Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-16
From the AshevIe News and Farmer.
WESTERLY NORTH CAROLINA,


LETTER FROM HON. It. l., CLIsGMaN.
We take the following interesting and
valuable letter from pamphlet just pub
lished OF New York, by the "Anerican
Agricultural and Mineral Land COMPANY -
NEW YORK, June 18th, 1867.
TO Vim Frazier, Esq, President ofMe Anae,'i-
can Agricot t,ual and Mineral Lund Co,npony
Neao York
DEAR SIR The short period during
which l. expected to remain in this city,
and the pressure of business engagements.
inquiries III relation to the western part of
North Carolina.
For great many years [ have resided
on the west side of the Blue Ridge, the
range of mountains which divides the
waters falling into the Atlantic from those
descending to the Mississippi River. Hay
ing for more than sixteen years been q
Representative OF Senator in Congress
from that region, [ used in my canvasses to
visit every part of it. have also assembled
the principal mountains for the purpose of
measuring or observing them, while my
fondness for geology and mineralogy has
carried me into almost every valley My
general acquaintance, therefore, with this
other person.
It may be regarded as an elevated table
land of more than two hundred miles in
length, with an average breadth of fifty
miles, and is crossed in different directions
by many mountain chains. The height of
the lower valleys may be stated as ranging
from two thousand to twenty-five hundred
feet above the level of the sea, while the
principal mountain chains rise four thou
sand feet higher. This elevation, notwith-
standing its southern latitude, gives it a
delightful summer climate.
Mr.. William Mcdowell, who made obser-
vations for the Smithsonian Institute, at
Asheville, for several years, informed me
that the thermometer during the warmest
summer weather did not rise above 80 de-
grees Fahrenheit. Even the climate of
Switzerland is not equal to that of this re-
glon: not only at Geneva, but in the high
valley OF Chamouny, [ once found hotter
weather than ever experienced in this Sec
ton; while there, one is occasionally chilled
in midsummer by cold blasts from the
masses Of snow on the higher Alps. In
Western North Carolina, none of the noun
tains are high enough to bear snow in sum-
mer, yet the region is sufficiently elevated
to afford climate which is cool, dry, bra
cling and exceedingly exhilirating. No
country is more healthy, being alike free
from the diseases of miasmatic regions. as
well as those common in rigorous or damp
climates.
What especially distinguishes this Sec
ton from all other mountain regions that 7
have seen, is the general fertility of the soil.
This is true, not only with reference to it's
valleys. but also of its mountains. Their
sides and even tops are generally covered
with thick vegetable mould on which
the largest trees and grasses grow luxuri-
antly. At an elevation of five thousand
feet above the ocean, the grasses and weeds
are SO rank as to remind one of the swampy
lands OF the lower regions. On the tops,
and for considerable distance down the
sides of the higher chains, there are several
varieties of evergreen Or sswinter grass" as
they are generally called there These are
SO nutritious that cattle are kept in good
condition on them all the winter Attend
OF mine before the war kept four or five
hundred horned cattle on one of these
mountains, and with the exception that |