Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-07-14
FROM DUCKTOWN.
sunday school PIcnic-FOurth of
JuIy-A Gala Day-vIsit TO the


U. c. NJ Co.'s HOTEL,
DUCKTowN, POLK Co., TENN,
July 9th, 1875.
10 the Editors of the Chronicle:
Picnics and Fourth of July celebra-
tions are agreeable varieties in the
humdrum tenor Of every day life, and
especially does it seem so in these
mining regions.
The Fourth was celebrated on the
third, and was holiday with the
miners, colllers and wood-haulers, and
they enjoyed the Sunday School pic
mic in the forenoon and the celebration
of the Goth anniversary of the Decla-
ration of Independence in the after
noon.
From early dawn the people came
in from the mountains of Georgia and
North Carolina by scores and dozens
some coming from distance of twenty
and twenty-five miles, until our little
mountain ltown " was literally
thropged with the teeming null
! titude. Ducktown is in a
region for which nature has done
much in the way of rare mountain
scenery and-as the writer has been
here only about a month-new and
varied scenes are daily coming to view.
Ducktown can boast of some fine resi-
dences-and think there is more NOR
ality here than can be found in most
places of its size.
The mail hack from here to Cleve-
land, via Benton, makes three trips a
week-distance rs miles-changing
horses at " Halfway House" The
line is in charge of the courteous and,
accommodating Mr.. Thos. Hunter, whJ'
is also proprietor of THE Mountain
| House,
Three churches are supported here,
with fourth nearly completed-viz:
Northern and Southern Methodists
and Baptist. The unfinished church
is beautiful frame edifice, built by
Capt. J. +. Raht, and is to be
called the Union Chapel" and open
to all denominations. The Baptist
Sunday school had their picnic last
Saturday in the forenoon, as / have
already stated. The multitude resorted
to beautiful grove of young oaks,
near the church, where seats and a
stand for the speaker were in readiness,
rejecting credit upon the Committee of
Arrangements.
DR.. Breaker, of Chattanooga. who,
you will remember, lived ia Knox
vile few years ago. addressed the
Sabbath school.
The Cleveland Band was in attend
ance, rendering some delightful mu-
sic, and right merrily did the hours
pass away. People here are not unlike
in some respects people elsewhere, and
when II o'clock came they very natur-
ally thought of dinner, which was
served in baskets, in the greatest
abundance.
In the afternoon the celebration of
the Fourth commenced, and instead of
} the crowd glowing less it con-
tinued to increase. The Declaration
of Independence was. read by Or.
, Breaker, after which Rev. John Bow
man, of North Carolina, addressed the
crowd which contained many fine
thoughts clothed in the drapery of
beautiful language. He is one of the
most pleasant speakers it has been my
fortune to hear.
The Stars and Stripes {" long may
they waveD continued welcoming the
patriots till the day was far advanced.
The balloon sent up under the auspi-
cious management of DR.. j. n. Ketch-
erside and Mr.. L. J. Stamper was a
most perfect success. But picnics and
celebrations, as all other things, must
have an end, so long after the shadows
of the pines had been turned towards
the East, with laughter and chatter the
crowd began to disperse, while the
ever thoughtful and watchful mothers
could be seen gathering her household
together, counting noses, to make sure
that no flirting or dreaming absen-
tees remained behind, and were soon
on their way homeward with thoughts
intent on home and rest.
One of the most pleasant features of
the evening, TO the writer, was a ride
on the narrOw-gauge railroad to the
two principal mines, "E," and
Mary" in company with several cit
liens and The Band. 1t was by invi-
tation from Capt. Mueller, Assistant
Superintendent, and a most affable
gentleman, that we took this ride. 1t
being my first visit to a mine, there
We're many curiosities, some of the
shafts going down under the ground
four and five hundred feet.
6 l. L,