New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-18
RUSH TO COMFY ISLAND
CdRS J4MMED all DAY.
Thousands Throng Luna Park and
Other amusement Places.

with enough sunshine TO make bathing popu-
lar Coney Island was thrown into the mlost OF
its summer season yesterday, and not even the
biggest first days OF former years could COM
pare with the crowds which filed down SURF ave-
nue and the Bowery. There was enough amuse-
rnent 10 please and satisfy every one, although
many Of the resorts will not be opened untll
Saturday.
The rush to the island so great that the
Frooklyn Rapid Transit Company had express
trains running on two-minute Roadway. ana
even then the crowd made things uncomfortaoie
on the bridge platforms. At Coney islano the
same conses,ed condition existed, and when the
return rush began the stations at the west f-ho
the Culver station and Luna Park were SO over
crowded that the gates had to be closed while
the pens were being emptied Of hghtlng mop
anxious to get back TO the city
On the trains the mob fought and struggled
,,,.il 36th street was reached. the Fifth ave
me division Of the Coney Island road AL TINS
,,oint the railroad detectives were ready to
answer the motorman's signal for help, and NOT
4 few times riots followed the efforts Of the po-
lice TO null the rowdies from the cars
While Inspector O'Brien said that his men had
made no arrests at Coney Island, he added that
2 number of Secret Service men had been sent
down TO hunt for the counterfeiters who began
operations on Saturday Bad half-dollars ana
dollars had been passed in hotels and amuse-
1nent places to such an extent that 1t was SAID
nearly $4,000 would be lost. AT the same time
the police looked for pickpockets, who We're
down III droyes believing work easy there be-
cause Of the general transfer of police
Luna Park was too small for the throng which
crowded about the gates, so that il was impos-
sihle to give 'hallyhoo" parades on the mann
walks The shows, including the Battle OF
The Merrinlac and the Monitor" and the Man
Hunt spectacle. took in enough money 10 pay
for their construction. Everything was open'
an5 Frederic Thompson personally directed the
handling Of the crowds. At times ropes were
stretched across the walks and traffic squad
WAS kent busy disentangIing families from the
rnesh of humanity which seemed to nave no
End.
Steeplechase Park also had a record crowd.
which proved that another amusement resort
was needed 10 satisfy the pleasure seekers
over a. Drean1land BILL" Ellis was counting the
number of dollars he had lost by not having his
Hereafter spectacle open 10 the public, and MS
only consolation was that the money strlngencN
was thing Of the past and that Dreamland
CAV would soon be here The Bostock snow was
given for the first time
In the direction of Sea Gate preparations were
heinR made for the Coney Island Hippodrome.
which will be under canvas on May 30 The
hig field al Surf avenue and West goth street
was being leveIled for the three-ring circus
which viii he one Of the features of the new
show.
The shownen found themselves confronted
with = problem which they failed to take into
account when the seats were placed in the dill
Terent auditoriums. Where four square 1eet
were formerly allotted to every person. the big
Merry Widow" hats now require double that
amount of space. In many instances every time
Minnie became interested in the performance
her escort was compelled TO be content with
her story Of what going on Hotel men
Joined in denouncing the big hats, and James
Stuberbord suggested that the police should
nut a ban on the headwear in the same way
that they stopped kissing the beach. Unless
smaller hats are many radical changes
will have 10 he made in the show places ami
Surf avenue will have TO be widened-
The hats caused many disturbances on the
Fowery and the boardwalks that the police
had busy time quelng fights which followed
when 2 hat tore piece off a mans ear or be
came entangled in the crowd
Before the lights turned out in Luna
Park last night Frederic Thompson announced
that nearly one hundred thousand persons had
visited his resort. At o'clock the crowd was
entering at the rate Of 1900 an hour