New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-12
IMPROVING THE BEACHES.

The project OF making a large park some
where on the city's ocean front is again 20 the
fore, whether hopefully or not it might be rash
TO declare. There are strong influences in IA
yOr OF such a work, and others against it Also
the advocacy IS divided, some clamoring for a
park at Coney Island and others insisting that
Rockaway Is the only proper place for it. Upon
such points we shall not assume TO arbitrate
hut content ourselves with pointing out that It
is possible both are right-that is 70 say. If a
public park on the front is desirable. it
might be we'll TO make one IN each Of those
places The primary question is whether such
a park is really desirable. upon both sides of
which a good deal may be said.
Considering the proverbial fondness of peo-
pie for going TO the seashore In hot weather.
we 1niZht suppose that such a park would meet
one OF the greatest public demands. We know
hat our urban parks are thronged. II they had
the added attraction OF being directly upon the
beach, therefore. We might expect them 20 be
still more frequented. The fact is, however
that concrete experience points in the other di-
rection There is at Coney Island a public
park Half OF II is laid out as a park, with
lawns and flowers and shrubbery, while the
other half remains, perforce, a bit of open
beach. There Is room there for tens OF thou
sands OF people, under TIE open sky, in the
fresh, cool air, by the side Of the sea waves-in
precisely those environments which the city folk
are SUP osed to desire and which the proposed
seaside parks would supply. Immediately ad-
Joining the park, however, Is a stretch Of stone
paved city street closely built up, faring with
hyhts redolent of gas and beer and cutters, and
Allied with the racking noises Of the heart of
the city itself. The sound. the smell, the cool
ness Of the sea, foreign to It an they are
10 Broadway or the Bowery.
Now when The N fh0ueRnds NJ rft
jewellers go down thither for a Sundays or an
evenings outing whittier do they 60? To the
public park, with all the native charms OF see
and sky, or to the hot, noisy artificial bit OF
the Bowery transplanted TO the shore7 1t ia
safe 10 say that for every one who spends his
time IN the park, where he can see the stnrs
and hear the pulsing thunder Of the surf and
feel the GOODNESS OF the south sea breeze a hun
dred tramp the stones OF Surf-ave. and crowd
It's nondescr1pt resorts, where they are practi-
cany az far removed from the beauty and the
blessing OF the sea as though they were In the
heart OF the Sahara They have "gone down 10
the beach" but for all practical purposes they
might as well have stayed in town They get
nothing there that might not as well be sup
piled 10 them here.
We are not arguing that therefore II voulo
be idle 70 create great seaside park. On the
contrary, we are inclined 10 think such an IN
stltuuOn would be { good thing. But the fact
may as well be recognized that, instead of meet
ing q great public demand, II would be sort
OF educational concern, which would have to
create its own demand. That such demand
could be created II is reasonable to suppose
Man is reasonable being. and is capable OF
understanding that If he wants to drink beer or
play pool or ride on a merry -goround OF watch
a variety show. he can do SO in the city just as
well as at the beach and save himself his car
fare and tedious ride TO boot. He is also
capable OF understanding that there are other
thanxa than thssa Hell north altoy1ns. which