The Newtown bee., 1904-08-26
THROUGH NEW YORK STATE
ON A BICYCLE.

One fine day, the first week in Ar- gust, set forth on a wheel ride to Schenectady and westward al ong the Mohawk. Although I started from my home, my narrative ill begin at the point I left the Albany pavements. old Albany and Schenectady Turn pike. It is about II miles long and is abso- lutely necessary, if this direct route between the two cities is followed, ow- ing to the soil, sand, and the charac- ter of the turnpike. The latter pro- ceeds unflin chingly, straight ahead its whole length, due northwest, up grade and down. This road was formerly a much travelled avenue of commerce and yielded q large revenue in the shape of tolls. It is very carefully graded, so that none of the inclines are steep. It was paved with cobble- stones, with long slabs of stones for | the wheels to run on. There was but one track, but the cobblestones were wide enough to permit teams to pass. | When the traffic fell off, the tolls diminished and the road, as matter of course, became sadly in need of re- pair. Finally the courts intervened, gave the company burial permit, or dered the gates opened, and loaded the maintenance of the road on the various road districts. In places the pavement is still good; in others poor, stone. It is one of the few main roads in this region that are automobile free. One straying on 1t would decline a return trip.
 Sand is seen at once on leaving the pavement, tawny patches of it adorn- ing some nearby hillsides. It is not coarse, but is very fine, unlike any thing ever noticed in Connecticut, absolutely free from coarse grit, easily blown when dry and packed when moist Some strata are used for mold l miles from the city, it becomes so un- productive that sand burrs and lonelt- ness predominate.
 The New York Central tracks cross the turnpike on viaduct and are soon out of sight. This is an instance where the distance by road is less than by rail.
 The road keeps relentlessly on with | out turn, disappearing over a hill ahead, behind lies Albany, partly visi- ble, but under hay veil of smoke, to all the way; to the left the pale blue of the distant Catskills and the deep CT blue of nearer and lower Helder- bergs. Ever and anon the Schenecta- dy Railway Go. $ cars go dashing by. | As the turnpike was laid out six rods wide, there is ample room for road, cy- cle path, and two trolley tracks. The cars are large, built on the lines of railroad coaches, and painted dark red. The stations are designated by numbers and the intersecting cross roads have the regulation railroad crossing signs.
 SOME GOOD FARMS LIE ALONG THE But these do not impress one as much as the forlorn aspect of the very sandy stretches. On another road, leading from Albany through the sand, there is group of unpainted farm buildings on the verge of two or three acres of absolutely bare sand. The barn bears the sage advice, "Use XY's Fertiliz- ers" II doubt if the manufacturers would be pleased with photograph of the barn and surroundings.
 | An R. F. D. carrier goes jogging along in his canopy top road cart. On one corner during the day, saw eight mail boxes in clump, like family of overgrown, lOng-legged mushrooms. A few of the old marble mile posts are still standing sturdily in place. In the midst of the level dreariness there are some white birch woods in low ground. They are very spectral look ing, seeming to be the very place for all sorts of spooKs and hobgoblins to be at home and for robbers to be lurk- ing in ambush.
 Not far from the Albany and Sche- nectady county line, was one of the two old tollgates on the turnpike. The gates are entirely removed, but the keepers houses are still inhabited, although set right by the road. The real estate agents happy dreams of becoming rich soon stare the passerby in the face in the shape of graded streets and lots staked out. As far as building is concerned, the sale of lots is as remunerative as young ginseng garden.
 In two hours time from home, 19a miles, Schenectady is reached, the dis. tance being longer than the direct route by reason of a detour in Albany on business. Schenectady, "Dorp'' Ii. e. town) for short, is an ancient city that has taken on sudden growth in the last two decades. Formerly every. one knew everyone else (business prob. ably included); no barefooted children played in the streets, and the street lamps were gravely asserted to remain unlighted on moonlight nights. The ENORMOUS EXPANSION OF THE GENER.
 AL ELECTRIC co. $ WORKS
 has drawn vast numbers to the city A friend working in the city told me that stranger asking the way will be apt to receive one of two answers: "I have just moved here myself," or "Me no speak Ing" This spring the Elec' trical company had on it's pay roll, ex. elusive of foremen and office help, 13,. 900 hands.
 The American Locomotive Works there employ few thousand more. Not all of these live in Dorp as many come from Albany, Troy and other points reached by trolley and train. Rents are very high and living like wise. Rent is often paid, when the demand for houses is the greatest, from the time the cellar is being dug. Most of the houses built of late years are two story detached frame houses. There is one main business street, State street. wide and OVerf1Owinp a