Year: 1874




All cities should have ample Fairgrounds,
where tired and tagging energies could
be renewed at will and boy and man be
made fit anew for their work. Among
energy, this holds especially good. The early
closing movement on Saturday afternoon is
step in the right direction. But if we want to
become robust and retain our vigor to ripe
old age we ought to have more holidays than
now. All New York should turn out, not as
part do now, at three, but at twelve o'clock,
on Saturdays, and then there would be time
for good game of ball or cricket, credita-
bic walk or long row, or whatever else one
preferred, to take his mind from the long
strain of the whole weeks labor and excite
ment All work and no play was long ago
found poor rule and masters as we'll as
servants would soon find that better work and
quite as much of it would be done under the
new plan. Central and Jerome parks, the
ball grounds, the bay and the road, all offer
their attractions to whoever will come and
partake, and we are glad to note that many
more are coming than formerly. But there is
still abundant room, and we hope to soon see
it improved.


Perhaps nowhere can young New York be
better seen of an afternoon than on the
Harlem River. Take Peck slip boat or
train or horse car up at any time
after three, and you will find busy, act
i've scene that it will be hard to leave
Boat houses all along the bank boats every
where; punts, wherries and single scull
shells pair oars, fours, harges, gigs and
Whtehalls ; sloops and steamers fitting here
and there; ; old men rowing, their daughters
too racing crews and "duffers" who hardly
know which end of the oar to take hold Of
And bank clerks and shopmen are at last get
ting backs and legs worth having. Swim
IT ng also is fast growing popular, and the
rover must have care, else, before he is
aware, he will run down head just above
water far out from shore. The large enclos-
ure on the Westchester side will also bear ex-
animation, for here are the grounds of the
New York Athletic Club, and often one may
see good racing. Broad Seventh avenue
strikes in hard BY and the gay turnouts and
fast teams add to the life of the scene.
Macomb's Dam and the High Bridge are
rapidly becoming as well known as Hammer
smith or Barnes above Putney, on the Thames,
and in many ways the Harlem course
excels that of the English river There
the tide rises and falls eighteen feet,
here not third Of it. The banks of the
Thames between Putney Bridge and the Ship
Tavern, at Mortlake, are low and often far
from attractive, those of the Harlem
are in places really beautiful. That
course is public highway, lighters
and river craft forever passing and re-
passing. The Harlem is given up almost
entirely to aquatic sports, large vessels sell
dom interfering. In the matter of picnic
ing in sensible and economical way we are far
behind our friends across the water. Many
pretty spots up the Harlem would make charm
ing camping ground for sunny afternoon,
and the father could hardly do his family bet
ter turn than, with well laden basket, to take
them there. The river is safe and we'll shell
tered, and often extremely gay. When
rapid transit can be made from down town it
will not be at all odd if, instead of one bank
of this pretty stream being dotted with con-
venient boathouses, they will line its banks
everywhere, and, indeed, commodious sheds,
with numerous craft constantly to let, would
hardly tail, even now, to be remunerative.
Nor if General Newton plan of making the
harbor navigable is soon carried out can ii
interfere much with this hearty outdoor life,
and New York may we'll be glad that she has
at her back door SO pretty and inviting a
river as the quiet gentle Harlem.


Cuba-A Sign OF Progress.