Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-20
UNTRAvELED WAITS IN THE CUM.
BERLAND RANGE.
Forests, RIines and Scenery.
VIRGINIA AND KENTUCKY LANps-HOw WE GOT
TO POUND GAP.

TO POUND GAP.
Correspondents of THR EVENING sr.s
Pound GAP, May 10, 1889.
A glance at any good map discloses large
extent of mountainous country In eastern Ken
lucky and the west side of the Vrginias No
railroads traverse this region, and to the out
side world 1t is largely terra incognita." Es-
pecially is this true of the Kentucky side of the
mountains. Having received commission to
examine large tract Of land lying in that coun-
try, IN company with very able young lawyer
OF Chicago, We found it difficult to learn the
best route. Railroad guides and experienced
travellers were alike at fault No public con-
veyances penetrated its depths from any of the
well-known lines. Abingdon, on the whole
seemed to be the nearest railroad station, so we
embarked for that place The Midland road
admirable in its perfection of track and excel
lent management, takes one to that point by
early bedtime from Washington. The ride was
delightful one through the great Valley Of
virginia, with it's magnificent swells Of rich SOIL
noble forests, and grand mountains rising in the
Instance. AT early morn We were up and in
curing our way to the
UNKNOWN REGION OF KENTUCKY.
We were directed to Pound Gap as the most
practicable route With good team and stout
spring wagon, our journey began. We soon
road as ourselves. So we turned about and
examined him on his geography quite pointedly.
His answers were about as satisfactory as those
of the average graduate OF the Washington high
schools taken off his guard. Then we went
Dack TO the livery man and had Noe (that' S
our drivers name) ''crammed" for the occasion.
after which he refreshed himself and mounted
the seat. For lew miles we had a good road
leading along up to the mountains, amid pleas
ant farms. The soil Is stony red clay, and
excellent for wheat grass and corn. The
orchards are also very fine. and some vineyards
show what might be done in viticulture
We soon enter the mountains and begin to
realize the answer of our driver to my friends
remark that ''the horses were not very fast"
Fast enough for the road, l reckon was the
sententlOus response of Noe. We found it about
So Indeed, the great trouble now was to hold
!hem oack. Up hill we went slow enough. but
when we came to descend Door Noe gentle and
docle as his own team. but innocent of all skill
In driving, let them have their own sweet will
Inc brake was out of order, and the average in
ciihation OF the hills fifty degrees. 1t was often
matter of serious doubt whether the horses or
the wagon would get down first The high
gHades were not our only difficulty; rocks from
the size of mans head to a bushel basket, often
filled the roads long unused.
PULL UP! PULL up"
was the oft-repeated shout Of my companion.
but Noe had not been taught to keep his
horses well in hand, and down went the whole
machine, leaping from rock to rock, wagon and
team in mad chase to get into the river first
1t was an honest wagon, and broken reach
was the only serious result. We looked for
something to mend with-no hammer, hatchet,
or nail aboard, and no house for miles. So we
turned to the harness. meager enough certainly
The check reins, which I esteem an effete bar
barism, with our good friend Bergh. were tied
round the broken reach. and enabled US to go
on Thereafter we walked up hill to save the
oVer-taXed strength Of our team. Then we
walked down hill and held on to the tail-boarti
OF the wagon to keep it from falling on the
horses. This arrangement worked WELL and
was continued tilfthe horses refused to concur
when we struck and parted company, some DAYS
later. At noon of our first day we had made
fourteen miles. We struck a bright flashing
stream and followed its narrow valley for a
short distance, emerged into lovely little nook
OF choice farm lands covering few hundred
acres Here lives fine old couple named Han
son. They treated US to some nice fresh butter
milk and brought out pan of Abram apples
well preserved They had lived here many
years, but had two sons in Illinois. whom they
had visited. Fine fields of wheat and grass
gave evidence of good soil and good farming.
On again. over the rocky roads for miles. we
rise, steadily following the valleys of small
streams. The hardships Of the trip are forgot
ten IN the choice bits of scenery which contin-
uaiIy surprise US. Now we come to grand for
tHtS VI odh, poplar. duu OCner nara WOOD trees
Dense groves of hemlOck, with birch and maple
at intervals, in full foliage recall to us the
northern woods of our bOyhOOd. Now and then
fresh sparkling stream comes dancing down
the mountain side, for few moments delights
our eyes with its beauty aud our ears with its
music, then disappears in the forest deptbs
Betting crags, hundreds OBJECT high, hang over
us: below, precipces awful to contemplate and
our road often cut in the hillside so narrow and
badly quilted that no one will risk the ride
INF npofl last
LEVEL TABLE LAND
covered with good soil. 1t is two thousand
feet above tide, and splenddly timbered with
hard wood. A waterfall of such picturesque
beauty that it can never be forgotten greets us
as we descend from this lofty plateau. At
night we found good quarters with hospitable
mountaineer. Sweet milk and fresh butter and
eggs with honey and fruit made our corn bread
and soda biscuits go down very easy and set well.
The clear cool mountain air and long March davs
gave appetites that might have caused panic
at fashionable boarding house.
crossing the Castleriver. bright pure stream
TO dream OF IN summer days, We rise along the
slope OF lofty range of mountains our road
often coming back upon itself In its serpentine
| windings to gain the summit. The prevailing
rock are shales or soft States here and there
ihtersectec by masses OF granite, siente, and
trap rocks. Heavy beds Of sandstone now come
in. We encounter also vast masses Of pudding
stone conglomerate. These are rocks made uD
| of little pebbles cemented together The peb-
| bles are almost entirely of milky white quartz.
Extensive chestnut forests, the finest 1 have
| ever seen. are here encountered. Beech. hard
maple and hickory, with tulip poplar are also
| very fine. The rocks are less annoying now in
the road, being softer and more easily removed.
They have been powerfully disturbed by up
heaVing forces, and are seen rising in regular
strata thousands of feet in the mountain archi-
| lecture, often highly inclined We come soon
into Wise county, Virginia, and pass through
Gainesville, the county town. Here is another
expanse of level land 2 500 feet above the tide.
and reminding one i'm it's gentle undulations of
| the bllowy prairies of the west. Some fine and
Wen cultivated farms lie in this charming noun
tain retreat. 1t is scarcely possible to realize
that we are on the top Of the lesser range Here
we find coal in seams from two to four feet thick
and of fair quality. North of this, in Buchanan
county,
GEN BUTLER HAS RECENTLY BOUGHT 100000
ACRES
of forest and mineral land. A Mr. Henderson. of
Pittsburg, is buying largely in Wise county.
The price of land ranges from one to ten dollars
per acre. Capitalists are seeking these lands
for their minerals and fine timber. We called at