The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-07-16
THE FOURTH AT HENDER-
SONYTLLE, NORTH
CAROLINA,
Splendid Prospect for Early
Southern Railroad Connection
via the French Broad Route.
What our Delegates Saw and
Learned in their Recent Trip
to North Carolina.
From KnoYYilIa Tribur


: been absent since the morning O
the Sd on their trip to the railroai
demonstration at Hendersonville
9 N. c.. whittier they went as dele
gates from the city of Knoxville.
From an extended interview will
Judge IngersolI we gather the fol
, lowing interesting details:
, "As you readers probably know
the meeting was called by the Off
GERS Of the SpartAnburg and Ashe
vile Railroad to increase the in
terest in the completion of the road
among the people of Western North
Carolina. so as to insure its compile.
ton and to obtain q connection with
the East Tennessee system of rail.
roads at Paint Rock. Delegates
were present from the cities OF
Charleston, Columbia, Spartanburg,
GreenVilIe and other points in
South Carolins, from Raleigh, Char
lotte and AsheYille, North Carolina,
from Atlanta, Ca, as we'll as from
Knoxville and MorristoWn, Tennes.
see. In addition to these q large
assemblage of people were gathered
from Western North and from upper
South Carolina. The country along
the line of railroad from Cleveland
to Atlanta, seems to be very dry
and the promise for a crop is poor
except Al0ng the Etowa and in the
vicinity of Marietta, which struck
nae as q very thrifty, enterprising,
prosperous little city.
Atlanta impresses q stranger with
its resemblance to q Western city,
the character of its business build.
ings and dwelling houses and the
quick, active movements o ts pop.
ulation. Peachtree street il broad,
beautiful avenue, and for mile on
either side is lined with con nodious
and attractive dwellings, sill hated in
large, roomy, we'll shaded grounds
which gives them an air of GOODNESS
that one riding by in street car
does not experience. Some of the
more stately and imposing resi-
dences would adorn Euclid Avenue,
in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Piedmont air line railroad
seems to be QUE of the best roads in
the South. The travel, even at this
season OF the year, ia heavy and the
road is smooth and the trains rp#
very swiftly. Sixty miles northeast
of Atlanta we came in sight of the
Blue Ridge mountains and from
thence to Charlotte. N. c., the road
runs along the foot of the noun
tsins, through a wild and desolate
country, seemingly unproductiye ex.
Cept in their valleys and along the
water courses here was a good stand
of corn and cotton. My attention
was attracted to the character of
the buildings at the stations. They
were new, painted, substantial build
ings giving an air of thrift and life
to these little places in wonderful
contrast to the rest of the country.
Between Atlanta and Spartanburg,
100 miles, there are but two towns
of any consequence Gainesville 60
miles northeast Of Atlanta and
Greeneville 80 from Spartanburg.
Both of these places seem to be
thrifty, enterprising towns. have
street railroads. manufactures and
many large, fine buildings. To give
IN idea Of the time we made on the
The different railroads, / will state
hat we left Knoxville at 5 AN.
Thursday, and after stopping three
Ind one.half hours in Atlanta ar.
lived in Spartanburg at midnight.
he same day, q distance of over I
100 miles. i
Spartanburg is q place OF about {
|, 200 inhabitants, an upland South
Carolina county town. It is not q
growing place with the life and en- {
,rgy which characterizss the other 1
,laces on the route. 1t has rather
IN air of ancient culture and re-
inement.
We left Spartanburg at about nine
o'clock the next morning on the Hen {
train, and after following
he Piedmont Air Line track for two 5
II three miles switched off for the
North and started for the mountains.
0or about twenty-five miles the as. |
ent is gradual, the grades not be. s
ng over sixty feet per mile, but . !
ew miles beyond Tryon we COM t
lenced the ascent Of the Blue Ridge
y grade reported 70 be over two [
undred feet 70 tAs mile. I believe
his to be the true grade. from the
ppearaAce OF the ascent and the |
lowness and difficulty with which I
ur "MOdOc' engine pulled up a lit. {
Ie train of four cars. The "Modoc''
5 an engine with three driving I
wheels similar to Nos. and 2 on the |
J IN We e Ha u ID IanaAAnn I