The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-24
4 -FOUR DAYS OUTING
Story of the Trip Of Two Gen.
tlemen Among the Jer-
sey Mountains.

SAAAS IAk w IA Va -
City man a week ago. He had been COM
planning of his inability to get away from
his business. A Trenton friend proposed the
outing, and so enthusiastically did he de-
scribe the benefits of such a trip, that Mr..
Jersey City packed his grip, boarded a train
for Trenton, and surprised his friend by
bounding into his office and exclaimed
"Come, Jack, we take that trip you pro-
posed"
Jack was willing, and next morning at the
hour of five o'clock a train on the p. q r.
bore the pair rapidly away from the envi-
ronments of the city and they had the priv
ilege of, for once in their lives, beholding the
country when the dew of the morning be-
gilded every grass blade and the haze of the
new born day impalt ted a dreamy sensuous-
ness to the atmosphere as If sleepy nature
had not yet rubbed the cobwebs from her
eyelids. When the train sped along through
Pennington, Hopewell. and entered Somer-
set County. the scene presented was a pleas
ing one. The growing crops, the well laden
orchards, and the green fields were inspiring
in their beauty. A sinuous line of fog be-
trayed the vicinity of the Raritan River,
and with a rush and roar the bridge was
crossed, and in a few moment the snorting
iron steed ann to a halt at Bound Brook.
Here the party alighted, and after a brief
interval, boarded o train on the Central
Railroad of New Jersey, bound northward.
An almost continual up grade is noticed and
the locomotive seems to labor hard as it
climbs up through Somerset and Hunterdon
counties. Somerville, Raritan, North
Branch and White House fair to look upon
in their delightful settings of field and wood
land, and surrounded by the finest agricul-
tural portion of New Jersey are soon passed,
then comes Lebanon, perched upon a hill
and beautiful for situation.
The scenery becomes more rugged as the
train moves on and the mountains of upper
Hunterdon com into view as Anuandale
and High Bridge are approached. AT the
latter place another halt is made and break
fast is partaken OF. Not much of a variety,
it is true, but excellent in quality to appe-
titles sharpened by a fifty mile ride in the
early morning.
A wait of an hour and ten minutes passes
at last, and the train on the High Bridge
branch backs up to the station, and IN due
course of time the train moves off. A merry
party of excursionists from Phillipsburg
make the time pass speedily. As the train
leaves the station and winds around the
mountain and into thenarrow gorge, through
which it makes its way, the scene is one of
wonderful beauty. Far up on either hand
tower the hills, while far down the south
branch of the Raritan winds its tortuous
way, now on one side and now on the other,
as the train crosses from the side of one hill
TO the other. The trees covered with their
full summer dress of foliage hut out much
of the scenic effect, but enough is shown to
entrance the beholder with its beauty. Cali
fon, a pretty little hamlet that aforetime re-
joiced i'll the e~uphonious title of "Peggy's
Puddle" is passed, then Lower Valley and
then the train stops at German Valley, which
is the end of the journey for today, at least.
THEIR FIRST STOP.
The tourists secure their luggage and tax
up the line of march for a place of entertain
ment, which is soon found within the hos
pitable doors of the German Valley Hotel,
over whose destiny the present proprietor.
Mr.. Nelson Hyde, has presided for nearly
forty years. After a brief rest, the travellers
go out and see what may be seen. The vii
Iage is composed of some five or six hundred
inhabitants, and is located at the foot of
Schooleyis mountain. The south branch of
the Raritan u IL through the village, in
which are the usual stores, blacksmith shop,
ETC.. of a country village. Two churches,
Lutheran and Presbyterian, afford spiritual
sustenance to the population. There are also
Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias lodges,
and a Post Of the G. A. r..
German Valley is one of the older towns
of the State, having been settled some time
during the year 173S, by the Holland Dutch,
who came into the valley by way of PhiIa-
delphia from Rotterdam Leonhert Mach
bar was among the earliest settlers, and he
was the projenitor of the "Neighbors," who
abound in Morris and portions of Somerset
county. Stoffie Durabercher in English is
Stephen Terriberry. and from him the fam
lily of that name sprang. So with other
families in the vicinity who show the traits
of their study, Dutch ancestry.
The ruins of the old Lutheran Church,
built before the Revolution, with its quaint
graveyard, are objects of great interest to
the antiquarian.
Pursuing their walk the travellers soon
left the main road to Laketown, a small
hamlet. a few miles distant, and began to
climb the rugged side of the mountain. The
peaceful stiffness has been invaded by the
greed of man and the granite quarry has
been opened high upon the mountain side,
where huge blocks of granite are hewn and
chiseled into shape and omeliness. A gravity
railroad conveys the product of
the quarry to the main line, whence it
finds its way to the big cities, and. some of
it will stand to mark the last resting place of
those gone before, now sleeping in the silent
city of the dead.
Still climbing upward, while the trickling
waters of Stony brook tumble and dash
over their rocky bed, the scene grows wilder
and more sublime. Huge rocks as large as
a small house lie scattered about in the most
reckless profusion, and an agile climber can
trace the stream to the mountain top by
leaping from rock to rock.
Soon voices break On the ear, and a party
of ladies, who had preceded the tourists to
the village a few days before, were discov-
cred resting in the shade of the overhanging
trees. Being thoroughly satisfied with the
amount of energy expended in coming thus
far, the descent was commenced, and soon
the whole party emerged again among the
haunts of civilization. TIL remainder of
the day was given up to a prolonged rest,
AT Xxi ~HoPATcoNG.
The following day, the Sabbath, was
passed in quiet sec1usion. On Monday a
party was made up to visit Lake Hopat-
cong, which is one of the noted resorts of
Northern New Jersey. The rid to the lake
on the tram was very enjoyable, the only
drawback being a shower that persisted in
following along, and which began to pour
just as the party reached the lake at Hopat-
cong station. The branch road that leaves
the High Bridge 0 at Hopatcong juno
ton, and runs on through to Edison, is just
as crooked as a road could be laid, and its
tendency is upward, ever upward, the lake
being more than one thousand feet above the
level of the sea.
At Hopatcong of course the great center
of attraction is the lake itself, which fully
bears out all that has been said or written
about it. It is a beautiful sheet of water
hemmed in by high hills and mountains on
every side and a number of romantic wooded
islands dot its CLASSY surface, which at times