New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-21
SUMMER SURELY IS HERE
Coney Islands Official Opening
Attracts 100000 Persons.
FOG CAN'T KEEP 'EM AWAY
Night Turns to Day as Myriaos
of Electric Lights Twinkle
q Welcome.

Yes. children. Coney Island has opened
Orce more the land OF wonder and ne
licht. that home OF the fragrant franz
furter and the siren barker" OF the ins'.,
whirling scenic railway and the myr'"'
glittering lights. beckons toward the e.''
mer-struck New Workers AMI bids thei' 10.
aside their business and household ca'.
and delve into the intoxicating whirl Oh '"e
City Of JOY.
Even though the heavy sea fog eh'e'
oped Coney Island like a blanket io' Wv
greater part Of the day, crowd OF i''o'
than a hundred thousand persons p's "".
little. embarked on trolley car ana eie'"'.'
train and made a concerted rush ~ W"
seaside. They welcomed the clean Nv"
sand admired the bright coats Oh P"i'.
which overspread all the buildings an"
inspected all the new attractions WIZ"
have been added since the close OF idS'
season.
Luna Park and Dreamland made ther OF
fetal debuts Yesterday. Both resorts were
decked out in all their summer fnery ana
We'd with each other in luring the VISITOR
Dreamland was bejewelled with hundreo
thousand added electric lights. and as night
drew on she flashed them as beau'iu'
woman does her diamonds. The new hsh's
are red and gold. and they shimmereo pe-
side the swelling sea and tHinkled a WEI
come TO passengers on oceanCong SHIPS II
was proud day for Dreamand.
In addition TO the new lights. Dreamland
boasted Of a greatly enlarged entrance way
H. Surf avenue. The new gateway ~ al
most twice the width of last years, and II
is argued that therefore the visitors VIII be
able to enter just that much quicker ana
in twice the number heretofore.
While Dreamland smiled with all her
wilcs and received the homage OF her sub
jects. Luna Park, across the way. was not
ide She was so brightly CARRIED In new
paint and FURNISHED brass that few could
resist her. What mattered il that Luna
painted? Famed beauties Of other days
have done the same thing and were adj
mired Of men, and Luna was no exception.
II seemed TO those who wandered In the
maze Of Luna Parks thousand and one
attractions that everything within Inc
place had been created anew. on every
band some new invention in the fun line
Lad been installed with the object OF en-
livening the blase Coney Island visitor ana
causing his blood 20 experience new thrills
one Of the attractions this season which
promise to keep persons constantly on the
oui vive is a miniature motordome on
which two high powered automobiles. driv-
en- by daring drivers. will dash madly
around a saucer track. This track meas
ures only eighty-ive feet in diameter. is
fifteen feet i'm height. and the turns are
banked at an angle Of 65 degrees. Dare
Devil" Curran. formerly circus perform
el. will pilot one OF the automobiles. and
II is thought that a speed Of more than a
mile minute will be obtained. Those who
always hang about an automobile track
with the hope Of seeing crash or a col
ision will he out in force when this new
attraction gets going
Preliminary to the official opening OF
Luna, Fred Thompson. the manager had
arranged pretty conceit. He had caused
fifty feet carrier pigeons To he liberated
from lofty buildings in Manhattan and
other points exactly at o'clock in the
afternoon As soon as the doves were liber-
ated they rose almost PRECAUTIONARY In
the air. took one swift glance about and
then swept away toward Luna Park
\ IS gold piece had been offered TO the
first bird 10 reach the park-tliat Is. 10 the
person setting II at liberty-and the prize
was won BY the pigeon let loose from the
top Of the Herald Square Theatre. The
bird took Just forty minutes to make the
trip Another bird had been set loose from
the deck OF the steamship Carmania. of the
Cunard Line. when that boat was forty
miles at sea.
A few minutes before o'clock the pigeon
bedragged and forlorn after its tortuous
fight through the fog. alighted on the roof
OF Manager Thompson's office. 1t received
hot mustard footbath and was put TO bed
The crowds at Dreamland had something
TO talk about when the Diving Mermaids, -
so-called, were doing their act. Bonnie
Schuman. OF the Schuman Sisters, was
thrown into the tank tied up i'm a sack.
She is supposed to unite herself while I'M
der water and rise TO the surface AMI
throw kisses TO the audience after accom-
plishing the feat. Yesterday some enthus-
asst tied the strings too tightly. and Bon
NAMED there. After she had initiated a
worried and divod To the bottom Of the
pool. They brought her up almost uncon-
sCious. ii was some more minutes before
she recovered hei breath.
Hands me Jack Bonayita. the lion tam
err was in his old place at Dreamland lie
has charge of a new group OF man-eatlng
lions this season. and looks forward with
equanimity TO being devoured once a week
ftssion. Ene.y day hereafter Bonavita viii
act ~ the barber and beard the lion in
LIS den.
All aboard for Coney Island!