les of carriage roads
and paths, leading to various noted places of interest. The Crest,
Newman's Ledge, Bear's Den, Prospect Rock on North Mountain, and
Eagle Rock and Palenville Overlook on South Mountain, from which
the grandest views of the region are obtained, are contained in the
property. It also includes within its boundaries North and South
Lakes, both plentifully stocked with various kind of fish and well
supplied with boats and canoes. The atmosphere is delightful,
invigorating and pure; the great elevation and surrounding forest
render it free from malaria. The temperature is fifteen to twenty
degrees lower than at Catskill Village, New York City or Philadelphia.

* * *

Cooper's "Leatherstocking" is the one melodious synopsis
of man and nature.

_Thomas Carlyle._

* * *

The =_Otis Elevating Railway_=, made possible by the enterprise of
the late Commodore Van Santvoord, extends from Otis Junction on the
_Catskill Mountain Railway_ to Otis Summit, a noble altitude of the
Catskill Range. The incline railway, 7,000 feet in length, ascends
1,600 feet and attains an elevation of 2,200 feet above the Hudson
River. "In length, elevation, overcome and carrying capacity it
exceeds any other incline railway in the world. It is operated by
powerful stationary engines and huge steel wire cables, and the method
employed is similar to that used by the Otis Elevator Company for
elevators in buildings. Every safeguard has been provided, so that an
accident of any kind is practically impossible. Should the machinery
break, the cables snap or track spread, an ingenious automatic device
would stop the cars at once. A passenger car and baggage car are
attached to each end of double cables which pass around immense drums
located at the top of the incline. While one train rises the other
descends, passing each other midway. By this arrangement trains
carrying from seventy-five to one hundred passengers can be run in
each direction every fifteen minutes when necessary, the time required
for a trip being only ten minutes. This is a vast improvement over the
old way of making the ascent of the mountains by stage, as it reduces
the time fully one and a half hours, besides adding greatly to the
pleasure of the trip. The ride up the mountains on the incline railway
is a novel and delightful experience, and is alone worth a visit to
the Catskills. As the train ascends, the magnificent panorama of the
v