New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-22
BATHING At CONEY,
TaeJUe Thousand People Visit Re-
sort-Citg Parks Cr0z0ded.

While az this time last year householdevs were
frantically demanding moro steam from the auto
cratic tanitor. yesterday capped week OF the most
springke weather. More than twelve thousand
people strcIleG along the boardwalk ana summed
themselves at Coney Island. whera snow and slusa
reigned supreme one year ago. Hardy bathers.
headed by ex-Magistrate Tighe. who went SWIM
ming yesterday at Coney Island and Sheepshead
Bay. declared that the water was lust right" At
Jamaica Bay. where a year ago one could walk
across the ice from Rockaway to Canarsie. a good
sized feet of small boats were out the better part
of the day. On the Harlem River there We're as
many oarsmen out on the Sunday preceding
Memorial Day.
The parks were crowded. In Central Park the
drivevays were thronged with carriages and auto
mobiles. the occupants Of which displayed almost
Easter brilliancy ot garb In place Of furs silks
and satins seen. Those afoot for the most
part. had discarded overcoats or wore ths highest
fall spring overgarments.
For those who dwell at the Sign of the open
sky the weather ideal In all the small parks
in the lower part of the city. where the derelicts
gather, every bench occupied by Iounsers
doing and summing themselves. Generally it is
not until the middle of April that the 'benchers
appear in force.
Because Pittsburgers were almost sunstruck
Saturday, and in several Ohio towns the heat
bordering on the sweltering mark, upper
Broadway started out Saturday night to make
book on the weather. It's 10 1 now that there
will be no snow before February, and to that
there will be no snow until February 10 The book
was made and thrown open Saturday night at the
Metropole. and the hotel is now holding several
hundred dollars in bets
Jimmie Young. the bookmaker, started the ball
rolling. Dan O'Reilly was of the same opinion.
He said there would be no Sleighing before Febru-
airy l. and a lively discussion followed and then
the suggestion OF booking The news spread, ana
In less than an hour several bets were registered.
George Considine and his friends are in Florida:
They were told about the odds the weather, and
wired back that they'd take several hundred dol
lars worth
Two classes Of tradesmen have quarrel with
saloon men. In the last two winters, which We're
unusually severe the small coal dealers, particular
" on the East Side made much IN selling pals OF
coal TO the poor at exorbitant prices This winter
there has been comparatively little trade Of this
sort The poor have found il necessary 70 a large
extent to buy only little fuel for cooking, and
almost none for heating purposes The scraps of
coal and wood picked up in the streets by these
people have in many cases removed the neces-
generally do land office business in dispensing hot
liquors and spirits, find little demand for anything
except beer, which costs about onethird the price
Of the hot drinks usually in demand.
The charitable societies of the city report that
the number OF applicants for relief this winter
thus far has been fully = per cent below those IN
the last three years big snoWstoTTn. despite the
employment II affords, always swells the number
of applicants, as does long and protracted cold
wave. There has been neither this year. Many
men employed in excavating and similar work. gen.
orally interrupted to large extent by winter, have
relieved the charitable societies of a considerable
part of their burden.
lnstead or the more seaSonabie reports OF trains
stalled in snowdrifts OF vessels unable 10 reach
South Brooklyn piers because of the ice and rag
Ing billiards, stories in yesterday Of crocuses
almost ready to bloom, ulacs and shrubs budding
and lawns showing 4 spTinglike freshness.
In South Jersey the thermometer registered as
high az 70 degrees In the neighborhood of Rich
field Conn, the school children have been plucking
daudeiion5 for several DAYS. Leaves on lilac bushes
are now as big as mices ears in that neghborhood-