The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-11
For the arner and Mechanic
Western North Carolina.
SWANNANoA HOTEL.

Much has been written about Ashc-
vile. | am informed that the editor OF
the +. & NJ. once lived here and that
his pungent pen has told OF the mani
told advantages this little city was pos
,ceeed Of III so eminent a degree. but
however this mavbe. | am sure even he
would not recognize in the Asheville of
70 day the slightest resemblance to the
Ashevlllc OF fifteen Years since. At
tlaJ time II was ~ unlrctcntiouS town
of about 1000 inhabitants There was.
however. latent energy here that only
needed the quickening influences of the
Western North Carolina Railroad to
cause the wonderful development thai
has since taken place. The census Of
lSSO showing that the population had
moved up to 2Gs0. About that time
the Railroad had penetrated the moun-
talns. Since then the increase has
been in an accelerated ratio. The CEN
sus OF 1883 just completed running the
population up to 1875. Thus in fifteen
years the town of 1000 people has
grown to the city Of four thousand.
The business Of the place has kept
pace with its rapid growth in popula-
ton. Thessabacco interest sprung into
existence i'll the year 1880. The sales
tnat year amounting to about 300. 600
lbs. In 1882 they were 800. 600 lbs.
and this year they will exceed 1000. 600
lbs. Their was one small warehouse
then. now there are tour immense brick
structures that viii compare with any
n the state. 4 market has been es-
tabIished. and 1T this time four large
manufactures are in successful opera
uOn. and several more will be started
IN the course of three months The
bright yellow tobacco is cultivated to
perfection III the contiguous counties
and Is equal in color. and very nearly
equal in body to that OF the Granville
bright leaf. There have been Instances
OF sales 1T ! 1 and 81 per lb. The dark
grades from Haywood county are tough.
hcavy and aromatic. closely rcScm bling
the famous Henry county tobacco.
The plant Is put to soil three weeks
later than i'll the Granville section, but
is protected from frost three weeks lon
ger in the fail. This is due to the light
morning fog which produces no miasma.
but shields the earth from frost. The
varied industries of the country have
developed in the same ratio. and the
prosperity of the people is greater than
that of any other section Of the State
Property in the city has advanced from
300 TO 800 per cent during the past three
years. There is life, enterprise, and
great energy among the citizens. All
the business structures are built OF
brick, and it may truly be said of it, it
is "a brick of a place"
Thus far | have spoken of the mate
rial interests of Asheville. The more
difficult task remains to describe. if it be
possiole-the beautiful, the grand and
the sublime scenery that srds it about
on all sides. This would require vol
umes, but must be circumscribed to the
compass of a newspaper article. | will
simply enumerate few of the note
worthy places Of interest. most Of
which can be seen from the observatory
of the Swannanoa Hotel: Beau Catcher
Mountain Top, Town Mountain. Con-
nally's View, Richmond Hill. Elk
Mountain, French Broad River. Swan
nanoa River. Arden Park. Bald Noun
tain, Pisgah Mountain, Black Mountain
Caesars Head. and Roam Mountain.
The chief point OF attraction has not
been named-the climate. Its fame is
worldwide. The temperature averages
az follows: January. 80 degrees Feb
ruary, 80; March, Al; July, Il; Au-
gust, 10: and September. 63. Inyalids
and pleasure seekers resort here both
in winter and summer is a compro-
mise ground between the extreme heat
of Florida and the regions of tn North.
and is much sought by tourists from
Florida on their way North in the
spring. The great salubrity of the eli
mate ; the vast aud unriyalled noun
tain scenery; and the excellent hotel
accommo latious taken tout ensemble
make this one of the most desira BILE
spots in creation. The society is refin-
ed and elegant. There Is commend
able absence of ''tiashy dressing which
1T some resorts is so shocking to good
taste. summer tourists are coming in
in large numbers. and by the 10th OF the
month the hotels will be taxed to their
utmost capacity The Swannanoa Ho-
tel, presided over by Dr.. w. II Hover
ton, ; without doubt tie Eandsome> t
hotel in the State, and in fact few hotels
anywhere su~pa>s Il III lts appearance.
its outfit. and lis management. 1t viii
comfortably accommodate 100 guests.
and DR. Howerton advises me that he
viii oe overun by the 18th of July.
He has engagements for large parties
from New Orleans. Nicksburg. Savan-
nah. and other Southern cities. and the
season at the Swannanoa will be The
most brilliant and successful ever
known in Asheville. The Ball Room
is much the largest in the State tie
floor as level as die" and there is