CONEY ISLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1923, Page 1

CONEY ISLAND.

Coney Island, which a badly shocked British nobleman once described as

“the most vulgar spot on earth,” is attempting to achieve respectability. As “the biggest playground in the world.” where millions of American ’Arrays and ’Arriets disport themselves amid a maelstrom of mirth-provoking inventions, its fame is beyond the reach of rivalry. Its ambition now is to he to New Vork what .Margate and Brighton aie to London.

Like most things American. Coney is on a mammoth scale. It boasts a resident population of 100,030. On hot summer days more than half a million pleasure seekers—recruited from Now York’s polyglot population of all races and colours—loll and laze in the open sunshine or beneath widespread sunshades upon its beaches.

But the enterprise of its amusement purveyors has been concentrated, hitherto, mainly on the endless multiplication of vast factories filled with ingenious machinery for thrilling and amazing the multitude. Its principal thoroughfare—surf Avenui—is unique among famous streets. Over a distance of more than a mile rise from its pavements a succession id gaudily painted structures through which the holiday-makers pa-s into a veritable metropolis of great wheels, rouud-a-bouls, up-and-down mountain railways, popularly known as ‘Roller Coasters,’ and strident shows vastly larger and more complicated than anything provided at an Easter fair m England. There for sixpence you may see the Roy with the Rig's Eye and gaze upon the rival Fat Women one a Mountain of Mirth and tho other a Ton of .Telly or you may visit Sir Edward, the Wizard of Smile, and win 203 dollars (£4O) if you “make him smile.” If 'Arriet is with ’Arrv, tho two may purchase “A Barrel of Love.” Each barrel accommodates two couples, whose legs are strapped, while they grip other straps with their hands. The barrel wviilves rapidly, and when il stops rolling gentlemanly attendants release the giggling occupants.

Theme the couples may wander into a gulden villi a circular railway over precipitous ascents. There are twentyfour machos, each with seats for two. As the coaches begin to rotate, a long green serpentine caver descends upon them, making the train look like a giant caterpillar. 'Any and 'Arriet find this immensely amusing. Amid these dizzy attractions the Atlantic Ocean and its surf hitherto have been comparatively neglected. But this year the magnates of Coney Island, millionaires most of them, have sought to dignify the sea. They have constructed. at a cost of £100.113 > a “boardwalk” Soft, wide, a mile long, and 15ft. above high tide. A boardwalk in America is the hallmark of at vie for a watering-place. It fill- the place occupied in English results by the broad asphalt promenades. The boardwalk ai Coney Island is designed to give walking space and sea breezes to three-quarters of a million visitors. Already it i- proving a paradise for siieculateis in real estate. Ihe booths which lino it are living rented :i: incredibly high prices to the vendor- of sausages, hot beef sandwiches, popcorn, knick-knacks, and soft drinks. Gigantic hotels are springing into being behind it. net. to speak of a dozen bathing-house- of prodigious size, euiqppcd with tacilities for 200,tM0 sea bathers who. as the summer thermometer rises, are charged steadily increasing prices for their tickets. A rainy week-end casts a deep gloom on the concessirnnaires of Coney: but a fine Saturday or Sunday enables them on Mondays to carry to their banks signs aggregating as much as £BO.OOO. These profits are carted to Nov A ork ill armoured motor-cars manned by guards with loaded rifles. To good years the investors in Coney Island enterprise-, net about 04 MOO.rotl for the summer season. But no" that the sea front has taken on the habiliments of respectability and the foundation is laid for the development, of the all-flie-year round resort, they are anticipating a. still more hoiiiild'id money lmrrehL.