Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-19
MAJOR PUTNAM S LETTER.

MARIETTA, ONO, tctpt. I'll, 1o'o'
DEAR Sir: i To your first
inquiry as to what portions of North
Carolina | visited, / answer: My OBJ
scrvatious were mostly confined to
Buncombe county (seat, Ashevllle,)
Mcdowell, (seat, Marion,) Madison,
(seat, Marshall,) and Rutherford (seaf,
Rutherfordtown.)
Asheville is surrounded by the high
est mountains in the Old thirteen
States, and the French Broad River
makes a half circle around and near
the town (Which IS on high ground
affording the most beautiful landscape
[ have ever seen.
[ like the mountain region on &C
count of the climate, the many stream.
of pure water, SO clear at ali times ana
seasons that one may see the bottom
at any reasonable depth, and because
[ believe it to be the best adapted
country [ ever saw for grazing puf-
poses, especially for sheep, mules and
goats. The higher mountains are best
adapted to grasses; the yallt,Fs are
splendid for corn.
The Warm Springs are situated on
the French Broad river, few feet
| from its running waters, anu are a
great resort for Southern people III the
summer season. The buildings are
| capacious enough to accommodate
| three hundred guests; but, except the
grounds belonging to the place, there
are scarcely any lands Ill the vicinity
suitable for anything but wild beasts,
| they are SO rough.
For the greater part Of the wayfrom
the Springs to Ashevilie, forty
/ miles, the river has cut its way through
| the rocks from 300 to 800 feet, and a
| road-bed had to be made by throwing
rocks from the top Of the ledge for
much of the distance.
| If [ were intending 10 settle any
where in that part Of the country l
| should give it another and thorough
| examination before purchasing, com
mencing, say, east Of the Blue Ridge,
near the Chesapeake and Ohio ra!l-
| road, going southwark to or near to
! the east line of South Carolina; thence
up and over the Blue Ridge into Hen
| derson, Haywood and Cherokee cOun-
ties, and. through Buncomhc county
around into the valley OF the French
! Broad river.
I was very much pleased with the
valley of fthe Catawba.river near its
ncaOWlIerS, east Oh tllc bIttC bItit5t,
| and only SIX miles from the summit,
| in the Swannanoah Gap, through which
| runs railroad that is completed to
Old Fort at the foot OF the mountains,
| thence east along the Catawba valley
| to Marion, county seat Of Mcdowell
county; thence to Morganton, Sails
| bury, Richmond, sc.
| I made particular inquiry as to the
| prices of lands along this valley, and
found them to be very cheap compar-
ed with lands of the same productive
| ness in Ohio. = [ was lead to
believe that the mo1lntain-tops were
very prolific of our common grasses,
as the mountains are cnvelOped a con-
siderable portion Of the time i'll
| clouds, furnishing shade and moisture
To recapitulate: [ believe there are
| more advantages to be gained by plant
! ing a colony in East Tennessee, West
| Virginia, or Western North Carolina,
than going west of the Mississippi.
The climate is mild and even the mer-
curry never rising above seventy, and
scarcely ever falling below zero. It is
| the best watered part of the world,
| and no mistake. The air is pure and
| dry, the most Of the time snow lying
on the highest mountain peaks from
| October to May. The scenery is the
most romantic and beautiful [ ever
| saw; and all to be had very cheap.
Yours, respectfully.
L. j. 7. PUTNAM.