Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-16
10 TIES OF A SUMNER TRIP.
Nm VII
A RAINY TIME IN KENTUCKY.

pIophecy Oh Iorty days rain additionally at
ttched to that fact seemed this year to be in
the process of fulilment. The wet season in
Kentucky began about the is. of July. From
thls date there was scarcely twenty-four
hours without greater or less rainfall, which
seriously interfered with the cutting and
curing of the harvest. The wheat shocked in
the fields began to sprout and rot, and il was
feared the crops would prove q total loss.
About the middle of July, as / passed down
the Kentucky Central railroad, on my way
home, observed a whole field of wheat in
the shocks, along the Licking river, sub
merged by the food which had extended over
the bottom lands.
All day Sunday, and the last day of my
stay at Spring Hill" there were no breaks
In The clouds, or glimpses of sunshine, but a
continued steady rain. This was q source OF
great disappointment to me- as i had de-
signed making survey of an
ANCIENT MOUND AND FoRTIFICATION,
situated in field on the "Spring Hill" es-
tate, known as the Fort Field"
AS far as / am aware, this mound al
though well known to persons residing in
Versailles, has not been described, either by
Thomas T.. Picket, esq, who has written so
and the adjoining states, or by any other
writer. Although l was deprived OF the
pleasure OF examing the fort, L was fortunate
enough to have a conversation relative To IL
with the elder DR.. Carter, of Versa lies who
has lived almost within sight of 1t for over
fifty years. Dr. Joseph Coleman Carter was
born In Albermarle county, Va, December
23d, 1908. His parents removed to WooiforI
county in 1909, where the DR.. as boy and M an
has lived ever since. After acquiring gooi
academic education he studied medicine
with DR.. Daniel Drake and received his
medical degree in 1882 From that time To the
present he has been actively engaged in the
practice OF his profession in Versailles. The
following Is the substance of his remarks.
He remembe.s when these Old works were
within the shadow of the dense forest that
had existed here since the time the Indians
ranged through them for game. He describes
the opening of a road across one corner of
The fortihcatiOn. At that time the embank-
ments were from six 10 eight feet high, the
extent OF the enclosure being about four
hundred feet long, by three hundred feet
. wide. Near the center of the enclosure, there
was mound OF about the same height, and
th1rly or forty feet in diameter. a similar
IN und was on the outside of the walls, about
one hundred feet distant, and in frort of the
apparent entra 'ce 10 the enclosure. The re-
mains are al this time covered with a cron
Of oats, and the Ilow is raridly reducing the
walls To the level of the field. Bat the out
lines are still traceable. The Doctor does
not remember that the mound was e!er ex-
rlored in search of relies. In nearly every
house in this region OF Kentucky stone
hatchetS, arrow heads. &c, of Indian work
manship. which have been picked up from
Time 10 time III the fields, are exhibited as
curiosities.
TIE VERY REMARKABLE TEMPLE MOUND,
near LOvedale, in Wocdford county, has been
carefully examined and described by archgc-
olOgists, and has frequently been visited by
DIR. Carter. He has also visited many Others
and describes them with great accuracy, and
has collected many Indian curiosIties, and
presented them from time to time to institu-
ions and private gentlemen making cOllec-
lions. He gave me several; one, either a
petIlfied shell, or stone cut in the form OF
one and highly polished. Probably none OF
the'e relics found lying on the surface OF tie
ground beionged to the period OF The
ing | was compelled TO taSe leave
Of my kind hostess, who is as happy o.,
the accomplishment OF spc eding the ptr.ine
as she is in that of welcoming the COM q
guest. The attempt To ch aracterize the no,
pitality experienced during my visit would
do ii injustice, since any term applied 10 il
might qualify the full measure OF It's gen
utDenessI warmth and iioeYaIIty.
DR.. ID. Drake Carter, son of Dr. c. lust al.
lIded 10, although engaged in q labori1us
practice in Versailles, obi igingly drove roe
over TO Lexington, distance OF twelve
miles, the first step on my return to Wash
ingtoD. The morning was cloudy, with Ccca-
siOpal showers; but ii was clear enough TO
enable us TO see the country through which
we passed, and the Clay monument, frcm a
distance of three miles, as we approached
tie city of Lexington,
The drive from Versailles brought me
Though most lovely agricultural section,
highly cultivated, and with excellent farm
improvements. There was no waste, nor
any unenclOsed lands. / had now passed
through portions OF Fayette county by rail-
road from Lexington TO Midway, across the
northwestern corner. And in coming into
Lexington from Bourbon county, traverset
the northeastern portion. The route from
Versailles is nearly east, through the center
of the county. The quality of the soil in ali
parts excels expectation, so that eXaggera-
tlOn of the beauty and richness OF the blue
grass region would be difficult.
The whole terri tory OF Kentucky. IL will be
remembered, belonged to Virginia at the
Time OF its settlement, and formed part OF
Eincastle county, Va, But in December,
1II6, the legislature of Virginia created the
county of Kentucky, which embraced the
whole territory now constituting the state.
The first court of quarter sessions of this
county was held at HarrOisburg in the spring
of M. In November. 1850, the Legislature OF
Virginia divided Kentucky into district
composed of three counties-Fayette. Lin
coin and Jefferson, sinking the name OF Ken
tncky exCeptt as il applied to the district.
Thus Fayette was one OF the original coun-
ties OF the state
LEXINGTON
was actually founded and named in l176 by
the erection of cabin. 1t was incorporated
by an act OF Virginia in May, 1882. The city
is regularly laid out in rectangular SQUARES.
on rich table land occupying the divide be-
tween the forks of the Elkhorn, tributa of
the Kentucky river. The streets of the city
sre all macadamized, and the sidewalks
paved with brick. The elevation of Licking
ton above the sea at the railroad depot Is
given as $50 feet.
The term Pennsylvania, meaning .sback-
woods" was applied To Kentucky by Colonel
Richard Henderson, or TO that part OF the
country comprising nearly one hundred
miles square which he purchased in I1I5
from the Cherokee Indians, but which pur-
chase the legislature OF Virginia suisse
qUently declared OF no validity. This mea-
sure, however, encouraged emigration, and
had the effect of extinguishing the Indian
title TO the lands. In 1875 the Pennsylvania
Seminary was incorporated. and thus was
laid the foundation OF the first literary in
stitutiOn west of the Allegheny mountains.
The seminary, had no definite location
until 1873, when IL was opened in
Lexington. Sectarian jealousies disturbed,
to some extent, It's early progress,
but in 1898 all the divided Inter-
ests were harmonized under an enlarged
charter, and designated the institution by
the name OF "Transylvania University" In
addition to the literary, medical depart
ment was organized. Drs. Samuel Brown
and Fred. Ridgely were members Of the med
ical faculty. The first academical degree
conferred by the faculty was In 1902, and the
fret medical degree in 1918. Did space per-
init, IL would be pleasant to dwell upon
the subject of medical education in Lexing.
ton, because il connects SO honorably the
names OF many medical men whose reputa.
lions are national, and who, by their indefat
ipa hlo iufolliOQnt n t<,ra o..i.to-s