The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-08-19
FROM FRENCH LICK.
Mount AlEz-A-Trip to the Summit
Indian Relics-The Visitors, DC.
FRENCH LICK SPRINGS, I
ORANGE C0rTNTY Aur 18th. (

ORANGE COUNTY, Aug. l4tn.
Editors Journal:
| This is perhaps the last time l shall
write from the Springs, as l shall
soon return home. In my last, |
promised to tell you little more
about the wilderness. The Springs
are still alive with, tie gay and beau
l.tiful. old and young, the sick and
we'll from the cities, principally the
river towns. The weather still con-
tinues very hot during the day, but
cool at night. This morning, as / de-
seended to the large hall of the hotel,
I found the guests huddled around
the stove as usual, and from the sea of
faces could easily be recognized the
familiar mug of our old friend Mr.
w. M. Akin. of the popular firm of
Cloud & Akin. Mr.. Akin arrived
with his family last night, live and well,
and Just in time to take part In the
mazzy dance. Another delegation av--
rived from New Albany this morning.
As one crowd leaves, their places are
filed by others, so the ball keeps roll
ing on. and we see new faces every
day. General Price is still with US,
his health gradually improving under
the infuenceof the Lick water.
A few days ago an expedition, head
ed by Mr.. j. B. Watts, of Illinois.
made the ascent of the summit of
Mount Airz. Here We found our
selves In an old clearing, in the center
of watch stands clump of oaks.
After selecting two of the tallest of
them, we were not long ia getting to
the top. Before US lay beautiful
valley stretching away off to the
Southeastward. With the aid of my
field glass it was an easy matter to
bring the blue hill Of the Ohio into
full view. Paoli, 0rangeville, New
Albany and Louisville can be seen
distinctly from this point after the
leaves have fallen Here and there
farms may be seen, which appear lost
in the forest. Old residenters re-
late to us wild stories about the early
settlers, when the red man inhabited
this boundless wilderness, and it is
surprising how the Indians could
ever be driven from such a natural
fortifcation. With little labor the
road leading to the summit of Mt. |
Airz could be made fine carriage |
drive. The summitis an old Indian
camp, and contains some relics Of |
savage life. Leaving Mt Airz we re-
turned via Buncom Hill, where we |
laid in a bountiful supply of black
berries, which are in great abundance |
and the finest | ever saw. Approach
ing the Lick, our ears were greeted
by the familiar sound of the dinner |
bell. which was timely call and found
US with sharpened )appetites, such as
were calculated to make the
kind doctor shake his boots. but he
met us with one Of his. best smiles,
and seemed to enter into the spirit of 1
our enjoyment. Dinner being over,
we distributed around In the shade |
for an afternoons nap, that we might
be refreshed for dancing at night.
Our next trip was to the Colt Mills I
As we sit down,t home to whet our
knife or hone razor, how few of us
ever think of the origin of that little
rock, or the profess through which it
is taken before It reaches the market. t
Winding our way along the wagon
road leading upa lonely avenue about
a mile and a half, we reach the . Old
or Hoss Mill, y as they call it. Here
we met Mr.. Wellington, the proprie-
tor, and his TIVE daughters. The rock
are just quarried from the surround
ing hills, and cut to their proper
shape,the girlsthen put them upon the
grinder, (which is simply large cast
iron horizontal wheel with a stream
of water running over the surface, J
and gives them the finishing touch.
Mr.. w is a small, but rather hearty
old map; has lived in this desolate
Hollow for forty years He has at
tanned the great age of 81 years, and
was an. old = War Democrat" He
says, they are almost all Democrats
about here, bkt there's right smart of
t'other kind dozen about Poo1i." The
old gentleman kindly accom- panied us
to the upper or steam mill. Here the
business is carried on little more ex-
tensively, but is not running at pres
emf. Many of these stones have an
Z Z on ore = ;. side, susceptible Ct very
ns ho 1lss a Sl W. H aorm es 5 Us
that these whetstones and homes
are shipped to all parts of the
country, aud even to Europe. II
these quarries and mills were in the
hands Of a company Of young and
men, they would be
great source of revenue.
Orange County polls about three
thousand votes, mostly Democratic.
The former Democratic majority was
about 100, but Kerr's last majority
was reduced to 1900. A few good
free schools and little more Lick
lcafer would, in a few more years.
make it strong Republican county,
for these Democrats are not of the