Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-08-24
letter From Atlantic City.
ATLANTIC City, N. ],
August %, 1905.

full morning IN the city by the sea,
and it occurs to me that it might be
interesting to our readers to write and
tell them something about Atlantic
City and what one sees here. 1t is
said that this is the greatest watering
place in the world, and one can read
ily believe it, for where else could 1t
be duplicated?
Although it has permanent popu-
lation of somewhere near 5O,OOO per-
sons, and is therefore no mean city, II
is in the main place OF hotels. Hun
dreds and hundreds of hotels, from
the bio caravansaries able to care for
a thousand guests to the cottages who
take a dozen or so boarders, compose
the bulk of the buildings. Nearly all
of them are of wood, and it seems to
be special Providence that has pre-
vented the destruction of the city by
fire. II is hard to believe, however
that Providence would make any
special interference in behalf of At
lantic City. The reason for con-
structing the buildings Of wood was
that 1t was considered impossible to
get a secure foundation for brick or
stone structures in this land Of sand.
Bedrock is probably couple Of miles
below the surface. Recently a meth
cd Of securing proper foundations has
been devised-heavy piles, or the
trunks OF trees from forty to fifty feet
long, are driven deep into the sand,
and on top Of this is laid eight or ten
feet of solid concrete. This seems to
give stable foundation, and now
they are putting up very large hotels
and other structures of brick and
stone.
1t is said that there are fully $780,
600 visitors in Atlantic City today,
and one can readily believe it. A
vast throng Of people crowd its streets
ard the famous board walk-a merry,
good-humored crowd that has come
here from all parts of the country for
amusement and recreation. And
while the crowd is so large and varied
it is withal orderly, and one will not
get into trouble unless he goes look
ing for it. But while this is true, it
is not to be denied that worl1liness is
the very atmosphere, and the preach
ers can find plenty TO preach about.
The busiest and most crowded places
are the beer gardens and similar re-
sorts, and the gayeties that are COM
nom here are astounding to the I'M
tutored country mind. The chief
feature Of Atlantic City is its famous
board walk. This is splendid prom
enade six miles long and in places
sixty feet wide that skirts the edge of
the ocean from one end of the city to
the other. 1t is elevated from Elk to
ten feet above the beach and in places
extends over the water. The super
structure is of iron, while the foot
way is of Virginia pine boards. Here
hundreds of thousands of people walk
up and down by night and by day,
making a moving picture that is
equalled nowhere else in the world.
At night myriads of electric lights
fegtooned overhead, with thousands
of others on the piers and in front of
the shops, make a scene Of bewilder-
ing beauty and liveliness. On the
landward side of the board walk are
hundreds of booths and stores where
all kinds of wares are sold and the
scores of amusements that are devised
to entertain the multitude. Toward
the sea no obstruction is permitted,
save three or four piers that stretch
far out into the ocean, and pavilions
here and there where the weary may
rest, On the piers there is every sort
of amusement-theatrical perform
ances, concerts, cake walks, baby
shows, Ministries, vaudeville, muse
ums, and so on. These are crowded
day and night. 1t seems stupen'
dous thing to try to provide amuse-
ment for a quarter Of a million people
every day, but the Atlantic City folks
do it-and are getting rich in the
process.
But the most interesting Of all the
sights is the scene on the beach DUR
ing the bathing hours, from ten to
one o'clock each day. Think Of ten
to twenty thousand people in bathing
at the same time-men, women and
children-some dabbling along the
edge of the water, others rollicking
in the surf where the waves break
over them, while few more ventur-
some ones swim out beyond the
breakers. The water is mighty cold