Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-06-16
FROM THE MOUNTAINS.
From the Cincinnati Southern Rail.
rUad-Rcniniscence of u De.
funct Comfy Seat

rORd-Bcrniniscence of u DE.
funct Comfy Seat.
WARTBURG, TENN, June 8, 1875.
TO the Editors of the Chronicle.
In passing through this section the
poetical wayfarer must he reminded of
Goldsnith's Deserted Village" when
ever his eye lights upon the town Of
Mun g"mery. a year ago the thought
would occur, perhaps, more forcibly
| than at present. AT that date not
more tnan two or three families could
be found within its classic precincts.
| The lcnabud of its glory was pro-
nuunced some four or five years ago,
when the Legislature decreed that the
inhabitants of Morgan county should
have the privilege of moving the
county.seat to some more congenial
cline. Accordingly they climbed the
mountain at the foot of which they
had been nesting for 50 long time,
and located the seat of justice at the
village of Wartburg, where it remain
eth unto the present day. Moving the
county seat is Il pastime which has
often engaged the attention of the
good yeomanry of the county. In the
early days, the first public buildings
were located some twelve miles west of
Montgomery, at IA place called Law
ender's." The first courts, however,
held in the county, af er its organiza-
ton, were at the old Indian TavS
ern,' three miles east of the present
! ,,fl ,f kN.,fl,,r.r a l.;
the homestead of Senator G.. w. Keith.
From Lavender's, the county seat was
moved TO a point near the north side
of Walden's Ridge, called the Rock
Bridge" 1t was wild, and almost
inaccessible spot, without room for a
street or house. Before any attempt
was made to improve this place, the
mantle fell upon Montgomery, where
IL rested for number of years. In the
ante Jeilum days, Montgomery was a
place of considerable business. The
" Emory road ran directly through
the town. Over this road, there was
perhaps more travel for long period
of years, than over any other road in
| the State. The emigrants from North
| Carolina, Southwestern Virginia and
East Tennessee, passed over this road
on their way to Middle and West Ten
nessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.
| Old inhabitants say there was
never moment during the day,
at certain seasons of the year,
when one or more wagons were not
visible. In the fall season it was al
most like the moving of an army.
But the first locomotive sounded the
death knell of the old fashioned
mover wagoI. Gradually the trav-
ell dwindled Away each year, until now
it is a thing of the past. The town is
situate upon the banks Of the Emory
river, though The stream at this point
10 hat Meea More than a creek. Once
upon q time, not thousand years ago,
| an old gentleman drove down to the
| further side just after q heavy rain had
changed the stream from gentle riv-
| ulet to roaring torrent, Not stop
ping to investigate, he at once plunged
in, and was astOnished to ind himself,
his horse and rickety buggy trans
formed into a struggling, floundering
procession, drifting down stream at u
rate that was alarming.
wish to know said he, as he
stood up, with the water ub to his
knees in his vehicle, " | wish to know
whether the river is rising or faliing?n
Before my informant could erect a
mark and take observations on this
important point, man, horse and bug.
Icy drifted into fish trap some dis.
lance down the stream, where they
managed 10 stick until the mel shbors
collected and tished them our with
ropes and long poles.
No doubt it would be a source of
great satisfaction to a drowning man
] n ha thnrn1U h lXr oil ~, rnn.rl ~
the exact state of the flood that was
instrumental in his taking off.
After the foregoing miscellaneous
twaddle no items of news present
themselves Work on the great
Southern" still goes bravely on, at
least, one is prone to think this is the
case, judging from the booming noise
of the blasts and the continuous trains
of wagons that throng the roads. The
Railroad Company are erecting tele-
! graph along the line. The poles are
set, and the wire is expected in a few
: days. An office will be established at
Wartburg, at the headquarters of Capt.
Ruhl, Division Engineer of Divi-
vision Of"
One of the gay and festive youths
: who recently broke out of the Jail at
Wartburg, broke into the Jail at Stan
ford, KY, where he is now being held
for an invitation TO return to us
Crops are looking tolerably we'll but
would look much better with more
! rain. Some sections of the county have
had rain enough, while Others have
not. The soil of the table land is bet
ter adapted to the growth of fruit and
vegetables than to that Of the grains.
But of this latter subject there is
; enough for future letter, till which
> time, adiue.
Yours truly, ETC.,
RAMBLER.