Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-10-03
The Stapoare.
THE BLACK MOUNTAIN.
AsHEvILLE, Sept. IL, 1857.

AsHEvILLE, Sept. H. 1857.
Pc, r. W Atkin, Editor of the Asheuills Ne'os
s,R-Since my return home, two days ago, have
ID instant headed, "There are two Mt Mltcnels IN
North. Carolina" 1t proceeds to state that the late
prof Mitchell in the year 1885 measured the nigh
est peak of the Black Mountain under the guidance
of Mr.. William Wilson and Mr.. Adoniram Allen
After referring to Prof. Henry's statement OF Prof.
Guvot's measurement of "Clingman's Peal" it goes
on to saw: "And if the name here suggested be ad.
hered to with such q meaning attached, there will
be most unjust and ungenerous flching of the
honors of our own learned and pains taking Pro-
fessor."
Though do not always feel obliged to reply to
ANONYMOUS attacks yet prefer to do so in the pre-
sent instance for two reasons. In the first place,
the censure applies not only to me, but 20 Prof
Henry, Prof. Guyot, the authors of Cookies Map of
North Carolina, Colton's and Mitchell's new Atlass-
es Lippncott's Gazetteer, and such others use
that name for the highest peak of the Black. In
the second place, there are marks about this article
in the Register which show it to have originated
from the same source whence came similar articles
recently sent to the National Integence' Fayette'
vile Observer, and other papers. There is per-
ceptible effort in certain quarter to produce on the
public mind an impression which regard as erro-
neous and which feel confident with the evidence
in my possession. can dispel.
Sincerely lamenting in common with the whole
State the sudden and melancholy death of the late
Prof Mitchell, l would gladly have been relieved
from the necessity of recurring to this subject be-
ing willing to let the former controversy rest where
it did at the close of his life, think his friends
might well have done so likewise, inasmuch as had
left his last publication unanswered As. however,
some of them persist in attacking me from time to
time, directly or directly, the responsibility OF
continuance of such controversy must rest on
them As the ground now taken by them is differ
ent and in fact directly opposite, to the position &C.
cuped by Prof Mitchell in controversy, it will
only be necessary for me to use his own statements
to overthrow the argument at present advanced.
The allegation made by this writer is, that in the
wear 1885 Prot. Mitchell, in company with MIR. VIM.
Wilson and Mr. Adoniram Allen, assembled and mea-
sured the highest peak Of the Black Mountain. Now
let us see what Prof. Mitchell has said on the SUBJ
iect Nine years afterwards, in the summer Of 1874.
he was again the Black and in the latter part Of
that year be addressed to letter, giving the re-
suit of his examinations, which published soon af
forwards. 1t appears in the Ashevle II ssseng"r OF
JAN 24th 1s45. In the earlier part of that commu-
nication Prof. Mitchell said:
"Dr Dickson having undertaken to observe the
barometer at Ashevic, and knowing that in his
hands it would afford results in which confidence
could be placed determined to try the Black once
more in which mountain | was satisfied that the
highest points are to be found l was also that
had never yet been upon the highest"
1t here appears tnaL nine years aIter niS WISH WIFI
Mr. Wilson in 1885, Prof Mitchell was So tisied "
that he had get been upon the highest" point
of the Black But his declarations do not stop here.
In his letter to Prof Henry dated Nov. Goth, 1855,
as published in my pamphlet bearing date July LIST,
1856, he uses The following language referring to his
ascent with Mr.. Wilson in 1885:
ION the following day, July 2Sth, started with
two friends one of whom had been of the party on
Yeats Knob on the preceding day, for the prairie
mountain. l did not like the course they took, and
was not disappointed when found they had led me
wrong to peak too far north, and covered all about
its summit with the balsam fir. We could not PEN
citrate further south that day, and the vacation be-
ing Just about to close, | was obliged to return to
nv duties at the University knowing very well that
had not set rny foot on the highest point in the
Black Mountain. The results of the measurements
made at that time were given in the Raleigh Reg
sster."
Here it appears that twenty years after this visit,
and after he had read my description of the highest
peak as given to Professor Henry, Prof Mitchell did
not pretend to have assembled it in 1885, but
ed that he we'll knew that he was not on it at that
time.
Where did he in fact 60 with Mr. Wilson IN 1885 ?
In letter to me- dated Feb. l2th 1856, portion OF
which was published b my pamphlet Of July 1856,
and the whole of which is still in my possession and
ready for the inspection of any who wishes
anime it. he said:
"In 1886 went to Morganton. the Table Rock,
the Grandfather, the Roam, the North end of the
Black, near Young's, Yeats Knob July 9th, and
from that day to this have never had any doubt as
to which was the highest peak of the Black Noun.
tain. The difficulty was to reach it. l sought to
do the next following day, July 2Sth, but fail.
ed because the guides took to point near the
head of the Cat-tail fork. l find an entry made
that morning. at VIM. Wilson's on Cat-tail fork, I'm
mediately before the entry 23s07 at the top of the
Black. knew perfectly we'll, though the weather
was cloudy and the mountain was covered with fog
that the guides had taken me wrong"
It will be seen that Prof. Mitchell reiterates his
previous declarations that he was not then on the
highest peak of the Black, but only on one "nea,
the head Of the Cat tail fork" On Cookies Map o.
North Carolina the outline of the Mountain is correct
REPRESENTED and the highest point being there given
as "Clingmans Peak" the one Immediately nor,h
Of is Guyots Peak, then Hairy Bear, next Sandoz
Knob, and last the Cat-ta Peak, near which heads
the Cattail fork If Prof Mitchell's statement is
correct, he was therefore in 1885 most probably on
this peak, but he might have been, perhaps as the
weather was foggy, without knowing it, on one Of
the three intermediate points between this and the
highest. According to Prof. Guyot's measurements
the difference in height between the highest and
lowest of the five is only one hundred and six feet
QO6) shall not attempt to show, however. which
Of these points Prof NJ actually visited, but content
myself with making it appear from his own state
ments that he was not on the highest peak But
again, in letter to me bearing dste Feb 21st 1856
he says:
You will recollect that went upon the Black
at three points in 1885, viz the northern extremity
at Young's, Yeats Knob, and the head of the Cat
tail at two points in 1888, or somewhere therea
bouts, viz: the Bulls Head, above Dillingham;
and at the southern extremity where the SO called
Mt Mitchell, Mt. Gibbes, and the rest are And
yet say in December, 1874, speaking of what hai
occurred in the preceding summer, Il determined
to try the Black once more, in which mountain
was well satisfied that the highest peaks are to b.
found as l was also that had never yet been upor
the highest" Nf''
1t will be seen that he here makes the sam. ,,o
tation have already given above, and goes on ther
to describe his visit in 1874 with Mr.. Riddle. ri