New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-22

tions is furnished to The Tr'o-
une by the American Automo-
bile Association Touring Blu
redu.
So much has been printed recently
concerning roads which are either
closed for construction or in poor con-
dition that it is well TO let motorists
know that there are still many ROADS
remaining which offer an excellent
touring surface throughout.
New York State is unusually wei
provided with good roads this season.
the extensive construction work which
took place last year having opened up
several trunk routes which have never
hitherto been in good shape for tour
ing. In fact, this state Ia q. shining
example of what can be done in the
way of providing good roads when SUI
fcient funds are available for the pur-
pose.
II is now possible for a motor!st 20
make a complete circuit Of the state
covering some 1900 miles without re-
peating a single mile Of road and ye'
be certain to find excellent hard-sur'
faced state roads for fully 95 per cent
of the distance. Even CALIFORNIA;
much-vaunted highway system cannot
produce anything like that, while most
of the other states are hopelessly be-
/ bind in the race for good roads su'
premacy. ....
If the "See America First slogan is
good for Americans in general, then
/ New Workers might do we'll to align
! themselves under the equally patriotic
one of See New York First" Certain
ly there are no better roads nor more
beautiful scenery to be found anywhere
in the East than is found right inside
the confines of the Empire State. The
Adirondacks, the Catskills, the Finger
Lakes, the Thousand Islands-all OF
these and many more sections Of lesser
\ Importance offer a scope and variety
of scenery which cannot fail to satisfy
even the most blase Of motorists.
Of course, it is true that occasional
| detours will be found necessary even
on the most travelled trunk routes, but
the number of such places is much
smaller this year than has been the
case for several years past This does
not mean that there has been any
marked cessation in road improvement
but merely that most Of the trunk
routes are in such good condition now
that the state and county highway en-
| gineers are now devoting their atten'
| tons to the improvement of various
side roads. Many of these are of much
local Importance. but are very seldom
used by the average tourist.
Whoever contemplates making a cir
cult of the state, either wholly or in
part, had best run north along the east
| side of the Hudson River to Albany.
With the exception Of a short but good
detour between Dobbs Ferry and larry
town, which has been necessary for
some time, he will find good state
roads throughout the entire distance
The bad condition which prevailed for
so long a time at Wappinger's Falls Is
Few eliminated. The route along the
east side of the river is distinctly pref
cradle to it's parallel along the west
side, as there is construction work IN
progress both at Kingston and at
Saugerties which will cause confusion
and loss of time.
The trunk route,running north from
Albany to Elizabethtown and Lake
Placid via Saratoga, Lake George and
Schroon Lake is in excellent condition
all the way. This is plainly evidenced
by the fact that one motorist recentiy
made the run from Lake Placid to Lake
George over this road in only -FOUR
hours. distance of 10S miles, thus
averaging twenty-seven miles per nour'
1t is better to use the route via Co
hoes and Mechanicville in running 70
Saratoga, as the, alternate route via
Schenectady is in rather poor CONDITION
between that place and Saratoga. Like
wise the route via Luzerne between
Saratoga and Lake George is the proper
one at present, owing to road construc-
ton lust south of Glens Falls.
Since the completion of the road
through Wilmington Notch, good,
hard road is now available all the way
from Eizabethtown through the heart
of the Adirondacks to Malone. Con-
struction work is now in progress on
two short cuts in this region, which.
when completed, will materially shorten
both the route from Elizabethtown to
Keeseville and also that from keene to
Lake Placid. One of these is the direct
read from Elizabethtown to Keeseville
via Lewis. and the other is the we'll
known but hitherto inferior road along
the Cascade Lakes.
Motorists bound for Montreal will
find the road closed between Plattsburg
and Beekmantown, which is FIVE miles
north, but a satisfactory detour is pro-
vided over a good earth road.
In order to reach the Thousand
Islands from Lake Placid it is neces-
sery to first run north to Malone via
Saranac Lake and Paul Smiths, but this
road is all hard surfaced and in excel
lent condition. From Malone there is
also first class state road running to
Canton via Potsdam, and thence
through Ogdcnsburg to Alexandria Bay
and WATERFOWL. A very good and
somewhat shorter alternate may be fol-
lowed. if desired, direct from Canton to
Watertown via Gouverneur and Ant
werp, but most motorists prefer the
road which provides glimpses OF the
Thousand Islands.
Many motorists are not aware that
direct route is now available between
Watertown and Niagara Falls. which
avoids both Syracuse and Buffalo and
affords fully 95 per cent of good state
macadam. This route runs via Oswego
and Rochester, and the only unim.
proved stretch throughout its entire
length Of 225 miles is one Of only four
teen miles between Wolcott and Sodus.