New-York tribune., 1880-01-01
THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU.

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EsQuE wIIDx2NID-1HS suzU1H ORCHARD
AND VINEYARD OF TIE souxH-nOW Ro1AfoD
AND cHILDREH 1HRIvn-HoN2 or "WKfL-ro-
DO" MoUNrAINRxR-A BAcxWroDs 5EAsr-
ONE OF THE NATIVE LKv-MAKxHA
(FRoM srAYY CORRESPONDENT o. THE fRnuN1.l
LoUDON Tenn, Dec 20.-The Cincinnati South
ern Railway, after emerging from tho gorge OF
Emory River runs close to the base OF steep. ngn
mountain ridge nearly all tho way to Chattanooga.
This is Walden's Ridge and it Is rich in iron and
coal. Beyond it's crest begins tho great Cumber-
land Plateau, which extends dagonaly across the
State and has an average width OF about twenty
miles. The surface of the plateau Is broken by
cations and deep valleys worn by the streams
which flow into the TennesseO River on
one side and the Elk on the other Much
of the land is level or slightly rolling. and
lies in very nice shape for cultivation. The timber
consists mainly of O sparse growth OF white oaks,
with some hickory and chestnut, and little Dlack
walnut There is so little underbrush and the Tree
trunks stand 80 far apart that the country mas
parkke appearance, which Is heightened IN sum
mer by all abundant growth OF wild grass Inc
whole region is practically wilderness Here and
there, often at intervals OF many miles, Is found inc
cabin and corn patch of mountaineer, but nowhere
Is seen continuous stretch Of cleared ground. Inc
fact that this great body of wild land now brought
tracts admirably adapted to fruit-growing and
to raising cattle and sheep are in the market at
prices ranging from 81 to So an acre, makes the
plateau as Ihave said in former letters, an inter
esing field for observation with view to Northern
settlement. Desiring to both the eastern and
western sides. determined 10 make lockwood
point of departure for one excursion and then go
around by Chattanooga to Tracy City to see the
western slope.
Making one of party of three horsemen led by
tall Tennessee colonel. whose rosy face and white
beard cleaned like an OriAamme in front OF the
cavalcade, left lockwood Monday morning. We
first rode two hours down the valley and then
turned up tine canon of Whites Creek to climb mp to
the plateau The creek is in reality verv
beautiful and very angry little rlver'
80 deep and swift that the drivers of drove OF Ken
lucky mules going to Georgia. met at the entrance
to the GORGE Iy persuaded their stubborn charges
to swim the stream by lavish expenditure OF oaths
and blows. The water is of beautiful nght due
color where tho rocks cease dashing it into foam.
The lifts rise to an immense height on both sides,
and IN some places their SUBMITS are broken with
picturesque ferns resembling ruined fortrcsses ami
castles. Nowhere east Of the Rocky Mountains have
I seen 90 grand a canon. II the reader wants n
foreign comparison, would liken it to the Gorge OF
Condo. through which the Simplon road comes
down from the Alps to the plains of Lon-
bardy Our road did not resemble the Simplon
in the least though Sometimes 1t ran over
bare broken rocks and sometimes followed the
bed of n mountain brook. Itwas bad enough for a
horse and rider, and how wagons could traverse 1t
could hardly understand; but that they could we
had ocular evidence IN a team hauling load OF
goods to some country store on the plateau.
About noon. when almost up to the top of the
Table" we found the road barred by gate. Near
by was the house Of mountanecr. who had cleared
q few acres of land and thrown gate across the
way to extort toll from travellers like rObber
baron in the Middle Ages. His charge was 30
cents for wagons and 10 for horscmen. and the ex-
cuse for it was claim that he kept ten miles of the
road in order As wo were not likely to reach
another house for two three hours. dismountcd
and asked for dinner fOu cat always get a meal
at the house of n mountainecr. The women |
will cook whatever they have in the house. and
charge % cents whether the rcpast is meagrc or
luxurious II you stay over night there snO charge
for lodging. Our entertainer passed for a man OF
means III the vicinity. Besides his farm and his
road he owned small mill. His log house showed
no signs of wealth. however. save in it's size. -Four
panes iii the one window in tho stting-rOOm were
broken and the only furniture besides u bed was
an nppantcd table four splint tb0ttOmed chairs and
an old hair trunk In the big Fireplace Of the |
adjoining room his wife soon cooked an excellent
dinner of stcwcd venison. fried chunks Of mas-fed
pork potatoes hoecake and coiicc. A glass Of sweet
milk finished the meal.
The road after reaching the summit led through |
oak openings, and occasionally dipped down into |
the ravine OF n stream or ran around promont0ry
that commanded wide view OF billowy. forest |
clothed country. Toward night We came ont Of the
woods am! down from the heights into Grassy Covo
"A little gem of valley depressed about 400 feet
,I I, NJ nj ia nve m
from one to three wide. and is inhabited by about
seventy families. The streams of the Cove join to
form large creek which runs against the sheer
face Of tho mountain. and there disappears in n
cave 20 emerge seven miles distant and make the
hoadwaters Of the Sequatchie River. We were in
seurch of the house Of Northern man. named STRAIT
ton who came to the Cove ten years ago from Sala-
manca, n Y. About dusk. while riding
IN advance of tho party, deserted wbiic
house and capaciOus barn. and knew
Mt once We had reached our destination.
The natives do not pant their houses outside or In
and they seldom build anything that would be
called in the North a barn. The Northern cookery
of our kind hostess tasted delicious after weeks
experience of Southern fare. Mr. Stratton pro-
duced tho last number Of THg WEEKLY TRIBUNE,
aud spoke of visit the late N. c. Meeker had made
him shortly after the war, while travelling in the
South IA correspondent of the paper. The plateau
lands he said. were rather thin for corn. and az
the natives cared for no other crop they had been
neglected They responded to manure remarkably |
WELL and produced fair crops of oats and rye. and
moderate yield of wheat. Potatoes gave an abnn-
dant yield Grapes, apples and in fact all sorts of
fruit hourshcd. He believed that in the future IL
plateau would be the orchard and vineyard Of VIC
lG>oktz 1oato the climate. it was beyond all |
question tie best in tho Unitsd States. Tho |
Summer tempersture was rarely above 800, and tho |
Thermometer In Winter seldom went below 2Oo. |
The healthfuness Of the Cumberland tabe-land was
proverbia all through the South. The house of our
host did not afford sleeping accommodations for the |
nurIv 40 WE &Cre hiletcd upon neighhOr. AlY |