjoy.
Practically all Of these vacation trips add
to the income Of some one of the railway
systems of the country. The general pas.
senger agent of one of the smaller lines
says that the income of his road from va
cation passenger travel is Ssa@,VD. In the
case of the great systems like the Penn
sylvania and the New York Central this
business must be worth from s1,5oo,oae to
S2N0,U annually.
The Individual cost of these vacat ton
trips varies from a few dollars for railroad
fare in the case of the man who visits rela-
tiyes or friends in the country to $4,000 or
above for those who stop at expensive no
tells In fashionable resorts. Altogether it
is quite within the bounds of reason to say
that Americans spend, account of their
summer pleasures 500, 0O8. 600 to $500 coz 900
This is a tidy sum to eXpend for the sake
Of having a good time. If all Americans
were willing to dispense with their outings
the government the amount would be suff1-
cient to extinguish the national debt of
S91S,ao9.ooo in two years, 1t is nearly dou-
bic the entire expense of the Spanish
American war.
Not Altogether Loss.
In treating of this subject the statistician
would include as part of the cost of sum-
mer vacations the amount which the people
who take vacations would earn If they re-
manned at their ordinary employments dur
ing the same period. For the entire 10000
900 vacationists this must amount to some
S2O0, 100000. This amount can scarcely be
said to be lost, however, as the increased
vieor with which the workman business
man returns to his task probably enables
him to make up the time lost in an absence
of one or two weeks.
The summer vacation has come to be a
social and financial movement of the first
Importance. The influence on business AMI
trade of the movement of $3.50 9Sa, go is not
to be overlooked. This money is scattered
broadcast among railways. hotels and
tIadesmen in every part of the country. a
large part of 1t reaches the persons en-
ployed by the railways. hotels and trades
men, and stimulates the labor market in
places where 1t is apt to need such in
flrence. Ultimately most of this money
returns whence it came, through purchases
made by the country residents, hotel EN-
ployes and others who receive it. Thus II
completes the course followed by the vaca-
tionists themselves and is of double benefit
to the business community. E. W. MAYO.
A Census Of the Church Population.
From the Independent.