The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
DELAWARE VALLEY BEAUTIES
A LARGER ARMY or VISITORS IS
SEEKING THEN THIS YEAR.
The Advance Guard Has Moved Already
Upon the water Gap, Stroutisburg,
the Pine Covered Pocono, Mountains
and Lake HOpateonV IA Seen
Around and About Those Places.

and Lake HOpateonV-What Il Seen
Around and About Those Places.
The first hot breath of summer has al
ready sent folks hurrying from the city
to the beautiful Delaware Valley and the
mountain resorts around 1t, where summer =
heat 10 ever tempered by the ooolness OF the
pine woods and the breezes from lake and
river.
Since the snow fed preparations for the
visitors have been going on. Thousands
will he needed TO fill the hotels and summer
cottages which have sprung up In this wood
land region in the last few years. But
the thousands will be there. No part Of
America has 80 grown in favor In the last
few years az have the Delaware Water
Gap stroutlsburg In the highlands behind
it, Pooono AMI the Blue Ridge Mountains.
and In Jersey, across the river, Lake Hopat-
cong. where the bass lie, greedy and pug
nacious in the water over which the white
sails glisten.
The pine woods are at their best before
the hot sun Of July and August dims their
blue green edges, the golf links are at their
greenest, and from the good roads the white
dust OF midsummer Is absent.
In the Water Gap district American wood
land scenery has reached its highest devel-
opment. At all stages of the summer
the region is charming just now there Is
the faint green Of the newly started buds.
Soon there will be the regal profusion OF
the laurels and rhododendron through the
woods. Then will come the yellow masses
Of goldenrod along the river banks. Last
of all, the superb ooloring Of the mountain
foliage in the fall will call forth the adj
miration OF every nature lover.
Restful is the word which best describes
the Delaware Valley. The woodland quiet,
the seep-giving, nerve-resting. pine
sweetened air, the expanse Of placid stream,
all contribute to the atmosphere OF reis1a-
ton. The river, wide and majestic, break
ing through the Blue Ridge Mountains
and winding through the valley 1t has
carved in long ages, gives the charm when
water alone can give to such region.
On either shore pretty farmhouses peep
through the line OF woods, and roomy, vine-
hung hotels, such as are seen in no other
land, crown the points Of vantage.
I, il spot for the strenuous and also for
the LATEST porch loller there is, and equally
ENJOYABLE to both The strenuous man may
row and fish and swim. bicycle and gov 10
his heart Is content The lazy man may ENJOY
the scenery from his little porch, take MS
river views from a naphtha or electric
launch or from the cushioned stern OF
a boat which others row, ana nlVe over
the good roads in a comfortable carnage
the hire Of which ia cheap.
But the chances are that he will not take
his holiday long at ease. The mountain air
is bracina, sti1 fight with bass ia Tempt
ing and to know the prettiest brooks well
they must he waded from source to mouth.
And the wader will feel soon that he must
know every inch Of them. curves and cas-
cades, pools and rapids. even the worry
gravel over which the dancing nipples play.
That ia the effect OF the good. sweet ar OF
The pine woods
Then the carriages, after all. don't pene-
,rate TO the very choicest. the very dain!iest y
shots. The city man will soon ind him
self walking the Moes Ledge. that magniti-
cent mountain trail. or the Ridge rain.
which leads through the heart OF the forest
10 Hunters Spring. far up on Mount Minsi'
And in the end the city man and the city
woman who meant to ''sit on the porch all
dav and rest" will awake to the realisation
that they have done nothing Of the sort.
Int are going back to town all tho filter
for the exercise they had never intended
10 take and only sorry that all good times
must end and that summer vacations
don't last forever.
Az to those bass, about thousand feet up
from the island on the jersey side, in front
of the station at the Water Gap, there 10
an eddy Just below the first pier OF the great
railroad bridge, with deep water shoshng
70 rapids a hundred yards or 20 below.
Go there with seven or eight ounce lance
wood. a bamboo rod with, at least 200 feet
Of line on the reel and sproat hook with q
small catfish or helgramites for bait.
Or 20 with the same equipment to tho
stretch of water between the second pier
md the point OF the island above, sspara-
ting the main stream from the smaller one
known as the Bentkill. There IL deep
channel ending at tho large, submerged
roots OF a great oak. AL that water Is
good fishing ground The bait Ia carried
down the stream by the current and the
angler who gets bass IN that wafer mas hs
work cut out for him.
For making. the proper acquaintance OF
these bass and OF the trout In the streams
in the surrounding country back OF the
river, for exploring the charming region
OF which the Gap lteeu - only mo CentIo,
the summer il all too short. Many fami-
lies have returned annually for dozen
or even q score Of years and at each
visit found new charms. For the Gap is
one Of the oldest mountain resorts known
here, yet az an attraction 1t increases In
popularity year after year till now 1t u
studded with hotels and summer oottaEes
OF every rank, from the magnificent ana
costly TO the humble and homelike, and 1t
hard to say whether tho very rioh or the
visitors OF modest means enjoy Its pleasures
Close by the Water Gap, between tho
foothills Of the Pooono Range and tho
Blue Ridge Mountains, and itself 200 feet
above tidewater lies Stroudsburg, the old
fashioned county seat OF Monroe county.
There il more fishing and hunting country,
where the drumming Of the .partridges h
heard at every walk through the woods,
and streams and lakes are prolific In pick
erel, bass, perch and brook trout
BY it runs the Medford bicycle and driv-
ing road, famous throughout Pennsyl-
yania. Beautiful drives lead In all direc-
tons from the thickly timbered ridge on
which the little settlement rests, and at
every turn freeh view OF the mountains
and the exquisite valley scenery presents
Near by are the Bushkin Falls in wild.
-clouded glen; Echo Lake. with It's
clear water and tree-irinsed shore; Forest
Park, with three lakes whore folks hathe
and row and fish, and dozen miniature