Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-09
A Talk with Mr.. Knghes.
HOW TIE ENGLISHAEN ARE PROSPERING ON THE
CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS.

CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS.
| Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Times.l
| A cay or two ago, while indulging In a hasty
| railway dinner on the Cincinnati Southern
route, l discovered myself confronting Mr.
| Thomas Hughes. president or the BOARD OF Aid
| 10 Land ownership" whose investment In Ten
lessee wilds Is by virtue OF the prominence OF
! the investors and the peculiar nature OF the en-.
t6TpflSe, just now attracting considerable atten-
| zion In both America and Europe. During the
| balance OF the day Mr.. Hughes, who was then
! returning to the nucleus OF the colony. inter.
eoted me By detailing The trials and depriva5ions
| OF the agricultural and working classes gen orally
| through England He told OF thou sands OF let
| tiers he had received from anxious parents
| who, In their despair OF rearing their chill
| dren to useful lives against The odds Of cruel
competition, sought the counsel Of the writer of
| TON Brown" and how THESE letters had grad
tally led him into line or thought and from
thought to action, which had resulted in his
ldentincatlon with the board, which was origi-
Haliy Boston project started upon the broad
GROUNDS OF philanthropy. When | expires 3ed
surprise at the selection of a tract in region
heretofore considered OF so little value he re-
ItiTed me 70 the report OF the board whose COM
n1tteeS OF inspection had made extended tours
from Manitoba TO Texas over every line OF rail.
way onerlng farming lands In the west and
south, and finally, after weighing the speedy
outlets 10 market, the genial CHM lte and the
Indy disposition OF the people, had pronnu aced
III favor or lands upon the plateau5 OF Eastern
tennessee.
AT THE COLONY.
lI was Just sunset when we alighted at r d.
0lns station, set down beside a new clearing
ana new, implanted house. near which sadd e
horses awaited our expected coming family
OF English people, fresh from Durham rode
away toward the new Rugby" In a wagon,
wnile NIT: Hughes and the writer followed d
narrow trail through the forest finally striking
an avenue III process or completion leading 70
Tue 1nclplent town. Nine miles through grand
unproken woodland, under the htful ltgnt OF
tle moon and in such genial company proved
highly enjoyable. At Rugby Mr. hughes
iuet with boisterous welcome. finding a son
VINO mad lett his drover life in Texas to come on
ana visit his father in the new colony Morning
revealed a ro0my and nearly completed hotel
SET In grove, with an outlook across deap
talleys TO the peaks OF the Blue Ridge which
acres In extent presented the most incontestable
Evidences of the productive value OF the soil at
present 10 De found In the region. The vegeta-
Hs gIho" b therein We're large enough to de-
ana plentlful enough to satisfy the ideas OF a
montgomery county husbandman. The soil
upon this ridge Is composed OF loan, with a
suo-soii of cray. large proportion OF the land
"nlch The writer traverSed In the course of the
following two days compares unfayorabIy with
me bluegrass region TO the nOrJhward. Sew
efal unfa1iing streams water the section run
ulng under the shadow OF sand stone cliffs of
from one to two hundred feet in height. The
land Is densely covered with large timber, which
embraces pine, hickory several Varieties of OAK
and some black walnut and chestnut. These
woods will prove valuable as soon as facilities
contemplated for getting them to market are
lhIough the region and are OF the class who
We're SO largely unionistS during the rebellion.
LABOR Is worth about one dollar per diem
AMONG TIE ENGLISHMEN
The advent OF these Brltons In the hills, with
tlielf sturdy energy, queer ways and unOrtho-
COX notions, has created a fiuJter OF excitement
in the Stagnant existence OF the people beyond
an! thing which has happened since Richmond
1e!i. and no wonder, for the young Londoners
emulate in the gOrgeOusneS5 of their costumes
bu1lalo Bill himself. one OF the first things
competed at Rugby was tennis lawn. Duriug
the morning succeeding our arrival we encoune
tered the family OF English people met upon tie
tfdin, VINO were out upon tour OF Inspection,
and seemed much pleased with their oISerya
tons. l couldn't forbear remarking to Mr..
hughes that there was a wide difference be-
tween the experience OF these newly arrived
sellers and those OF Martin Chunlew1tt and his
pd1losoph1c companion, Mark Tapley. ..Oh!
bother Dickens !" replied he. ale went through
America with his eyes Shut, and il you hadn't
been lne peSt-natured people in the world you
would nave tossed him into the sea- instead OF
giving him fine dinner, when he came back
III subsequent conversations found that M.
ifughes predicts the rapid waning OF the popu-
litT1ty OF the creator OF Oliver Twist and Mrs
camp, While Thackerays fame will grow with
time
The colony of Plateau now embraces some
$4,000 acres, located In Scott, Morgan, FentreSs
and OvertOn counties, and It is proposed to
gradually absorb additional lands until 400, 900
acres have been secured This, Of course VIII
be contingent upon the success OF the present
nucleus at Rugby. An occasional patch of land
is found where clear titles could not be given.
ana IN one or TWO Instances men have oDenei
cars tnere FOR the dtspensat10n OF mountain
CeW 10 the Worknen engaged in the work OF
Improvement. According TO state laws no such
place Is allowed TO exist in the country within
fOur miles OF school house. and these chaps
will shortly be disposed OF by the location of
schools in their vicinity.
THE FUTURE OF RUGBY
IneIe Is considerable impract1cable talk
among the people already at Rugby about i'm
porting blooded cattle and ranging them in the
WoGdS Ihey Indulge in Dreams TOO OF endless
ields OF waving grain, but from his somewhat
limited knowledge OF the soil the writer is
u great fruit-growing region. Grapes are being
successfully planted upon Missionary and other
ridges ABOUT Chattanooga, and the soil Is much
TIE same as hereabouts. Pears would also do
We'll. w.
Rugby will soon develop as a summer resort.
IL Is cool In midsummer and enjoys at least nine
months OF delightful weather In the year. Last
winter snow fell but five hours in ALL TIE
scenery Is bold and full of surprises. The
! enneSseeans are vastly pleased at the selection
credit OF having called first attention to IL
belongs 10 BOStontan, the brother OF Mr
LLOYD Smith, OF the Philadelphia LIBRARY few
days since the people OF Chattanooga sent a
committee to Robbins station with special
train and captured Mr.. Hughes and several of
his fellow Britons and treated them to day
upon LOOKOUT Mountain and a grand BANQUET at
the stanton house, after which they were hand
ed over TO knoXville for similar purposes. The
formal inauguration OF the colony occurs upon
OCTOBER D. Immediately thereafter Mr.. Hughes
VIII leave Ior the east, remaining in this cOun-
Try 10 1ulllli social and lectur1ng engagements
until November, when he leaves for England
TO return to visit his pet project
again early next season.
Can Animals Ta,kt