The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-08-21
For tie anderson MteNiqeaeer.
CLAYTON, RABUN COUNTY, GA, |
August II. 1873.

4,
August II, 1873.
Mfr. Editor: You will no donbt be surprised
to receive communication from an old noun
tain friend, who you know never ate anything
in his life but cabbage, Irish potatoes and
chesnuts till he was eighteen years of age, and
though now more than twice that age, cannot
say that he has eaten anything much better,
although he has been about little, even out
of Rabun, and a few times in New York, and
really across the Niagara river, outside of the
United States. So you will at once see that
there is great deal in a fellows raising as to
how he does.
You are very we'll aware that am no news
paper writer-nor indeed any other kind-but
if you wish you can print this letter in your
valuable paper, which has the reputation of
being one of the best in the State. However,
my object is not to fatter the editor, but will
stick to truth, it being the principal part of my
nature-except to be afraid of thunder and
Lightning, wars and fights, and other scary
things generally. But coming to the subject,
lest might be regarded out of order, and try
ing to get on the Bill Arp style, land wish
could, for Bill is, in the true sense of the
term, both intelligent and smart.) Iwant to
say something of this mountainous country.
but your having been raised near here, in
Habersham county, you may think you and all
your subscribers, and the kin generally, know
as much of it as do; but you are wonderfully
mistaken, and our people up here would look
upon you as having been raised away down the
country where it was sickly. Yet Habersham
is a good county, and Rabun is a good county,
and all the adjoining counties in this State,
North and South Carolina. and even on to East
Tennessee, are good counties; good, generous,
noble and hospitable people, and have got
more big mountains and big rocks, rich valleys
and meadows, than you ever saw in your life;
and as to cold water, no country on earth can
excel it; and as to corn and corn whiskey, (the
latter being used only for snake bites, or in
cases of severe Sickness the country abounds
with them. But as said before, I must get
back on my subject, and tell you that this is
really great country. The crops here are fine
in the extreme, and you will see large valleys,
and even hill-sides, which will average forty to
sixty bushels to the acre of corn, without ma
nure 1t is not very good for wheat, though
ten to fifteen bushels per acre have frequently
been raised. If farmers would turn their at
tention-and the same in Anderson-more to
the raising of this crop, it would be better for
them Rye, oats, potatoes, cabbage, and all
kind of vegetables flourish and grow to per-
fection here-cabbage heads sometimes weigh
ing as much rs sixteen pounds each. All the
people lack to make it great country is rail-
roads, and nature itself has made Clayton and
the Rabun Gap, only three miles distant, easily
approached by railroads. The Blue Ridge
Road, which is and has for years been more
than two-thirds graded from Walhalla to the
North Carolina line, a distance of about thirty
six miles, ought by all means to be built.
am sure. that if Northern capitalists would
take hold of it, they would make it wonder
fully profitable to themselves and great bless
ing to the country through which it passes.
Indeed, we ought now to have capitalists at
the South who would undertake and build this
important road through to Knoxville. And a
road from Athens to Clayton ought by all
means to be built, whether the Blue Ridge is
or not, for this section affords much stock, cat
tie, corn, hay, &C., for market, and ought to
have railroad.
Well, friend Hoyt, have visited, as I have
frequently before, the celebrated Tallulah
Falls, only fifteen miles from Clayton; the
Eastatoa Falls, nine miles from Clayton, and
the Stekoah, (Indian name, and means small,)
only four miles distant. have found no Ian
guage in any of the books yet published to
describe their beauty. They are wonderful,
and every body who can raise money enough
to visit them ought to do so, even from Europe
or the United States, for there is nothing in
either country to excel them; and the climate
is perfectly charming, and health unsurpassed,
there having been only three deaths in this
county within several months, and they all
children. All of these falls, together with
many other points of interest, are in Rabun
county, though Habersham claims portion Of
Tallulah. And by-the-way, 1 want you to
please ascertain from Col. Christy, editor of
that excellent Watchnaany at Athens, whether
the Tallulah Falls are all or part of them in
Habersham or Rabun, and where the line is.
Now, be sure and write him about this matter,
and publish his reply in your paper, for it is
important to the people of these two counties,
and I should say, to the State of Georgia, to
know this fact. think the entire falls, or the
greater portion, are in Rabun county; but the
question has been disputed for years, and
want to know about it.
At these falls is now being erected, and sew
eral rooms completed and in use, splendid
Hotel, containing some thirty rooms. 1t is
kept by very kind gentleman, Mr.. Young.