Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07
ATLANTIC CITY NOTES
PROSPECT OF LARGE ATTEND
ANCE DURING LENT.
Many Improvements Made Since Last
Season and Others Are
Contemplated.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
ATLANTIC CITY, February e.-Atlantic
City has been album and a-bustle with
preparation this week for the dawning of
the Lenten season, which Is always more
interesting than the mighty midsummer
rush. The colony Of winter visitors has
been augmented by many hundreds during
the past week, and the bookings for next
are very heavy. The grounding prophecy
of late spring is disputed by the goose
bone oracles," and the evidence so far ia
vors the latter.
The big boardwalk hotels that never close
have been furnishing and adding improve
ments at intervals throughout the winter
and are now spick and span for the season.
There is an opening almost daily now Of
beach-front hotels that have been closed
during the winter. All of these are brave
in new coats and added luxuries. Among
those that have reopened during the week
are the Chalfonte by the Leeds & Haines
Company, the Pennhurst by William Hood.
the BreXton by ]. A. Myers, the Seaside
House by Charles EvenS & Son and the
Hygeia, refitted and leased by Charles A.
Shelby. The Garden Hotel has been leased
and will be managed the coming season by
]. H. Finch, formerly Of the Stirling. The
Hotel Ponce de Leon has been enlarged and
improved by Mrs. S. E. Sweeney and will
open soon. Two stories have been aaued to
the Hotel Rio Grande, which will be man
aged by its proprietor, j. Paul fitzpatrick.
BENJAMIN Rosenblatt of this city and NJ.
Weinmann & Bro. Of Philadelphia have
given a contract for a four-story brick and
stone hotel at the boardwalk and New York
avenue.
enterprise propose taking this contract
from the city and building the promenade
on line to be agreed upon by the city au-
thorities and the property owners. The
will no OF nil
lars and the walk will be eighty feet in
width, and possibly one hundred in the
congested district in the vicinity of the big
piers The electric line will be double
tracked from the inlet to Chelsea and sin
gle-tracked, with switchouts, from that
| point to Longport Stations will be built at
Intervals of two blocks at the side of the
promenade, with steps leading to platforms
beneath These will be Of ornamental de-
sign and will in no wise impair the at
Effectiveness of the esplanade.
The touch Of spring in the air the past
few days has stimulated interest in out-of-
door recreation and exercise. The latter has
found it's favorite expression in horseback
riding, especially among the women visitors
Pacific avenue, the Speedway and the beach
are the resorts of the equestriennes and
morning and late afternoon the time A
charming Colorado Springs girl has intro
duced cross-riding and, incidentally,
storm Of criticism and discussion. Her ex-
matron, and the two gallop over the town
together while their side-saddled sisters
look at them askance and say uncompli-
mentary things. The men have taken sides
and the discussion, pro and con, Is waxing
hot and hotter.
A woman doctor has taken up the cud-
gels in favor of cross-riding, but she has
not yet made any converts. Her argument
on the score of safety and health falls on
deaf ears, and her contention that the
straddle Is more graceful than the lopsided
style is not convincing to her audience.
An impromptu exhibition of rough riding
is given every day on the beach front by
number of men and boys who are experts
in the saddle. They are all visitors and the
sons Of rich residents. and they never lack
for a large and enthusiastic audience
Hurdle racing, picking objects from the
ground while at full gallops and short
stopping" are among the numbers on the
program, and thousands gather daily on
the Boardwalk to witness the sport.
The concerts at some of the leading hotels
were resumed this week, and orchestras
will be Installed In all Of them within the
next week or two. The growing popularity
OF Atlantic City as a winter resort. and
especially as city for winter residence. has
led to the erection Of large and constantly
increasing number Of apartment houses.
Some of these rival In size, luxury Of APP