The sun., 1908-04-26


are plentiful on the lake and lie tribu-
| taries.
Asbury Park is now the most iourlshins
| Of the coast resorts this side Of Atlantic
| City, II has the conveniences Of a modern
| city, including a business district OF con-
siderable extent and importance. A feature
| Of the place IL the cosmopolitan character
Of the crowds that are drawn there every
season. People Of all sorts and conditions
meet on the boardwalk and In the casinos.
| Not a few people have the idea that because
| the coast resorts are populated mainly by
wealthy summer colonies there is no room
| for persons OF moderate income. This
| Is by no means true In Asbury Park or
| Long Branch or even in Atlantic City there
are boarding houses where one may put
up for, say, IS a week. while cottages near
| the beach may be rented at 500 to 81, 800
| for the season.
Across tho narrow strip Of Wesley Lake,
whose crescent shaped expanse extends
inland from the beach for almost a mile,
lies Ocean Grove. Although closely united
In many ways, the two cities diher widely
in character. Ocean Grove is purely resi-
dental settlement. II was originally estab-
lished as a camp meeting ground by band
Of Methodists In 1888, and It's present govern
ment is careful to keep up the old tradition
Of order and propriety, The great board
walk for which Asbury Park is celebrated
extends southwark through Ocean Grove,
and the residents Of both places enjoy many
Of its amusement features In common
To the south Of Asbury Park and Ocean
Grove, lying between the railroad and the
beach, are several small settlements con-
sisting, az rule, Of the railroad station, a
few stores lining the main street Of the
village and a little group Of frame cottages
scattered along the waterfront. Thick
groves Of pine and maple extend 10 the edge
Of the beach, bordering the village streets
and surrounding each house with q natural
forest growth. At intervals are shallow.
fresh water lakes and ponds, separating
one from the other the communities Of
Bradley Beach, Avon, Belmar, Como, Spring
Lake, Sea GiTt and Point Pleasant. A mile
or 80 inland is o quiet stretch Of farming
country spread out over ridge Of low hills
and trayersed by winding roads that invite
the visitor 10 long drives through a pictur-
csgue rural region. Two great tidal streams.
the Shark River and the Manasquan River.
extend back into the interior, connecting
with the open sea through narrow inlets.
Like the Shrewsbury and the Navesink at
the north end Of the coast, they are well
stocked with fish.
A majority Of the settlements along
this stretch Of the coast are favored by
people in moderate circumstances who
prefer a small seaside town to the fashiona
BILE resorts further north. Spring Lake,
however is an exception TO this rule and
contains some Of the finest summer homes
toIbe found along the northern part Of the
coast The mansions fronting on the
long narrow lake in the centre OF the town
are Of the same expensive order as the
handsome residences on the Rumson road.
Like the other fashionable places along
the coast, Spring Lake has a well appointed
clubhouse and casino a golf course and
large salt water swimming pool.
Below Point Pleasant the coast has much
the same appearance as the south shore
Of Long Island. There is the same long
narrow strip Of sand separating the ocean
from a maze Of shallow landlocked waters,
bordered by vast tracts Of meadow land
and the same string Of little villages along
the bay front The peninsula itself, like
the Great South Beach Of Long Island, is
occupied only 10y lie saving stations and
homes Of fishermen.
Atlantic City, the great summer and
winter resort Of both New York and Phila-
daphia, occupies a small island fronting
directly on the ocean and separated from
the mainland by a wide stretch Of marsh
land. The great feature Of the place is Of
course the boardwalk, with It's great
hotels extensive piers. casinos and
amusement resorts, At first glance the
visitor sees nothing 70 account for Atlantic
Citys rise as a fashionable watering place
beyond its splendid beach, which although
admittedly one Of the finest stretches of
sand along the Atlantic seaboard, is not in
itself sufficient TO offset the limited extent
Of the island and the broad stretch of soggy
meadows between it and the mainland
After a short stay, however, the secret Of
its popularity is explained, A warm or
shoot from the Gulf Stream sets in toward
the shore at this point serving to maintain
an eduablc climate throughout the year.
In winter Atlantic City is anywhere from
ten TO thirty degrees warmer than either
New York or Philadelphia, and in summer
as much cooler. For this reason the place
has hourished as year round health resort
and the crowds that I'LL its great hotels
are almost as large at one season as at
aupthaF a