New-York tribune., 1899-06-16
interesting and some funny sights; but saw also

many pathetic ones.
The fve-cent fare Is great inducement TO all
classes but the companies do not guarantee seats.
and the women and children standing up and cling
ing TO each other all the long distance excited my
sympathy. This may not be hard to bear In the
early morning hours when the spirits are buoyed up
with great expectations OF pleasures TO follow; but
on the return trip late in the afternoon even
Ing with nothing to look forward to but the hot
and confined atmosphere Of the apartments whence
they fed. 1t is different, and must be hard TO
endure.
To enjoy the seaside at Its best. to get from II
a healthy. invigorating influence. one must remain
there overnight. must breathe its evening and It's
morning air, must feel the witchery OF Its noon
light and know the Joy OF sunrise walk on its
wave-hardened sand
Very few Of these poor people enjoy these
experiences. The mother starts with her charges
as early In the day possible. arrives at the
beach just when the sun is getting too hot for real
pleasure. stays through the glare OF the day. ana
returns tired and at night. OF course. the
children have good time anyway, for most OK
them are too young to know that they poor.
and the little houses or palaces they build I'm the
shifting sands may be quite gratifying TO them
real ones to fu-grown and women.
1t Is better than nothing IL Isl but might
IT not be improved? Might not some arrangement
be made by virtue OF which mothers with their
children could spend or two nights at the
now exclusively reserved for those who can spend
nights the hotels?
1t seems to me II be. and with your permis-
sion will briefly set forth a plan that has often
been In my mind within the last year. IL is 70
secure and inclose a suitable area Of beach, and
erect within It small board sheds and houses sum-
Client in number and capacity 10 protect the ex-
within them hunks berths similar to those In
the cabins of North River and Sound steamboats,:
to construct these berths that they may DO
easily taken out and returned 10 their positions
after renovation; and 10 use clean sand In place or
mattresses Clean sand Is a very comfortable
material to lie down upon II is easily renewed ana
be kept free from minute forms or lie Dy
well-known chemicals. 1t could be covered with
burlap any coarse cloth which could be washed
every time occupant might be expected
Add TO this sand berth a sand pillow and you nave
a lodging place that thousands of children ana
tired women would be glad to occupy, and TO pay
a little something for the privilege. Sandwiches,
fruit coffee and tea could also be supplied on the
premises at cost.
An arrangement OF this kind under the proper
auspices controlled by wise regulations and well
policed should be great blessing TO the children
and the mothers OF Brooklyn
II It worked well the number OF these Enclosures
could be increased. Some OF them could be con-
Quoted purely as charities and others might DO
made to pay expenses, and those which paid ex-
penses could be multiplied indefinitely.
I strongly hope that this brief outline OF what
Is possible may seem attractive TO the many
phlanthropic readers of The Tribune that some
tangible result may follow J. w.
New-York, June l5 1899.