The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-29
THE CATShILLS.
RIVALRY AMONG HOTEL PRoPRrEToRs--THE
OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN HOUSE.

OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN HoUsR, July 27, 1875.
"Where Is the Overlook House?" rs a question
which may be heard almost every day IN Mr. Beach's
hotel, and the unvaryng answer with stereotyped
smiic OF whitening contempD IL, son. that's on the
other side Of the Caiskills the words .'on the Other
side" being SAID In such a tone leave the inter
that 1t is too remote and outo!- the-wly TO be
even located. In fact the answer virtually says,
My dear fellow, you might we'll ask US to describe
the precise position OF yonder heeting cloud 10
question us abou, tho situation OF the Overlook House
(which Is only twelve miles distaatl That
house s too far to be got a, even
locatcd-its on the other side Of tho
Catskii It's nowhere in facts This mpy sound like
exagRcration, aud yet know from dozens OF travel
iers that they were unable Standing their per-
sistent questioning. TO obtain any moro Debate in
formation than have given above. ] know that
myself questioned clerks, guides, drivers agents and
all sorts OF dictionaries who to be found about
the Catskill Mountain House. and, with n unanim.y
worthy OF admiration, they all agreed they had not
the shadowest idea where TINT Overlook House was.
Tired OF asking questions almost began TO think that
it a delusion. snare, Il practical Joke, until
read its advertisement IN the HERALD which showed
that IL not the other side. but easily
siDe from the Hudson, and here enjoy ing ITS
atty ana once convinced of the power ana use
uness OF new paper advertising for everything under
the sun.
RIVALRY IN ELEVATIONS.
Another amusing feature III this hotel rivalry is in
respect TO elevations Starting with broad prin-
ciple our base, 1t may be set down, once tor all,
that every hotel Is tho highest. Every house Is
cooler than every other house; every house sit.
uaicd the highest peak OF the Caiskills aud lar
hghcr (no comparison, you understand than uIl It's
rivals; and every house has by Tar the finest,
the grandest, tho most extensive Wow. Fig
ures are naturally convenient; they Will lend
themselves Tor evcrybody's aid And thus
we read that the ore house which 10
the uuskilled eye. locks several hundred feet lower
than the other, is In reality 500 feet higher you
were 10 declare at the Cutskl Mountain House that
tho Overlook Is higher You would 10 forever damned
in tho eyes OF proprietor, clerks, drivers. WATERS
down to the very chambermaids, and amabIe as is
our host or the Overlook am afraid hts brawny arm
would tingle with muscular emotion II he heard any
seriously put forward the assertion that the
Overlook not by all odds The most ele.
waited house Of the two. Listen to either OF
frontcd with most elaborate array OF figures con.
elusive to your mind that each house is hun
drcd feet higher than the other Twill not undertake
10 decide the question; my scalp, perhaps, would not
be safe II did so. Professor Smock, oil Rutgers
College, New BruaswcE, was hero some DAYS ago
making some observations, and he IS quoted as hav.
ing declared that Guyo: was the only ono who
made personal measurements, and his own had
lrned Guyots figures al The only correct ones
the summit OF the Hunter Mountain, 1850
fset higu For the traveller III search
OF COOL heathiai and resiu mountain resort II viii
be quite sufficient to know that both houses stu
atcd upon lofty elevation, are dclighuiy cool and
Command beautiful and extensive views.
THE OVERLOOK HOUSE AND HOW TO REACH
The overlook House, compared with the rival
house on tue other SIDE" has but bret history.
Tue present MOTEL only butt last spring. he ola
Overlook Houso erected In 1873, aud after being
open three summers burned down ri 1876,
wnen The chimney caught fire and tho ne,ghbor,ng
farmers refused 10 come 10 the OF tbe tn-
mates In the beicf hat the ALARM ike several previous
ones, was an Apri joke II has been very lille
scribed the writer's on the CatsAi!l region having
naturally been attracted for the last NIFTY years the
o.d.r house. Hence hope that what shah have to
say about the Overlook Mountain House, aad It's
rounding at,rac,ions viii at least have tho charm OF
novelty The irst question, OF course, 10 how TO got
looked vain over Tho elaborate "CatsknI Mountain
Guide,' with maps, puoIisned oy Van Loan 4 Van
Gordon, In CatsKih twherc not the slightest trace
Of the existence OF such house the
Overlook 10 10 be iound either In the de-
Scorpions OF tho books or On tho maps, although
dozens of petty. obscure boarding houses care
fully ana prominently notedl that tue Overlook
House just ms easy, ana perhaps even tribe easier
OF access tnan the Cute XIII Mo ntain House. There
are several ways OF gong from New YORK. You may
take the O'Clock or III O'Clock morning train New
YORK Central or tue boat to Rim check the
HUDSON, ptoceeo TO West Harley ~ the Ulster and
Dehwaie Hhiiroad ana thence up 10 the overlook
House by stage The ascent Occupying about three
hours aud Il hall. Leaving New York on the III A. NJ.
train khlnepcck Is reached at Ell. Tne Terry
Is crossed AZ soo0 us Tie Albany boat
comes III, generally lew minutes alter
the Train ana the train 10 west Hurl,y Is only lew
steps from tho dock al Ronsout. West Hurley Is
reached ~ o:l ana tao overlook stage, when Starts
nj about 33O bfnssy you by seven up 10 tue Overlook
House IN time Tor tea Thls Is probably The quicGest
and beat route Tor travellers not cncumbered with
heavy baggage For these tho sauee.es route, which
iequrcs ess changes but somc~ nat longer aud moro
tcuous stage rue may DC preferable. III the boat IS
taken 10 Suu9criies tue traveller VIII there meet the
stage ard thus avoid all Dat one transfer OF luggage
Coming by tram me traveller should take MS ticket
10 Ivoli ,here cross on the Terry over TO Snusercs
and thcncs take toe stage, which would only gave him
Two changes.
THE DRivK Up TO THE OVERLOOK.
me rice IRON Wost uuriey, which Is the fayofito
route Is very prety, anu though MOI possessed OF tho
htstofca or legendary interest oil the drive up TO the
Catshiii Mountain House, whcre the RIP Van Winkie
hodse anu sleepy Hollow are passed, II Is easier ana