Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-04-02

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, March 26, 1874.
have recently been up to the Kentucky
State line, and as did not 60 by railroad nor
in any public conveyance, but made bee-line
through the wilderness, I thought the result
of my observations might be interesting to
the readers of the ENQUIRER.
left here at four o'clock in the afternoon,
by way of the Knoxville and Ohio railroad,
which runs in among the hills for forty miles,
and then stops suddenly against the rock-rib-
bed sides of the Cumberland mountain. This
patch Of road is intended to be part of great
line from Ohio to South Carolina, which has
been talked of for thirty-seven years, more or
less. Talk, you know, don't cost much, and
never builds railroad either.
At the end of the road, I was dumped out
of an ornamented freight car into retired
army ambulance, drawn by two ancient mules,
handed down to the careful driver as tender
relics of the last century. Sometime in the
night we halted at Jacksboro. Jacksboro is
the capital of Campbell county, and looks to
be about as-old (and as ugly) as the eternal
hills which surround it. It is situated in the
picturesque Powells Valley, and has popu-
lation of one hundred and eighty-six, when
they are all at home. ..,., ....
The next day, party of US who were going
to the Kentucky line, through this wilderness,
saddled our frey steeds and put out We as.
cended Cumberland mountain and looked
down on the beautiful scenery below. South
ward, the hills stretched away-away toward
the North Carolina mountains. Westward,
the tall and ungainly heap, called Cross
mountain, shut out the view, while eastward
we could trace the smiling Powell's Valley,
as it lost itself away up toward the mountains
of Virginia.
We crossed over the mountain and passed
down into Buffalo Creek valley. We made
hard days ride and got within eighteen
miles of the Kentucky line, when we stopped
for the night at the house of native" Next
day, we caught view of the Kentucky hills,
after hard ride through Scott county.
Scott county is curiosity in more senses
than one. 1t borders the Kentucky line and
the whole county lies on the rugged face Of
the mountain. 1t has no railroad or trans
portation facilities. Not half the inhabitants
of the county ever saw railroad or a steam
boat. or place half as large as Yorkville.
They are primitive and ignorant, but good
natured and hospitable. The "houses" that
most of them live in are but rude cabins of
unhewn logs, containing but one room and no
windows In this they eat, sleep, live, are
merry, marry, and are given in marriage.
How man can live and bring up family in
a log cabin of one room, without windows and
with Indifferent doors, is one of the mysteries
which yet remains unsolved in my mind. But
they do, and appear to be as happy in their
cabin Of one room as some of their more for.
tunate fellow beings in palaces of dozen
rooms, with Mansard roof and kitchen base
ment.
Upon our return from the Kentucky border,
two of US were overtaken at night near one of
these cabins, and had to put up with the noun
taineer who lived therein, or run the risk of
getting lost in the woods and camping out.
The mountaineer took US in readily, saying
he never turned off men, if they could put up
with his accommodations. "Iv'e got nothin'
but plain meat and bread" he said, "but I
reckon you can make out with it one night,
being have put up with it forty.two years."
The "house" was cabin Of one room. At
one end was fireplace, one bed and a small
table, and at the other three small beds set in
a row, so close together that it required to-
erably thin pair Of legs to squeeze between.
There was not window in the house, and no
way to derive supply Of light except what
came in through the numerous cracks between
the logs and at the open door. In this rude