New-York tribune., 1909-06-13
NEW LONG BRANCH"
MOST ATTRACTIVE
OCEAN FRONT ENTIRELY
MADE OYER.
Nesc Parks and Hotels Constructed
Summer Pleasures Planned
on Lavish Scale.

season OF 1919 gees the reuvenaton OF Long Branch
accomplished fact. The resort is as unlike me
resort Of five years ago an awakened, progress
sive place must be unlike sleeping. almost mort
bund one. Then Long Branch was simply an eA-
elusive cottage colony, with little puono spirit OF
ENTERPRISE Its natural attraction including 'he
highest elevation among the Atlantic seaboard re-
sorts the unique combination Of ocean lakes ana q
river beautiful lawns and foliage, the sea DUH
and fine marine view, and the fact that IL was
the first point or the Jersey coast reacheo pS
express trains from New York, Newark ana lhe
metropolitan zone, made II popular for summer
homes among the wealthy. but II was little more
than Wall Street cottage colony. Its superb
front neglected and used as q garbage
dump and the hotels and cottages along the ocean
'front.' were falling to decey.
Now. there IS ocean front, and II Is the
inhabitants boast Is the finest the coast
There is E-4ne new boardwalk along the Dun.
Back OF that IS a eo-foot bluff drive. The blun
walk is dotted with ornamental pavihons All OF
fhe overhead wires have been buried and there Is
fine system OF lighting. There also q fishing
pier at the end OF Broadway and hne ten-ecre
ocean front park. IN which are the big casino ana
convention hall the casino annex and concert
grounds and where $4,000 statue Of Garfield who
died here is going up. The old fish houses ana
nsishtly :athhouses along the bluff are all gone
and there is an unobst-ucted view Of the ocean.
Long Branch is the only municipality along the
,ooast where no work viii be required on the State
ocean Boulevard, The six miles Of the drive IN
ths CITY limits, including the North Long Branch
West End and Elberon sections. are in perfect
condition and thoroughly protected from the sea
by bulkbeads and 3etties.
TWO NEW HOTELS BUILT.
The improvements. however. have not been con-
sned TO trr5 ocean side Of the drive. To the west
g-ivate enterprise has kept pace with public Four
,dnapddsted old hotels and several cottages nave
SAar torn down two new hotels have gone up, and
capitalists negotiating for the few vacant hotel
1sites remaining. The NOTES.-THE sOarooro West
End cottages Pannaci and Atlenttc-and the cot
sages which remain have all been reconstructed
.snd improved until now the famous drive pre-
sents a spick and span appearance. Considerably
over sl0o0ooO has been spent and the whole ap-
,peararce has been altered almost beyond recog-
milton
And the improvements have by no means been
confined TO the ocean front. Not only IS there
new ocean front park. but an inland one, wash
tngton Park IN the western section OF the city
which has Just opened for the season with cele-
'hratioa DR.. O. A. Clark. who is member OF
The City Council end whose efforts the estab-
lIshnent of the park was principally due
presided at the exercises which we're attended by
thousands This gives Long Branch three fine
public parks, one each on ocean and river and one
inland All these improvements, together with the
approaching opening Of the Hudson tunnels which
will shorten the time required for the trip between
Long Branch and New York TO forty-seven min
utes. have caused great real estate and building
activity, and made the cottage renting season the
best on record.
The resort was keenly disappointed In not getting
President Taft as = summer resident this year but
tho movement TO purchase and give TO the United
States government the sL0eo,0oo Mccall place"
with its seventy-two acre grounds IS not dead.
J 3. Greenhut the purchaser Of the place, who will
live there this summer. offers not only 70 give up
the property in order that the White House
may be located here but to make q large conces-
sion on purchase price, and It IS believed that
the transfer be arranged before another sum
.er President Taft Is not unfrendly TO the scheme
having been impressed by the fact that this place
has been known ss the summer home Of Presl-
dents" Grant ana Garfield. as IS well known, had
their summer capitals here while Hayes, Arthur
and Harrison also passed summers here. Mrs
Tafts only objection coming here, II is said was
that she wanted 70 spend this summer quiet
place snd avoid the gayety Of Long Branch.
SEASONS MUSICAL PROGRAMME.
This city looks forward te being the musical cen
ire OF :he coast this season The festival chorus
o. two hundred which Will. under the direction Of
Max F. Schmidt. formerly the Metropolitan Opera
director. render ten great operas, one week from
July 4 10 Labor Day, at the Casino auditorium,
IS being drilled now. weekly rehearsals being
held. The free beach band concerts will this year
be held afternoons at the recreation pier and
pavilion al Broadway. At night, except Wednes-
Gay nights. when the operas viii be given, they
VIII be held the lawn in Ocean Park. Parking
accommodations for automobiles are being provided
in the park for se-eral hundred machines.
The problem OF sewage disposal which has
worried many OF the resorts since the State
Health Boards order. does not exist in Long
Branch There has been rendering plant here
for some years. and four years ago deep sea out
let was constructed Al great expense, which abso-
iutely prevents ais surf pollution here.
Ocean avenue the principal automobile thorough
fare is 10 be made dustless this with
OF preparation II the results all that IS
peced the entire 40 miles OF streets and drives in
Long Branch. except these asphalted will be SINH
larly treated.
Most OF the principal hotels will be open from
now On. including the West End cottages, the Roth
eaberg, the American. Dalton's and the Pannaci.
The renovated and improved Scarboro has been
J open for convention headquarters this week but
Will not open regularly until the 26th Prices,
Leland Inn. Port-2u-Peck and the other clambake
and shore dinner resorts doing a record bust
ness for early IN the season The growth OF
autornobling has made these places most popular.
Plans are progressing TO conduct the usual Long
Branch summer attractions of horse show. flower
show. county fair. river carnival automobile and
Grand Circuit larger scale than ever
this year In addition, the Board OF Trade plans
g bluff walk nlasque carnival and a day of athletic
contests the ocsan front For the first time the
open air horse show, the manager P. ]. Casey. an
nounces VIII hold five days exhibition The
prize list for the show. which will be the sixteenth
annual affair Of The kind. shows sixty classes and
nearly $4,000 in prizes.
The Sandy Hook steamer service is the best ever
given thus early che season. and proving popr-
lar The resort has ninety trains a day and
when the summer schedule goes into effect in a
few weeks VIII have 40. The river boats have
been running since Easter. An innovation year
thesis after the OF the eight stations in the
city limits by the Central Railroad OF New Jersey.
TENNIS JOURNEYS AT EDGEMERE