The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-13

For the Farmer and Mechanic
WARM SPRINGS, Sept. 9th.


Usually by this time the season is over
here. but. though there is decided
shrlnkage In the crowd, we are still III
full blast with about three hundred
guests. Mrs. Vance and her sister, Miss
Steel, arrived last week frcm Kentucky
and we're met here by Senator, or as We
ike best to call him, Governor Vance.
who will make this his headquarter. for
the next month. Some one very aptly
said that generation ago North Caro-
lima gave Kentucky her Daniel Boon,
and now Kentucky was returning the
compliment by giving wives to North
Carolinians. If all the daughters she
bestows in marriage in the Old North
State are like Mrs. Vance | think we
have got the best Of the bargain, for she
is truly charming woman, and one well
calculated to retain the hearts her hus-
band wins. Many OF the guests who left
month ago are now returning to spend
the time here till frost allows them to 90
home. The yellow fever in Pensacola has
changed the plans of people from the
South, who think it best to wait for fur
| ther developments. Among those who
have returned we count our charming
creole, Mrs Baldwin, with her family of
eight. Her eldest son, Mr.. Harry Bald
win, youth Of eighteen, is a most en-
thusiastic curiosity hunter, and has made
| valuable additions to his museum in the
shape of Indian relics, among them one
so remarkable that | regret to see it leav
lug the State; it ought to be in our
State museum, for 1t is prehistoric
specimen of the skill, not of the indians,
but of the unknown mOuud>builders.
| Somewhere on Pigeon River there Is
said to be one of these mounds, the exact
| locality being only known to an ol0 noun
talneer who from time to time brings out
curiOSities which he sells to visitors.
| This piece which Mr.. Baldwin bought OF
him for three dollars is carving in soap
stone about six inches high representing
two bears erect on their hind feet with
their jaws and fore feet interlocked, and
two human figures from the waist up
watching them. The bears are admir-
ably done, but the figures do not in face
represent the ''human face divine" as
the heads are mere round balls with
grotesque markings for eyes and nose,
! but the ornaments they wear and the
whole appearance of the specimen is SO
similar to the sculpture Of Paenque and
other Central American ruins that there
can be no doubt but what it is the work
of the same unknown race who created
the temples of Mexico. [ wish the au
thor OF ''Ahantis' could see it, as 1t is
another trlfie In support of his theory.
| have not quite made up my mind
whether it is intended to represent Val
entine and Orson intensified or is the
old myth of Romulus and Remus with
| 6 ,Io
haps as Gov. Vance Says it is the original
coat of arms of the first Baron Brad
wardyne who emigrated from Atlantis
before 1t was submerged. Certainly 1t Is
great curiosity, and the old man who
found it ought to be put into press and
squeezed till he discloses the locality from
which it came, and then some scientific
investigation ought to be made of the
mound La the mounds of Indiana anC
Illinois pieces of mica are found thai
must have been carried there from thi,
locality, as there is no mica found in thai
region and the mines here were evidently
worked in prehistoric times by race fal
more civilized than the Indians. Cop
per tools and relicts Of various kinds have
been found in these mines, bat as gen
eral rule the mounds in this State do not
when opened, disclose any TIE ,sures Of
antiquity. and the secret of their exs
tence is still an unsolved mystery
Mr. Harry Rumbough, a SOD Of Col
Rumbough, of this place, has also made
a collection of the curiosities of this re-
gion, among which are some bt autifu
specimens Of marble and mica, one piece
of mica being thickly studied with gar.
nets he has also beautiful specimen
of turquoise found in these mountains.
This is the only summer resort iu
North Carolina where other States are
fully represented, at ether places d
sprinkling of outsiders may be found,
but here they largely preponderate over
the Datives, and it has been most crafty
ing to my State pride to see that North
Carolinians have made their mark
this summer among people capable ol
approaching them. Among the numer
Gus railroad men here this season, Col.
A. B. Andrews has been one of the most
prominent, aud as remarkable for his un-
assuming modesty, as he is for his ability,
while have heard more than one civil
engineer, men capable of judging, say
that the railroad over Round Knob
and executed by Maj. JAS w. Wilson,
Doth North Carolinians, Is one of the
finest, if not the finest, pieces Of engi-
neering in the United States.
| This is not a mere manifestation of State
vanity on my part, but true representa-
| tion of the position accorded our promi
nent men when they are fairly matched
with those from other States.