New-York tribune., 1897-06-13
PICTURESQUEA USABLE CHASN
ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING POINTS OF
ADIRONDACK SCENERY.
THE FINE NEW HOTEL JUST BUILT THERh
AND ITS MANY ADVANTAGES FOR
SIMMER GUESTS

SUMNER GUESTS.
OF all tho natural attractions which have maze
Northern New-York famous perhaps the most
striking Is the Ausable Chasm Other summer re-
sorts OF the region are In one sense all aiihe io'
the basis of the popularity OF all Is their SITUATION
the shores of mountain lakes or In view OF ,"e
various peaks OF the Adirondack range But Au-
sable Chasm is a thing apart. presenting series
of pictures so remarkable as TO attract thousands
Of visitors each season TO enjoy them. Leaving
the Delaware and Hudson read az Port Kent only
a few miles south OF PlattsDurg. ridc Oh il'e
miles by a branch railroad. or OF only three mics
by carriage brings TO the entrance 10 the
Chasm on a hill overlooking which has been
erected this year a large and handsome hotel, on
the site formerly occupied by the well-known Lake
View House which destroyed by fire SIX years
ago. The hotel Is owned by the same COM
pany which owns the Chasm. w. H. Tracy being
general manager. and Pliny d. Houghton' recently
of St. Huberts Inn. assistant manager
The Ausabe River for many miles Of Its Journey
toward Lake Champlan is composed OF TWO
branches, one of which. taking It's rise IN the
picturesque Ausable lakes. is the gentle stream
which gdes through Keene Valley. heishtenins
the beauty Of that lovely region. The two branches
unite few miles above the chasm, the river fow-
ing in uneventful tranquility until suddenly peace
gives way to turmoil and the quiet stream enters
upon a stirring and stormy stage. The abrupt
change suggests something almost human. ana one
reminded, In watching IL, or careers IKE liia' VI
Oliver Cromwell with it's sudden transition from
the colorless life OF the yeornan farmer TO the
seethng existence OF the leader OF revolution and
the splendid isolation Of the Lord Protector. AS
the Chasm's entrance is neared the river piunses
over Rainbow Falls in double flood, high )ut-
ting rock between Down the tumblng waters
hurl themselves. lashed into cream-colored foam
bv the frenzy OF their motion. while from the
depths rises perpeually vapor which Is seen above
the hilltop 100 feet or 80 above.
few hundred feet further on and the Horseshoe
Falls are reached. elongated, curvinS indenta-
ton in the rocky bed OF the river sufficiently deep
10 give a material impulse to the already swift
current. The banks here are fully l50 feet hign
and are spanned by the graceful structure OF the
iron railway bridge Still another scoopng out OK
the riverbed in midstream causing new eddies ana
a faster flow and then the river. brown with the
hue of the underlying rock and green In the L OF
the tiny fall rushes foaming around a bend at
right angles with its previous course On each
side rocky precipices OF Potsdam sandstone,
LAYER on layer the layers in some places horizon
tai in other tilted and again curiously pressed into
curves And the successive layers are so distinctly
washed that the high walls of the canyon look ss
they have looked for II they were about to
disintegrate and tumble bodily into the yawning
depths Around the bend the sides OF the gorge
rise higher but on the right side the rock shelves
I'm successive planes TO the waters edge. Opposite
Is beetling precipice. which the most expert
climber who ever lived could not scale. Away
overhead the cedars fringe the edge Of the hills.
and nosses find Judgement in the nerstices OF the
rock-ayers The stream is constantly descending.
now green. now foaming white. the retaining
walls increase In height. Here and there are
lateral clefts narrow. sunless. cut deep into the
mountain side. looking away up through which one
may catch glimpse Of the wooded plain and the
blue sky. BY and by the stream makes another
sharp turn 20 the left. and here on the right the
oft Ri bnp he
below IT, Jagged and roughly hewn as If they were
of flint.
Here the width Of the canyon Is considerable, but
around the sharp turn II suddenly contracts. and
tho river itself. at some points as much as fifty
feet wide now Is compressed to width OF only
ten feet. with a corresponding increase of velocity
as 1t rushes through Hell Gate" over a series of
little RAPIDS The rocks still in layers, but
more massive In aspect and not crosscut by per-
pendicular cleavage. nearer the entrance TO the
Chasm. The path takes an upward turn, over
stanch bridges and its clambcring course along
the side Of the avail Is protected by an Iron
railing Down the gorge. with its sheer walls Of
everlasting rock. their heights cedarfringed. and
above them narrow strip of the blue heaven
rushes the eager stream. Fastening TO its rest in
the broad bosom of Champlan.
The scene 70 one OF beauty and submity. IN
deed at every point in the pilgrimage through the
Chasm. In contrast to the general character of
r,ggedness OF the Chasm is a spot where ferns and
mosses found in abundance. and little further
on. where the path runs high up the rocky steep.
bloom the violet and the dandelion and the wild
strawberry A singular phenomenon In this part
deep and six or seven feet In diameter. a great
nate projecting rings showing the resistance, of the
harder strata to the wearing influence OF the ages
Across the canyon. reached by IA bridge is Hyde's
Cave, in the recesses Of an enormous rift IN the
bank
BY continuing on the main path smuggers Pass
Is soon reached. a gloomy issure running away UP
to the level hilltop. Point Lookout. a broad fiat
down The vale Is few feet further on and Just
son Soon comes Table Rock. where the boat is
asn H ee In SSn Hons in pas the Sow
and another In the stern. little rapid is passed.
Grapl eH% i"f@ Flums The PsrPsSdsplar sdss when
rs fee, IN height; along through the Narrows.
tilted strata OF the banks. creating the illusion
that the boat is sliding downhl. although the
Gateway" into the Rapids tossed TO right and
LEFT and eob5g up and dGwn M but guided by the
yond where The excursion ends. the visitor return
Ing by cars se to Aassb in aSs chasm is a. admirable
In location as In equipment. standing as does on
rSom Se IN e lefs IS 'front.' d
IL would Ice hard TO choose which outlook is the
pion pioi and Inc further Green Mountains in front
eastward. and from the rear gives a fine view
hotel Is three stories In height and In the centre
for the width Of four rooms. four stories high
There is accommodation In the hotel and cottages
together for about go guests On both sides OF
the hotel are broad piazzas Within. the stairs
and the paneng OF the pleasant hall in which the
Office il situated are OF highly polished red birch
on one side OF this hall the ground floor are
four small pariors. and beyond them Is the large
dining room on the other side sleeping rooms
five I'm front and four In the The four rooms
are en- suite. with private bath for each two The
five front rooms have connecting doors. so that
families occupying several OF them may have
communication. The arrangement OF rooms on |
the upper foors Is substantially the same as that
OF the ground floor there being In all twelve rooms
suite. -
one feature OF the house which Will COM
mend itself all guests Is the presence OF outside
blinds on every window. Another Is the fact OF
easily reached hre-escapes on both ends or the |
building 4 third 10 the equipment OF every room
with a commodious closet. The hotel Is lighted
with electric light and has electric bells through