The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-24
1, the heartoftne highlands.

=, her E,T-erS b.r tfa>ton-. her k"frrS.
her Howes. her Noore< her PenderS, her
Rrsrehc~ to tho & Incompatible sous
Oh IA .orcpsic sieiuenc' n c'mireheu-
ave ,tafespans H.. ia deep Larni z, IN
,.tute geuerai>hIo and ludfridut hcro-
In have won tor her glory IA military
ana cir,c achievements, but none, not
one la, erected for himself a more in
reri,hable than MAJ Jame-
Wilson whose >kiii has overcome ali nat
uraI obstacle, and whose lBIl-trs ha> ac-
compli~hed the great achievement 81
breaking down the barr ef> 81 the Blue
Ridge and opening up We~tera Carolina
% the uses 81 advanced prosperity.
he difficulties can be appreciated only
bv a personal Inspection Of the ground.
- Henry. the elevation l. o." tcei. ,ey-
IN miles distant the S~vannanoa turn, I i
reached where the a'Iitltc 4 2.btt feet
Then decline TO A>heyIlle. where the a.
utude !. > - feet
At Road gap, in the Bsl>sn mountain,
the elevation al L ielis attained.
This Is tx f4r the highest point on the
rolte, being 7j6 EFT ABOVE >Sana9noa
pap. On other site rise -sran noun
tain y akS rearing their ma .l. heals
be o ii 6StD feet al We I'll h ~ Tie
sea. while below IN the distance lesser
mountains seem bur unmpnrti IN hIls
Here. al the aititu Il 81 So lrtt, the
air Is cool and pleasant, tn" v,setItiDn
luxuriant and he scene rom lrka5It grand,
taking in a wide eXpdnse WIN" the lhim
liable view impTcsseS one with a sense 81
awe.
From this c~Glminlting point the de
scent TO the westward j. very steep, the
mountain grade being 30 feet 10 the mile
aud confirming between SN aud seven
miles before more level IGuj i reached.
Having passed through this gap me
waters Of Scots creek ATE ioIlowci-be~
ing crossed y times IOWA the mountain
side to the Tuckaseege thence the des-
cent continues u the Tennessee, whore
the lowest point of the mountain section
of the road IS reached, The altitude being
but 1892 feet. FROM that point the des
cent will continue on the projected line to
Maryville while the liues to the south
ward have to scale other mountains be
fore they reach their termination. The
Murphy branch attains its highest point
at Rcd Marble gap at the height OF , COO
feet the Franklin branch must attain a
greater altitude in crossing Hlbun gap.
But while the profile Is 50 broken. for
the most part the construction OF the road
bed has been easy rather than diff. ult.
Especially alter the Tuckaseege river
is reached one Is surprised at the easy
grades and the facility with which the
roadway has been prepared for the iron.
Only here and there much blasting has
been required and for miles the prepare
ton of the roadway is without difficulty of
any kind. At times, however, there are
sharp turns in the river where mountain
spurs lying IN the depth of the waters,
have been disrupted, and narrow passes
are formed which have necessitated skiltul
work on the part Of the engineer.
The view AL along the route is unuusally
fine. Many grand views. as well a. pie
tureSque ones, are to be found along the
course of the smaller streams, but when
the broader river arcrcachcd the prospect
is particularly charming. These streams
are wide, shallow and full Of rocks over
which the waters, pour, making rapids
and small cascades which add an unceas-
ing variety TO the view. The bcctiing
cliffs that tut from the mountain sides,
the splendid forests that adorn the bank
of the river, the rushing waters, the soil
tude Of the unsettled region all enhance
the attrac lveness OF the scenery and lend
it an additional enchantmeat.
Often miles aud miles are passed where
no evidence OF human life are presented.
The solitude is unbroken The appear
ance is that OF a wild and ~unexplored
country. In those recesses one sees naught
to indicate the presence of man. Ii is the
wilderness
The road bed is well constructed bat
the cross ties have Just been lain. auo
the rails were put down III haste; st
that the road IS not vet III fair condition
Another month will, however. see tho
line in good working order to the mouth
Of the Nantahala. In the meantime the
Murphy extension viii he pressed to
completion. there being already twelve
miles Of that graded and ready for the
cross-ties while the Nanlahala is itself
spanned by a substantial bridge.
For the present the frcights on the
line viii necessarily be small. The
country is sparsely settled and there
has been no i~nducemcnt for tie people
to make much to sell because they had
not access to markets. Lands are low
from one to five collars per acre and
they are very rich and productive.
Capt. Coke, DR.. Worth, DR. James
Mckee, Mr.. Stage and myself left Raj
eigh in Col. Andrews private car; at
Greensboro we were joined BY Col. Blu
ford, Col. Ross, Capt. Marshall Parks
and Mr.. Lynch in Col. Butord's car:
aud at Salisbury by Benedict with the
sons Of Mr.. Clyde, b Gov. JARVIS and
Col Andrews aud others.
At Naynesville | had the pleasure of
seeing General Cin.man. looking well
and more rcqust than usual, and there
we were Joined by other guests of the
management Of the Western North Car
DINA. Passing on we reached the cool
heights of the Balsam 1850 feet above
the sea. and then towards evening rested
a while at Charleston, Later we went
on merrlly down the Tuckascere and
rested for the night at its junction with
the Tennessee. the following morning
making the final run. only seven miles,
up the Tennessee to the mouth of the
Nantahala Mr.. NJ. +. Leach and Lieut..
Gov. Robinson met Us here this morn
inr.
Friday morning we were to have made
an early start homeWard. bat Governor
Vance, i Of the commissioners to
inspect the road. was dellyed by a mis-
cradle little Academia ear OF the track
and did not reach the Nantaha.a until
high noon-and then the engine man
aged TO slip Off the rail aud so there We
were!
BY agreement cur party WAS due at
Charleston to join in the celebration
end some OF the invited speakers were
with us-with no certainty of reaching
the barbecue in time. Under these cir
cumstanree Capt. Coke and Mr.. Bl,bee
left rs and drove across the country to
Charleston. reaching that point in time
Tor Capt. Coke to make a capital speech.