Class Book COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT PICTURESQUE, f MOUNTAIR REGION ON THE GLOBE •*-^ \ \vvM if/^ \y (■'¥VT^i4i^^-ir^*^ K !/ \l»^^^i i^^"^*^^^^ jU^v"^ C^^^'a-' J^>/^\^\^'^\>^"\~^'-' '^'^-^^^=^' 'i'r " " r^^^^^s^'TiHi f Ay^^ ^\u £ :i^--' z\ M\. k^ ^T^WI \ GHHllo„V| -w 3*%^-^ Blq<5in-vllli.-ja /^=^ 'N.' (\ ■i^ s* -i%>iiR;"^^'«» I - I In Cj'S.KlX* *w / 4"W°'""f0- ^ vrfr'^^^^r^ J*\r~^«' fVS5i=-^ r\n ; the effect of temperature upon the amount of oxygen in a given quantity of air; humidity as affected by altitude ; the proportion of atmospheric electricity and ozone ; and kindred influences found to exist in the upper aerial regions. At an elevation of 3000 feet, a cubic foot of air at 32 degrees Fahrenheit is found to contain as much oxygen as the same volume of air at sea-level, at a temperature of 65 degrees. Even at the Equator life is pleasant at high altitudes. There is thus no loss of the life-giving oxygen by ascent. Cool air can be found at the sea-shore and other low situations, but it is made cool and endurable only by condensation and moisture and not by the rarefying process peculiar to the distilleries of upper air. Hence those afflicted with rheumatism, consumptive or bronchial tendencies, asthma, malaria, nervous disorders, or anything akin to these maladies, will be wise in seeking the mountains. Those who are yet free from disease should take no unnecessary risks. The Cats.kill AoUqtairis. 11 The lofty mountains in their sublime silence, like the stars that bejewel the celestial dome above them, without speech or voice, are ever eloquent in their Creator's praise. Here the human mind is led to consider its relations with its Maker. Here, standing above the turmoils of the world, man may compare all his boasted achievements of ages with the mighty spectacle of earth and sky which now fills his soul with awe and impresses him anew with his own comparative insignificance. Made in a day, the towering crags grow in beauty and grandeur as the cycles of eternity roll silently on. " They come ! the merry summer months of beauty, song and flowers They come ! the gladsome months that bring thick leafiness to bowers. Up, up, my heart ! and walk abroad ; fling work and care aside : Seek silent hills, and rest thyself where crystal waters glide ; Or, underneath the shadow vast of patriarchal tree. Seen through its leaves the cloudless sky is rapt tranquillity." HUDSON RIVER LINE STEAMERS, PASSING UNDER POUGHKEEPSIE BRIDGE. -^'' OVer^ 4200 feet m id© Mahep. Tl\e Catskill AoUritairis. 13 The Catskill l^ountains. "Like mighty thinkers, there they stand Above the soft, green pasture land ; Those grand, calm heights, like sages, hold Such treasures heaped from times of old ; Unquenched the living waters flow Which verdure brings to fields 1:jIow." WITH the brilliant record of ttie Catskill range as a summer resort, reaching back over twenty-five years, it would be natural to assume that little need be said now as to just where and what it is. Yet such an assumption would be hasty and inaccurate, and this book would be incomplete unless proper reference were made to the location and structure of this most interesting mountain group. This will appear evident in view of the fact that its visitors are no longer confined to the residents of a single State or nation, but come from every corner of the civilized world. Another reason for printing the brief paragraphs which appear under this title is to remove the strange notion that the Catskills are in danger of becoming a suburb of New York City. Overheated city journalists, who were condemned to think and write in their hot sanctums were guilty of heralding this brilliant injustice. The rail- roads have indeed done wonders for this famous mountain locality, but they never can remove a single one of the ninety or more statute miles which separate the charming region from that great metropolis of the western world. The romantic Catskills will never be annexed to New York City ; nor shall their picturesque wildness and native grandeur ever be sacrificed or lost in the dissolving shadows of men's ideas in brick and mortar. The shades of Rip Van Winkle forbid ! The Catskill Mountains form a spur of the Appalachian system, which stretches along the entire Atlantic coast from Maine to Alabama. Their trend is from southeast to northwest, or at right angles to that of all the other mountain groups in this system. The mountains proper cover a superficial area of about two thousand four hundred square 14 T\\e Catskill AoUritair\s. miles. Ninety miles from the mouth of the Hudson River, and from eight to ten miles back from the western shore, they rise abruptly from the base over three thousand feet in the air. The various mountain peaks, which are almost innumerable, differ from each other in physical structure and plastic form. As a whole they are quite unlike ordinary mountain formations in a geological aspect, being masses of piled-up strata in the original horizontal position, instead of the usual folds or fragments of arches. Originally their form is believed to have been that of a high plateau or mass of elevations. Glacial action is clearly indicated ; at least thirteen distinct visitations of this mighty propelling force peculiar to the early ages of the world's history have been traced, and the angle of direction recorded. The natural system of drainage here presented is worthy of notice. The entire drainage for the interior highlands of the Catskills proper is provided by the Schoharie Creek and its tributaries. Strangely enough TROUT STREAM NEAR GRAND HOTEL STATION. Th\e Catskill AoUritairis. 15 these streams carry the water all the way around to the Mohawk River, and thence to the Hudson, one hundred and seventy-five miles from the starting point, which is in fact only eight or ten miles in a direct line from the Hudson some sixty miles south of Albany, where it receives the discharge of the Mohawk. This erratic group of mountains is full of interest to geologists and scientists in general. These vast masses of conglomerate are found to present all the conditions of a huge pile of quicksand as it existed just prior to conversion into stone. The inherent tendency to slide is plainly seen on Slide Mountain, the Overlook and at various other points in the range. Professor Arnold Guyot, who has made more careful and scientific investigation and personal observation of the Catskills than any other man, believes that the surface of the earth in prehistoric ages had tenfold more water upon it than we find now. Thus in the physical epoch of antediluvian times, water was the great agent in causing these mountain slides. The theory of an original high plateau, which is now generally accepted by scientific investigators who have visited the range, seems amply established by the confirmatory facts published by Dr. Guyot about twelve years ago. This important evidence was the result of some seventeen summers' investigation and study by the noted scientist. His observations on Slide Mountain alone, the highest and one of the most interesting peaks of the entire group, were of the greatest import. But after adopting the most careful theories suggested by science and investigation, regarding the formation and structure of this interesting mountain group, both student and savant will find ample scope for ingenious conjecture and rampant speculation. Thie Catskill AoUntairis. 17 Icregendapy and Historic. NOTHING is known concerning the primeval history of this charming mountain region or its people. Indeed, the record of the seventeenth, and even the early portion of the eighteenth century^is so fragmentary and incomplete that we are led to suspect that the chroniclers of that period were in prophetic league with the famous author of Rip Van Winkle, who was to appear upon the scene with his magic pen and realistic imagination twenty-five years later, or with the immortal creator "of " Leather-Stocking," the most eloquent woodsman that ever lived. Even the voice of tradition ventures cau- tiously in the corridors of the remote and pre-historic past. But if anything were needed to invest the locality with additional enchant- ment and interest it would be most effectually supplied by these very facts. The embers of speculation are ever ready for the rekindling influences of such favoring romantic conditions. Just who it was who first sailed up this beautiful Hudson River —called by the Indians "Cohohatatia," meaning River of the Moun- tains — seems of late to be a matter of some doubt. The fact that the celebrated navigators Verrazano and Gomez were at least at the mouth ot the river nearly a hundred years before Hendrick Hudson arrived there in his "Half Moon" is now well established, and it is highly probable that even they were antedated by other explorers. Verrazano says : "We took the boat, and, entering the river, we found the coun- try on its banks well peopled, the inhabitants not differing much from the others, being dressed out with feathers of birds of various colors." This was in 1524. But, without stopping further to analyze the priority of Hudson's claim, it is sufficient to note here that in 1609, when he first ventured up the noble stream in his curious Dutch ship, he was attracted by these great hills against the sky, and cast his anchor for a short inspec- tion. He went ashore and was hospitably received and entertained by T\\e Catskill AoUritairis. 19 the Iroquois Indians, who were then in possession of the reo-ion. They took tlie navigator and his small party of sailors into a laro-e hut which had an external covering of oak bark. In this rude structure was stored their harvest of corn and beans. IMats were spread on the ground floor of the hut, and upon these the Dutch sailors sat to par- take of food from a huge wooden bowl or tray. The Indians after- ward killed a fattened dog in honor of the great event, and to tempt the appetites of their white visitors. It was a notable visit, and the sturdy sailors seem to have been in no hurry about returning to the ship. Would that a picture of that quaint scene could be presented on this page, but unfortunately there was no artist " on the spot," and the kodak had not yet been invented. Then for sixty-nine years the records are practically silent regard- ing the Catskills. But on the eighth day of July, 1678, a company of Dutch and English gentlemen assembled at the Stadt Huis in Albany, where ihey met Mahak-Neminaw, the ruling Indian chief, and six leading representatives of his tribe. Here, after a lengthy and curious conference with the noted red men of the forest, the purchase of a large portion of this mountain region was effected. In consideration of certain trinkets and trifles of stupendous value to the Indian eye, the title, with its curious hieroglyphics, was passed. Soon after this the aboiiginal owners of the " Onteoras " (hills of the sky) seem to have gradually disappeared from the locality. The untutored red men regarded these mountains with peculiar solemnity and a feeling of superstitious awe. They looked upon these gigantic hills as the abode of a great and powerful Spirit who con- trolled the elements of earth, made the sun, moon and stars anew each day, and in a large measure governed the universe. But the early Dutch settlers, who immediately succeeded the Indians, called the high mountain peaks "Keykouts" (lookouts or overlooks), where the spirit of the intrepid navigator dwelt and watched over the noble river which has since borne his name. There is -a wealth of Indian lore and Dutch tradition which is readily adapted to the fertile fancies of the skilled romancer in dealing with this region. But these are practi- 20 TY\e Catskill AoUntairis. cal pages devoted to another purpose And yet all this has made the Catskill region an enchanted shadow-land of legend and romance, and thus it will be handed down to the end of time The mystic halo which Irving and Cooper spread around the Catskill Mountains is destined to outlive the towering crags themselves. The brush-marks of their eloquent imagination are as fresh to-day as when first they fell upon the pliant canvas of the future. A SCENE NEAR THE FAMOUS STONY CLOVE. Th^e Catskill AoUritair\s. 21 Scenic 3eauty. IN native grandeur and picturesque and diversified landscapes the Catskills are not surpassed by any mountain region on the globe. "What see you when you get there? " "Creation," said Natty, point- ing to the highest crag in the range. Hear the noted hunter as he proceeds with his graphic descrip- tion : "I was on that hill when Vaughn burnt 'Sopus in the last war, and I seen the vessels come out of the Highlands as plainly as I can see that lime-scow moving into the Susquehanna, though one was twenty times further from me than the other. The river was in sight for seventy miles under my feet, looking like a curled shaving, though it was eight long miles to its banks. I saw the hills in the Hampshire grants, the Highlands of the river, and all that God had done, or man can do, as far as the eye could reach ; and as for 'Sopus the day the royal troops burnt the town, the smoke seemed so nigh that I thought I could hear the screeches of the women. If being the best part of a mile in the air, and having views of farms and houses at your feet, with rivers looking like ribbons, and mountains seeming to be hay-stacks of green grass under you, gives any satisfaction to a man, I can recom- mend the spot. When I first caine into the woods to live I used to have weak spells, and I felt lonesome, and then I would go into the Catskills and spend a few days on that hill to look at the ways of man. " Look at the mighty crags as they rise three and four thousand feet in the air. Their massive, precipitous slopes clothed in cyclopean mantles of living green, each leaf performing its unerring function in the economy of Nature, and whispering its little role in the great ter- restrial symphony of the universe. See the gigantic ribs of rock which protrude from the flesh of the mountain here and there, like titanic fortresses against the assaults of ages ; these tangled emerald slopes upon which the sunshine and shadows of centuries have chased each Tl^e Catskill AoUr^tains. 23 other in cosmic glee. Go down into the enchanting caiions, dark, deep and cool ; the wild and rocky gorges where the shimmering trout streams babble melodiously among the gnarled roots, the mossy boulders and smooth pebbles, to the echoing refrain of the beetling walls of mountain which surround them. Listen to the mellow cadence of Nature's breath as it floats in upon your ear fresh from the verdant throat of the mountain. Nor sight nor sound mars nor disturbs the peaceful harmony of this arcadian realm. Look up yonder toward the head of the gorge where the sparkling water, tired of threading its winding way through many a rocky gulch, weary of its lazy, dreamy life among the stones and roots of quiet pools, suddenly leaps madly, beautifully over the precipice, down, down, hundreds of feet, to the bottom of the gorge in which you stand. See the slender scarf as it leaves the jutting table-rock and breaks into a sheeny shower of fleecy foam in its downward plunge, sending up a misty spray which bedews the surrounding foliage and paints the rainbow amid the sunbeams. Climb to the breezy crests that crown these lofty crags. Here among the clouds you are brought in contact with new and wondrous atmos- pheric phenomena. The filmy vapor flits up the mountain side, and scuds past your cheeks on the wings of the wind. Enveloped now as amid an ocean, with no sound or hint of life, anon the veil is lifted, the sun looks down upon you and the checkered valley slumbers in marvelous beauty at your feet. Or, sit upon this colossal boulder, dropped as a pebble from some mighty hand, and watch the gathering fury of a storm. Again, at daybreak, as the sun peers over the eastern horizon and glints the sleeping landscape with amber and gold, a rolling mass of clouds will be seen to cover the valley thousands of feet below, while the air and sky above are clear and blue. Anon, as the vapor begins to scatter in sublime commotion under the rays of the rising sun, the scene becomes indescribably beautiful. Many an artist has tried to enchain upon his canvas these early morning scenes of the cloud-man- tled valley. Then the fleeting, angry showers of mid-day, which so often gather, break and finish their noisy, bustling career far below, while you are basking in the placid sunshine of the mountain- top. 24 T\\e Catskill AoUritairis. Again, in the evening twilight, as the receding sun bathes the earth in tranquil glory and paints his transient banner in the sky, you watch in silent admiration. All this beauty, and vastly more which human pen is powerless to describe, is freely spread for the summer sojourner in these mountains. Who can afford to miss the feast? THE GREAT WEST SHORE R. R. BRIDGE OVER THE RONDOUT CREEK. T\\e Catskill AoUr\tairis. 25 The Sanitapy Advantages. AMONG all the charms and attractions so lavishly spread for the enjoyment and pleasure of every visitor to the Catskills, none other is quite so valuable and beneficial as the pure, invigorating air. If every other desirable feature were absent, this attribute alone would make the region especially desirable for summer life. For without health, how could we enjoy the scenery or any other portion of the mountain menu? For breathing purposes the Catskills are unsur- passed and rarely equalled. Here the exhausted workers of city and plain may drink in new vitality at every breath, and thus strengthen if not indeed prolong their days. The Adirondacks and other more dis- tant resorts, being at a lower elevation, have been found less beneficial in their healthful influences. As one ascends the breezy Catskills the exhilarating invigoration is plainly felt. The strong air of the upper altitudes seems to rummage around through the lungs, and to uncover a few millions of unex- plored or disused cells, the existence of which was never before sus- pected. At this your whole system proceeds at once to celebrate -the discovery witti a grand hygienic jubilee, which you have no wish to restrain. As already intimated on a previous page, the sanitary advantages of the summer vacation among the most favorable atmospheric con- ditions is distinctly a modern discovery. Possibilities of this nature were frequently suspecied and even hinted at, but the benefits were most imperfectly understood and quite unappreciated. To escape the burning heat and humid oppression of the cities, and flee to the cool mountain for rest and sleep, was regarded as highly pleasing and enjoyable. But it is only within a few years that the full measure of hygienic advantage aff'orded by a summer home among the mountains has been properly realized, and even now there is a vast deal more to learn on this very important subject. The mere exchange of sea-shore Tl^e Catskill AoUritairis. 27 for mountain air, while highly beneficial in itself, does not embrace nor explain all the advantages which are found to result. Eminent medical writers are now devoting most careful thought to this subject. Hence t':e first question of every intelligent seeker of rest and vigor now is, " Where shall I get the best air.' " There is a delightful dryness in the air of the higher Catskills which is inimical to pulmonary affections, and this same quality is found highly beneficial to all enervated persons who live rapidly or work exhaustively in the field of business activity. One can sit on the breezy verandas up here, feel cool and even cold, without danger, so dry and pure is the air. Indeed, a brisk walk on these broad plat- forms in the early morning, and again in the evening, cold and breezy as it may appear, is worth a whole ton of doctors' prescriptions or patent medicines. Then, too, the perturbed soul will find a sooth- ing, pacifying influence in this natural pharmacy of the skies which is easier to enjoy than define. There is a quiet solemnity pervading the atmosphere which impresses the visitor so deeply that he actually for- gets to worry and fret over his cares and responsibilities for the time. This is not an imaginary picture ; thousands have sat upon these rugged rocks and enjoyed the realization of it all. Like the scenery, this air is absolutely free. You can stand on the rocks and look away over thirty thousand square miles of varied and beautiful landscape, belonging to seven or eight different States, and you may use a thousand cubic inches of the choicest air every minute of the day and night, with no fear of exhausting the supply ; all without a porter's fee. The exceptional purity of the water is next in importance. This is in copious supply, bubbling up in sparkling springs, rippling forth from rocky crevice, tumbling over shelving precipices, urging on some ponderous wheel, or shimmering o'er the lazy trout. In fact, the water is good to drink, even very excellent for this purpose. It is cool and pleasant to the taste, and its effects upon the system are highly beneficial. Thus, as the days of your mountain sojourn go by, there is a revitalizing process tingling through every part of your organism. 25 Thie Catskill AoUritairiS. Your food tastes better and you eat more ; you sleep more soundly and with more restful, refreshing effect, and you are inclined to place a higher value upon life and its prerogatives than at other times when you were immersed in the cares and perplexities of business. In short, you become a stronger and better man or woman, and better fitted for the duties and trials of the future. It is readily seen, therefore, that the C.itskill region is an ideal place for summer cottage life. All the conditions are favorable. The air, the temperature, the water, the scenery ; the ready, frequent and comfortable means of access, all combine to make summer home life delightful and beneficial. If any confirmation of this fact is asked for, we have only to refer to the many hundreds of such summer residents who already own or rent pretty cottages all through the range. The mountains are thicklv studded with enchanting cottage sites. ^i^^f^^^S^^^ ^^^Si^ki^i Tl^e Catskill AoUritairis. 29 How to Get T^hepe. FOR nearly fiftv years after the Catskills were first thought of as a summer resort, the region remained practically inaccessible and undeveloped. A hot and dusty day's ride in a lumbering stage coach, over a horrid, stony, rutty road, and up a steep mountain side was the inevitable method. The trip was uncertain and not wholly unattended with danger. A passing shower or storm might at any time wash out the narrow road or hurl the rude brush bridges down into the ravine. It was not enough to be an enthusiastic lover ot mountain grandeur, but it took a man of health and vigor, with a goodly share of courage and endurance, to stand the journey. Invalids, who would be most benefited by the air and scenery, rarely attempted the trip. This, however, was about the situation of traffic to the Cats- kill Mountains from 1823, when the first cabin hotel was built, until 1870, when the iron rails began to reach out among the hills. Of course the stage ride was somewhat shortened and improved by better roads and appliances during the latter portion of that period, but the steep and stony miles were all there, the jaded horses and the rocking 30 T\\e Catskill AoUr\tairis. stage. The discomfort and fatigue of the journey were only lessened in degree. Visitors were still expected to relieve the poor horses by walking up the steepest hills. Nobody was really requested to do this, of course, in view of the ample price paid for riding. But the drivers were experienced and loquacious old mountain whips, and they had a way of getting their passengers out on their feet for an occasional heavy mile or so, "just to rest their legs." This was rarely resented by the average traveler, who, moi>t likely, had been watching the tugging, over-heated, and, perhaps, short-winded horses uneasily and with some compassion. But this mountain visit could only be made at the price of much physical discomfort. Meanwhile the most charming portion of the range, the wild and beautiful region lying in the counties of Ulster and Delaware, was practically unknown and largely unexplored. Not even an artist had made a sketch there, and only a few sturdy hunters and barkmen had set foot among these mighty crags. The great mountain chain had scarcely been penetrated on this side, which was destined so soon to become the great and easy approach for the entire Catskill Mountain region. The giant Slide Mountain, which had been looking down upon every other peak in the range for countless ages, was quite unknown. The variety and magnificence for which this vast and beautiful southwestern region is now so justly famous, and which have since so greatly enhanced the fame of the Catskills and made it the great popular summer resort that it is, was yet a sealed book. Th^e Catskill AoUqtair^s. 31 The CJ-lstep & 3e]aw^ape H^iJr>oad. THE a-dvent of the iron horse in 1S70 marked the new era in the history of these favored mountains, as it has in the develop- ment and progress of so large a share of human effort in these modern times. . The iron rails reached out from the river to the mountains across and over the hills themselves. The construction of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad was begun in 1S66. Everybody looked upon it as a wild project, with little chance of success, and the enterprise pro- ceeded slowly at first. But those enlisted in the scheme had faith in the final result, and they resolved not to be deterred. The line was not an easy one to build. There was, indeed, a natural valley or pass through the mountains which the engineers could and did follow. But this valley was exceedingly crooked and tortuous, and there were many things to consider and provide for. Even now, the observing tourist will have doubts whether Nature ever intended that man should stretch a railroad through this valley. The grade would be necessarily heavy most of the way, and there was a fitful, nervous mountain stream, with many excitable and wayward lit- tle tributaries pouring in from every gorge and gulch. Most of the- time all these were quiet and inoffensive enough. The speckled trout disported lazily in the crystal water, the streams glistened in the noon- day sun like silver threads in the woof of the mountain, and all night long their rippling refrain made sweet melody in the wild woodland. But when the floods came and the deep snows melted, these pretty rills grew wild with their own importance. They swelled into large roar- ing torrents in a few hours, flooding the narrow valley, and growing so angry as to carry everything down before them — bridges, embank- ments, trestles, roadways — nothing was respected. True, these streams had never been in conflict with a railroad, but there was every reason to believe they would treat this like all other modern innovations of man, if not with increased antagonism and disrespect. Such, at least, was the judgment of the engineers, and they built the road upon this theory. 32 The Catskill AoUritairis. It was well laid out and firmly constructed. The best materials were used at every step in its progress, and it has been solidified and strengthened every year since with little regard to cost, but with every care for stability, security, efficiency and comfort, until to-day the Ulster Sz Delaware Railroad is second to none in security of road-bed, safety, efficiency and comfort of equipment. Of course this railroad proved the great developing factor of the Catskills as a popular summer resort. It was not built in advance of its need, but it was the very thing the people had been waiting for. It opened an entirely new section of the mountains which rivaled, if not even surpassed in beauty, any other portion of the range, and made the entire region easily accessible to all. As yet, however, there were few or no hotels in this new region where visitors could be entertained. But the running of trains on the new railroad was begun in Ma)', 1870. At once hotels and boarding houses were built at various points along the line, and visitors came in increasing numbers. Many came to fish, as the streams abounded in trout, but others came to get the bracing air and enjoy the beautiful scenery. They brought their families, their friends and their baggage. Finding they could come and go between business and a delightful summer home with little loss of time and at slight cost, business men left their families to enjoy the mountains during the healed term. Thus it was that the completion of the railroad gave such a new impetus to the mountain boarding business. Not even the poor old stage-horses showed either enmity or envy toward their modern iron competitor. Everybody for once was delighted to miss the stages. Visitors poured into the mountains by thousands, and Rondout and Kingston at once became the great diverging points for the Catskills, as they have been ever since and will remain. To reach the mountains rapidly, comfortably and enjoy- ably, are the essential points with all visitors, and these requirements are fully met by the swift trains and the elegant coaches of the Ulster & Delaware Road. An hour's whirl up the beautiful valley from Kingston brings one almost in the heart of the mountains and without weariness or fatigue. Th\e Catskill AoUr)tains. 33 The Only All-Hail Houte. -:>'>^^^^:7^^ i^-ONDOUT is the eastern or river terminus of the mountain railway system. It was formerly a village, having been incorporated in 1849, and here the Dutch established in 1 6 14 one of the first settlements in the State. But the place has now outgrown the name, having united with its sister village, Kingston, and become incorporated as The City of Kingston in 1872. The name "Rondout" is, how- ever, retained locally, because of the retention of the old post-office of that name. It is the river port of the city, being situated on the northerly bank of the Rondout Creek, near its mouth. Being the tide- water terminus of the Delaware & Hudson Canal, and having extensive manufacturing interests, it has long enjoyed the largest river commerce of any point on the Hudson except Albany. Several steamboat lines, passenger, freight and towing boats are operated here ; and it has to-day, doobtless, more steamboats than any other place on the river. The fleet and the famous " I\Iary Powell " makes daily trips between this port and New York in summer. Then there are the large steamers of the Romer & Tremper Night Line, the elegant Hudson River Day Boats, the New York Central & Hudson River and Philadelphia, Read- ing & New England trains. From all these converging tributaries of transportation the Ulster & Delaware trains receive liberal and increasing traffic daily. Winding gracefully and steadily up the grade from the river, describing a huge letter "S," the trains intersect with the West Shore Railroad near the centre of the city. 34 Tl\e Catskill AoUritairis. ;INGSTON (Union Depot) is thus the first stop on the Ulster & Delaware line. Here all trains on the West Shore and Wallkill Valley Railroads connect with the Ulster & Dela- ware trains for the mountains, this being also the northern terminus of the Wallkill Valley Road. The fast Catskill Mountain specials on the West Shore line, with their ele- gant parlor coaches, are here transferred to the Ulster & Delaware track. These are among the fastest summer trains scheduled upon any road in the country. The run from New York is made in two hours and fifteen minutes. During the regular season there are about forty trains which stop at this station daily. This will give some idea of the vast amount of summer traffic handled at this place. While the switches are being made there is time to catch a distant view of the mountains looking directly north from the station. Here, in plain sight, are the famous Overlook, Plattekill, High Peak, or Mount Lincoln, the Kaaterskill and South Mountain peaks. Near the crest of the Overlook, which is nearest of this eastern group, will be seen the Overlook Mountain House, a large white building standing out clearly against the sky, 2978 feet above the river. A few rods to the right, on the very crest of the mountain, 3150 feet above tide, appears an elongated vertical speck, an observatory about 50 feet high. The loftiest peak of the group is Mount Lincoln, 3664 feet. Still farther to the right, and across the Cove, the mammoth Katterskill Hotel will be seen, appearing almost like a village in the sky. A short mile more to the right, and over against South Mountain, is the famous old Catskill Mountain House, the pioneer resort in the range. But before the train starts for the hills let us inspect the equip- ment in which you are to make the ascent. Note the powerful 50-ton locomotive of the latest and most approved make, as it stands hissing and throbbing, impatiently waiting for the run. Two, and sometimes three, of these modern steeds are attached when the train is exception- ally heavy. The coaches are large, new, and elegantly fitted through- out. The latest improved platform and Westinghouse automatic air- T\\e Catskill AoUritairis. 35 brakes are used on all trains, and the entire equipment is the best now in use on first-class roads. The road is standard gauge, with heavy steel rails over the whole line. The management has long been noted for promptness, carefulness and general efficiency. The conductors and trainmen will be found uniformly polite, efficient and obliging, most of them having been in the employ of the company many years. The trains make excellent time, and no accidents to passengers have ever occurred on the line. A* length, as the train pulls out for the mountains, the traveler finds himself whirling over the level flat in the northern edge of the city. FAIR STREET is the first stop. This is only a few rods from the famous old " Senate House," built in 1676, where the first constitution of New York f r a m e d and woodwork was the town was British in Oc- the old stone like adamant vaders, which, TUF OIL) SEN Mb HOLbl State was adopted. The destroyed when burned by the tober, 1 777, but walls stood against the in- w i t h many others like it, are still standing in this ancient and historic town. This structure is now owned by the State. It may be seen from the train by a vigilant eye just before Fair Street Station is reached. The train next crosses the Esopus Creek on an iron bridge, speeds rapidly over fertile lowland meadows, and then plunges boldly into the Ulster and Delaware valley, which, throughout its entire length, is one of the most picturesque and beautiful to be found. The ascent is gradual, though continuous, all the way to West Hurley, nine miles from Rondout, and you have then reached an elevation of 540 feet above the river. The track hugs the left or southern slope of the valley as you go up. 36 Th\e Catskill AoUqtains. EST HURLEY is the first station on the hill. It is a bit of a hamlet lying on the left, largely devoted to the : mining and shipping of bluestone, which is abundant f 5 in this vicinity. There is here a hotel and several |^^^ stores and shops. But the stop which is made here is important chiefly because of the connection with the Overlook Mountain House. Visitors for the Overlook Mountain, Woodstock village and the adjacent region may leave the train and take the stages, which are in waiting at this point. The hotel, which is near the crest of the mountain, 2978 feet above tide, stands out more boldly than ever on the mountain top, which seems very high and attractive from this point. The little Woodstock village, not visible from here, nestles at the very base of the mountain, five miles away. It has a good hotel, and there are several boarding houses scattered all about, Mead's Mountain Home, one of the oldest resorts in this region, is about half way up Overlook Mountain, on a commanding divide. The Overlook Hotel is yet another two miles steady climb away ; but the road is excellent, and the breezy destination with all its attractions is glorious indeed. It commands a most extended and beautiful view, and though the intervening miles below the mountain are long and stony, there is always a rich and charming feast awaiting near the sky at the end. The railroad is now nearly level and about as straight as it ever gets. Straight roads and mountains are in fact romantically incom- patible, hence the Ulster ifc Delaware was not built that way. The train speeds rapidly over this level stretch of track ; the engineer "pulls her wide open," to show what can be done, and to gain time for the hills. Brief stops are made at OLIVE BRANCH and BROWN'S STATION on the wa}', unless the train is an express, which for present purposes it is not. This is indeed a remarkably peaceful locality, well supplied with modest board- ing houses, where tired humanity can rest and revel in the air of the foot-hills with careless abandon, and at low rates. You will have noticed that at West Hurley the trend of the mountains turned to the west, almost at right angles with the eastern front. TY\e Catskill AoUntains. 37 BRODHEAD'S BRIDGE, the next stop, is another bluestone depot, with a rubbing and planing mill. Nothing in sight tempts one to leave the train here, but many do, as there are quiet farm houses all about, with a hearty welcome to visitors. Here the Esopus Creek is encountered again and crossed eighteen miles from Rondout, it having been on a big sweeping bend southward since ii was crossed near Kingston. But from this time on, the creek and railroad do not part company until one of the sources of the stream, is reached. Soon after leaving this station the road turns abruptly to the north and pursues that general course until Phoenicia is reached. ?HOKAN is the' first stop on this stretch. This is one of the few old Indian names that have been retained in the geo- graphical nomenclature of this locality. It was originally spelled "Ashokan," however. It is often termed the "Gateway of the Catskills, " but several other similar entrances will be found. It is a pleasant little mountain hamlet with churches, schools, stores and numerous summer boarding resorts, where many city peo'ple dwell contentedly most of the summer. On approaching the station the beautiful "High Point" peak, 3098 feet skyward, is seen on the left in a southerly direction. Near the station are several old charcoal kilns, such as may be seen at other points along the route. On leaving Shokan Station, looking about four miles west, a cluster of live lofty mountain peaks, forming a crescent, will be seen. To the right is the "Wittenberg," ^'j'/S feet ; next is Mount Cornell, 3681 feet high. Some two miles beyond this chain are the noted Slide Mountains, highest of all, 4205 feet; Peaka- moose, 3875 feet, and Table Mountain, 3865 feet high. For all of these most interesting mountains in the range the Ulster & Delaware Railroad is the only approach. Three miles beyond Shokan the train halts briefly at BOICEVILLE, long enough to leave the mail bag, though not many passengers, as the locality is not largely devoted to summer boarding as yet. It is another bluestone depot. ^ #'.