New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
HOW TO REACH THE MOUNTAINS.
THE ULSTER AND DELAWARES PAkI IN
DEVELOPING THE CATsKILLS.


The most prominent factor in the development OF
tho Catskls as q summer resort mas peen 'ic
I-,s,or and Delaware Railroad, the construction OF
which was begun in 1866 and completed four years
later Summer Visitors there were, indeed peio'e
that and had been for many years but " Is sara
that the total number of them twenty-five years
ago would not average more than two Thousand
season = number accommodated nowadays at a
single resort on the Ulster and Delaware ROAD
They used 10 go into the mountains D! stage co"cA'
suffering all the discomforts and WEAKNESS winch
that mode Of locomotion involves. and II Is not
strange that many wers unwilling to undergo those
trials 1t was no easy task 10 build the rairoai'
with its necessarily steep grades and the mountain
torrents which I'D to be bridgcd and the mountain
side pathways which had TO be oiasted out ING
faith of the promoters has been amply )us'ileu'
All along the road they have seen villages spring
I'D and hotels and boarding houses multiply ana
wear by year they have improved their property
and added new ro,ling-stock and put On auni''ohai
trains 10 accommodate the steadily sweiilhs NUM-
Der of their patrons. The roadbed Is well oaiIasted'
the rails are heavy and the traveler on the .s'er
and Delaware road to-day finds the going as
smootn and comfortable as on of the great
trunk lines an agreeable contrast 10 the expert
ence he would have on most mountain rairoaus'
The old wooden bridges are being replaced oy
stanch iron structures and wherever possible the
curves are being Strengthened out. The engines are
powerful ones and two, and sometimes three are
necessary TO get the trains up the different grades
in midsummer, when the traffc Is especiah! heaV!
The starting point is Rondout or more properly
Kingston Point miles east OF that place. wnere
passengers arriving by the Albany Day Line steam
ers take the cars. At Rondout passengers from the
Mary Powell or the Night Lire steamers. or those
who come across the river by ferry from the New
York Central board the train At Kingston con-
nection is made with the tracks OF the "est eho'e
road through cars which from Ncw-fork ana
Philadelphia and In some cases solid trains-the
in
the Ulster and Delaware rails. The service TINS
season the summer timetable goes INTO erect
about the last OF THIS MONTH will include TWO soma
fast trains daily, except Sunday, from New-f orK
over the West Sho a special weekday Tram con-
Meeting with the Day Line steamers; morning
train every day connecting with the Romer d
Tremper night boats and the Mary Powell ana a
special half holiday train from Ncw-York over the
West Shore road every Saturday Close connec-
,ons also be made with fast trains on the
New.York Central, and there will be through
sleeping-car service every Sunday night 10 New
York At West Hurley the stage is taken Tor the
Overland Mountain House. which Is In plain view
from the railroad Phoenicia is the junction point OF
the main line with the narrow-sause road up the
Stony Glove and noted summer resort At Big
Indian the travellers who going TO ascend Slide
Mountain leave the cars and begin their eleven
mile stage ride Grand Hotel Station, forty-one
miles from Rondout, is lss6 feet above udewater
and the highest point touched by the Ulster and
Delaware tracks At Arkvle many people leave
the trains for villages round about or for their own
homes among them George J. Gould. whose place,
Furlough Lake is seven miles away Margaret
Vile a mile or 20 from Arkville. Is especial
gathering place for artists many OF whom have
studios there At Roxbury is seen the massive
stone church built by Miss Helen Gould In memory
Of her father Jay Gould. who vas born In that lit
tie village. A few miles further on Is STANFORD.
oue Of the most noted and deservedly popular VII
lagos In the catskis. and thirteen miles beyond
there IL Bloomvie. the present terminus OF the