The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-05-17
A VISIT TO TWO INTERESTING
gPOTS-LoGAE NEWS.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn, May IA, 1876.


To the Editor of Hawkins County Department:
I haven't been to the Centennial, the
Big Bonanza" upon which newspaper
scribblers of all shades and grades de-
Iighteth to discourse, but I bsoe taken
hoTse=haok trip through the diversified
scenes and landscapes OF Washington
and Carter counties. A short descrip-
ton of dame Natures curiosities in Car
ter county may interest some of your
readers.
The first point of note is the "Great.
Rock house Cave" 1t Is situated on
comparatively level elevation of land
near the Washington and Carter county
line; the entrance is apparently over a.
hundred feet in hight, by the same in
width, and opens into the earth at an
angle of about IS deg. incliae, for g die
lance of about seVenty.fiVe yards, where
a large spring of pure clear water gushes
out, and runs a few rods across the floor
of the cave and disappears through an
opening, which was once followed by
two men some three-fOurths of mile to
an outlet on the surface; rather a dan
geFoHs Journey, would say. Frora tf4e
sDring the cave branches off in several
directions, on an uneven but generally
horizontal plane; one apartment is called
the " singing-room," has dry, level
fear, aPd IL large enough to contain
quite large party. Its walls are GOV
cred with the names of hundreds of Wis
itors, and is beautifully adorned by many
various forms of stalagmites and stalac-
tltes. Entering the " singing-roOm" may
be compared to entering a. basement
room by pretty high window. Young
gentlemen eseorting lady visitors have
here an excellent opportunity to display
their gallantry, and criticize striped stock
mas, by assisting the ladies up and into
the entrance. Another arm of the cave
is said to have been explored some three
miles, but l had neither time OF tneltnas
ton to extend my visit so far on this
| occasion.
Another curiosity which I think worth
describing is the Fish Spring" This
spring, which is as large as half dozen
mill-races, and pure, cold, aud clear as
| crystal, boils out of the western bank of
the Watauga river, and, in fact, is sub,
| merged by the river, at very high water.
It must be the outlet of some large sub
terranean lake, as thousands of fish take
up their winter quarters in its dark, deep
recesses. Uncle Zeke Smith, who lives
at the spring, and owns the fine farm up
on which it is situated, has constructed
a fish-trap which he sets across the out
let of the spring during the spring sea-
son, and bountifully supplies his table
with the finest of perch, sometimes
catching over a hundred in a night.
(Parparenthesis) Miss Sallie Smith knows
| Just how to fry them in style, and should
any reader of this happen to stray of. up
the Watauga, IadyiSe to give uncle Zeke
a call. 1.f,-tssa
To conclude my letter, which is al
ready too long, will say that empty
corn-cribs and smoke-hnuses are more
plentiful in this section than full ones.
Owing to late season and wet weather,
corn is not yet all planted; wheat looks
we'll everywhere; apples will be plenty,
and peaches a fen.
Col John K. Miller has gone to Wash
ington and the Centennial; Capt. 10. Il.
Hacker, Deputy Collector, is in charge
during his absence. More anon.
Yours, as ever, b.