Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-03-08

ana anon some hardy mounkeineer 1
cabin = seen With its attendant qrpup
Of sturdy urchins (ths mountains are
prolific Of childrsnl hpdd died about tbs
step. Far above tower the mighty
peaks, grand IN Wild solitude, each
one D mighty monarch of the wilder
ness. The Pinnacle az Blue Ridge,
the highest poipt pf thatridee. il near
ct hand, . noble. symmekFiees. peak,
over 5000 feet hiqh and forest crowned
to its summit. As The summit of the
road is neared, The view ektsnds near.
y = hundred miles into the country
beneath. till shut in by the distant
hills Of South Carolina. Pluneinc
through the darkness Of Swaanahoa
tnnneI. 1900 feet in length. and the
longest Of seven tunnels on the ascent,
tla teain comea ont npons the Western
slope Of the Blue Ridea and away
We 20 on down grade. All the
streams How Westerly course and
JOIN the Tennessee; we are in the val
ley Of the Swannanos river and in the
heart Of the Alleghanies.
There are mountains on every hand;
the valley Is several miles wide and
occupied by thrifty homesteads, pre-
senting quite q contrast to the pine
barrens and tar forests Of the Eastern
part of the State. A couple Of hours
brings US to the French Broad, large
stream flowing through an extensive
and fertile valley. A few miles fur
ther and we are at our destination,
Asheville, q thriving town of 4, 900
inhabitants, situated a mile from the
river under the shadow of high
mountain. This is well built little
city and is the metropolis of Western
North Carolina 1t has an elevation
of 5000 feet above the level Of the
sea and for healthfulness of climate
and beauty ofsufroundings and points
OF interests in easy reach is unsurpas-
sed. 1t is q popular resort and its at
fractions have become known far and
wide, the total number Of visitors last
season exceeding $1,000.
| made as much as possible of my
limited stay and managed to find time
to renew my old time acquaintance
with the mountains. Climbing the
range in the rear of the town, / was
amply repaid for my toll by the mag
ni6cent view of the surrounding eoun-
try, which lay spread out before me
like huge map. The lovely valley
"brimming with .beauty's essence;
the pretty town at my feet, the houses
dwarted to Lilliputian dimensions BY
the distance; beyond ever and anon
the silvery thread Of tie river could
be seen az it played at hide-and-seek
with the brown hills; while further
Oh 4td On ali sides the serrate blue Of
the everlasting mountains lay piled
on high. kissing the azure skies above.
/ watched the sun sink behind a dis
tant peak, filling the Western sky
with a golden glow of glory. and took
my way hotelward in the thickening
shadows. ..., =
The entire region of Western North
Carolina is remarkable for its grand
and beautiful scenery, and no part of
our country East Of the Mississippi
surpasses 1t IN attractions for the tour
lst. Here nature revels in its widest
forms; here are vast mountains en-
closingsunny wales, watered by roman
tic streams, dense forests that stretch
for miles in unbroken ranks and afford
shelter to all sorts of game in profu-
sion, and the hunter who fails to find
enjoyment in the pursuit Of the small
eF game can, If he is venturesome
enough, vary his sport by the chase
of bear, deer, wolves and panthers
which abound. Here too are medi-
cinal springs (the most noted Of which
are the Warm Springs on the French
BrOad) whose healing waters minister
to the ailments Of the body while the
mind is feasted by the contemplation
Of nature IN all its beauty. The coun-
try is thinly settled, being peopled
for the most part by hardy mountain
GERS, half farmers, half hunters, who
have made no effort to develop It's
vast resources. There are number
less openings for enterprise and capital
and the completion Of several rail-
roads projected through the country
and in process of construction must
In o few years give great impetus
20 Improvement and result in tide
of useful emigrants with new ideas.
1t is fine agricultural and stock
country: cattle and hogs may be rais-
ed at trihing cost and command re-
mnnerative prices, being in easy reach
OF the great eastern markets, and for
sheep It Is unsurpassed, the best Of
walks being afforded by the noun
tain slopes which could be utilized in
no other way. The climate is com
paratively mild and the elevation
gives pure air, a sure preventive
against disease. Land is cheap, rang
ing from so cts. for wild mountain
land to $l5 for valley lands remote
from the railroad, these commanding
higher fgures-the average is not
more than S.. It was with q feeling
OF regret that I bade adieu to Ashe-
vile, for its attractive surroundings
have an irresistible charm. A sleet
had fallen the night before and the
mountains were eased ia ice, upon
which the morning sun shone, dazzling
the eye with sparkling radiance as
though each peak was gemmed with
countless brilEiants.
No people surpass the SOutherners
In refinement Of manners, and In ali
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