New-York tribune., 1921-12-18
To Ope1, Storm
King Highway
Next Spring
Scenic Beauty Unsurpassed,
Says Commissioner Sis
son; Construction Held as
an Engineering Triumph
Estimated Cost, 500, 600
New Road Four Miles Long,
and Has Commercial as
Well rs Tourist Value

The most picturesque motor route in
the country-the Storm King highway
will be opened to the public next
spring by Governor Miller and Highway
Commissioner Herbert S. Sisson. 1t is
four miles long. Because of the great
difficulties involved in it's construction
engineers regard the road az the most
unique among the highways of the
world. Recsntly Commissioner Sisson
and a party of engineers made trip
over the road. Describing its beau
ties, he said:
mo photograph can readily present
the contrast Of color, the shifting lights,
the dramatic contrast between the Hud
son River and the massive cliffs which
are met along the Storm King road.
The scenic beauty is unsurpassed in
this country
About forty years ago efforts we're
made to build road around Storm
King, but failed owing to lack Of
capital. In 1892 surveys were made
and in 1903 petition was made to the
state for the construction of the road.
In 1907 contract was let for building
two miles Of the road. The work was
stopped by a taxpayers injunction
suit. In 1915 the state called for bids
on the road and the contract was let to
John l.. Hayes, OF Yonkers.
Great Obstacles Encountered
Almost insurmountable obstacles were
encountered by the engineers in max
ing the first survey. Mark w. Nelson,
one of Commissioner Sisson's engin eers.
was in the first party of surveyors. He
recalls that at times the only way of
securing data upon which to complete
the plans was by lowering men with
surveying instruments at the end of
l00-foot rope.
Another novel scheme of arriving at
the dimensions was by the shooting of
cans of colored paint from a small
cannon borrowed from the United
States Military Academy at West
Point. The cannon would be aimed at
u spot on the rocks inaccessible by
climbing or other methods, and after
the paint had burst and left its i'm
print the surveyors could work up the
necessary figures from it as starting
point.
The first survey was made in the
winter time when Storm King was COW
cred with ice and snow. The surveyors
worked all of the time with life belts
and ropes. Several accidents hap
pened. Among the engineers injured
was Dudley Babcock, Of Albany, who
was confined to hospital for several
months as a result of a fall.
Contractor Hayes encountered many
n r.; c,ltiac in iur%o 11iro his nj M m
the south side of Storm King. First
it was necessary to transport five
tor crane over the mountain at an
elevation of 1890 feet. Other equip
ment had to be taken apart at the
railroad station, repacked piece by
piece and drawn up the mountainside
by mules to the side of the work.
Because of the dangerous character
of the work the contractor had great
difficulty in hiring men. Laborers de-
manded extra money for climbing up
Volstead act went into effect one work
man demanded that he be supplied
daily with six drinks of whisky during
working hours.
Road Commercially Valuable
The new road is one of the most
important in the state. Commercially
shorten the highway distance between
New York and Albany and will make
West Point and Highland Falls more
accessible to the residents of the other
parts of Orange County.
The road is from ESQ to 400 feet
above the Hudson River. 1t is the
most expensive highway built in the
United States, also the most difficult
from an engineering standpoint. The
cost is estimated at about $T0O,0OO
Governors and highway officials of
all Of the Eastern States will be in
vited by Commissioner Sisson to at
tend the opening Of the road.