Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-07-28
Letter from SValllalla,
Correspondent Of Ike Charleston Courier


Every visitor to this place is expected to
make Journey to the delectablc mountain
yclept "Stump House." so named because
many years ago an old settler in building a
house on the summit of the mountain, rested
one corner Of the building upon the stuup
of large tree which he cut down for the
purpose The house was known as the
stump, house aud the mountain has since tn
ken the same name. This is the mountain
, through which has been partly cut the
sTuMpuousE TUNNEL.
Our party, consisting of sixteen persons,
! left the hotel ut Walhala Immediately af
ter an early breakfast, and soon commenced
! the ascent of the mountain. The road was
eSccrable in some places, owing to the wash
ing effect OF the mountain torrent, and the
want of repairs since the war. We were fre.
qucntly compelled to descend from our yehi
cles and walk up the steep activities, the hor-
ses being scarcely able to drag the empty
hacks up the steep mountain sdc About
half way up we stopped to refresh ourselves
with cool drink from spring, the water of
which bursts out from the side of the noun.
tain with considerable force, and often run
Mug along the surface about fifty yards, dis
appears again as suddenly into some subtcr
ranean cavity, from which it no doubt makes
its appearance again nearer the foot of the
mountain.
Another toilsonc ride intersperscd with
occasional walks, brought as to the summit
of the mountain. Here is quite nn extensive
table land covering several hundred acfes,
much of which has been cleared as it was
the site Of quite thriving village number
ing us many us fifteen hundred souls, in the
good times, when every thing was pushing
along the lines Of the Blue Ridge Railroad
titrc the laborers engaged upon the summit,
had their residences, aud there were boarding
houses, stores grog shops, church and 9th.
or accompanimcnts of railroad village
Several stationary engines were in use here
and everything must have presented the ap
pearance of a brisk town. But all is chang
ed now. The engines were removed during
the war, the laborers have been scattered to
distant parts of the country, even the houses
have disappeared, and the Church is crumb.
ling to ruins for want Of priest and people,
Two or three shantics still remain, inhabited
by several Irish families who have tenacious
y held on to the place, cultivatihg patches Of
the cleared land, and as ono told me, paying
no taxes to Uncle Sam or anybody clse-
From this point fine view of tho Blue Ridge
is obtained extending for over hundred
miles, from North Carolina into Georgia a
we'll of ice.cold water offered lis delightful
drink, which we were not slow in accepting nll
around, not forgetting the beasts which had
brought US up.
Leaving our hacks and buggies here, we
started to descend the mountain again to tho
point where tho tunnel perces the Eastern
side. This we soon reached and wo spent an
hour or two in examining it. 1t is duo the
work to say that it has been we'll and thor
oughly done, but what shall bo said of those
who, without judgment or knowledge, and
against reason and advice, determined to
pierce this granite mountain, instead Of OF.
ther going over the top, which could have
been done with easy ascending and do.
scending grades, or by seeking moro dcsir-
able route, have avoided it entirely. There
are many theories given for this stupcndous
work Of folly and mismanagoment. Some at.
tribute it to ignorance on the part Of those
having the location Of the road in charge;
some q desire to spite or disoppoint certain
land owners, who refused to give sufficient
encouragement" tho technical term for
bribery, and some again TO 70 desire OF fat
job vhioh should require long years to 40.
con .ish, during which ample fortunes could