The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-03-11

The counties along the Blue Ridge,
where pure air and soft water combine,
are peculiarly healthful, due, perhaps, in
some degree, to the character of the
water, strongly contrasting with the hard
limestone water of East Tennessee.
Nor, is the altitude of East Tennessee,
near Knoxville, sufficient to lend that ex-
hilarating influence always afforded by a
true mountain air.
In magniicence of scenery the two le-
gions are not to be compared for mo-
ment. In this respect the Carolina Val
| ley has few equals in the world At
least score of peaks, of an altitude
ranging from 1000 to 1000 feet, are
within eye-range of Asheville ; while
the French Broad River lends the charm
that water always gives to scenery The
Carolina Valley is q region where the
apple, pear, peach, plum and grape -four
ish, the Catawba coming originally from
Buncombe county.
: Wheat yields abundantly, the valleys
are prolific of corn, the hill-sides, with
the wild grass green all winter, are admi-
rablc for sheep ranges, and the mountains
are rich with gold. Within few miles
of this high table-land grow cotton and
| rice, HRS ana oranges.
Land is at present cheaper than in
East Tennessee, and will be until the two
railroads in progress before, and inter
rupted by the war, are completed, a
movement for which is now being made.
Iobserve, also, a newspaper notice that
a Northern railroad said to be connected
in interest with one of those in progress
has sent an agent there to purchase land,
moved, suppose, by present cheapness
and anticipated rise. S'1i
! There is also company, as l learn
from friend at Washington, purchasing
q Cherokee reservation at Is or 16 cents
an acre sheep pasture on the
mountains, suppose.
i If the statements which | have made
can be relied on, and am sure they can
be in the main, the valley of Western
North Carolina presents very desirable
region to Northerners wishing to avoid,
at the same time, the rigors of our North
ern winters and the enervating heats of
the low lands of the South.
According to the tabulated reduction
which made of the census of 1850, the
mortality from consumption In West
ern North Carolina was 81 per cent
and in East Tennessee, 62s per cent. Of
J entire mortality. The entire mortality
for the counties in Western North Carroll
ma, at the western base of the Blue Ridge
was per MILL for white population, and
for the counties in Northern Georgia sim
ilarly situated, 5 per MILL, afording an
average of per mill.
Buncombe county has always had q
great reputation for salubrity. 1t is of
Buncombe that the story is told of the
traveller who, seeing man digging
hole that looked like grave, inquired
the object The digger replied: To bury
man. But thought, said the stranger
that folks don't die often in old Buncombe.
No more do they, said the digger. "They
only die once" Buncombe has also given
term to the politicians nomenclature
What did you mean, said member of the
North Carolina Legislature to member
from Buncombe, who had been talking
about anything but the question before
the house, not an anomalous instance in
| Legislative or Congressional debates. ooh
was talking for Buncombe.' He evil
IDENTIFY, unlike the mass ofpoliticians, had
an eye to reelection
It is worth while to remember that
| Western North Carolina was steadfastly
loyal during the war, and that escaped
| Union prisoners were always safe when
once they 4eached its elevated valleys. 1t
once had little rebellion of its own, un-
dertaking to set up for itself under the
name of FARMLAND, a.. Freeland. At
least, think it was concerned with East
! Tennessee in that famous movement.
The following extracts from letter by
General Clingman afford valuable testi-
mony as to the superior advantages of
Western 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.
Having for more than sixteen years been
Representative or Senator IN Congress
from that region, used in my canvasses
to visit every part of it. My general ac-
quaintanee with this entire region, proba-
bly, exceeds that of any 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 mounrain chains. The height of the
lower valleys may be stated as ranging
from two thousand to two thousand FIVE
hundred feet above the level Of the sea,
while the principal mountain chains rise
four thousand feet higher. This eleva-
ton, notwithstanding its southern lati-
tude, gives delightful summer climate.
Mr.. Mcdowell who made observations
for the Smithsonian Institute, at Asheville
for a number of years, informed that the
thermometer during the warmest summer
weather, did not rise above eighty-two, F.
Even the climate of Switzerland is not
equal to that of this region. Not only at
Geneva, but in the high valley of Cham
ouny, I once found hotter weather than /
ever experienced in this section. While