Judge — July 14, 1900 — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“ Where the tints of the earth and the hue of the sky, In color, though varied in beauty, may vie.” Writers with lofty pens, and painters with magic brushes, have, since the days of the daring Dutchman, Henry Hudson, sought to convey to the minds of wonder- ing people, by means of pictures in words or on canvas, the entrancing beauties of that section of New York State known as the Catskills, Few have succeeded, how- ever, in completely describing the won- derfal scenery of this fabled region. So many, after much reading, have yielded to the temptation to visit this famous spot ; and then, like the Queen of Sheba, upon beholding the gorgeous glory of Solomon and the richness of his temple, CENTRAL HOUSE AND GROUNDS, HUNTER, N. ¥. have turned away in a spirit of ecstatic ja wonderment, rey cient queen, an been told me.” ‘The Catskill Mountains are a group of lofty and bold eminences occupying the Principal portion of Greene, Ulster, and elaware Counties, in Southeastern New York, As one star differeth from another in glory, so one peak in this detached chain of the Appalachian system differs ated the sigh of the an- said, ** The half had not WEST END HOTEL, HUNTER, N.Y. from another in height and in picturesque- ness. The loftiest summits are Slide Mountain, which towers above the sea level 4,200 feet; Kaaterskill, High Peak, Overlook Mountain, and Hunter Mountain, More than fifty years ago the fame of the beauty of that’ region in which Rip Van Winkle slept for twenty years, reached the ears of a struggling apprentice-printer in Chester County, Pennsylvania, His etic nature was fired with a desire to be- old with his own eyes a sunrise in the Catskills. Not having money wherewith to defray the expenses of the journey, he started on foot, and for many weeks roamed amid the dells, feasted on the un- dulating landscapes, and watched the feathery clouds hang over the mountain peaks fike robes of fluffy down, The printer boy was Bayard Taylor, and though Irving's mystic legends had given | | a weird interest to these charmii ti hills, | Bayard Taylor's transcendent and. poet: ical descriptions lent many additional charms to the scene, and did much to PROSPECT HOUSE, HUNTER. N. Y. stimulate the annual influx of v summer in the Catskills, So that where Nature's rugged wildness awed and| charmed alone. Art has lent its willing aid,and intensified the joy and comfort of ‘the lingering | guest. Now, the whole scene is rendered doubly attractive by the addition of elegant and com- modious hotels, oc- cupying as their sites spots which afford magnificent views in all direc tions—on one side the lordly river,} shining in the morning sun like a| stream of polished silver in a frame of changing emer- J, on another the green hiils roll y in the distance, so entrancing in their undulating loveliness and changing hues as to positively hypnotize che beholder. ‘Those who are familiar with the famous mountain scenery of Europe assert that they have never found anything there to compare with the views in the Catskills, from the various hotels which occupy a position at the very edge of a precipice over which the eye peers in vain for any thing suggestive of aught save end. less depth, while in the distance loom hills and cities, rivers and towns, peaks and stream It would require more space than the scope of this article to give ex- tended descriptions of the various places for the comfort and delight of tourists that now adorn this popular spot. Let us rather give, ina general way, a brief resumé of the natural attractions whose charm the lover of hill and vale will ever find perpetual. eof the most famous spots, and autiful, is the Fall of the Kaaterskill, On the high table-land of the South and North mountains lie two lakes, buried ina dense forest. The shores are dark with pines, and the surface of the es is dotted here and there with the ors to] ARLINGTON HOTEL, HUNTRR, N, ¥. | the center of a KAATSBERG HOTEL, HUNTER, N. Y. broad leaves of the water-lily. A little brook, making its way westward along the shoulder of the mountain, twenty-five feet south-west of Laurel House, grand views | of which may be had from Laurel spray house, soon reaches the edge of a steep| declivity, over which it leaps into a pool in Treat amphitheatre of rock two hundred feet below. Gathering its strength again, the torrent makes a second leap, over huge bowlders which have fallen from the ledges above, and lie scattered down the glen, dashing itself into foam in its headlong fury one hundred feet farther down. Tumbling from one ledge to an- other, it reaches at length the bottom of |view from this point. strictly up-to-date house, whose proprietor, H. B. Gara, has for the last twenty years been tickling the palates and lightening the hearts of visitors who come into his hospitable fold. House open yeareround, can comfortably accommodate 130 guests, Farther up the line stands the Ross Mountain Prospect House, managed by J. M. Cannane—good fellow. Grand is the Surrounded by spacious grounds of 120 acres or more; beautiful shade and amusements to your heart’s content. Ideal spot, where 200 guests may be accommodated. Again, we have the Hote! Kaatsbe g, superbly located on the bank of the Scho. harie Creek, where the festive brook trout yearns for your tempting fly. Mr. Robert G. Elliott, the genial landlord, can make 100 guests feel they should like to live always, Then there is Otto Haslau, proprietor of the beautiful Ardington, newly refitted, who can make 100 visitors delighted with themselves. From Hunter the writer drove four miles over beantiful macadam roads, along which the Lord has dealt most kindly, Reaching TANNERSVILLE, he stopped for an hour or two at the well. known, Campbell House, whose propric. tress, Mrs. N. Campbell, has been suc LAUREL HOUSE, LAUREL HOUSE STATION the glen, where, meeting the streams that flow from Haines Falls, the mingled wa- ters hurry down the stony pathway through the Clove and out into the valley, until, swollen to a wide stream, they glide into the Hudson at the village of Catskill. The most attractive seasons in the Cats- kills are the early Summer, when the trout fishing is good, and weather neither too hot nor too cold, and the bracing air perfumed with the aroma of wild mountain flowers and shrubs; and particularly the Autumn, after September 1st, when the folia is of inexpressible beauty. The ravises and waterfalls charm the eye, and the walks and drives invigorate one | both in body and soul. Some of the most famous spots noted for their ele ery, purity of warer, and inspiring atmos- pliere, of which the writer makes men- tion below, are reached in from three-and- a-half to four hours from New York city, directly over the lines of the Ulster and Delaware. R. R., in palatial chair and sleeping cars without change. HUNTER, N. Y. The village of Hunter situated in Greene County, surrounded by a country that is both wild and. grand, Directly in front of the town is Hunter Mountain, towering 4.450 feet above sea level, the Colonel's Chair and Stony Clove Moun- tain on the left, Indian Head and Twin Mountain on the right, with Schoharie Creek winding its way down the valley. Macadamized roads, perfect for wheel- ing and driving, extend in every direction. Telegraph, telephone, livery, bowling, tennis, as well as all other modern ar- rangements for convenience and pleasure are found at hand. ‘The accompanying illustration gives an idea of the Central House, with cottages and grounds. Thoroughly modern in their appointments, owned and run by G. W. An- derson. Accommodations for 175 guests. The West End Hotel, of Hunter, is a ant hotels, beauty of scen-|, cessfully catering to Catskill Mountain vis- itors for many years. Accommodations for 100 guests, S FALLS. two miles from Tanners- ville, at the head of the renowned Kaaters love, and commands a view through the Clove across the Hudson valley, Twi- light and Sunset parks within easy walk. ing distance. ‘The elevation is 1.936 feet above the mean tide at New Yori, actual measurement. A beautiful 19-hole golf links is one of the many prominent feat. ures of Haines Falls. VISTA, PINE HILL, N. ¥., Among the are the fo lowing : The This house was built and opened twenty years ago, and is now owned and run by Miss A. E. Ely, a most genial lady, who has made many friends throughout the United States through het cleverness as a hotel proprietress. The house is open from June ist to Nov. 15th, and is thoroughly modern in every partic] Principal hotels esta. jular, including east sun balconies an¢| porches. Geo. W. Reed, formerly proprietor of th High View House, has purchased tht rty known as the Central House a anes Falls, and is prepared to take caf of 75 people. Mr. Reed is a man who lives to please those about him, and loves to set others pleased. comicbooks.com