The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-09-21
The University of the South.

dated Sewanee, Cumberland Plateau, Ten
nessee, August 90:
1t is but very recently that this part Of.
the country has come under the notice Of.
TOURISTS Prior to the construction of the
Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad it,
was terra incogaita, but now, thanks to.
the facilities of thesi rail, it is becom-.
ing one Of the fashionable resorts of the,
Southern country.
The watering place par ercellenee is Beer.
sheba Springs which arc daily becoming
popular-less for thssyirtue of the waters
than for the pure mountain air and even
4 temperature which is so.bracing and
pheasant to those whose homes are in. the,
|Elowg cotton lands.
/ The Cumberland,range differs, I believe
Efrom any other mountain range in this
country, III the character of its formation.
Elti is an elevated plain, from five to forty
miles in width, and when once on the.
! mountain, you see only agently undulat-.
ling region around you, withbut rock or
peak in sight. The idea is wellexpessedi
by the remarkpf a writer, that it seemed
as though. this was the true level, and
that the valleys below had been scooped..
! Pleasant, shady roads, a generous growth.
Of timber, q meadow-ike grassy surface.
lchestnuts, oaks, pines, and elm and hick-i
DRY, give it q beautiful yerdure.
Much attention Is now being directed
to this locality on account Of its selection
Us the site Of the proposed University Of
the South, under the auspices Of, the ten.
most Southern Diocesses Of the Episcopal
Church Instead Of wasting their means
in local. institutions, they have wisely
united in powerful&enort to establish
what is yet unknown in this country--a
true university, on, scale as extensive,
as any in Europe.
The Cumberland plateau has been Sc
lected as its site, on account Of its eleva-
ton and salubrity, and aprincely domain
of Ia, 600 acres has been secured for the /
institution, traversed BY the railway Of.
the sewanee Mining Company.
The whole of their domain is beautiful
\ - 3 m
and picturesque, aflording every variety
Of society, from the quiet shady nook, the
purling stream and the sparkling spring,
to the extensive views and tremendous.
chasms and cliffs along the crest Of the
mountain. Imagine the Caatskill Noun
tain House to be on fbe margin Of 4 pla-
teau Of miles in width and over hundred
in length, and you will have ansideaof
some Of the views on the University site.
More than q hundred springs, some Of
them chalybeate and some freestone, have
been discovered bursting from under the !.
sandstone cap which overlays this part OF
the plateau.
The principal spring, formerly called
Rainy Spring, is snow appropriately named
after the protector Of the University
Bsllep spring.
y There seems now no question but what.
this magnificent plan viii be carried out
according to the conception Of its found
ers. More than four hundred thousand
dollars have already been secured for it's
endowment; during the last twelve
months, and this from probably not over
one hundred persons. A more general
canvass will be made during the ensuing
year; Aand it is expected that not less than
one million Of dollars viii be secured.
Operations will be actively COMMENCED
towards the buildings early in the ensu.
ing year. 1t issa part Of the system that
tile interest Of the funds raised shall alone
be used--thtls keeping its constantly ius
creasing principal intact SO that when
It goes into operation it will have the In
come Of its Whole capital to further ito
development and secure its success.
The plan seems very popular with all
classes at the South, and it is ~ no means
as restricted to the religious
body under whose patronage tits created,
but as a great institution designed TO
benefit tie whole South and to raise the
standard Of education throughout our
whole country.
& 1t is a part Of the project to encourage
the establislmeHtsof summer residences
for the planters Of the South, where they
can bring their families and servants and
pass tie bot season with all the adyan-
tages Of a temperate climate, and with
the pleasant association Of literary and
highly cultivated society; while the adj
vantages Of proximity totEe libraries and
lecture halls Of the University will bean
additional attraction.