The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-10-07
TOUR THROUGH THE NOUN
TAINS.
Il SPICY AND ORIGINAL CON-
TRIBUTION.
BY e. Slick.

/ FHOH KNOX VILE TO CLIATOA-
/ CLINTON TO COAL CREEK
COAL CREEK TO WHEELER'S IS
ASCENDING THE MOUNTAIN
WILLIAMSBURG OSSTN g
TIE CJ-NBERLAND-A TRUSTY
ANIMAL.
1t is $50 miles from Knoxville to Dan
vile, Ky, by way of Nashville, and only
100 through the mountains I took
mountains in mine, and left Knoxville
on what is supposed to be the Knoxville
and Ohio Railroad, and was soon creep
iug along toward the Cumberland noun
tains, standing blue, substantial and cool
in the serene distance. This railroad is
supported by vast number of sleepers
and consequently makes very slow time,
for fear of waking them up; conveys
principally coal, ginseng, stockholders,
! depot agents and other dead-heads, forty
miles either way and back.
At Clinton, I was awakened by
friend, and my attention called to the
great quantity ofpowder that was being
unloaded for the contractors on the Gin
the snlasileTs were tumbfng 1t off. Had
| an explosion taken place among those
kegs, it would have inaugurated Fourth
of July among about twenty miles of
those railroad sleepers before the editor
of the Chronicle could have said free
pass, please ~
4 beautiful lake here dashes its linn
pid waters close up to the track, and
many noble vessels rest in its bosom such
as old oyster cans, tin pans, bottles and
hoop skirts; and the scenery along its
undulating shores is enlivened by innu-
merable ducks, with one end elevated
for the convenience of creditors while
they reach down with the other after the
fast flying crawfish.
A friend told me that there was con-
siderable town here, at Clinton, but it
could not be seen for the depot and
other outbuildings that were now stand
ing in front of it, l think the noise
from our restless, wheczy old locomotive
also obstructcd the view, and we next
crawlcd so gradually upon the Coal
Greek station that not mountain echo
was awakened.
Here we came face to face with the
great coal banks of Tennessee, and long
trains of coal flats met the eye in every i
direction. Ours was the only engine
now used on this road, and we had to
wait while old whccZie done switching
enough 10 l1Tn the free school system of
six States
Very few houses appear along he road,
but up between the mountains near the
coal Shafts, they have an incorporated
town, mayoredby our friend Llewy1len.
l could see their beaufifu1 little Church
in the distance, situated on an eminence I
called Bunker Hill, and tried 10 pur-
chase If from the Mayor fora lantefn TO
be lighted up and used in crossing the
mountains in case Travelled at night;
however he would not trade, and I cx-
pectit was just as well-the stceplc might
have pulled out and frightened my horse
out of a walk.
Next, we snaked up to the narrative
of this Knoxville and Ohio Railroad line,
known far and wide as Wheeler's-
known, because it is inhabited by Ben
Wheeler, Hugh Whceler, Dick Wheeler,
Col. Wheeler, whcel-horsc, whecl-in-tO-
line, DR.. Hart and E. S. Hollingsworth.
must not forget to say that everything
was managed so adrOftly that we warm
ed into Wheelcr2s station without awak-
ing the slightest echo from the war-worn
setter dog reposing upon the flea bitten
platform,
Next morning was informed that the
only horse, kept for hire at the station,
had fell down the day before, stepped on
one of his hind legs and was now laid UP
for repairs
A friend that had once learned a les 4
son in charity, came to my aid, and
cheerfully loaned me his family riding
horse, dark bay, gentle and willing.
With the assistance of a step ladder, 1 i
Immediately seated myself in the new |
saddle marked So. 30. I was soon swing
ing along Powell's Valley and with the
crescent shaped mountains on my right !
hand and a good beech switch in my
left, / sailed in on sleeping Jacksboro
This town took its name from the
great number of jacks that came over
from Malta and settled here in 1900 and |
the neighborhood yet, and the mountain
coves were awakened to echo back the
soft-.silvery, notes from their Ah-kee, |
Ah-kee bugie horns, as 1 passed on to- |
ward the sentinel rocks that tower away
up among the blue of the skies, grimly
guarding Big Creek Gap. D
Now, began to ascend the Cumber-
land mountains; looked from the top |
down upon many beautiful valleys; de
sccnded by zigzag road on the other |
side, passed over a smaller mountain |
called Grand-daddy's HILL At the foot
of this hill came upon large fat buck,
drinking from a small stream called |
Hickory Greek. He observed the situa- |
tion sooner than myself and his heels |
and horns seemed to unite in making
brown streak The underbrush soon
closed over the streak, and was left to
muse over the feetness of life compared /
to that of scared deer At the next /
mountain hut I informed on the gentle
man, and as | rode onward / could hear
a pack of hounds singing war song, the
yelp of sang digger urging them on.
all of which satisfied me that the poor
deer would see danger, perhaps trouble,
in the coming race.
] soon struck Pine mountain; crossed
over into the valley of Lot, left the town
of that name to my right and entered
the old town of Williamsburg just at
night.
This is very small place compared 20
Chicago, and is inhabIted bY one iail. a