New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-31
SUMNER IN THE JERSEY HIGHLANDS.

SUMNER IN THE JERSEY HIGHLANDS
PURE AND cool AIR-rHE LOVELY LAKE AND
MOUNTAIN sCENRRy-GooD PLACES TO PITCH A
IrNr-rHE MAN VINO KNOWS HOW TO KEEP A
HOIgL.
TrRoN AZ OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
NEWFOUNDLAND. July 28.-Now that hundreds
Of people are instinctivey medItating a hight 10
the mountains as the natural escape from the
midsummer ftrvOrs of the city, 1t IS mater OF
practical moment for them TO decide how far they
are willing to 20 and how high it is advisable TO
climb. one who insists on leaving the hot weather
n mile below him. and who isn't satisfied I'M
less he finds frost in July, Will hardly stop
this side of the White Mountains; but
one of less soaring ambition who concludes that
the stratum of air floating from / 900 to l'ooo
feet above him, cool enough and pure enough lot
health and comfort, can mount to such an altitn"e
In two or three hours by taking almost any oi the
roads which diverge from jersey City. except the
PENNSYLVANIA. To about this level rise the SUM
mits of the Highland Range a broad mountain bet
which forms portion of the Appalachian system
stretching from the Delaware IN northeasterly
direction across the state OF Ncw-Jersey, and eX-
tending in broken masses onward TO the Hudson
This belt is from ten to twenty miles in width, and
consists OF short ridges of primitive rock which run
arael 10 each other the most considerable OF them
being known as the MuscOnetcOng PoAatcong
Schooley's Mountain, Aamuche, BrookIand, wall
kill. Hamburg, Wawayauda and Ramapo These
ridges. many of them rich with mineral deposits
often rise in ABRUPT and preclpitOus lodges on the
southeast side, while the opposite flank almost III
variably slopes upward in sweep OF unOr0ken iof-
est TO the summit, and between them lie marrow
valleys. fertile, well watered and dotted with fire.
quent farm-houses.
The whole mountain, especially the northern haI1
of it, is gemmed with picturesque lakes aud ponds
many of them fed exclusively by hidden
snrinqs and filling deep basins followed
ont of the very SUBMITS of the ridges Lake
Hopaconr. Greenwood Lake and Budds Lake
are well known as " Resorts" Quite as attractive
are the Lakes Wawayanda and MacOpn, aud more
heautlful than all is Green Pond resting IN the
highest point of narrow valley between COpperdS
mountain and a nameless ridge TO the westward.
This last is sheet of the finest and most
Transparent spring water some three ana a
half miles long and One-third as broad Al
the upper end the gradually soping beach Is
of clean white sand, while the shores on the west
are walls of perpendicular rock. Thick groves OF
nine and bemlOck at the southern point, with the
wooded slopes Oh either side, make an appropriate
setting for this gem, where every prospect pleases
and onIv man is vile-vile enough. at least, to be
litpious for Just now, owing to some tangled law
suits visitors unless under certain conditions, are
treated as intruders and trespasseTs. Besides
these lakes there are others by the dozen, each
containing from 90 to 100 acres and upward,
and each having peculiar attractions One OF these
knovn as sand Pond, lies the summit of the
Hamburg Ridge, which OverloOks the valley be-
tween the Highlands and the Blue or Shawan2unk
Range beyond. Standing on the very brim OF the
pond one can see far to the right the Caskil Noun
tain House and TO the left the Water Gap and the
xr,,.fa habip ind
embracing at one sweep view Of the entire ktta-
tinny Valley from the Hudson TO the Delaware
OF course all this region is a paradise for people
who camp out " and delude themselves with the
fiction that they are "roughng it" If they can only
sleep under an army tent on a luxurious couth OF
bemIock boughs There are black bass or pickerel
i'm all the lakes The last deer vanished forty years
ago. although the forest stretches are ample still
for the range and cover of such noble
game; but there is hunting yet IN sea
son. There are steep cliffs to scale
and choice specimens" for the mineraogist IN the
ores of the ridges or bedded in the crystalline lime
STONE of tho valleys Good bathing and free air and
solitude the smell of the woods and the resnous
and tonic fragrance of pine and hemlock, and al
most everything which untamed Nature can offer to
make this outdoor life wholesome and satisfying
nre here in abundance. The islands aud shores OF
Lake Wawayanda have hitherto been the favorite
canning grounds but colonies Of vacation squatters
are growing more numerous every year, anu one can
hardly set up his tabernacle III an inhospitable
valley.
This region, too, is something of a paradise fol
people who can endure the comforts OF CIVILIZATION
and who are willing to eat at tables and sleep IN
beds like human beings. The farmers have been
seduced into taking Summer boarders," and there
are hotels of proved excellence scattered among
SphoOlpVl4 Mountain
SPRINGS 70 Greenw wood Lake. One Of the oldest and
hest of these is Browns Hotel at Newfoundland, on
The line of the New-Jersey Midland Railway
This read Climbs the mountain by way OF the
picturesoue Pequannock Valley. and winding
among the ridges, desoends the KIttatinny side OF
the range into Sussex County, amid scenery OF
surpasspg loneliness The whole region trayersed,
from Pompton westward, is an inviting one Tor
Summer loiterers, but Newfoundland Is specially
So 1t is productive valley about 900 feet above
tide water. Green Pond is 300 feet higher, and but
three miles away. Lake Macopin Is nearer STILL
In the same valley, nine miles TO the north,
a. Greenwood Lake, and the drive thither
over the hard. smooth road, is charm
ing. Smaller lakes. with Clinton Falls and
other objects of interest are within easy
walking or driving distance and more important
than all "John p" has hereditary genius for keep
ing hotel. The house has been IN the hands OF
Mr.. Brown and bis father for slxty-three years,
and was famous for good cheer long before rail-
road ran through the valley and even before 1t was
a stoppiug place of note on the old turnpike for
the main line of Concord coaches, which
carried the bulk Of west-bound travellers forty
wears ago. The old tavern has grown up into four
stories and spread ont TO three times ITS original
length and breadth. but it is not large enough yet
to have an empty during " the season" for the
children grow up to fill the places Of their parents,