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San Franciscans At
The Ocean Beach
Why shouldn’t twenty thousand of the dwellers of our city find their way to the
ocean beach every Sunday afternoon? The comparatively few, who can afford the
expense, make a trip at least once a season to the ocean at Monterey, Santa
Cruz, etc. But, close at hand, there is a stretch of ocean beach that is equal
to any of the more popular resorts that are farther off. The Pacific Ocean
swells up nowhere with more beauty or more health-giving freshness than in the
vicinity of the Cliff that overlooks the ships passing and repassing through our
Golden Gate. Three miles of a wide, sandy, pebbly, ocean-washed beach, close at
our doors, is perhaps the best of the gifts that Nature has bestowed upon our
city. The truth is that it is too near at hand to be as desired. But in so
essential a matter as health, we ought to be a more practical people. If our
ocean beach were rendered as accessible as it ought to be, we are persuaded it
would soon be as much prized as it ought to be. A railroad passing the Golden
Gate Park, and terminating at the ocean beach, would surely be an immense
success. We believe we should soon see as many as twenty thousand men, women and
children enjoying themselves on the sands of a Sunday afternoon. The sight would
be a glorious one. It would be full of meaning. It would be suggestive of better
health on Monday morning, of increased energy throughout the week, and of the
greater prosperity and happiness which surely come of good health and hard work.
The road would undoubtedly pay from the start; it would improve property all
along the route, and it would be an incalculable blessing to the whole city.
Money is idle in all the banks just now, because openings for profitable
investment are not numerous. Here, then, is one opening. Why is it not occupied?
The subject has long been discussed. The utility and profitableness of such a
road have been frequently admitted. We confess that we know no good reason why
it has not long since been built. Before next summer comes round we hope it will
be.
San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser
August 28, 1880
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