The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-28
QUEER OLD wATERsIDE COLONY
Far Down on Gravesend Bay Are Its Houseboats and Shacks.
(New York Sun l

| lNeW IOrk Sun.) One of New York,s queerest colon l ies dwells on the barren sand waste 1 across the bay from Sea Gate, Coney Island. The inhabitants are sheltered 1 from the winter winds and drifts of I sands by shacksa and houseboats fair ! ly buried in the sand. In fact it is a l daily task for them to shovel their !! way out through hills of sand piled high l in front of their doors.
 For number of years this land, off farway avenue, facing Gravesend Bay and known as the Harway estate. has been a place of interest to the passing visitor A long beach of clean white sand stretches from Harway avenue to the bay in direction par allel to the Atlantic Ocean. There is an oasis on this miniature desert a green spot in the sand to the east, with here and there tree or clump
 of bushes, long grass and we'll
 which furnishes cool drinking water
 Tn the summer it is called Camp City and is dense with tents. The peo- pie who occupy these temporary quar-
 ters move from crowded districts in
 search of outdoor life, plenty of fresh
 air, bathing. boating and sea food
 The men of the family work in the city and then go home to the camp
 in the evening.
 In the fall these signs of summer gradually disappear, and when the winter winds carry the fine sand in gusts, cutting the face like so many hailstones, Camp City is no more than
 few scattered home made shaeks, most of which are drifted over so that they ar e hardly visible The sand continually leaks in through the roofs and windows and drifts against the doors like a blizzard The inhab- itants that remain through the win ter are a hardy lot, we'll used to all weather and hardships. They make l their living oystering, grabbing fishing and working on Or about boats.
 This estate has been in che courts | for years. It was formerly narrow | long sandy beach washed by quite a | high tide at times; then again it | would become shallow and the neigh DOTS dug for clans. A houseboat | drifted in there. and those that it contained decided to stay till they were requested to move. Soon others the example and old, time worn tugboats and other craft unfit [ for service were purchased and turned into homes These. old scows were
 half on land and half in the water. some of the oldest leaked and were cropped up above water high and dry. It was handy place for these peo- pie to live, for their work was mostly on' water. They were always ready with rowboats and moterboats for an
 
 coast or Staten Island.
 There were others who weHe not lulte so fortunate as to be able to pro 'ure these old boats, so they built little wooden bungalows. As driftwood was plentiful on the beach, boards and beams were not lacking, and few { lails only were necessary to hitch l. hem together. With these materials l., It hand some one started to build a . mack, but agents of the law stopped : i'm when 1t was about half done It tIf Z 5 not legal to build without a permit. | | md how could he get, one when he hdn't own the land? Discouraged ut not disheartened he put a large ent over the half finished structure. his was lawful and he renewed his ormer operations, only under cover ie soon finished his little hut and re- D loved the tent that surrounded it. o 'here, to the surprise of every one. l, as the first shanty built on the t rounds This he used as a kitchen g nd dlning-room, and soon had an- r exed a couple of bedrooms and r arlor by the use tof this same tent. Ic thers initiated his example In ti me little colony of squatters were b lg life. Ia One fine morning the squatters st woke to find something unusual go- II g on. The beaeh was astir with g. orklngmen with orders to fill in sl art Of the bay. They were build II g a bulkhead of timber and logs !!' IT out close to the sandbar. Sur 1T ,yors were measuring off the ground - - hen dredging machine was sighted oott Sea Gate and lastly all got mo- I' ,e to move. The people were high ia
 indignant and did not heed They of nsldered themselves masters of the =, tuatlon, having lived there so long Ia Id ignored the order completely, of nile the workmen went on with ac cir routine of filling in the bay. de Tn few days it was impossible for ifs