The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-05-24
C'EA TEANIAL DOTS.


JENKINS, z. M GLANCE At
EARLY TTNES-A LEGEND OF
THE WHITE HORN
To the Editor of the Morristown Gazette:
On the East Tennessee, Virginia
and Georgia railroad, some fifty-six
miles east of Knoxville, there is a
station known as Bulls Gap. At
this point the railroad crosses White
Horn creek, and passes through " the
Gap in Bays mountain, which gives
its name to the station and hamlet
here situated 1t was the fortune
of the writer to spend some hours at
this point, while awaiting the move
ments of the train which was to take
him to the ancient borough of Rog-
ersville, some II miles distant.
My leisure was spent in obtaining
something Of the early and current
history of the section through which
l was to pass, in my brief trip. 1
now propose to give your readers
the result of my inquiries, as con-
tribution to Centennial chronicles.
The village of Rogersville, my des-
tination, is reached from Bulls Gap
by means of the Rogersville and
Jefferson railroad. This is one of
the unfortunate corporations which
was sold by the State the East Ten
nessee, Virginia and Georgia rail-
road becoming the purchasers, at a
nominal price, and obligating them
selves to run daily train, drawn by
locomotive, each way over said
road. Across the Holston river there
is an extensive and expensive rail-
road bridge, which becoming some
what dilapidated. and requiring a
pretty heavy outlay for its proper
repair and business on the road not
being very remunerative, tee man
agement of the East Tennessee, Vir-
g:nia and Georgia railroad determ-
ined, by some means to divest them
selves of their obligation to run said
road according to- the terms of their
agreement, and to this end sold, or
by some means transferred, their
purchase and responsibility to some
one who was willing, for consider
alton, to step between them and the
legal consequences of their failure
to comply with their solemn contract.
This transaction reminds me of
the transfer of his farm, by old man
TrustsoD, to his son Henry. The
consideration was, that Henry should
provide for the comfortable support
of his aged father during the remain
der of his natural life. The convey
ance was solomnly signed, delivered
and properly registered. Henry took
possession and for a few years run
the farm and pocketed the receipts.
In an unlucky hour the mansion
house and barn were burned. the
fences, too. becoming dilapidated,
and Henry, being a thrifty man,
looking to his own interests, conclu-
ded it would best subserve these in
terests, if he could dispose of the
old homestead. and the old tdther,
too, and seek an investment which
he thought would yield more dollars
and cents. A sale was effected, the
purchaser stepping into Henry's
shoes. With fearful eyes and
heavy heart Henry babe his decrepid
old ia Their farewell and started west.
The new purchaser and owner of the
farm, and Of old man TruStScr, took
Hard times and ilI-usage
fell upon the old man, and in his sor-
row, weakness and ignorance he APP
Dealed to the Courts for redress. The
sale was pronounced allregular-the
new purchaser had assumed all of
Henry's obligations, and Henry was
absolved-he was no longer bound !
for his fathers support. To escape
,he hard usage he was subjected TO,
,he old man sought an asylum in the |
Poorhouse and died a pauper and |
was laid in Potters field.
But l must pass on. The weather |
IS delightful, and as we journey on,
We feast our eyes upon the opening |
beauties Of the season. Here we
ire at a post office, rejoicing in the
name of White Horn. This |
post Office is, perhaps. the most re-
Differed of any office in |
he Union. The postmaster is man
If genuine patriotism, ,delighting to
serve his country and his neighbors, |
listing not after the emoluments of
,fIice He lives about one and-a-half |
niles from the railroad. and to this
POINT he walks and returns home
vice each day, except Sunday.
summer heats and winter
forms, Joseph Jenkins, p. NJ, makes
lis bi-daily visitations to this point
o receive and deliver the Nautilus
raveling six miles each day, or 1873
niles per annum. understand the
flee yields an income of $12 80 per
mum. May no incoming admins
ration lay its ruthless hand upon
oseph.
Doubtless the reader is at a loss
D see wherein consists the romance
f the name, White Horn. List to
he, while 1 the story tell, as it was
ol6 to me: In the early days, not
)ng after Boone, Robertson and
theirs had began to explore the will
erness along the waters of Doe and
Tatauga, some of their number, or
f their immediate followers, cast
leir lots farther west, upon the /
roader lowlands of the Holston- {
uniting was their favorite pursuit
nd chief source of subsistence.
hey had been " located but short ,,
me until it was announced that a :
range animal Of great beauty. ex- |
aordinary fieetness, and unusual
lyness, had more than once been j
zen by an experienced hunter along
e base and on the slopes of Bays c
His report of the dis '
very of this unknown animal, !
ouoh at first discredited, was the +