The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-08-05
ON THE WING.
A Trip Through Virginia and North
Carolina.
J eauiiful Scenery, In Fact, "The Land
Ofthe Sky"
A: ~ of Very Great Interest.

almost directly upon the dlVlulnB ilpe ne
tween east Tennessee and western North
Carolina. These springs are SAID tt
be almost equal TO the Hot Spring.
OF Arkansas ia their curative proper
ties; and lying In "a lovely
valley at the base Of bold mountaif
range, with the French Broad river rush
ing along shimmering in beauty, withir
full view from the hotel, they have Justly
gained the reputation OF being one OF the
most popular summer resorts IN the south
The hotel accommodations are ample, anc
the facilities for enjoying the baths are
well arranged; and any one VINO has eyel
enjoyed the. inylgorating elects OF the
bnoyant, elastic waters OF these warn
baths, will fully appreciate the privilege o
bathing in them.
After pleasant stay mt Warm Springs
we went to A.hevile, North Carolina, I
distance by railroad OF about thirty miles
We found this little city OF three thou
sand inhabitants, surrounded by TIT
Blue Ridge mountains II delightful place
and already number OF visitors from va
rions portions OF the south had gathered
there for the summer, We met quite q
number OF visitors there, also, from the
north, who claim that this mountain city
offers superior Inducements to the visitor
on account of the purity OF the atmos'
phore and remarkably cool climate.
While in Nashville visiting relatives and
friends, we Joined II party for little excur.
sion OF twenty milea by railroad across tho
Blne Ridge mountains for the purpose OF
viewing the fine scenery along the rouie
We lelt the depot NJ Asheville about .
O'Clock in the afternoon; AS
we swept along eastward In
grand indeed AS we looked forth from
our position on tho rear platform OF the car,
we saw Mount Piogah rising In the distance
10 our lett, while Mount Mitchell reared Ia
majestic heights upon the right, grand
monarch of OF all this mountain land, the
lOitiest peak of all the mountain ranges
east OF the Rocky mountains,
We were ere long In the midst OF the
mountains, with peak after peak rising in
every direction, and chasms and gorges
deep aud dark intervening between them,
AT points our course would lay directly
along the edge OF some vast gorge down
which one would shudder to look,
while mountain peak rose in
g'and succession on either ride AZ
las as The eye could reach. At one point
soon after emerging from tunnel our at.
tention was directed TO q vast gorge known
as the Royal Gorge, and here the sublimity
OF the scenery surpasses description. We
could only look and admire and wonder at
the grandeur of the scene, feeling that
words were vain. In the ascent the rail-
road wound round and round the noun
tain ut one point In our course, going a
distance OF nine miles In order to make an
ascent o'two miles, and the track could be
seen at four different points rising in success
sion, one course above the other. like some
vast terrace In making the distance OF
twenty niles we passed through
five tunnels. and the lamps
remained lighted In the cars throughout
the whole distance. The traveller can but
wonder and admire the great engineering
skill which accomplished the intricate and
difficult passage across his lofty mountain
chain. The work on this portion OF the
railroad Is claimed to be one Of the finest
peices OF engineering skill TO be found any
where In America.
by the time the rays OF the setting sun
were gliding the mountain peaks, we had
made the passage across the r'cantains aud
had descended the eastern slope. We fully
realized the grandeur OF the scenery we
had Viewed In the passage across, but
could not help rtgretting the ab.
sence OF the observation car which is usually
attached to trains Tor summer excursions
along this route.
WestoPped for the night at hotel nj the
foot OF the mountain, tho station for supper.
The name Of this hotel ST. Bernard
charmed melt was 40 suggestive of the
Alps, and | could almost imagine myself
transported TO Switzerland. But Il Is hard
for me TO believe that any Alpine scenery
can far surpass the grandeur oi
that through which we pnssed
In reachlug this hotel at the base OF
the Blue Ridge mountains. A tempting
repast was served ut supper, which was fol-
lowed by night of delightful sleep, the
air being 80 cool us to require heavy cover.
ing on the beds.
The next day we returned to Asheyille.
but when we were in the midst of
the grandest of the scenery our
enjoyment OF II was marred by n heavy
ralnoloud bursting over us, which obscured
all the landscape.
From Asheville we came to this place
Waynesvllle-n distance of about thirty
miles west, This little town, nesting In
the very heart OF tho Aleghenlos, ia said To
be the highest location for town east OF
the Mississippi river. The town Ia built
upon a high plateau, with lofty mountain
peaks rising ON every side, and here the
murcury rarely rises above $50 ut Aoon.
while the lights are often quite chilly
Naynesville has besides It's superior alti.
tnde aud charming climate the attraction
Afforded by fine white sulphur
water. The white sulphur spring
10 NANhuNNh NNNAA " UhlAt oNNtuMAhA Oh IOMn
In lovely park of noble forest trees, Tina
park lies At the base OF the Balsam noun.
tains, SPURS Of the Alleghanles, no called
Rom the dense growth OF balsam or fir
trees with which their heights are covered,
the spring bubbles up In a large vein of
pure white sulphur water, which Is never.
failing In It's supply. A large hotel and
cottages within the park afford ample ac-
COMMUNICATION for the throng OF visitors who
gather here rom various portions of the
union for health and recreation. II is
tnoukht lhat this charming resort, around
which the mountains tower In
sublimity Of height, there being
i've peaks within sight, which
attain an average OF 5000 feet each In niti.
tude-will In time rival the famous q cen.
brler White Sulphur Spring, of Virginia
when once Its attractions are as well known
as those of the Virginia resort.
IL has only been within the last tour years
that the attractions OF this portion of west.
ern North Carolina have become known TO
any extent, IL Il only since the railroad
mas crossed the Bleu Ridge mountains and
mas penetrated the mountain iastness of the
Alleghanies, that the outside world has be.
come acquainted to any considerable de-
gree with the attractions OF this country as
summer resort.
The molle pen OF the writer
Christian Reed, has called the attention of
the travelling public TO the charms of the
country through series OF articles entitled
THE Land oflhe Sky" which first an.
peared IN Appleton's Journal, and have
since appeared in book form. Her glowing
accounts OF this portion OF her native state
have been the means of drawing hundreds
OF visitors to this mountain land, where
formerly but few came.
This country bids fair In course of
short time 10 become fayohte resort for
the tourist aud pleasure seeker, for Ger,
tainly no country In the Union can offer
superior attractions In salubrity ofclimate.
mountain scenery and fine water.
Ia a recent work called THE Heart Of the
Alleghanies, by northern writer, we find
the following paragraph in regard TO the
mountains OF this portion Of North Caro-
hnM
"Geologlcally speaking, the mountains Of
North Carolina are the oldest In the world,
nNW ~ Ill