Hi everyone and welcome to another exciting and thought provoking issue of this bi-weekly newsletter, The CORNERSTONE TRAVELER. Also available online at www.cornerstonetraveler.com.

 

mid-Hudson Valley news: There are 21 major construction projects underway in the Hudson Valley totaling over 8 billion in construction costs. Projects like Watchtower World Headquarters, the Tappan Zee Bridge, PPV Power Ventures building a 680 megawatt generator, the Mont reign Casino and a host of others. Construction employment is almost the same to pre great recession levels in the Hudson Valley.

The Dutchess County Fair is August 23 – August 28 at the Dutchess County fairgrounds in Rhinebeck NY. Of all the county fairs in the Hudson Valley, I like the Dutchess County Fair the best because of what it offers. You can see wood burning steam engines cutting wood, breaking rocks’ and even corn shucking. There is the ever present one room school house that always interests me. There is the old-time black smith who puts on demonstrations regularly throughout the day. There are local arts and crafts that I always associated with county fairs.

The Ulster county Rib Fest will be held at the Ulster County Fair grounds on Libertyvile Road here in New Paltz on August 19, 20 & 21.

The New York Renaissance Fair opened in Tuxedo on August 6th and will be open every Saturday and Sunday and even on Labor Day through October 2^nd. I enjoy this fair because I enjoy seeing the medieval past and how it once was.

 

observations:   I have come to the conclusion that Donald Trump is morally bankrupt, considering how he reacts to people who criticize him or ask questions he doesn’t want to answer, i.e. the father of an Arab captain in the U.S. military who was killed if action in Iraq, 2004. He criticized Trump for his critiques of Muslims. Their son was a legitimate Muslim immigrant and enlisted into the U.S military only to be killed in action.

Question: Did Donald Trump ever serve in the military? No becaaue he got deferments when he was in colege. Plus he got a deferment because of bone spurs in his foot.

If Donald Trump Is not morally bnkturpt he is at leat morally bi-polar.

What kind of president will not answer questions he doesn’t want to answer to the person asking the question. (Read Meagan Kelly and the disabled New YORK Times reporter.)

Some thing to think about don’t you think?

I have gotten at least three robot calls from the Trump campaign. Two were recording of innuendo and suppositions of Hillary Clinton. A third asking for money. $100 you get bumper sticker, $1000 you get an signed photo of Trump.

sports: NFL: Trainng camps have started for the Jets and Giants. No big new to retort exert that Ryan Fitspatrick d signed to one year deal with the the Jets.

Mets: The Mets are in third place in the Eastern Division of the National League with a record of 57-55 and are 9 games back.

Yankees: The Bronx Bombers are in 4^th place of the Eastern Division of the American League with a record of 56-56 and are 71/2 games back.

Olympics: The women’s gymnastics have been taking gold at the Olympics. Simone Biles looked especially good in all phases of the gymnastics.

 

other: As with al previous issues of this newsletter , all printed matter is either copyright protected or copy ]right pending.

The history of P&G’s follows this newsletter from 1900 when the building was fisrt constructed to about the mid 1930’s

I had finally finished the short story I first started with TJ then continued with Billy. The conclusion of this story is through the eyes of Angela, the paramour of The late Billy. I hope you like it.

 

Thank-you – Rik McGuire

 

 

The History of P&G’s from the Beginning

Travel back more than a century to the spring of 1900 as builder John H. Hasbrouck and his men construct a 50′ by 28′ building on the site of the current P&G’s Restaurant. Look around and begin to imagine.

The first floor features a fountain with water softly falling into a cobblestone basin. The exotic effect is enhanced with darting goldfish and blooming water lilies. Palms set liberally throughout the room, provide an air of privacy for those seated at the groups of small tables. Patrons, dressed in their finest, sit chatting, sometimes courting and enjoying the establishments fine refreshments.

The upper story is a promenade, opened to a full view of sunset over the Shawangunk Mountains. Live music gently eases you from afternoon into evening. Welcome to the ambiance and hospitality of the Casino.

The Casino’s owner, Mr. Steen, had correctly envisioned the areas many tourists, summer boarders and trolley passengers stopping to enjoy the unique features of his establishment. The terminal station for the trolley line from Highland was located just across Main Street. It is said that Steen patterned the Casino after the famous Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.

On June 1, 1900 the Casino was officially opened. That evening “a large number of people enjoyed the ice cream, music and the lovely mountains views.” according to the New Paltz Independent newspaper. Music was provided by a band which included a piano and several other instruments. The Casino soon became famous for Saturday night dances held on the second floor of the open pavilion. It was decorated with flowers and vines suspended from the rafters. The crowds were so large that special late trolley cars were run to accommodate the guests and take the orchestra back to Poughkeepsie.

The electric power shut down at midnight. According to Independent writer Delia Shaw “…the time of closing and the departure of the last trolley (run by electricity) had to be reckoned with, but as was often the case, several folks ‘Missed the Last Trolley’… seems between intermissions the fellows would walk their girls down the street where numerous straw thatched summer houses were located on the banks of the Wallkill River and they were so preoccupied with making love by the light of the silvery moon that they forgot everything.” Shaw continued. “Saturday Nights In New Paltz Became A Legend! There was not a single hitching post available, nor an inch of space under any of the sheds of the five local hotels. The Casino drew people from surrounding towns and they came via hay loads and 4 seated carriages, while some men even walked and carried their dancing shoes. ‘Little Larry,’ the shoeshine fellow, did a landslide business on Sat. Nights! As did all the merchants and the stores open ‘til 9 p.m.”

By 1921 the Casino had changed hands and names, becoming the Blue Crane Inn. Ads of the era read.

The big Night at the Blue Crane Inn

Dancing Every Wednesday and Saturday Evening

In the Chinese Hall-Good Jazzy Music.

 

The cornerstone of nightlife in New Paltz continued to thrive.

In 1925, after 28 Years of service, the Highland to New Paltz trolley company folded. The demise of the trolley business and the affordability of the automobile meant peoples outings were no longer confined to the trolley’s narrow corridor. They could drive to any village hotel, restaurant, or scenic spot that caught their fancy. Indeed, New Paltz and the Blue Crane Inn lost their captive audience. The Inn, however, continued to accommodate people well into the 1930’s. Other establishments came and went until 1947 when it became Pat and Georges and ultimately was nicknamed the P&G’s that welcomes everybody.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANGELA

 

            You know me from what Billy, my husband to be wrote. Unfortunately Billy is no longer with the living. One of those hate filled men who tried to shoot up the mosque on Center Street was released on over $1,000,000 bail. It seems that other Muslim haters were able to raise the money so he could be released from jail where he was being held for his trial of attempted murder of the Muslim men, women and children. Now he is being held with no bail for the murder of Billy. The man’s name is Howie Caruthers. He will most likely spend the rest of his miserable life in prison for the murder of Billy. Fortunately for him New York doesn’t have the death penalty. I say fortunately because TJ, Billy and I were against the death penalty. We just didn’t believe in human sacrifice. Besides we believed that a life sentence in prison is far worse than the death penalty.

I was at the arraignment and saw all the demons floating over his head with disgusted looks knowing they were going to lose a mortal asset for the evil they planned for mortal humans.

During the arraignment and subsequent trial, I sat in the back of the courtroom with a floppy hat and my face hidden. Because unlike Billy, I did not want to take any chances with these Muslim haters. During the arraignment and trial I saw the demons floating over the heads of a few jurors probably hoping the demons could force these jurors to bring about a mis-trial.

During the trial the defense brought to the stand a Reverend Butler, the spiritual advisor to such groups like the Neo-Nazi’s, KKK, Skin Heads and the like.

I saw the evil demons floating gleefully over the head of Reverend Butler as he testified that Caruthers wanted to stop Islamic State agitators from influencing the United States. I saw the jurors on whose heads floated the demons, nod.

When the verdict was read, guilty of first degree murder and Caruthers was sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole he, Caruthers, jumped up from the defense table and scream terrible obscenities at the judge, District Attorney and the jurors.

After the court bailiffs were able to subdue him, he glared at me hatefully like he knew I was there. This scared me.

When I finally left the courtroom, I kept looking over my shoulder to see if I was being followed. I took a very roundabout way home to hamper any effort to follow me. When I got home I double locked the doors and locked all the windows.

I couldn’t sleep because I was terrified of people like Caruthers and his hate filled associates.

When I was finally tired enough that I knew I needed to sleep, I crawled into the bed I had shared with Billy. As I layed there in my bed I saw scores of angels over my bed and as before when Billy lived, the angels separated into two groups allowing a pathway into the heavens. And just like when Billy lived, I saw two fuzzy dots of light become the images of TJ and Billy. As their images became more substantial they whispered to me that I was needed to counteract the evil desires of the demons. I naturally had to ask, why?

TJ whispered first. Just observe all that is around you and others.

“That’s it?” I asked.

Billy shook his mist shrouded head. No. He whispered. Go to Wall Street and see the demons as they try to influence the traders of stocks and bonds.

I went and watched the demons over the heads of those traders of stocks and bonds.

While I watched those traders, I realized that President Reagan’s top down trickle economy was totally wrong. It was more like bottom up trickle economy. Where the purchases by the lower classes drove the American economy. If it hadn’t been the purchases of clothing, food, gasoline and other essentials by the lower classes, the American economy would go bust and the wealthy would lose their money.

How long can this disastrous economic thought last? I really don’t know. The demons are affecting the decisions of these Wall Street Bankers.

I really don’t know how much more I can write about the evil demons trying to affect the greed of so many people.

I’m tired and I don’t know how much more I can do to try and defeat these demons. I only ask that you listen and observe.

You probably don’t see these demons, but they do exist, believe me.

Don’t get me wrong. Capitalism can be good. It’s just that it can be corrupted to benefit the few at the expense of the many.

When Billy died, he had a life insurance policy which I was able to collect $500,000. Plus I work on a nearby farm, picking strawberries and apples.

I have had several men try to court me, but none can replace Billy.

I will just do what the angelic essences of TJ and Billy instruct me to do. Defeat the evil demons who want to control the world and mortal people.

I am trying my best, but it is becoming more and more difficult because greed has taken over the thinking of many wealthy people.

They are like the street drunks or addicts. They cannot seem to get enough money. They need more. This will crunch the world economy.

Believe me.

 

I know I can’t write much more. I am writing what I have observed and been taught by TJ, Billy and the angels of God

 

I want to be with TJ and Billy and with the angels of heaven. I just don’t want to make an appointment just yet. Besides TJ and Billy insist I am still needed on earth with mortals to counteract the desires of those damn demons.

Thank-you for reading what I have had to say. Angela

 

9:41 p.m.

8/2/16

@P&G’s