The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-07-04
The Rush Of Many Waters that Dcs-
troycd much Property and many

i nc HUSH VI .huuy "ulSiS tAut w.
troycd much Property and many
Lives.
Editor Press and Banner:
1t is unnecessary to say that ourramble
amid the mountains IS long to be remein-
bcrcd, and there is no section which Of
ftrs a more attractive field t. tourist than
PENNSYLVANIA County North Carolina, to
which I have previously alluded. Ere
ward, the seat OF this LAND of the sky"
n~es,les in the valley of the French Broad,
and is surrounded by ''mountains that
like giants stand, TO sentinel enchanted
land.'
1t enjoys the benefits Of q good saw
mill, grist mill and wool factory. 1t
numbers q population Of about five hun
drcd inhabitants whose cordial bospitaii-
~ is ever manifested toward the way
!arer and stranger. Among its citizens
resented by }. L. Bell, Esq, and family
lnrlncriy of Greenwood, and TO whom we
were indebted for II most welcomed re-
c.p;ion. Enjoying all the advantages Of
nuu1c, together with the benefits Of II
CONTINUED mountain breeze, this village is
4 lacoriLc resort for invalids during the
SIMMER season. The pleasnre-seeker
can also find amusement in chasing tho
deer and bear which roam the covcrts Of
the forest, and catching trout which fill
its streams.
Having discussed the pe~culiarilies of
this section with regard to invalids and
tourist, we will briefly notice it's agricul-
lural features. One would suppose that
i region i~nterspcrscd with mountain
ranges, and possessing a temperature to
cold TOO The cultivation Of those products,
which are indigenous to Il more tropical
cline, has few attractions for the settler,
and WAS ill adopted for agriculture.
such, however, is q most erroneous I'M
preston, as l will attempt 10 prove. In
the first place, no country in the world Is
better lintirrrcd or watcrcu, and its fertili-
" of soil. especially in the valleys of the
French Broad, Davidson River, and other
streams, is unsurpassed by the MISSISSIPPI
pi lowlands. Farming is carried on more
scientifically here, than i'll the cotton
belts OF Carolina, and / think much prac-
ticablc information might be gathered,
which would prove highly beneficial to
the farming interest of the old South
State. They have learned the great ad-
vantagcs Of concentrated farming, and in
stead of areas Of several hundred acres,
the farms consist generally OF thirty to
s~eventy-tive acres each, though worked
up to the highest state Of cultivation.
The settlers know nothing Of the use of
fertilizers, and the culture of cotton, two
things Unexpectedly connected i'll the
minds of the Southern farmer, with liens
and mortgages, the effective agencies Of
bankruptcy. In the cultivation OF their
crops, which consist principally Of corn,
wheat, rye, oats, ana various grasses. the
land is first broken with large TWO morse
sitbsoil, and then with II Smaller plow,
aitor which the sam is planted; and then
the entire area is either narrowed or lev
eied with q brush, so as to present the
appearance of Il well worked garden. It
is not surprising that after so thorough
preparation, the harvest is often sixty,
and sometimes n hundred to II huL-
dred and fifty bushels Of corn per acre,
with a field Of other products in proper
ton. Now, Mr.. Editor, those, who are
wearicd with king cotton, whose reign
continues the entire year, and especially
those who are constitutionally opposed 10
physical labor, or rather unfortunately
''born tired" we would invite to this land
Of plenty, which is characteristic OF q
grain country. Should there be those,
who are averse 10 all active manuel labor,
for such there is Il most inviting field in
the raising of all kinds of live stock.
Horses, Sleeps and COWS are usually
driven out in the mountains about first
of April and are brought back in Novem-
Der. In a month after being put into
range they arc exceedingly tat, and
ready for market, with comparatively no
expense.
The mountains are covered with winter
grasses, and evergreens, ever during
winter, while the valleys abound with
timothy, clover, orchard and blue grass.
The principal fruits, are apple and grapes
which are unsurpassed III both size and
flavor. The mountain regions Of North
Carolina, also abound in minerals, though
in many sections remain undereloped.
Iron ores exist in great abundance, while
copper ores, gold. silver, lead and zinc,
have been probably mined in several
places. Thus we see this State is noted
Tor moro than its products Of star, pitch
and ~turpcntine," from which the epitllet
of star hccl' originated. In fact, this
only needs railroads and capital
to develop its hidden treasures Of wealth,
which will yet make it the compeer Of
in the mineral kingdom.
From Brevard, we directed our tom
the French Broud to Ashville, the
COUNTY SSsi vi p"'l'olli', uilu ~ u
miles distant. A beautiful farm
ing and grazing country intervencs.
Fields Of waving grain, and seattle upon
Il thousand hills' indicate that "there is
in the old land yet" Special atten-
ton is paid to raising sheep and in this
connection, Mr.. Editor, I am reminded
OF an amusing occurrence, which / will
venture to relate, provided you insure
me against any challenge to Eight" from
the aggricvcd party.
\ flock Of sheep were grazing in q
meadow near the public highway, when
Of the number (thc collins kind) be-
came engaged in a fight which threatened
results. The shepherd wishing
TO arbitrate the matter, approached with
in hand, when nc sooner, n of
the sheep, leaving his antagonist, renew
ed the attack upon his owner, who was
soon compelled 10 drop his cudgel and to
III a hand to hand conflict. The
waXed tiercelv, and while the
woody animal Piled his blows to the ter
minus of the spinal column, or constitu-
.iOnal part Of his assailants body, the
nan was by no means idle, so that at
lines it was difficult to decide whether
he man had the am OF the ram had the
nan. The last act of this amusing drama
vas a scene worthy of the pen of a Ra-
)lleal, and was the arbitrator, calling his
Dedal eXtremities into active service, and
q hastv retreat, before the hot
pursuit of his foe no doubt feeling assur-
ii of the truthfulness of the adage, she
Who fights and runs away, may live to
light another day."
Ashville the next place Of our destina-
ion, has a population of twenty-five
hundred inhabitants. 1t is situated in
he juncture of the Salamanca and
Broad rivers, and like Brevard, is
i've it a romantic appearance. On the
lorning after our arrival, through the
indness of my friend MIR. Robertson,
ye were escorted to III, cupilo of the
ourt house a height Of hundred and
twenty-five feet, from which could be 5
nd Il commanding view OF the surround J
10 country. In every direction peak |