The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-29
IT'S BEAUTIES AND SCENERY.
How and Where the Cr9suSes Of
New York Dwell.
The paliSadeS---Are They Susceptible Of
Improvement?
LANDSCAPE, ART AND ENGINEERING.

Hamilton and Essex counties In this state, In the
midst OF certain wdness that win ever preserve
its prImevai characteristics even when opposed TO
the sdvan ced arm OF civilization, in region where
the picturesque Adiro ndacks their lofty heads
and ut an elevation OF 1900 feet above the level OF
the sea, rises that beautiful stream, which Hendrix
Hudson consecrated to ms daring nearly 300 years
ago. At the confluence Of the highland lakes form
rug the head waters of the Hudson, the fairest and
navlgable OF American rivers, can be seen and
traced, upward 10 the small rivulet ana leaplng
brook, or from their union In Essex county south
ward along its majestic sweep, distance
of 100 miles ana whose entire width has
= varying measure Of from 800 to 700
yards, and while following its serpentine
course is held up in panoramic spendors, the eieva-
ted and gently rising banks covered with . downy
verdure, sufused with the nush Of the loveest
landscape, and dotted with fne mansions and quiet
farm houses, as well as thriving towns and peaceful
nsmlets the proud ennsnces, planted by the hand
Of nature with vigorous oaks, spreading elms,
gigantic hickores and the mountain ash, ascending
10 heights o. many hundred feet with sphinx-like
beads foliage-covered skulls. while touching the
misty sky 18th round and ocld outlines, yet softly
shaded with the blue and azure clouds; the culti-
yated fields, extending away into the Interior
ABUNDANT in corn. rich in meadow lands. with har
vest upon harves Of the raresr fruit and vast acres
VI promising grain: the magnificent scenery rising
ABRUPTLY from the waters edge OIL the western
shore among the High lnds and sweeping in the
direction OF another wafer course toward the
Hackensack river, through country which has
promising future now that the recently built rail-
road has commenced Its operations those historic
points as wen as sublime creation-the massive
cliffs, Break Neck, Cro' Nesr Sugar-loa Mountain,
Anthony's Nose. Dunderberg, meaning Thunder
Monutainn-a name famous as the pantronimlc
OF W. II. Webb's enormous sea mons5er-which
maryels Of the sublime and picturesque have been
the theme for poets, the study OF naturalists and
the wonder OF world travellers; the more
practical, yet not every day sights that are hourly
transporting at West Point, the root OF American
giory-"Where Washington fought aud Arnold fell,
to ring the sound of treason's kner.r Where the
Military Academy that reared Scott and TAYLOR
Grant and Sherman fourshes at higher state of
efficiency that II has ever before attained,
and where the landscape beauties whether OF
broad MONDAY or twilight dimness still
exist In their never changing attractive.
ness, making the observer admire until his
admiration Is surleited, If such thing can ever be.
All of these pictures with the beautiful bay at
Hayerstraw, that freak Of nature the Palisades,
with their rocky and perpendicular sides. their
crest-capped forests AMI the scattered Inhabitants
,sets the deep coves The wooded dingles moved
lnto palpita1ng animation by fresh winds and
rustic vapors-this grand whole washed Yesterday
when
The western waves Of ebbing day
Rolled DER the allen their level
Each purple peak and hnty splre
was bdthed IN hoods of living tire.
Was simply the Hudsoa-"ony this and nothing
mOre.r
Yet this is not all that can be said even in gene
ral
mouth lies the great city of New York, without
which the Hudson would be as destitute as without
it- source; and New YORK without its Hudson would
never have been the New York OF to-day. It
~ mainly as these two reciprocal helpmeets
mutually affect each other; as the Hudson has
frbuted to the financial and commercial prosperity
OF New York on the one hand, and as New York has
assisted TO develop and make conspicuous the en-
during beauties OF the Hudson on the other; as the
city has matured from an infant settlement, desti
tuts OF enterprise and commerce, into mighty
metropolis pushing its activity and capital into the
remotest corners Of the earth; and as the Hudson,
Keeping pace. has converted her wild slopes and
rugged mountains into garden spots and delightful
retreats now unrivalled In the world, that we
propose to consider In this article. No one Of
mature years can appeal to his memory Of
the suburban history Of New York, without being
Island in landed advancement with the Hudson in
horticultural aud agricultural wealth. No imposing
mansion for some few years back has been contem-
plated on the "avenue" by sudden possessors OF
wealth without its counterpart-in fact twin
sister-a villa on the Hudson. The rush In this d.
rection, and FOR this purpose is Incredible to
unacquanted with the facts yet is hardly strange
that those who toll for gam, who amass fortunes by
unwcaried effort and secure the means OF an elegant
living, should seek qaiet though beautiful spot upon
which to lavish their money in rusdc delights, and
dnally select the Hudson, above which no other
stream in the world has such grand landscapes tow
ering tr ees healthy climate and cultivated soil. The
mt up the river ty years ago was, OF course
comparatl vely slight one Then, or for some years
na poshed irving old paroons ike Van kenn
seiaer, Cooper, Pauldlng and Van Cortlandt held
their ancestral estates; while the sturdy knicSer-
bockers improved their industrously acquired lands
and materially assisted to build up that old colony
which still boasts its pre.emnence IN Ameri-
can society and politics. The island improved,
population Increased, trade multiplied and
New York became the young giant in
fortunes the LETT bank OF the hudson began to as.
sumo something OF It's present aspect OF capacious
mansions, well cut lawns, thinned out groves and
planted gardens The era OF New YOrk's greatest
prosperity has come, aud with 1t the Incompatible
beauties now lining the left bank showing renne-
ment In its spnere--the highest sphere too-not
matched by the productions OF Oriental ingenuity,
the magni cence OF Eastern imagery or the height
ened effects OF the tr0pica SOUTH the HUDSON III
true to say, Is the most beautiful well the sub
finest Of rivers; but all this would be no grandel
than the unpeopled domains OF the Yosemite and
the Mississippi valleys did not Its shores show signs
of the highest style OF landscape gardening, the
most intricate grouping Of incongruoas objects, aud
The well preserved unity and simplicity, speaking
With a silent but potent voice In the delightful
plans, the doping sward the linked coves snt
ieIls. the charming flower plots, the tastefu
mansions and the almost numberless elegant places
chained together from Albany TO Spuyten Duyyi
creek and Washington Heights, the furthest south
point. Yet lew people Know oI Tue nisn s.au
OF cutyation the massive mansions. the UNIQUE
styles OF architecture and the general condltion
the svillasr On the river at tins day. Especially
this so OF the places upon washington heiRnts mn
OF the tract of country between Y0nkeB ana tn
Harlem river. IL has been estimated Dy not en-
tbusiastic gentleman. residing on Wasthgtol
Heights above fifteen years. and whose opinions ar
~ accurate Trustworthy in othcr regards, that no
5000 people who are not inhabitants OF the imme
date district have ever been upon that spot a
visitors. He asserted, with positive truth that eve
those Anyways WHO are simply occupants Of tow
no 90 tn drI I'm n