The Monmouth inquirer., 1909-08-19
Farmers Take Annual
Wash on 'SQuan Beach.

most remote parts of Ocean and Mon
mouth counties to enjoy the annual
'big sea da ," which from time i'm
memorial has been one of the red-let-
ter DAYS in the lives of the rural pop
ulation on the shore counties. Until
two years ago it was the custom of
the farmers to gather at Wreck Pond,
near the Sea Girt lighthouse, but
when the real estate company which
owns much of the land there decided
that the cottagers were being annoy
ed by the annual pilgrimage of the
rustics, it was arranged that the big
wash should be held at Manasquan.
Hence the day is observed on the
beach between Sea Girt and Manas-
guam.
Hardly anyone of the present gem
GRAFTON knows the truth about the
origination OF the observance of the
day. The supposition is that some
farmers, anxious to have a picnic by
tue sea some eighty or a hundred
years ago, drove to the shore and
spent the day. Then the year follow
ing, the number who made this pill
grimage was increased, until the trip
became general aud everybody who
could spare the time came to the
shore and had the best possible time
in innocent sports and diversions of
all kinds.
There has been decided change in
the manner in which the day is OBJ
served. Years ago it was the custom
OF the farmers to prepare for ''the
salt water day. week or ten days in
advance. The good wife of the farm
would bake bread and cake in abund-
ance, roast beef, chickens and boil
ham, aud earthenwsre pots would be
filed with eatables that would tempt
the appetites of others than hungry
farmer boys. The old-fashioned car
ryall, with four seats and service
able top, was used to convey the folks
to the Ocean-side.
In the present age there is less prep
aration, perhaps, because it is not
difficult to procure lunch even on
the beach, but many OF the farmers
prefer home cooking, SO the custom
of bringing along their lunch has not
been abandoned entirely. Now as in
the early days days of Salt Water
Day. the lunch is eaten in the wag-
ons or on the sand. The younger
generation, however prefers often
times to patronize the refreshment
booths at the beach, and accompanied
by their best girls, the young men eat
their luncheon.
Long before dawn the entire farm
er's household is astir. The occasion
is one that has been looked forward
to for months and talked about as
Christmas or Fourth of July. This is
due to the fact that the gathering OF
farmers from all parts of the adjoin-
ing counties affords an opportunity
of not only discussing crops. but the
current topics of the day. An early
start is made and for the period of
less than day "all roads lead to Man
asquan,n and all roads are thronged
with vehicles of ali descriptions con-
veying the happy denizens from the
rural communities intent upon spend
ing the day at the shore after the
fashion of their forefathers.
Once the shore is reached prepara-
tions are made for spending the day.
Years ago the formality OF a fashion
able bathing suit was unknown. Cal
leo dresses we. good enough for the
feminine members OF the different par
ties, and the men thought nothing OF
taking dip in the briny attired in a
pair of overalls and d jumper. Nat
urally, when the calico dresses of the
woman become saturated with salt
sights, but every body was there for
| good time and nothing was thought
about it. Now, however, modern
ideas prevail very largely, and it is
considered bad form to battle except
in the most approved style of bathing
suit.
Once the bathing has commenced the
fun is fast and furious. Many a stur-
DIV farmers son finds his companions
determined to have him get good
taste OF the ocean, and, though he
may struggle to get away from the
crowd, it is usually the case that he is
obliged to submit to escape being
drowned. The two sexes intermingle
| in the ocean and on the beach and all
kinds of pranks are play ed upon each
other by the young folks. 1t is day
of sport in every sense OF the term,
and Saturday was no exception to any
previous salt Waer Day
Fakirs were there in abundance.
Some of them find it difficult to in
terest some of the farmer folk, who
are sceptical about the wares for sale.
and yet there are plenty of purchas-
ers for the cheap whips which the
whip man" has ON sale, and with
which he often throws i'm a small
WIFI DIS I'LL IuuuCcAucdt w tAC oA9 "a
Then the mack intcsh nan-a fixture
of the shore of late years-peddles his
wares with a sonorous voice and has
no difficulty in disposing of his entire
stock before night. OF course there
is the lemonade mau, and he sells
gallons of his pink liquid which
looks better than it tastes.
In years gone by the three-eard
monte man was always on hand.
Last wear and Saturday the Mon
mouth county authorities had
detectives on hand to prevent the
trusting rustics from parting with
hard earned dollars in game which
the odds are all 10 favor of the man
with the shell In spite of the
vigilance of the detectives. however
there were several farmers 8 sons who
Investigated the merits OF the shell
game to their sorrow. and they re-
luctantly passed over their savings
fer weeks, just because they were IN
able to guess correctly as 20 which
shell covered the elusive pea.
There has always been big crowd
ct visitors of late years, in fact SO
L. fu