The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-31
RmeriCa's Typical
Midsummer Resort


Atlantic City, July So
livery CIVILIZED countr! in the world hdv.
r. ing a coast line washad hv Old Neptune
- can boast OF watching piece or seaside
res,rt where rest, rec ipo"atlon and recrsa
tion may be enjoyed. eng and has its Brighton
and is proud OF it. Belgium has its world
nous Ostende, one Of the most exclusive and
cosmopolitan resorts Of this kind in the whole
world. The Frcnchman swells with pride at the
mention Of Boulognc, and every German holds
up TO view his Nordenai. Even little Holland
boasts of its Scheveningcn. But in America all
these names, taken together, are meaningless
when compared with the magical fascination Of
Atlantic City. Few indeed those in whom
the mention Of this place docs not arouse fond
rcCOllcCtiOns or vain antiClpltlons. The very
name is Synonymous with all that is enjoyable
and the most pro,ac Of Us cannot fail to con.
iurc pleasant thoughts when we hear il. And
rightly So. For who has seen all the re.
nowncd resorts Of England and the continent can
say without any conscience quams that not one
of them is comparable in size, picturesqueness
or popularity with our own Atlantic City.
This city by the sea is as distinctly and typic.
ally American a. Niagara Falls or Yellowstone
Park. As an lrshman said: Everybody
as is anybody is here already or intends coming
here" And the lr>hman remarked wisely. A
more cosmopolitan, diversified crowd than that
which assemblies here every season IT would he
dithcult TO find anywhere on the face Of the
globe, All sorts and conditions Of men-and wo.
men, too, for that matter-from prince TO pau.
per and poet to priest are represented But
though titled and untitled foreigners, reputable
and dsrepuahle men without a country are
here in abundance, yet the multitude that
thronCs the place is overwh lmingly American.
Indeed so American is il that one might almost
say that every type Of man or woman 10 he
found in the United States may he found right
here. Apparently none are absent. The bewhsk.
cred haysCcd with the teil.talc dust oi country
still clinging to him and the aristocratic metro.
p0lit1n fashion plate; the loud-spoken sombrero.
beGeckcd southern gentleman who still calls
Northcrncrs yankees" and Spts tobacco JUICE
at the ceiling and the cultured Bostonan; the
millionaire and the clerk. tho heiress and the
shop girl; N" callow youth and the GOV maiden;
the crooks and the advenurcsses-all these types
ana hundred others are 10 be seen here,
-
The attractions which serve 10 bring these
hosts together are as rrultifaloB as tey are di.
varshCd Chief ot them all, 1T 90 i'sa, is the
bathing. Everyone goes hitaip; 10 como 20
Atlantic CITY and fail TO take the surf baths is
like crossing the ocean and then not travelling
abroad The sight, Of a midsummer's morning,
Of ten 10 twenty thousand people disporting
themselves in the rolling, rollcking waves or
on the smooth sandy beach is one not soon 20
| he forgotten D,nure ldSses and gallant lads
just out Of college and seminary hIsk in the
sunshine and in the light Of each others eyes.
For them II is Paradise without the serpent.
Also there are the young women who have
passed the seminary stage Of Occurrences who
imagine they have purpose" in life and in
conversing with eligible young men deplore the
! recent tendency toward impreSsionsm in art,
| the decadence in Literature, the materialism Of
| the age, ct cetera ad nauSeam Then there
| are the new women" (paradoxically they are
| nearly always old) who str,r mljestically up
and down the sand, usually with a Mr. Meek in
| tow. BIt the nE 'cStical dcmcdnor Of this sort
| of female vsushes with surprising siddenness in
| the huilcting surf when tine eternal feminine
| helplesSnesS crops ont and NJ Meek once aga n
| feels glorious sense OF superiority Inter.
| speTsed among these typos are the hundred and
one Others We spoke about, all enjoying them.
selves to the utmost and all looking very mu,h
| alike. For clothes largely make the modern
| man and In dscarding his clothes he loses much
Of his individuality. You can't tell a million.
arc from beer brewer in bathing suit.
Next to a dip in the brlny deep the board
| walk Is the most popular attraction in the re.
| sort There is not another place in the world
that can boast Of an elevated steel and wood
promenade nearly five miles in length forty feet
| in width and twelve feet high. On the one side
| is an unohstructed view Of the ocean, while the
| other side Is lined with innumerable booths
| shops, shows and "fakelics," where the gulible
guileeSs visitor is readily relieved Of his ready
cash, From early morning til late into the
| night there is ceaselesS stream of humanity
promenading this board walk. They come and
| 20 In seemingly never'ending procession. In q
| truly democratic manner grand danes In gor,
geous rament rub elbows with overworked gri
| settles and magnstes with minions. In thf
| height Of the season the board walk is often Sc
congested as to make walking dificult Especial
| ly IA this A AT night, when the parade Of peo
| pie amid myriad dancing lights resembles A
| Kaleidoscope phantasmagorn. Passengers m
passing vessels who have seen the Atlantic City
| beach front at night from distance describe il
as veritablc fairy land, The tour piers that jut